®

Allworx
Advanced Multi-site Setup
Guide
(Release 7.3)
No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any
form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopy, recording, or otherwise without the prior
written permission of Allworx.

© 2011 Allworx Corp. All rights reserved. Allworx, a wholly owned subsidiary of PAETEC Holding.
All other names may be trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective owners.
 Advanced Multi-site Setup Guide – Release 7.3
Table of Contents
1 Introduction ............................................................................................................................................ 3
1.1 Who Should Use This Guide .............................................................................................................. 3
1.2 Overview ............................................................................................................................................ 3
1.3 Quality of Service between Sites ........................................................................................................ 7
1.4 How Sites Communicate .................................................................................................................... 7
1.5 Feature Keys...................................................................................................................................... 9
1.6 Configuration Requirements ............................................................................................................ 10
2 Setting up the Network ......................................................................................................................... 11
A. Configure sites’ routers ........................................................................................................................ 11
B. Configure the Internal Dial Plan on all Servers ..................................................................................... 12
C. Enable Advanced Multi-site on the Controller....................................................................................... 12
D. Enable Advanced Multi-site on the Branches ....................................................................................... 13
E. Accept the Branches’ requests to join the network ............................................................................... 15
F. Test communications between sites .................................................................................................... 15
G. Verify the exchange of site data ........................................................................................................... 16
H. Check for and resolve conflicts ............................................................................................................ 16
I. Add Handsets and Call Appearances for remote users (optional) ........................................................ 17
J. Map handsets (optional)....................................................................................................................... 17
K. Define call routes for multiple sites (optional) ....................................................................................... 17
L. Configure handsets for multiple sites (optional) ................................................................................... 17
M. Configure Auto Attendants for multiple sites (optional)......................................................................... 18
N. Configure outside line routing (optional) ............................................................................................... 18
O. Configure Paging Zones (optional) ...................................................................................................... 18
P. Configure Parking Orbits (optional) ...................................................................................................... 19
Q. Test site-to-site operations ................................................................................................................... 19
3 Special Actions .................................................................................................................................... 21
3.1 Switching Controllers ....................................................................................................................... 21
3.2 Resetting the Network ...................................................................................................................... 21
3.3 Changing Internal Dial Plan.............................................................................................................. 21

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1 Introduction

1.1 Who Should Use This Guide

This guide is intended for those who will be installing and maintaining Allworx servers that are to be linked
together in a multi-site network. The user is expected to have a computer networking and basic telephony
background and to have completed the Allworx Certification Training Program.

1.2 Overview
This section is a concept of operation for the Allworx Advanced Multi-site capability. Later sections will
provide specific procedures for configuring and joining Allworx servers into a multi-site network.
Allworx Advanced Multi-site provides seamless integration between Allworx servers that are owned by one
customer but that are installed in different locations. With some exceptions, the network of Allworx servers
will behave like a single, enterprise-wide system. The following objects and features are common across all
sites:
• Extensions
• Users
• Voicemail
The following are partially integrated:
• Handsets
• Auto Attendants
• Outside lines
• Paging Zones
• Parking Orbits
The following are independent on each Allworx system:
• Call Queues
• Call Monitors
• Conference Bridges
• Dialing Rules
• Message aliases
As you can see, many features are common or shared between sites. However, they are not centrally
managed. Users, extensions, handsets and outside lines must be added and configured at the site where
they physically exist or are registered. However, information about all of these items is shared between sites.
Once the sites are integrated into the Multi-site network, each site transmits its information directly to every
other site. When a site’s configuration is updated, it will communicate the updates to all of the other sites.
The features that are provided by Allworx Advanced Multi-site are described below. Procedures for
implementing these features can be found in Section 2, Setting up the Network.

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1.2.1 Extension Call Routing
Extensions that are defined on one site can be dialed by users on any other site. User and system
extensions can be dialed directly, without any special configuration and without dialing a site code. In
addition, extensions can be created or modified to ring phones at multiple sites. For instance, if an employee
splits their time between two sites, the employee’s extension can be configured to ring phones at both sites.
This capability is not automatically enabled and must be set up manually. Also, the number of handsets at
other sites for which this can be done is subject to limitations.
In order to enable routing to handsets on multiple sites, the handsets must be manually “mapped”. Mapping
involves identifying a handset on a remote site and enabling it on the local site. The maximum number of
handsets that can be mapped on any site is controlled by the feature keys that are installed on the Allworx
server at the site. The limitations are described in Section 1.5, Feature Keys.

