Zero Touch Provisioning

iStock-509657407.jpg

If your PBX can handle true Zero Touch Provisioning (ZTP), it’s a huge time saver.

By “zero touch” we mean just that. The phones are despatched directly from the Distributor to the customer site where they are unboxed and plugged into the network. They will come up and register with the PBX and be ready for use with no further intervention required. Moreover, you don’t have to pre-define the extensions to the PBX, it all happens automatically.

The only thing you need do in preparation is turn on the ZTP feature in SARK. ZTP uses SARK’s on-board SIP Multicast Listener to discover and provision your endpoints using SIP Multicast (sometimes called SIP PnP).

Screen Shot 2018-09-21 at 13.54.30.png

ZTP requires no changes to the local DHCP server and no upstream redirection service so it’s brilliant if the customer router is unavailable to you or upstream access is denied. Phones which have the multicast feature automatically issue a SIP multicast SUBSCRIBE when they boot. A multicast listener running on the same network will ‘hear’ the multicast and reply with a provisioning URL.

If SARK hears a multicast request and ZTP is turned on, it automatically creates an extension bucket and specific provisioning information for the phone in real-time. It then responds to the phone with the provisioning URL. The phone retrieves its provisioning stream and proceeds to register with the PBX. Job done, the phone is ready to use. During the provisioning handshake, SARK will automatically scavenge things like model numbers and add them to the database. It will even give you library images of the endpoints so you know what’s where.

macprovision2.png

When to use ZTP

  • Local LAN

  • On-premise SARK

Manufacturers who support SIP Multicast

  • Panasonic (KX-HDV range)

  • Snom (all models)

  • Yealink (all models)

benefits of ZTP

  • Fully automatic

  • True plug ‘n play

  • No changes to DHCP required

  • No upstream redirect required

In summary, with ZTP, all you have to do is plug the phones into the network and they will be automatically provisioned by SARK on-the-fly. You can roll out phones and have them ready to make and receive calls as soon as they come up. That’s ZTP. There is no faster or easier way to roll out LAN attached phones.