[Asterisk-Users] Nortel SL1 protocol and *?

[Steve Underwood]

Hi,

The SL1 was an old Northern Telecom PBX, from the late 1970s/early 1980s 
- the precursor to the Meridian. I've never seen it refered to as a 
protocol. Now, if you really means the Meridian Link CTI protocol, then 
yep, I know about that. They charged a fortune ($25,000 I think) for a 
copy of the manual last time I asked.  I have implemented software to 
drive a Meridian through that interface. It kept changing quite a bit, 
and earlier machines don't implement it by TCP/IP over ethernet - I 
can't remember the interface they used before. They seemed a bit vague 
about what IP issues they might use to hold people to paying all that 
money. Trade secrets maybe. Anyway, if you can find a copy of the 
documentation, the protocol is quite simple. None of that nasty ASN.1, 
like CSTA. It is a bit like Q.931 messages, if I remember rightly (it 
was a few years ago).

Regards,
Steve


Andrew Kohlsmith wrote:

>I have been investigating more tight integration between * and the Nortel 
>MICS...  it appears that it is at least theoretically possible to have * 
>store voicemail and log which stations call where. 
>
>Both require a T1 card.  The T1 card requires either a clocking module or the 
>6-port fiber module to provide T1 timing.  Naturally a T100P or TE405P is 
>required on the * side.
>
>To log which stations call where you set up the OLI# on the MICS to set the 
>outgoing caller ID to the station # + some prefix.  i.e. you're really 
>configuring the MICS to set the outgoing CID to be a number in a DID pool.
>
>However to get * to gracefully handle the MICS voicemail it appears that you 
>can utilize the centralized voicemail feature on the MICS.  It is used to 
>allow Norstar systems to share a voicemail system.  This is perfect.  :-)  
>However it seems that in setting it up the T1 needs to be set up to use the 
>SL1 protocol.
>
>Does anyone have any more information on the SL1 protocol?  I don't expect * 
>to support it currently but I'm more interested in investigating what is 
>required.  I think that allowing * to play with these systems nicely will go 
>a LONG way in furthering Asterisk's penetration into the small/mid business 
>market.
>
>Aside: Since we moved to the new building (and * is handling all calls and 
>faxes for us) our * system has handled over 11500 calls.  That's over 5500 
>calls a month, incoming, outgoing and faxes.  Not a bad start.  :-)
>  
>