SoftPhone Client (formerly PC Phone Dialer): Migration & Upgrade Checklist

Migration & Upgrade Checklist — SoftPhone Client (formerly PC Phone Dialer)

1. Pre-migration assessment

• Inventory: List current installations, versions, OS, and user counts.
• Dependencies: Identify required libraries, codecs, SIP settings, VPNs, and firewall rules.
• Data to preserve: Notes, address books, call logs, custom templates, and configuration files (paths vary by OS).
• Compatibility: Confirm target SoftPhone Client version supports your OS, hardware, and SIP provider.

2. Backup

• Configs: Export or copy configuration files and user profiles.
• Address books & logs: Export contacts and important call records.
• Registry/Preferences: On Windows, export registry keys if settings are stored there; on macOS/Linux, copy dotfiles.

3. Test environment

• Staging server: Create a staging environment that mirrors production (same OS, network rules).
• Pilot group: Select representative users (power, typical, mobile) for pilot testing.
• Test cases: Make/receive calls, transfer, hold, voicemail, conferencing, codecs, DTMF, and emergency calling.

4. Network & security checks

• Ports & QoS: Verify SIP and RTP port rules; configure QoS for voice priority.
• TLS/SRTP: Ensure certificates are valid and SRTP is enabled if using encrypted media.
• Firewall/NAT traversal: Test STUN/TURN/ICE and SIP ALG behavior; disable SIP ALG if problematic.

5. Migration plan & rollback

• Schedule: Pick low-impact windows; notify users with timeline and expected downtime.
• Stepwise rollout: Upgrade in batches (e.g., by department).
• Rollback steps: Document how to restore backups, revert configs, and reinstall previous client if needed.

6. Installation & configuration

• Silent/install scripts: Prepare MSI/PKG or deployment scripts with preconfigured settings.
• Configuration templates: Apply standard provisioning (SIP server, codecs, voicemail, TLS).
• Licensing & activation: Verify license keys and provisioning servers are ready.

7. User training & documentation

• Quickstart guide: One-page for signing in, making calls, transferring, and voicemail.
• FAQ: Address common differences from PC Phone Dialer.
• Support contacts: Provide helpdesk steps and escalation path.

8. Post-migration verification

• Monitoring: Check call quality metrics, dropped calls, latency, and packet loss.
• User feedback: Collect pilot/user reports for issues and usability tweaks.
• Logs & analytics: Review client logs for errors and server-side reports for registrations.

9. Troubleshooting checklist

• No registration: Verify credentials, SIP server reachability, ports, and TLS certs.
• One-way audio: Check RTP ports, NAT, and symmetric RTP settings.
• Poor quality: Inspect bandwidth, QoS, codecs, and jitter buffer settings.
• Feature gaps: Confirm server-side feature support and client settings.

10. Maintenance

• Updates: Schedule regular client updates and security patches.
• Backup routine: Automate periodic export of critical configs and address books.
• Review: Quarterly review of usage, license compliance, and performance.