1.2.2 BLF/DSS
Users at one site can monitor the status (BLF) of handsets and use BLF PFKs to ring handsets at other
sites. This capability is not automatically enabled and must be set up manually. Also, the number of remote
site handsets for which this can be done is subject to limitations. The limitations are present because of the
large amount of network communications traffic that is necessary to monitor BLF at other sites.
In order to enable routing and BLF/DSS for handsets at other sites, they must be “mapped”. Mapping
involves identifying a handset on a remote site and enabling it on the local site. Doing this permits BLF/DSS
and call routing to the mapped phones. The maximum number of handsets that can be mapped on any site
is controlled by the feature keys that are installed on the Allworx server at the site. The limitations are
described in Section 1.5, Feature Keys.

1.2.3 Accessing Features on Other Sites

Although user and system extensions on one site can be called directly from any other site, that is not the
case with extensions for PBX Functions such as Auto Attendants, Call Queues, etc. Direct dialing of these
features does not work because the extensions are identical on all sites. For instance, when a user dials an
Auto Attendant extension (e.g. x431, when using the default Internal Dial Plan), the Allworx system will
connect the call to the Auto Attendant on the user’s own site. If users at one site wish to call the feature
extensions at another site, special system extensions must be created. For instance, for Site A users to call
Auto Attendant 1 on Site B, an extension, such as x200, must be created on Site B that is routed to its own
Auto Attendant 1.
The following features can only be reached from other sites using system extensions such as in the example:
 Auto Attendants
 Call Queues
 Conference Center
 Overhead Page
 Door Relay

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The following features cannot be accessed across sites:
 Receiving queued calls from another sites’ queues
 Supervising queue operations
 911 Alerts
 Day/Night mode switching
 Managing Conference Bridges
 Call Supervision
 Retrieving ringing phones at another site
 My Allworx Manager
Users are able to log into My Allworx Manager on any site. However, the only feature that they can
manage from sites other than their home site is their Presence setting. Queues and conference
bridges cannot be managed from remote sites.

1.2.4 Using Other Sites’ Outside Lines

Incoming calls at any site can be routed to extensions located on any other site. For outbound calls, outside
line services at one site can be used by other sites. This is called Automatic Multi-site Routing. On the site
whose calls are to use a different site’s lines, a Service Group must be created that has the remote site as its
service. That Service Group is then configured as the service group for the appropriate dialing rules. For
example, if Site A makes calls to the local calling area of Site B, the company can take advantage of the
local calling rates at Site B by creating a new Service Group on Site A that lists Site B as the service. Then, a
dialing rule is created on Site A for the area code and/or the exchanges that are local to Site B. That dialing
rule is then set to use the Site B Service Group.
WARNING: Using another site’s lines for connecting emergency (911) calls is not recommended. Disruptions
in Internet service between sites may prevent emergency calls from being connected. In addition, using
another site’s lines may thwart the ability of the 911 center to determine the location of the emergency.

1.2.5 Voicemail
Voicemail inboxes are fully integrated. All voicemail messages for a given user go into a single inbox. Users
can access their voicemail from any site. They can send, reply, and forward messages to any user, at any
site. Message aliases can include users from any site. However, users can only use message aliases that
are defined on their home site.
Messages are physically stored on the Allworx server at the user’s home site so when accessing them from a
remote site, network access to the user’s home site must be in place.

1.2.6 Extension Directories

The on-phone directory and the directory that is displayed on the My Allworx Manager web page will include
all users and extensions at all sites.
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1.2.7 Auto Attendants
Each site will have its own set of nine (9) Auto Attendants. When someone calls into any Auto Attendant,
they can dial the extension of any user at any site. Single-digit Auto Attendant shortcuts can be configured to
route to any extension at any site. However by default, dial-by-name and dial-by-directory will only include
users that are set up on the local site. To include users from other sites in the “dial-by” options, Auto
Attendants must be re-configured to be “Global” Auto Attendants.
Auto Attendants, whether or not they are global, do not necessarily include all users in their dial-by options. It
is possible to include certain users in some Auto Attendants and not in others. In this way, different Auto
Attendants can be used for different groups of employees such as for different departments. For instance,
Auto Attendant 3 can be used as the Sales Auto Attendant. Users that are not on the Sales team would be
excluded from Auto Attendant 3. When callers to the Auto Attendant use the dial-by-name option, only Sales
team members will be included.
Similarly, certain users can be excluded from Global Auto Attendants. Users that are excluded from certain
Auto Attendants on their home site will also be excluded from Global Auto Attendants at other sites that have
the same number. For example, Auto Attendant 3 on Site A is configured to be global. Users in Auto
Attendant 3 on all other sites will be included in Auto Attendant 3 on Site A. Users not included in their home
site’s Auto Attendant 3 will not be included.
Note: The dial-by-directory feature will be automatically disabled if the number of users assigned to the Auto
Attendant is 50 or more. This is more likely to occur with Global Auto Attendants.

