This article describes the migration process to Switchvox version 7.0 (94939), and the new features in that version.
Read this entire article and linked materials thoroughly in preparation for your update.

See also: 

• 6.8, 7.1

• Switchvox 7.0 FAQs

• Call Pickup for Digium Phones

• Switchvox Upgrade Path

Version 7.0 requires 6.7.1.3 (94919) or 6.8 (94920). All mentions of "6.7.1.3" below are interchangeable with "6.8"

Preparing for Switchvox 7.0

Version 7.0 takes full advantage of your server’s 64-bit processor. This means that upgrading to Switchvox version 7.0 requires some extra steps. In the past, updating to a new version was done from Switchvox’s Updates page, using the Download and Apply tools. The migration to version 7.0 requires a full install of version 7.0, a multi-step process. 

Please first fully read and understand the process outlined below before beginning your migration. We strongly recommend that you schedule ample down-time outside of business hours for your version 7.0 migration. As a guideline, schedule 2 hours per each 100 GB of Disk space used on your Switchvox. For example, if your current usage is 200 GB, plan at least 4 hour of downtime. If you are unable to support a maintenance window this long, we recommend deploying Switchvox 7.0 to a new or spare server to minimize downtime. Additionally, offloading or deleting call recordings is an available option to help expedite the migration process.

This video provides a brief overview of the Migration process, which is detailed below. Please watch this video for orientation, and then continue to read below for important details.

Switchvox Appliances and Version 7.0

Due to the move to a 64-bit OS, Switchvox version 7.0 and later is not supported on older Switchvox appliances. Unfortunately, we cannot guarantee any level of performance for any scenario outside of a newer Switchvox Appliance, or Switchvox in a VMware environment. If you are running 7.0 on unsupported hardware and encounter an issue, Switchvox Technical Support will attempt to help you until such time as we determine that the issue may be hardware-related. At that point, we may require that you resolve the issue on your own, or that you use Switchvox in a supported scenario.

Supported Switchvox appliances include:

• E510, E520, E530, E540

• 80, 310, 360, 380, 450, 470 (NOTE: There is an issue accessing BIOS on 310, 360, and 380, click HERE)

If you are running version 6.7.1.3 on one of the supported appliances listed above, and it displays as not supported, please open a technical support case to request guidance.

While Switchvox 7.0 includes full support of Digium Telephony cards, the E-series appliances do not have slots to install the cards. If you are moving to an E-series appliance and need to replace a telephony card with a Digium Analog or Digital Gateway, please visit Digium VOIP Gateways for more information.

Migration Requirements

Switchvox Appliance Server

• Switchvox Registration Code (full, 16 digits)

• Switchvox running version 6.7.1.3 with access to internet.

• USB flash/disk drive of at least 8GB for the Switchvox 7.0 ISO Installer.

• USB removable drive to store your migration file. The minimum size required will be shown in the Switchvox interface in version 6.7.1.3. If procuring a drive before updating to 6.7.1.3, we recommend at least 3 times the size of your current Switchvox Disk Usage.

• Physical access to the Switchvox Appliance. You will be required to plug and unplug USB drives throughout the process, and you will be installing the 7.0 Switchvox server software.

• If you are installing 7.0 on a Switchvox 80 or E510 appliance, you will need to use a monitor that can display 1920x1080 resolution or higher.

Switchvox VMware

• Switchvox Registration Code (full, 16 digits)

• Switchvox running version 6.7.1.3 with access to internet.

• Adequate VMware host disk space available, able to accommodate an additional virtual drive the size shown in the Switchvox interface in 6.7.1.3. If estimating before updating to 6.7.1.3, we recommend planning for at least 3 times the Disk Usage size indicated within Switchvox.

• Switchvox 7.0 OVF image for 20, 100, or 500 GB of disk space. To obtain the appropriate OVF, contact your Digium partner, or technical support.

Pre-Migration Update to 6.7.1.3

1. Log into the admin portal for Switchvox and go to (Server > Backups). Select all the options with the exception of PBX error logs. Perform a backup.

2. After the backup is complete, download this backup file off of the Switchvox. This should be stored on a separate drive for safekeeping, or following any Switchvox Update Guidelines that your company may have established.

3. Update your Switchvox PBX (Server > Updates) and click on “Download and Apply” for version 6.7.1.3. This is the required version in order to start the migration process.

   • Note: If you are currently running a version of Switchvox earlier than 6.7.1, then it is recommended to update to 6.7.1.3 and resume normal use for a time period sufficient to confirm operational stability before continuing to migrate to 7.0. Further, you may need to reference this article if you are running 6.3.5 or earlier: Correct Switchvox SMB Software Upgrade Path.

