How to update one field for all Phones?

[Tim Olson]

I'd like to find a way to update the "External Phone Number Mask" field for every DN assigned to a phone that has an incorrect version of that number.  They've been deploying and inserting the wrong info for years and I'd like to export the data, clean it up, and then re-import it.

We're on 9.1.

What's the best tool or method for doing such an operation, or can it even be done?

I've seen the thread here:

https://supportforums.cisco.com/discussion/11267866/external-phone-mask-bulk-admin

That talks about how to update multiple lines but I'm assuming this is to add the SAME external number to a group of lines.

What I'm hoping to do is do a dump of the existing config to verify it, and then modify that field in excel, and then update all of the lines with the new information.  Most phones presently have their 4-digit extension in that field, and I want to prefix them with the other digits.

Thanks for any help you can provide to get me started!

[Aaron Harrison · Accepted solution]

Hi Tim

1. BAT - Export All Phones
2. Edit the downloaded export.
3. BAT - Import All Phones

... I would use LibreOffice rather than Excel. It's much less prone to 'helpfully' correcting things.

Also run diffmerge or similar on your before/after edit files to verify that only the changes you expect have been made.

And take a backup.

Aaron

[Tim Olson]

Thanks, that sounds easy enough.  I did a little digging and the only issue (assuming that the file format stays good) is that the phones will reboot as it's applied.

That said, I tried adjusting that mask on one phone and it didn't fix the issue I'm having, which ultimately will require a rework of some of the things we're doing on CallManager.  So I'm off to try to find another workaround...

Thanks for that tip. I'm sure we'll use it on something else sometime.

[Aaron Harrison]

Hi

The phones won't need a reboot as such, as it's a line change they'll restart automatically (i.e. a quick flicker). If you aren't changing any other settings a reboot isn't needed.

Good luck with the reconfig ;-)

Regards

Aaron

[Tim Olson]

Hey, one follow up.  Lets say I want to just test a range, like extensions 5010-5019.

I haven't found a way to export just those 10 lines....I can only export all.  Or is there a better way?

And, if I do just export all, but then in libreoffice I removed all the lines but the 10 I wanted to test, and uploaded that file, that doesn't remove all of the other phones, correct? It just updates those 10?

Just trying to be safe.