1.2.8 Call Park

Parking can be configured so that calls parked on one site can be retrieved by users at other sites. Once
enabled, each server must reserve some number of Multi-site Parking Orbits. 150 Parking Orbits are
available to be shared among all sites in the network. The number of reserved multi-site parking orbits for a
given site is configured on the site’s server. However, the Controller site controls the allocation of Parking
Orbits to the individual sites and ensures that the limit of 150 is not exceeded.

1.2.9 Paging Zones

On each Allworx server, sending paging messages to other sites is accomplished by setting up Multi-site
Paging Zone Groups. Once the groups are created, each site can join one or more by assigning them to their
local paging zones. Each local paging zone has a selection box to choose a Multi-site Paging Zone Group.
The groups can be defined at any site. However, for maintainability, it would be beneficial to choose one site,
such as the Controller site, on which to define the groups.

1.2.10 Internal Dial Plan

The Internal Dial Plan (the number of digits in user extensions, the choice of ranges for user and PBX
function extensions) must be configured to be the same on all sites in the Multi-site Network. Sites with
Internal Dial Plan and extension lengths that are different from the Controller site will not be permitted to join
the network. Also after the network is integrated, if a change to the Internal Dial Plan is to be made, you must
perform a special procedure to accomplish the change. The procedure is provided in Section 3.3, Changing

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Internal Dial Plan. The procedure involves disabling the network, making the Internal Dial Plan changes, and
then re-enabling the network.

1.3 Quality of Service between Sites

To take advantage of multi-site calling, it is important to take into consideration the quality of the network
data connections between the sites. The quality of the data connection will have a direct impact on the voice
quality of calls between the sites. It is important to have a good understanding of the available bandwidth, the
typical packet latency and the loss rates in order to maintain the voice quality on a day-to-day basis.
Ordinary Internet access service will provide acceptable voice quality for a majority of the time. However,
performance can vary widely depending on many different factors that are beyond the scope of this
document. It is recommended that you use a managed data service from a quality service provider that will
deliver a guaranteed level of service according to an agreed upon Service Level Agreement (SLA). If you are
unfamiliar with such considerations, read the Allworx VoIP Tutorial white paper available on
[Link] as a starting point for your investigation into this topic.
It is important to limit the maximum number of allowed calls that will simultaneously exist between the local
site and all other sites. This limit is set on the Servers / VoIP Server web page under the parameter
Maximum Active Remote Calls. The default value is eight (8) but you should select a value based on the total
bandwidth you are willing to dedicate to voice calls. See the Allworx VoIP Tutorial White Paper available at
[Link] for some tips about computing a maximum.

1.4 How Sites Communicate

One site in the multi-site network must be designated as the Controller site. Other sites are considered to be
Branch sites. The Controller site is responsible for keeping track of which sites are in the network. It
maintains and transmits the site list to all other servers in the network. The Controller site does not manage
configurations at other sites nor does it disseminate other sites’ configuration information to the rest of the
network. Site information is transmitted directly between sites.
The following diagrams depict the formation of the multi-site network:
All Branch sites are programmed with the IP address or domain name of the Controller site. They
immediately send a request to join the network.

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Figure 1 – Branch Sites Request to Join

The System Administrator at the Controller site must accept the sites into the network. As each site is
accepted, the server adds the new site to the network’s site list and sends the updated list to all other sites.

Figure 2 – Controller Transmits the Site List

The Branch sites and the Controller site make contact with all sites on the list. Each server then transmits its
users, extensions, and other information directly to the other servers.

Figure 3 – Sites Exchange Configuration Information

When an update is made at any of the sites, such as when a new extension is created, the site automatically
communicates the change to the other sites in the network.