4. After the update to 6.7.1.3 is complete, go to the Update page and confirm that you can see “Upgrade to 7.0”. Click on the Information icon in the Actions section. You will be taken to the Migration Tools.

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5. Confirm whether your server is supported for Switchvox version 7.0, and determine whether you will install Switchvox 7.0 on your current server or on a new appliance. The indicator of whether your appliance is officially supported for Switchvox 7.0 will be displayed at the top of the Migration Tool in a green or red banner.

6. If you have used Switchvox 6.7.1.3 in production, you are advised to again perform and download a backup for safekeeping before beginning the 7.0 migration process.

7. Once you are ready to migrate your Switchvox 6.7.1.3 installation to Switchvox 7.0, then follow the Appliance Migration Process detailed in the next section, or skip to the VMware Migration Process if you are running Switchvox in VMware.

Switchvox Appliance Migration Process

Creating the 7.0 USB Install Image

1. Connect a USB flash/disk drive of at least 8GB to any available USB port on the Switchvox Appliance.

   • Please note: You are not connecting this USB drive to your local workstation. Instead, you must go to the physical server running Switchvox and connect the flash drive there. Changing USB connections at the server will again be necessary at later steps within this process. Please plan accordingly.

2. Log into the Switchvox admin portal and go to Server > Updates. Click the ? icon for the “Update to 7.0” row.

3. In the Creating a Switchvox 7.0 ISO Installer section, click Refresh Drives.

4. Select the appropriate USB drive and click Create Installer.

5. Once complete, unplug the USB drive you just used to created the Switchvox 7.0 ISO Installer.

Creating the Migration File

1. Resolve any system notification messages which may appear in the admin web portal before continuing, for example:

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2. If your Switchvox is configured to offload call recordings, then modify the Offload Scheduled Call Recordings settings (Tools > Call Recordings > Call Recording Settings). Set the Frequency to Once a Day, and set the Daily Time to the hour that is 23 hours from the current time. This step will prevent offload-related changes from being made while the migration file creation process is in progress.

3. Confirm the load on your Switchvox PBX is minimal, ideally no call activity (Check under Server > Current Calls, and also Server > System information). The Migration File creation is expected to generate a high load due to significant I/O access requirements. It’s recommended that your other system use be minimal during this process. Any activity that occurs after you click the button to “Create Migration File” will not be included in your 7.0 version of Switchvox. And, activity that occurs while the migration file is being created will slow down the creation process.

4. Connect a USB drive of sufficient capacity to any available USB port on the Switchvox Appliance.

5. Go to Server > Updates. Click the Information icon for “Update to 7.0”

6. In the Creating a Migration File section, click Refresh Drives.

7. Select the appropriate USB drive and click Create Migration File. This file will include a complete backup of your system, a snapshot of the time when clicked, including stored call recordings. This process may take several hours, depending on the number of call recordings (and voicemail messages, etc.) on your system. If you are migrating to a new appliance, this will be a good time to install 7.0 on your new appliance, detailed in the next section below.

8. Once creation of the Migration Files is complete, unplug this USB drive.

Installing Switchvox 7.0 on an Appliance

1. Connect the Switchvox 7.0 ISO Installer USB drive to any available port on your Switchvox appliance. Please note that if you are installing 7.0 your current production appliance, you will need to wait for the Migration File creation to complete successfully before beginning this 7.0 installation process. Further still, as with all Switchvox installations, this process will overwrite all content on the server. Please make sure to make the necessary backups prior to beginning this Switchvox 7.0 installation process.

2. Power on or reboot your Switchvox appliance to boot from the Switchvox 7.0 ISO Installer USB drive. This may require a change to boot order in BIOS, or entering a one-time boot menu. The appropriate F-key will vary, depending on your server, for example: Switchvox E510 uses F10; E520 uses F12 and E530/E540 uses F11.

3. Follow the on screen instructions to Install Switchvox 7.0. Do not manually power off your appliance during the installation process; there are periods of time where there may not be video output while the process continues in the background. Additionally, please note that after the installation, Switchvox is expected to take up to 10 minutes to complete the first boot. This is due to completion of initial configuration routines taking place in the background. After this first boot up, subsequent boot times will resume to a familiar quicker pace.

