T1 PRI restart messages every 60 minutes from Atlas 550

[skeller007]

I have an Atlas 550 with 2 PRI network cards connected to (2) cisco 2801 series router. My PRI is up and running fine and calls are routing through the Atlas to my cisco just fine. I see no slip seconds or errors on the T1 or interfaces. However i am noticing that every 60 minutes both of my circuits are recieving restart messages on all 24 channels from the atlas below. One of my circuits in h323 controlled PRI and the other is MGCP. the MGCP suffers the most as the only way to get it back in service is to bounce the MGCP service, but it is affecting both PRI cirucits. Does anyone know of a timer in the Atlas that can be tweaked or something that can be done to stop this behavior?? Calls are not going through when this happens...

Jan 26 04:42:09.361: ISDN Se0/3/0:23 Q931: RX <- RESTART pd = 8  callref = 0x0000

        Channel ID i = 0xA98381

                Exclusive, Channel 1

        Restart Indicator i = 0x80

Jan 26 04:42:09.361: ISDN Se0/3/0:23 Q931: RX <- RESTART pd = 8  callref = 0x0000

        Channel ID i = 0xA98382

                Exclusive, Channel 2

        Restart Indicator i = 0x80

Jan 26 04:42:09.365: ISDN Se0/3/0:23 Q931: RX <- RESTART pd = 8  callref = 0x0000

        Channel ID i = 0xA98383

                Exclusive, Channel 3

        Restart Indicator i = 0x80

Jan 26 05:42:09.077: ISDN Se0/3/0:23 Q931: RX <- RESTART pd = 8  callref = 0x0000

        Channel ID i = 0xA98381

                Exclusive, Channel 1

        Restart Indicator i = 0x80

Jan 26 05:42:09.081: ISDN Se0/3/0:23 Q931: TX -> RESTART_ACK pd = 8  callref = 0x8000

        Channel ID i = 0xA98381

                Exclusive, Channel 1

        Restart Indicator i = 0x80

Jan 26 05:42:09.081: ISDN Se0/3/0:23 Q931: RX <- RESTART pd = 8  callref = 0x0000

        Channel ID i = 0xA98382

                Exclusive, Channel 2

        Restart Indicator i = 0x80

Jan 26 05:42:09.085: ISDN Se0/3/0:23 Q931: RX <- RESTART pd = 8  callref = 0x0000

        Channel ID i = 0xA98383

                Exclusive, Channel 3

        Restart Indicator i = 0x80

Jan 26 05:42:09.085: ISDN Se0/3/0:23 Q931: TX -> RESTART_ACK pd = 8  callref = 0x8000

        Channel ID i = 0xA98382

                Exclusive, Channel 2

        Restart Indicator i = 0x80

[Anonymous]

The B-channel restarts occur every 60 minutes when enabled (and it is enabled by default). The restarts are only performed on idle channels, but there does have to be an acknowledgement in order to keep the channels in service. If there is no acknowledgement then the channels are assumed to no longer be in service.

The B-channel restarts can be disabled under the DIAL PLAN, USER TERM, in the IFCE CONFIG - "B CHANNEL RESTARTS." (This is not an option under the NET TERM, as the ATLAS will not send restarts out the NET TERM - only respond to them.)

Hope this helps,

Patrick

[skeller007]

Thank you Patrick, i am looking under Dial Plan > User Term > Interface Configuration in my Atlas 550 but there is no parameter for B Channel Restarts there. I see B Channel Selection toward the bottom and Busy Option is the last one. But on that screen there is no B Channel Restarts available. I am running Rev C.06.01. Is this not an option in this software version or model or am i just looking at the wrong thing? Thanks again!

[Anonymous · Accepted solution]

The B-channel restart option is not available in the Firmware you are currently running. If you upgrade the FW, you will gain the option. (I believe the feature was added in C.08.02, but I may be mistaken on that.)

[skeller007]

THanks Patrick, i suspected that the firmware was an issue. Real quick how

risky is the firmware upgrade? I have never done one on an Atlas device and

was nervous before that i could permanently ruin the device if i didnt read

all of the procedure correctly,etc. In your estimation , is it pretty easy

to upgrade the firmware or is there a high level of caution and preparation

prior to doing so. Bear in mind i have worked in IT for many years and have

upgraded routers, switches, computers etc, but never an Atlas 550. I would

like to upgrade to get this feature..

On Tue, Jan 29, 2013 at 3:26 PM, patrick <

[Anonymous]

The FW upgrade is not difficult, but depending on the method you use, can take while. The easiest and quickest method is via TFTP and takes about 10-15 minutes to load the FW before it reboots to load and use the new FW. (This reboot can be scheduled, but the default is to reboot immediately.) The other option to upgrade is with XMODEM and a serial connection, which takes around an hour to transfer the FW.

Before upgrading the FW it is always a good idea to backup the configuration (under SYSTEM UTILITY and CONFIG TRANSFER), but the upgrade SHOULDN'T cause any problems with your current configuration - just add new options.

[skeller007]

Thank you Patrick, one last question. I am trying to upgrade the firmware

via TFTP, the file is transferred but then it failes with the error

"Firmware Update Failed". I cannot find any solution in the forums for

this. Any suggestions? I tried taking it offline but that doesnt work

either. thanks

On Tue, Jan 29, 2013 at 4:20 PM, patrick <

[Anonymous]

The FW is a BIZ file. If you downloaded an EXE you need to execute it in order to extract out the actual FW. We are planning on changing this to a ZIP file, but I don't believe that has happened yet.

[skeller007]

Thank you Patrick, indeed i was able to upgrade the firmware after

unpacking the files first. now i can changed the B channel restarts option

under my PRI interface. thank you for all of your help!

On Tue, Jan 29, 2013 at 5:45 PM, patrick <