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Figure 4 – Updated Configurations are Transmitted

When a new site joins the network, similar steps occur. The new server requests to join the network. The
System Administrator at the Controller site accepts the request and the server updates the site list. The
Controller site then sends the updated site list to all sites in the network. All sites then exchange information
with the new site.
Once the network is formed, calls between sites go directly from the calling site to the answering site. They
do not go through the Controller or any other site. With this scheme there is no single point of failure for
connecting calls or for making configuration updates. If the Controller cannot be reached, calls between all of
the other sites are unaffected and configuration updates are propagated to all reachable sites.

1.5 Feature Keys

Two Feature keys are used to enable the Advanced Multi-site capability:

• Advanced Multi-site Primary Key

• Advanced Multi-site Branch Key

To be a Controller site, an Allworx server must have a Primary key. Branch sites can have either Branch
keys or Primary keys.
The Advanced Multi-site keys also control the number of handsets that can be mapped on each site. Servers
with a Multi-site Branch Key are limited to mapping a maximum of ten (10) handsets from remote sites. If a
Branch site requires more than ten mapped handsets, it must be outfitted with a Primary Key. Servers with a
Primary key can map more, based on their user license key. The maximum number of handsets they can
map is equal to the maximum number of users they can have. For example, if an Allworx 24x has a Multi-site
Primary Key and a 100-user feature key, it can map a maximum of 100 handsets from remote sites.
Having a Primary key will not automatically configure the Branch site to be the Controller site. With the
Primary Key, a Branch site is capable of assuming the role of the Controller site but it must be manually
configured as the Controller, in order to do so.

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It may be desirable to install a Primary key on a Branch site so that it can perform the role of a Controller
site, if needed. If the Controller were to go down or become unreachable, the network would continue to
operate properly. However, if the Controller is down and sites needed to be added or Parking Orbits need to
be re-allocated, one of the existing Branch site would have to be reconfigured to be a Controller. Adding a
Primary key to a Branch site would prepare the network for that eventuality.
Note: The Internet Call Access Key is not required for Advanced Multi-site. In addition, the use of remote
phones and SIP trunks does not require a key. Beginning with Release 7.1, the Internet Call Access Key is
not used by the system.

1.6 Configuration Requirements

Prior to implementing the multi-site network, certain steps should be taken to ensure the network will
integrate smoothly and perform reliably.
System Software Version - The same server software version should be loaded on all systems in the
network.
Internal Dial Plan – All servers in the network must utilize the same Internal Dial Plan. Both the number of
extension digits (3-digit vs. 4-digit extensions) and the choice of numerical ranges for extensions (e.g.
1xx/2xx vs. 3xx/4xx) must be the same for all sites. The leading digit selections must be configured to be the
same for all dials in the Internal Dial Plan table including those for the Operator and external line access.
Extensions – After a Multi-site network has been integrated, the system will prevent the same extension from
being added to two different sites. If sites have already been configured prior to integration into the network,
steps should be taken to avoid conflicts that will occur if the same extension is used at more than one site.
Although such duplication can be resolved after the network is set up, it is much simpler to eliminate any
conflicts prior to integrating the network. One way to avoid conflicts is to allocate exclusive extension ranges
to each site. For instance, Site A could use extensions 1000 to 1099. Site B could be assigned extensions
1100 to 1199, and so on. For existing sites, extensions can be changed so that they fall within the ranges
allocated to that site.
Usernames – The system will prevent new users with the same username from being added at two different
sites. For existing sites, we recommend that a quick check be done to make sure that the same username is
not being used at more than one site. This conflict refers to the user’s login name (e.g. JWSmith). Having the
same full name (e.g. James W. Smith) does not create a conflict.

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2 Setting up the Network
This section provides detailed procedures for setting up the network. Prior to beginning this process, read
Section 1, Introduction. Pay special attention to the Feature Key and Configuration Requirements
subsections.
The following are the steps for setting up the network. These steps should be performed after the individual
sites have been configured and proper operation has been verified on each server:
A. Configure sites’ routers
B. Configure the Internal Dial Plan on all Servers
C. Enable Advanced Multi-site on the Controller.
D. Enable Advanced Multi-site on the Branches
E. Accept the Branches’ requests to join the network
F. Test communications between sites
G. Verify the exchange of site data
H. Check for and resolve conflicts
I. Add Handsets and Call Appearances for remote users (optional)
J. Map handsets (optional)
K. Define call routes for multiple sites (optional)
L. Configure handsets for multiple sites (optional)
M. Configure Auto Attendants for multiple sites (optional)
N. Configure outside line routing (optional)
O. Configure Paging Zones (optional)
P. Configure Parking Orbits (optional)
Q. Test site-to-site operations

