Overview

The well-being of a PBX system is the responsibility of the system administrator. Among the administrator s duties are:

• Administering system port moves, adds, deletions, and changes

• Performing system backup procedures

• Monitoring system performance

• Maintaining system security

After the system is installed and initialized by a vendor, a system administrator can manage and monitor a PBX by using programming tools in the system administration terminal (SAT). SATs have evolved over the years from simple teleprinters, to dumb CRT terminals, to the current PC workstations. System administration access design should have the following elements:

• A color display terminal with a graphic screen format, a menu-driven interface, and online help

• Multiple configurable and active SATs

• Multiple PBX systems support

• Quick and easy access to all station configuration tables

• Formatted screens

• Pull-down menus

• Valid entry choices

• Templates

• Batch processing and transactions scheduling

• Database import/export

• All administration changes written to a core system database

• Fast system response to all administrative programming

• Open system format (SNMP) in support of converged voice and data communications

SATs may be linked directly to the PBX system through an integrated I/O interface, a remote dial-up modem via a RS-232 port connection, or a TCP/IP LAN connection. In addition to a stand-alone SAT, there are two configuration design options. Very large customer installations (single or multiple systems) may support a client/server administration management system, with all design elements PBXs, management server, and PC clients linked...