4. Complete all of these selections (NOTE: If you are upgrading to a new appliance, you may need to temporarily use a different IP than your production system because you will need to access that to confirm success of the migration file process):

   1. Network Configuration

   2. Timezone

   3. Language

5. After that, login into the Switchvox 7.0 admin web interface using the default username and password (both: admin). You will be prompted to complete Registration of the Switchvox installation. Complete this using the Switchvox Registration Code for the system you are migrating.

6. Remove Switchvox 7.0 ISO Installer USB.

7. (Optional) Update the admin password to be the same as was used in 6.7.1.3. This step will prevent the system from forcing you to re-login after the migration file upload is complete.

Uploading the Migration File

1. Connect the USB drive containing the Migration File to any available USB port.

2. Using your web browser, log into the Switchvox admin web portal and click Apply a Migration File on the /admin landing page.

3. Select the appropriate drive and then click Apply Migration. This process may take several hours, depending on the size of your migration file.

4. Continue to the section below, Verify Switchvox 7.0.

Switchvox VMware Migration Process

Installing Switchvox 7.0 on VMware

1. Log into your VMware administration interface and use the option to deploy an OVF.  Select Local File, and then click Browse, select .mf, .ovf and .vmdk file at the same time. Click Next and complete the process of adding the Switchvox 7.0 Image on your VMware platform.

2. Start this new Virtual Machine and enter into the Console to complete these 3 selections, and confirm that you are assigned an IP address:

   1. Network Configuration

   2. Timezone

   3. Language

3. Using a new browser tab, login into the Switchvox 7.0 admin web interface using the default username and password (both: admin). You will be prompted to complete Registration of the Switchvox installation. Complete this using the Switchvox Registration Code for the system you are migrating.

4. (Optional) Change the admin password for the current admin password, this steps will prevent the system to force re-login after the migration file upload is complete.

5. Power off this new Switchvox 7.0 virtual machine.

Creating the Migration File

1. Log into your production Switchvox PBX and resolve any system notification messages which may appear in the admin web portal before continuing, for example:

2. If your Switchvox is configured to offload call recordings, then modify the Offload Scheduled Call Recordings settings (Tools > Call Recordings > Call Recording Settings). Set the Frequency to Once a Day, and set the Daily Time to the hour that is 23 hours from the current time. This step will prevent offload-related changes from being made while the migration file creation process is in progress.

3. Confirm the load on your Switchvox PBX is minimal, ideally no call activity (Check under Server > Current Calls, and also Server > System information). The Migration File creation is expected to generate a high load due to significant I/O access requirements. It’s recommended that your other system use be minimal during this process. Any activity that occurs after you click the button to “Create Migration File” will not be included in your 7.0 version of Switchvox. And, activity that occurs while the migration file is being created will slow down the creation process.

4. Confirm the current Switchvox Disk Space usage (Server > Disk Usage).

5. Shutdown your production Switchvox PBX virtual machine. Access the VM instance configuration page for this production VM and add a secondary hard drive with sufficient capacity to store the Migration File (greater than 3 times the current Switchvox Disk Space Usage).

6. Power on your production Switchvox virtual machine. Go to Server > Updates. Click the Information icon for “Update to 7.0”

7. In the Creating a Migration File section, click Refresh Drives.

8. Select the VMware Virtual Disk and click Create Migration File. This file will include a complete backup of your system, a snapshot of the time when clicked, including stored call recordings. This process may take several hours, depending on the number of call recordings (and voicemail messages, etc.) on your system.

9. After the migration file creation is complete, power off your production Switchvox. Access the VMware instance configuration page and remove (but do not delete) the secondary hard drive, which now contains your Migration File.

Uploading the Migration File

1. Access the VMware instance configuration of your Switchvox 7.0 and use the option to add an existing hard drive. Navigate to the directory in which your production Switchvox 6.7.1.3 is located and attach the virtual disk containing your Migration File, which was just removed from your production Switchvox.

2. Power on your Switchvox 7.0 virtual machine. Using your web browser, log into the Switchvox admin web portal and click Apply a Migration File on the /admin landing page.

3. Make sure that VMware - Virtual_disk - SWVXBACKUP is selected and then click Apply Migration. This process may take several hours, depending on the size of your migration file.

4. After the migration file is applied, power off your Switchvox 7.0 virtual machine. Access the VMware instance configuration page and remove (but do not delete) the secondary hard drive, which contained your Migration File.

5. Power on your Switchvox 7.0 virtual machine.

6. Continue to the section below, Verify Switchvox 7.0, to verify that Switchvox 7.0 can now serve as your production Switchvox.