A. Configure sites’ routers

This document does not cover how to configure the sites’ networks for the Allworx server to operate properly
as a PBX. Only the additional configurations that are required for multi-site operation are described.
Before configuring any other multi-site settings, test to ensure that network communications between the
Allworx servers is possible. This must be done at each site to every other site. A common way to do this is to
perform a ping or traceroute to the other server’s public IP address. This can be done from the server’s
Admin page on the Maintenance / Tools page.
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Some routers block ping and traceroute attempts so this test can fail even if multi-site communications would
otherwise be successful. If both ping and traceroute fail, an alternative test is to attempt to register a phone
on one site as a remote phone to the other sites. Make sure that the remote site is configured to accept
remote registrations. This setting is on the Servers / VoIP page.
Do not proceed until communications between all sites is verified.
Voicemail messages are sent between sites using SMTP. In order for Voicemail to be delivered to a given
server, SMTP messages must be forwarded through the site’s router to the Allworx server. This is
accomplished by forwarding TCP port 25. However, if the site has its own email server, the site’s router may
already be forwarding port 25 to their email server. If this is the case, the multi-site network can be
configured to use an alternate port for voicemail. Pick another unused port (e.g. port 26) for voicemail and
configure the router to forward that port to the Allworx server. The routers at other sites must be configured
to use the same SMTP or alternate port.

B. Configure the Internal Dial Plan on all Servers

The Internal Dial Plan must be the same on all servers in a Multi-site network. Sites will not be permitted to
join the network if their Internal Dial Plan is different from the Controller site’s Dial Plan. Navigate to Phone
System / Dial Plan on each server and set the Internal Dial Plan to match.

C. Enable Advanced Multi-site on the Controller

Multi-site should be enabled on the Controller before any of the Branch sites are enabled. Doing so in this
order will permit the Branch sites to register immediately. On the Controller site’s Admin page, perform the
following steps:
1. Install the Advanced Multi-site Primary feature key
 From the Admin page, navigate to Maintenance / Feature Keys.
 Retrieve this server’s feature keys over the Internet by clicking on the Install button.
 Verify that Multi-site Primary appears in the Currently Installed Feature list.
 If it is not in the list, you must obtain a Multi-site Primary key from your Allworx Distributor.
2. Go to Network / Multi-site.
3. In the Configuration section, click the Modify link.
4. Click the Controller Site radio button.
5. Enter a descriptive Site name for this site. The name will be displayed on the Admin page on all sites
as the home location of extensions, users, and handsets configured on this site.

6. Click the Update button.

If an alternate SMTP port is used, change the SMTP Voicemail Port setting on the Controller. If an alternate
SMTP is not required, skip to Procedure C, Enable Advanced Multi-site on the Branches.
7. Go to Servers / Email
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8. Click the Modify link in the Action column on the right side of the settings table.
9. Change the Voicemail Port number to the number determined in Procedure A, Configure sites’
routers.

10. Click the Update button

11. If the Allworx server is in LAN Host mode, reboot the server.
12. If the Allworx server is set up in any of the NAT/Firewall network modes:
 Go to Network / Configuration
 Click the Modify link
 Scroll to the Firewall section.
 Add an entry to the list of “LAN Addresses exposed through firewall”.
WAN Port #: Voicemail Port number configured in step 9
Protocol: TCP
IP Address: WAN IP address of the Allworx server
Local Port #: Voicemail Port number configured in step 9

 Click the Update button

13. Reboot the Allworx server

D. Enable Advanced Multi-site on the Branches

Perform the following steps on each Branch site:
1. Install the Advanced Multi-site Primary or Branch feature key
 Go to Maintenance / Feature Keys.
 Retrieve this server’s feature keys over the Internet by clicking on the Install button.
 Verify that Multi-site Primary or Multi-site Branch appears in the Currently Installed Features list.
 If neither of the features is in the list, you must obtain a Multi-site Primary or Multi-site Branch key
from your Allworx Distributor.
If an alternate SMTP port is to be used for voicemail, you must set the port number. If an alternate SMTP
port is not required, skip to Step 9:
2. Go to Servers / Email
3. Click the Modify link in the Action column on the right side of the settings table.
4. Change the Voicemail Port number to the number determined in Step A, Configure sites’ routers.

