Difference between different Cisco IP Phones software

mohammedmahmoud · ‎10-19-2006

Dear All,

My Cisco IP Phones are running Cisco POS5.3 software, i found out that there is version 6.X, 7.X and 8.X.

Do i have to upgrade to the latest version, and what are the benifits ?

thanks, in advance.

Rob Huffman · ‎10-19-2006

Hi Mohammed,

That is an excellent question. There is no definitive answer to this. You do not have to upgrade to the latest version if you are not experiencing any problems with the 5.x version. The newer versions will however have contained many bug fixes since that version was released. Whenever you plan on ugrading to a newer version make sure you read the applicable release notes and read-me's. There have been releases that caused a new set of problems for people, so its always good to wait until at least a little while after the new firmware is released before implementing it on your phones. Here are some examples of such issues;

http://www.cisco.com/en/US/products/hw/phones/ps379/prod_field_notices_list.html

Hope this helps!

Rob

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mohammedmahmoud · ‎10-22-2006

Dear Rob,

I really thank you very very very much, but i only got one question left, i've a couple of Cisco IP phones with SCCP image (3.X) and i need to covert them to the latest SIP image (8.X), i found out that i can't do it in one step, i must go from 3.X to 5.x then to 7.x then to 8.X, is that normal !!!

Sorry one last question, can i revert from a new image to an old image (lets say from 8.x to 5.X), is there any kind of constrains ???

very Thanks in advance.

Rob Huffman · ‎10-22-2006

Hi Mohammed,

If the release notes indicate the multiple step approach it is not that unusual, so don't let that throw you off. The notes that I have seen do indicate that you can go from sccp 3.x to sip 7.x in one step;

SCCP Image 3.x/Earlier and 5.x to SIP Image 7.x

This is the procedure to convert SCCP image 3.x or earlier to the desired SIP image 7.x, or to convert SCCP image 5.x to the desired SIP image 7.x:

Copy the desired binary image from Cisco.com to the root directory of the TFTP server.

Specify the image in the configuration file image parameter for the protocol to which you are converting (load_information for SCCP or image_version for SIP).

Remove any protocol configuration files that are not used for the specified protocol.

For example, for SIP the SIPDefault.cnf and SIPmac_address.cnf files are downloaded when a phone is reset. This file contains the image_version parameter that tells the phone which image to run. Thus, if you attempt to load the SIP version 7.1 software, SIPDefault.cnf must contain image_version: P0S3-07-1-00. If the image load differs from the one that is currently loaded on the phone, the phone contacts the TFTP server to convert to the new image.

http://www.cisco.com/en/US/products/hw/phones/ps379/products_tech_note09186a0080094584.shtml#sccptosip2

As for your second question, you can revert from newer versions as long as they both signed images(which started about 5.x)so you can't revert from a signed 7.x to an unsigned 3.x

Revert Back to a Cisco CallManager SCCP Image

In order to revert the SIP phone back to a Cisco CallManager Skinny phone, edit the OS79XX.TXT file to change the file name reference back to the Cisco CallManager load ID. The next time that the phone connects to the TFTP server, it loads the CallManager load file.

Navigate to the Cisco7940/7960 SCCP software download page at the Cisco Software Center ( registered customers only) : click Voice Software, and then click SIP IP Phone 7940/7960. Download the latest version of the 7940/7960 software. If you convert from an early version of the 7940/7960 SIP software (3.x or earlier), try to convert to the latest version of the SCCP 4.x chain before you convert to the SCCP 5.x chain. Once you convert to the 5.x chain, you are not able to revert back to an earlier image.

Hope this helps!

Rob

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mohammedmahmoud · ‎10-31-2006

Dear Rob,

Really thanks that was exciting, but just to note, the convresion from 3.x to 7.x in one step was never done, and i had to do it in two steps (3.x -> 5.x -> 7.x).

Can i ask one more question is there an intelligent way for the network administrator to manage the IP Phones (all confiugrations) without the need to access the IP Phones physically.

Thanks in advance.

Rob Huffman · ‎11-01-2006

Hi Mohammed,

Thanks for posting back to let us know the outcome of the conversion!

I'm not completely sure what you are asking in regards to administration.Perhaps you are looking for something like BAT;

Bulk Administration Tool (BAT)

The Bulk Administration Tool (BAT), a plug-in application to Cisco CallManager, lets you add, update, or delete a large number of phones, users, Cisco VG200 gateways and ports, and Cisco Catalyst 6000 24 Port FXS analog interface modules to the Cisco CallManager database. Where this was previously a manual operation, BAT helps you automate the process and achieve much faster add, update, and delete operations.

BAT is a web-based application. You can access BAT from Cisco CallManager Administration and vice versa using the Application menu.

Have a look at;

http://www.cisco.com/en/US/products/sw/voicesw/ps556/products_user_guide_book09186a0080717c9f.html

Hope this helps!

Rob

mohammedmahmoud · ‎11-02-2006

Hi Rob,

I really thank you on all your respective replies, but the problem is that i am working with SIP not CCM, and i need something like BAT but that operates for SIP Cisco IP Phones.

While migrating our company to Cisco IP Phones, i got a strange symptom, when attaching my Cisco 7912 IP Phones to the power adaptor (our even when using inline power), a couple of phones doesn't respond (steady Green and Red), is this a HW failure.

Thanks in advance.