Verify Switchvox 7.0

1. Navigate to Server > Updates, to verify that your system information is correct, and check for 7.0.x updates. A 7.0.x or 7.0.0.x update will contain bug fixes for the 7.0 installer. We recommend that you download and apply an update, if available.   

2. Go to Server > Networking > IP Configuration to make sure these settings are correct. You may need to manually restore your Hostname value, located under Advanced Options. If any changes are made, please allow 10 minutes for phones and VoIP peers to reconnect prior continuing with the next step.

3. Go to Server > Diagnostics > Connection Status > SIP Phones to make sure phones are registered and there are no new alarms under Hardware Devices.

   • NOTE: In some circumstances (such as changing appliances) it may take up to 24 hours for all phones to automatically refresh their configuration, download the new firmware, and return to a Green/fully-registered state. If a Digium phone (excluding Softphones) still appears Yellow after 24 hours, or is needed for more immediate use, then manually rebooting the phone will expedite its configuration update.

4. Make a call from a Switchvox extension to another extension, and to an external phone number.

5. Make a call into Switchvox (e.g., from a mobile phone) to ensure your main IVR is responding normally.

   • NOTE: If you are using an older appliance with a telephony card, pay particular attention to incoming/outgoing calls. If your calls are not going through, use the Server > System Reload page, and click the Software Restart button to restart Switchvox.

6. Restore any changes made to the call recordings offload settings.

7. Create a 7.0 Backup file, in Server > Backups. Download the file off of Switchvox for safekeeping.

8. Enjoy the new Switchvox 7.0 features listed below, with all your configurations and files.

New Features in Switchvox 7.0

Conference Calls

In version 7.0, Switchvox’s Meet Me Conference feature is expanded with a set of tools for managing the conference. You can join your conference in one click, see participants in the conference call, see who is talking, mute people, and remove people from the conference. This is offered as a Switchboard widget, and an app on the D80 model Digium IP Phone. These apps can use your existing Meet Me Conference extensions and rooms, or you can create them in version 7.0.

Switchboard Conference Widget

D80 Conference App

Music on Hold

Prior to 7.0, conference calls and parking lots always used the default Music on Hold group. In 7.0, a specific Music on Hold group can be used in those areas. NOTE: Music on Hold is managed by a Switchvox administrator in Tools > Music on Hold. Creating and modifying a group requires a Software Restart.

• For each extension, use the Features > Conference Room to set a specific group.

• The Switchvox administrator can set a specific group for each Parking Lot extension, and each Simple Conference Room extension.

Easy Call Pickup

Digium IP Phones offer easy Call Pickup for other’s incoming calls:

• Custom ringtone for other’s incoming calls

• D6x-series rapid dial item offers long-press to answer

• D80 activity card offers one-tap answer

These notices can be turned off from the D80 itself. Under the Call Answering settings, turn Display Call Pickup Notices to OFF. This setting is not controlled in the Switchvox web suite.

Call Pickup is managed by a Switchvox administrator, and uses a new setting in the Switchvox administrator’s web suite, the Directed Pickup Ringtone setting found on SIP Phone extensions, under Digium Phones:Contact Settings. For instructions, see Call Pickup for Digium Phones.

Additional Features

Switchboard

• Queue Member Activity and Queue Overview widgets have a new setting available, allowing you to "Only show logged in Members." This setting is off by default.

• Switchboard has a visual change, with some elements updated to be more consistent with the appearance of Digium IP Phone model D80 and the Switchvox Softphone for mobile. If a user reports not seeing this expected difference, then the browser’s cache will need to be refreshed.These images show the old and new My Calls widget.

Digium IP Phones

• A new “Interrupt Calls” setting is in the configuration of Multicast Addresses. If YES, then broadcasts from this address put an active call on hold and turn up the volume on D-Phones subscribed to this Multicast Address.

• The Call Log app is now served by Switchvox (not managed on the phone), so that phones now retain a Call Log after a restart. Also, for a phone user with multiple Digium Phones, Call Log entries are now shared across phones. (However, missed calls are identified as such for each phone that does not answer the call.)

  • Note: Since the call logs are now serviced by the Switchvox, there is no longer an option to delete call logs from a D series phone.

• Digium IP Phones firmware: 2.7.3 (D6X) and 1.9.5 (D80).

Switchvox Administrator Options

• The Switchvox administrator’s web suite landing page has been updated to provide useful at-a-glance reference information about the system.

• REQUEST-URI for routing incoming calls. A setting has been added to the configuration for SIP Providers, used to determine the incoming DID referenced for routing purposes. You may use either the TO header (default) or now optionally the REQUEST-URI instead.