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5. Click the Update button
6. If the Allworx server is in LAN Host mode, reboot the server.
7. If the Allworx server is set up in any of the NAT/Firewall network modes:
 Go to Network / Configuration
 Click Modify
 Scroll to the Firewall section.
 Add an entry to the list of “LAN Addresses exposed through firewall”
WAN Port #: Voicemail Port number configured in step 4
Protocol: TCP
IP Address: WAN IP address of the Allworx server
Local Port #: Voicemail Port number configured in step 4

 Click the Update button

8. Reboot the Allworx server
After the reboot is complete, configure the Multi-site settings:
9. Go to Network / Multi-site.
10. In the Configuration section, click the Modify link.
11. Click the Branch Site radio button.
12. Enter the public IP address or the domain name of the Allworx server at the Controller site
13. Enter a descriptive Site name for this Branch site. The name will be displayed on the Admin page of
all sites as the home location of extensions, users, and handsets configured on this site.

14. Click the Update button.

Note: If the Internal Dial Plan or Extension Length in a Branch site is different from those settings on the
Controller site, the Branch site will not be permitted to join the network.
In the Site List section, a message will be displayed:
<Controller Site IP Address> contacted. Pending acceptance from admin at site.
This indicates that the Branch site has sent a request to the Controller site to join the multi-site network. The
Branch site will stay in this state until this request is manually accepted on the Controller site.
If the message says <Controller Site IP Address> is being contacted, then the Branch site is waiting for a
response from the Controller. Click the Refresh link occasionally to see if the “Pending acceptance” message
is displayed. If after a few minutes the refreshed page continues to display the “is being contacted” message,

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a problem is indicated. Verify that the Controller site is configured as a Controller. Verify network
communications between sites.
After the issue is resolved, attempt to re-connect the Branch site. Set the Multi-site configuration to Disabled
then enable it using Procedure C, Enable Advanced Multi-site on the Branches, starting with Step 9.

E. Accept the Branches’ requests to join the network

After all Branch sites are indicating that acceptance is pending, log into the Controller site’s Admin page.
1. Go to Network / Multi-site.
2. In the Site List section of the page, all Branch sites should be listed in the Pending Sites table.
3. For each pending site, click the Accept button. The option to Deny is available for security reasons. If
a site that you do not recognize is in the table, you may Deny its request to join the network.
4. After the sites are Accepted, they will be moved from the Pending Sites table to the Active Sites
table. Notice the status that is displayed in the Inbound Link and Outbound Link columns. It may take
a few minutes for all servers to report an Active status. “Active” indicates that all required information
(i.e. users, extensions, and handsets) has been exchanged between the Controller site and the
Branch site. To view the latest status, click the Refresh link that appears at the top of the page. Verify
that the status of all links is Active. This can take up to ten minutes.
5. On each Branch site, verify that all other sites are listed as Active in its Active Sites table. This can
take up to ten minutes.

F. Test communications between sites

Utilities are provided on the Multi-site page to test that all required communications between sites are
configured properly. These tests can only be performed on sites that have already joined the network. Do the
following on each site:
1. Go to Network / Multi-Site.
2. If handsets from other sites are to be mapped on the site you are logged into, map at least one of the
handsets from each site, now. The procedure for mapping handsets can be found in Procedure I,
Map handsets (optional).
3. Locate the Active Sites table in the Site List section. Choose the Test link for the first site with which
to test communications.
4. Click all of the test buttons that are displayed.
5. Verify that all tests pass. Results can take as long as two minutes to be displayed.
6. If any tests fail, the most likely cause will be the configuration of network devices between the sites.
Check the firewall settings, port assignments, static routes, and port forwarding between the site you
are logged into and the remote site you are testing.

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7. Repeat steps 2 through 6 for all combinations of sites in the network. Do not proceed until all tests
pass.

G. Verify the exchange of site data

Once the links between all sites are listed as Active, all data has been exchanged by the sites. Spot-check
the data by performing the following steps on one or more of the sites. This can be done on any of the sites,
whether they are Controller or Branch sites:
1. Go to Phone System / Extensions.
2. Verify that extensions from all sites are listed. The Site name of the home site for the extensions will
be listed in the Site column.
3. Go to Business / Users.
4. Verify that users from all sites are listed. The Site name of the home site for the users will be listed in
the Site column.

