Re-doing all extensions

[shandyn]

Good morning to all,

I am looking for guidance or anyone else's experience with something similar. We have a client with extensions that span from the 100s to 900s without much rhyme or reason between the extension numbering. We are looking to re-do the extensions so that specific groups are within a specific set of extensions, for example one location in the 100s, another in the 200s, so on and so forth. I know we aren't able to just change the extensions and be done, we'll have to delete the extension and recreate it with the proper extension number.

Right now, I'm thinking my best option is to export the user list, update the extension numbers, delete all the current extensions, then import the updated extensions back in. This will most likely lead me to have to re-do the ring groups and departments, which isn't the biggest deal, but something to think about.

I wanted to see if anyone else has done something similar and if I'm on the right path or if there's a better way to do this.

Any thoughts or things to consider would be much appreciated.

Thanks!

 

[Alejandro_3CX]

Right now, I'm thinking my best option is to export the user list, update the extension numbers, delete all the current extensions, then import the updated extensions back in. This will most likely lead me to have to re-do the ring groups and departments, which isn't the biggest deal, but something to think about.

Hi, yes this the way you will need to do, is not possible to change the extension number for a user that already exist, you have to delete it and create it back.

So export the csv, make the changes, then delete the users in the pbx and import the file.

 

[Alphabetic]

Hi, yes this the way you will need to do, is not possible to change the extension number for a user that already exist, you have to delete it and create it back.

So export the csv, make the changes, then delete the users in the pbx and import the file.

Would a backup/restore off another fresh system using CMD work?

Get it all set up on PBX B, back it up without fqdn and license then restore to PBX A?

 

[Alejandro_3CX]

Would a backup/restore off another fresh system using CMD work?

Get it all set up on PBX B, back it up without fqdn and license then restore to PBX A?

yes, this also makes sense, he would need a backup file without license key/fqdn taken via command line and then restore it in the other system.

 

[shandyn]

yes, this also makes sense, he would need a backup file without license key/fqdn taken via command line and then restore it in the other system.

Would this be setting up a fresh system and recreating extensions/departments/ring groups needed, doing the export without license key/fqdn, then restoring it into the current system? Or, setting up fresh system, restoring a backup from the live system (without fqdn/license) to that fresh system, making the necessary changes, then backing up and restoring back into live system? The second option wouldn't require me to recreate the departments/ring groups but I imagine you'd run into issues with the license key and potentially the trunk.

 

[Alejandro_3CX]

@shandyn you have two alternatives:

• Go straight by exporting the user in a csv file, make the changes for the extension numbers and assign the departments to each user. Then delete them in the pbx and import the file.
• The other way is a bit more complex but it would depend on how active is the system they are using, for example it is a 24/7 system, then you just could create a TEST MACHINE, put all the users with the correct ext, department and set everything, take a backup via command line without the license key neither the fqdn, then put the backup file in the production machine and restore it.

 

[Alphabetic]

I guess it would work if you add the extra step of backing up production without the keys, restore this to your test pbx, make changes then do the backup/restore again