Upgrade to v15.5 for new SSL certs!

[mctcondez]

Hi All,

Hope someone in the community can clarify this inquiry.

We recently received a notification from 3cx, see below:

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You are currently running an outdated version of 3CX and we are happy to see you are still enjoying it. However, since you first downloaded 3CX, we have released a number of new features and security updates. Now is the perfect time to upgrade to the latest version, v15.5, see why below.

3CX license reactivation will fail
On September 15th, 3CX will update the certificates which are required to activate 3CX products. This change is due to numerous reasons. Firstly, the SSL certificates will expire on this date and also there is a conflict between Mozilla/Google and the certificate issuer.

If you try to reactivate your current installation for any reason, reactivation will fail. If you do not upgrade, and you make any changes to the hardware or to the public IP, the PBX will revert to free mode after this date. YOU MUST UPGRADE ASAP!

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Are we affected on this or it's notification for all?
By the way we have 3cx v15.5 (sp1) from one of our instance. And we use our own fqdn + SSL cert on our 3cx instance. Should we still update to the latest sp6 version? As its not clear what type of version requirement for said SSL update.

Regards,
Mark​

 

[blau34]

Dear lady and gentlemen,

I have some questions about this?
We currently have a standard Perpetual V 15.5.0 with its own custom SMTP server.
and your own custom FQDN.
Since according to 3cx website the standard version does not have its own custom SMTP server
and your own custom FQDN we would worsen.
How do we deal with this issue. What if we want to reactivate our purchased product?

 

[Rob24h]

Dear lady and gentlemen,

I have some questions about this?
We currently have a standard Perpetual V 15.5.0 with its own custom SMTP server.
and your own custom FQDN.
Since according to 3cx website the standard version does not have its own custom SMTP server
and your own custom FQDN we would worsen.
How do we deal with this issue. What if we want to reactivate our purchased product?

But a perpetual is not inflicted by this. Even if you don’t buy maintenance, you paid for the functionality coming with a perpetual. That’s what makes it different from annual.

 

[blau34]

This does not answer my question.
I don't really want to update. But I will be forced to do so, because otherwise my paid product might not work anymore.
If I get lost with the alleged free update functions I will not update.

 

[YiannisH_3CX]

Dear lady and gentlemen,

I have some questions about this?
We currently have a standard Perpetual V 15.5.0 with its own custom SMTP server.
and your own custom FQDN.
Since according to 3cx website the standard version does not have its own custom SMTP server
and your own custom FQDN we would worsen.
How do we deal with this issue. What if we want to reactivate our purchased product?

Since you are running a V15.5 installation and you already have a custom STMP server and FQDN then just upgrade the product through the management console. Your custom SMTP server will remain.

 

[blau34]

Ok,
hope this works for us. We will give it a try. Thanks

 

[YiannisH_3CX]

Ok,
hope this works for us. We will give it a try. Thanks

Let me know if you face any issues

 

[lneblett]

Yannish -

I do not believe that when dealing with a standard license that prior custom SMTP servers will remain in place following the upgrade. I updated two sites and in both cases I was not allowed to choose any option. Upon asking support about this, I was initially informed:

"Many things have changed but this is enevatbale. Now regarding your smtp when using standard edition licence keys forces the use of the 3cx smtp server when upgrade but there is away we can help you to get it back by supplying us with the licence key and details of the customer we can temporarily change the key to pro allowing you to change it back to the custom one nce upgraded to V15.5 SP6 then once you change it we will set the key back to its original version, this though will mena that the smtp server can not be changed to 3cx one and back again after it has been done the once. It must remain using the custom one."

I then raised a few issues about licenses for hotels with no pms and the keys were still listed as standard in the partner portal. The key issue was fixed for the hotels but in the same message the SMTP issue was addressed again by someone else, which also tends to suggest that upgrading a standard licence is not as you have stated.

I was told:

Hello Larry,


For the smtp what we can do is the following


1) once you upgrade them the 3CX SMTP will be set as default

2) we will arrange for a time when you and us will both be available, we will update your license to pro and then they can put their own smtp there , then they will test it while we are connected

3) after they test it we will downgrade the license back to standard

now if at any point after this they try to change the SMTP they will receive a warning that they will only be able to use the 3CX smtp and if they choose to proceed then they will no longer have the option to use their own SMTP unless their license is updated to pro.

Personally, while I appreciate the fact that my clients have the option to retain their SMTP, I am none too thrilled about the interaction that I now have to go thru in order to retain what they originally had. It is somewhat of an inconvenience to arrange for the upgrade in the first place, only to revisit the issue again with 3CX support to accommodate something as simple as setting the SMTP, It further bothers me that if the system should ever need to be reinstalled - new hardware, OS, etc., that I have to go thru the process again and in doing so, I am not certain that 3CX will know the history and allow it.

 

[cobaltit]

I guess I don't really see what the fuss is about. 3CX SMTP works just fine and works out of the box which actually simplified things for us since the majority of our customers used O365 and 3CX would not authenticate to O365. If you need to use your own SMTP server for compliance reasons then clearly you are in an industry worth having compliance needs (medical, financial, etc) then you have the budget to pay for PRO. If you just want to use your own SMTP just because, either get over yourself or pony up the money.

 

[florink]

As far as I am aware a custom SMTP is kept after an upgrade. It will revert to the 3CX one only if you select any other option. I might be wrong.

 

[techclarity]

We have been telling (in email mailings etc) users and partners alike to upgrade to 15.5 for YEARS. We decided that all 3CX users can upgrade FREE OF CHARGE to the latest edition. Not only that, you can start renewing your maintenance again from 30/10/2018. (i.e. no late penalty and no need to pay for the past - and only if you want) Should we have sent the mail a month earlier? Yes - and we apologize for that. It took time to plan and put together this offer. On the whole i think the options for customers are pretty positive.

Anybody on v15.5 can go to SP6 literally in MINUTES. v14 might take a little bit longer and very old versions of v11 or v12 a bit longer of course. Those versions are up to 5 years old, really not OK to leave them as they are.

Your system will continue to work after that date if you don't change anything such as re-install it or change the hard disk. So realistically you have more time than 15th September. We are also probably going to extend the date for another few weeks to give everybody more time. But its good practice to be prepared and update now.

Furthermore we are assisting larger users with free migration advice via our customer service email address. Partners already have free support and assistance.

To be secure on the internet you need to have your software up to date and upgrading should be done anyhow, independent of the certificates.

Nick, thanks for the reply. We do try to keep the software up to date (all our clients are on v15 or later), but we must go through a testing and deployment process before we roll out new releases. We also have to schedule updates with clients and have in place a testing (for all devices, etc.) and back out process. So, providing two weeks notice is really not reasonable. Even providing a months notice, as you mention, is not reasonable. We need to be able to remain on releases for at least six months so that we have the appropriate amount of time to properly test, schedule, and deploy to all clients, both hosted and on premise.

 

[YiannisH_3CX]

@lneblett

Please note that you are referring in updating the PBX from a previous version by restoring a backup to the latest version. When this is the case then what you have mentioned is true as the installer will use the 3CX SMTP when it detects a standard licence.
However @blau34 is running a V15.5 version which if you upgrade the PBX through the management console you are able to retain your custom SMTP version.

Since you are running a V15.5 installation and you already have a custom STMP server and FQDN then just upgrade the product through the management console. Your custom SMTP server will remain.

 

[lneblett]

Yannish -

You are correct, my apologies.