H. Check for and resolve conflicts

If there are any cases where the same extension phone number was defined on more than one server then
conflicts in the data will result during the data exchange between sites. Another kind of conflict occurs if
users defined on more than one server have the same username. Check for conflicts and resolve them by
performing the following steps on each server:
1. Go to Network / Multi-Site.
2. Scroll down to the Conflicts section of the page. Any conflicts will be displayed in the Conflict tables.
3. Entries in the Username and User Extension Conflicts table could indicate either a user extension
conflict or a Username conflict. Look up the extension at each of the conflicting sites. If users on
different sites are using the same extension, resolve the conflict by changing one of the user’s
extensions on all but one of the conflicting sites.
4. If only one user is using the extension that is listed in the conflict table, then the same Username is
being used by more than one user. You must delete one of the conflicting users and re-add it with a
different username. Note that this will delete any configurations and saved voicemails for the deleted
user.
5. For any entries in the System Extension Conflicts table, resolve the conflict by deleting the extension
from one of the conflicting sites. Make a note of the call route of the extension to be deleted then add
a new extension with that same call route.
6. Refresh the tables by clicking the Refresh link that appears at the top of the page. Verify that all
conflicts have been resolved on all servers.

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I. Add Handsets and Call Appearances for remote users (optional)
If users will own or share handsets at sites other than their home site, install their phones and/or add call
appearances for them on existing phones, as needed. Procedures for doing this can be found in the Allworx
Administration Guide, Release 7.3.

J. Map handsets (optional)

For each site, determine which handsets and call appearances from other sites will be used in extension call
routes and which handsets are desired for BLF/DSS access. On each site, perform the following steps:
1. Go to Network / Multi-Site.
2. Locate the Active Sites table in the Site List section. Choose the Handsets link for the first site with
handsets to be mapped.
3. A list of the remote site’s handsets will be displayed. Notice that a hint is displayed indicating how
many more handsets can be mapped on the site you are logged into. Click Modify.

4. Check the box for each handset to be mapped. Then click Update.
5. Perform steps 2, 3, and 4 for all remote sites with handsets to be mapped.

K. Define call routes for multiple sites (optional)

If extensions on one site are intended to ring handsets or call appearances on other sites, create the
extensions or add the routing to existing extensions. All mapped handsets and their call appearances will be
included in the list box of destinations on the Add Extension and Modify Extension screens (Phone System /
Extensions page).
If users are expected to call the Auto Attendants, Call Queues or other PBX Functions of other sites, create
system extensions on the site whose features will be accessed. For Auto Attendants and Call Queues, in the
call route, choose the desired Auto Attendant or Call Queue from the available lists. For other PBX functions,
enter the feature extension (e.g. 408 for the Conference Center) in the Dial Number field. Remember that
these extensions must be added on the server where the feature to be accessed resides. See Section 1.2.3,
Accessing Features on Other Sites, for more information on this procedure.

L. Configure handsets for multiple sites (optional)

Adding PFKs to handsets can simplify access to remote sites. PFKs that can be added are:
 BLF keys for mapped handsets
 Messages keys for monitoring the voicemail inbox of users that are defined on other sites.
 Speed dials for extensions that are defined on remote sites

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M. Configure Auto Attendants for multiple sites (optional)
For any Auto Attendants on any sites that are to be Global Auto Attendants, perform the following steps:
1. Go to Phone System / Auto Attendants.
2. Click the Modify link for the Auto Attendant to be made Global.
3. Pull down the list box for the Include Remote Users setting. Choose Enabled.

4. Click the Update button.

N. Configure outside line routing (optional)

For incoming calls on any outside lines that are to be routed to extensions at other sites, set up the desired
extensions in the DID routing plan or in the outside line setup of non-DID outside lines.
If some sites will be using other sites’ lines for outbound calls, perform the following steps:
1. Create a service group that lists the remote site as its outside line service. Go to Phone System / Dial
Plan.
2. Scroll down to the Service group section. Click add new Service Group. Enter a name for the service
group such as the name of the remote site.
3. In the list of services, highlight the name of the Remote Site. Click the Move -> button to add that site
to the Service Group.
4. Click Add.
5. In the External Dialing rules section of the Dial Plan page, click Modify for the dialing rule or rules that
will be using this remote site for its service.
6. In the listbox for the dialing rule, choose the service group that you just created. Click Update.
7. Do the same for any dialing rules that will utilize the remote site service group. Create additional
service groups for other remote sites, as needed.

