Business/PBX Splitting in Two

[HFH-Digerati]

Hello. I have a client which I recently acquired which is a combination of several business interests running a small 3cx PBX (standard annual version 16.0.7.1078 on Debian) with handsets at two locations (locations 1 and 2) with the PBX at location 1. The individual who installed the system and has console password, etc. has decided to no longer provide service to the client and doesn't answer his phone or return phone calls. The only credentials I have to the existing system are the web admin creds. The owner of the business (owner 1) has sold one part of the business (location 1) and is keeping the other part (location 2). The existing 3cx PBX at location 1 has been included in the sale so the new owner (owner 2) will be keeping the existing PBX. Owner 1 is interested in continuing to use 3cx since he has handsets (Yealink) and familiarity with the system. I've worked with owners 1 and 2 and we've determined that the best course is for me to build a new PBX for owner 1 and then tweeze out accounts and DIDs from the existing system and split the system in two. The system is small with 8 extensions (5 at location 1, 3 at location 2) and two DIDs (one for each location) on a single SIP trunk so backing the system up and then restoring it on the new PBX and then trying to remove the parts which don't belong at one location or the other sounds like more work than just building a new PBX from scratch and setting it up with the three extensions at location 2 and one of the DIDs. I think I have a pretty good handle on doing all of the above, but wanted to toss this out to see if anyone had thoughts, gotchas, or suggestions.

Thanks in advance!

 

[NickD_3CX]

Hi!

You could do either of your ideas:
- Take a backup of the 3CX at Location 1 without License Key and FQDN, acquire a new License Key, then do a new installation at Location 2 and restore the backup, while inputiing your new key
- To a brand new installation at Location 2 with a new key

In my personal opinion though, for this fairly small installation, I think setting it up from scratch makes more sense. I will put a few of my thoughts forward:

• You will need to reset/reprovision your IP Phones in any case
• You will have to resend credentails for any softclients (FQDN will be different)
• You want have to bother about GDPR stuff because a because the backup carries over user data.
• You will need a new Trunk anyway

Ok, you will have to probably create a few Inbound Rules, 1-2 Ring Groups or Queues and an IVR, and maybe even upload your personalized music on hold file (which you might want to change anyway), but for me, do a new installation.