WARNING: Using another site’s lines for connecting emergency (911) calls is not recommended. Disruptions
in Internet service between sites may prevent emergency calls from being connected. In addition, using
another site’s lines may thwart the ability of the 911 center to determine the location of the emergency.

O. Configure Paging Zones (optional)

To enable paging across sites, perform the following procedure:
1. Set up Multi-site Paging Groups. On one of the servers in the network (preferably the Controller site),
go to Phone System / Paging.
2. Click Modify for Paging Zone Names.
3. Click Add new group under Multi-Site Paging Groups.
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4. Enter a name for the group and click Add.
5. Do the same for each independent Multi-site paging group that is required.
6. Click Update.
7. Determine which handsets should be in which Multi-site paging groups.
8. Create local Paging Zones on each server for each collection of handsets. Assign handsets to the
appropriate zones.
9. On each server that will be participating in Multi-site paging, go to the Paging page.
10. Click Modify for Paging Zone Names.
11. For each local Paging Zone that should be included in a Multi-site Paging Group, choose the
appropriate group using the pull-down list in the Multi-Site Group Column.
12. Click Update.

P. Configure Parking Orbits (optional)

To enable parked calls to be picked up at other sites, perform the following procedure:

1. Determine an allocation of Parking Orbits among the participating sites. 150 orbits are available to
share among all participating sites.
2. On each site that will be participating in Multi-site Parking, go to Phone System / Call Park. Click
Modify.
3. Check the box for “Permit other sites to retrieve parked calls from this site.”
4. Into the Number of Orbits box, enter the number of orbits that you wish to allocate to this site.
5. Click Update.

Q. Test site-to-site operations

The following items should be checked on each site. Failure of any of these tests would indicate
misconfiguration of Allworx server settings or of port forwarding through firewalls at the various sites.
1. Calling between local phones
Place calls from a local phone to at least one phone on every other site. Verify 2-way audio quality.
2. Calling special system extensions
Dial any special extensions that were created to verify that they are routed, as intended.
3. Leaving Voicemail

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From within the Message Center, leave a voicemail message for at least one user at every other site.
Verify the recipients’ name announcements are heard when their extensions are entered (assuming the
recipients have recorded their names). Verify the messages are received and that the sender’s name
announcement is heard.
4. Receiving BLF
Verify that handset status (e.g. on-hook; off-hook) is received for at least one handset on every server
from which handsets have been mapped.

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3 Special Actions

3.1 Switching Controllers

Any site with an Advanced Multi-site Primary feature key can become the network controller. This may be
desired for a variety of reasons, such as if the original Controller site is down or unreachable. For a Branch
site to become the Controller, install a Primary key. Then change its Multi-site configuration from Branch site
to Controller site. All sites, including the original Controller site if it is reachable, will automatically switch their
settings to reflect the change. The original Controller site will automatically re-configure to be a Branch site.

3.2 Resetting the Network

The network can be dissolved and re-established. This may be necessary during the course of
troubleshooting network problems.
To dissolve the network, set the Multi-site configuration of all servers to Disabled. To re-establish the
network, set the configuration to Branch or Controller as during the original network setup.
Additional options are available on the Multi-site page that may be useful during troubleshooting. These
controls should only be used at the direction of Allworx Customer Support. They are:
 Remove previously known site (only displayed if a site has been disconnected from the network)
 Network delete of an active site (on the Controller site)
 Temporary delete of an active sites (on the Controller and Branch sites)

3.3 Changing Internal Dial Plan

The Internal Dial Plan (extension ranges) and the number of digits in extensions cannot be changed while
the site is connected to a Multi-site network. To change the Dial Plan on all sites, perform the following
procedure. Do not skip any steps:
1. Disable Multi-site on all servers.
2. Remove all stored remote site data by clicking all of the Remove links on all servers on the Network /
Multi-site page. Do this on every server.
3. Change the Internal Dial Plan or switch to Extension Mode on all servers, as needed. The Internal
Dial Plan and Extension Length must be identical on all servers.
4. Enable Multi-site on the Primary site.
5. Enable Multi-site on all of the Branch sites and Accept all sites into the network on the Primary site.
6. Verify that the multi-site network is operating properly. Run the Multi-site Tests on the Network /
Multi-site page and place calls between all combinations of servers.

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