[FernandoHerrera]

I would like to provision my Polycoms with FTP(S), whatever that is.

Which FTP server is recommended by Polycom or by its users?

TIA,

-Ramon

[FernandoHerrera]

I submitted this as a trouble ticket to Polycom support.

-RFH

---------------



Do you have any documentation about the secure FTP server required to provision Polycom IP phones?

Please take a look at this, it should illustrate the many variations:

http://patriot.net/~ramon/Secure-FTPs.png
http://patriot.net/~ramon/FileZilla-Secure-FTP.png

(and I haven't even begun to set up my Asterisk -therefore, non-Windows- server which will be my ultimate Polycom boot server).

Regular "FTP" provisioning is very easy, but due to security concerns I cannot use it. So, I switched to this so-called "FTP(S)" which should be secure, correct?

Well, not really: I captured some Ethernet packets and the connection is made in clear text via Port 21, the username and password were there, for the whole world to see. At the end of the (extremely long) boot sequence, I can see a failed attempt to login (no files are retrieved) via Port 990.

TIA,

-Ramon F Herrera

[FernandoHerrera]

This is Polycom's answer:

------------
Hello Ramon,

Unfortunately, Polycom does not recommend the use of a specific FTP server software. The FTP server should be a phone provisioning tool that will require testing on your behalf. The testing should be done based on your own requirements in order to meet specific configuration requirements at a particular customer site.
----------

-Ramon

[moon1234]

Why not just use HTTPS to do your provisioning instead of secure FTP?

[FernandoHerrera]

Originally Posted by moon1234

Why not just use HTTPS to do your provisioning instead of secure FTP?

I am looking into it, but don't have too many hopes. If I am not mistaken, HTTP[S], being based on UDT (instead of TCP), is not supported to do firmware upgrades by Polycom. I seem to recal reading that in the documentation.

The only thing we can do with HTTP (secure or not) is to configure phone settings. In addition to that, I need to do upgrades -and downgrades- as well.

-Ramon

[moon1234]

HTTPS is TCP based. UDP is connectionless. It would not be real smart to have a secure protocol being connectionless.

[FernandoHerrera]

Originally Posted by moon1234

HTTPS is TCP based. UDP is connectionless. It would not be real smart to have a secure protocol being connectionless.

Okay, I will try that one, then.

I still very pissed at Polycom for refusing to document any details about their so-called FTP(S) provisioning. They pretty much told me that it was entirely my problem.

I had never had the misfortune of dealing with such an arrogant company.

-RFH

[aleghart]

If you can't figure out how to install an FTP server, I don't think you're in the intended target for advanced FTP provisioning. Does your automobile manufacturer tell you where to buy gas? No. Not their problem. They don't want liability for recommending a 3rd-party product.

There are more FTP servers than browsers available. Just as many free ones as commercial products. Just pick one and test it.

If you need someone to hold your hand, you'll have to pay for the service. Don't just whine about it. Do something for yourself.

[FernandoHerrera]

Originally Posted by aleghart

If you can't figure out how to install an FTP server, I don't think you're in the intended target for advanced FTP provisioning. Does your automobile manufacturer tell you where to buy gas? No. Not their problem. They don't want liability for recommending a 3rd-party product.

There are more FTP servers than browsers available. Just as many free ones as commercial products. Just pick one and test it.

If you need someone to hold your hand, you'll have to pay for the service. Don't just whine about it. Do something for yourself.

I am qualified to write an FTP server.

The automobile manufacturer either:

(a) publishes the specifications of the tool used to diagnose it
(b) sells you such device
(c) tells you where to buy it

Polycom refuses to do any of the above.

I have monitored the traffic between the Polycoms and the boot server in so-called *secure* mode and the credentials are sent in clear text for the wide world to see.

Polycom will not even acknowledge the meaning of "FTP(S)". If they claim that it stands for "secure" they can be sued for deceptive advertisement, among other things.

If you disagree that Polycom is one of the most arrogant companies in high tech, you are either an ignorant of the company's practices, or are paid by them.

-RFH

[moon1234]

I do not think Polycom is arrogant or any of the other statements you made about them. I do not work for them.

Polycom does not sell directly to consumers. They point this out on their website. They expect you to work with a reseller. The reseller would be responsible for providing you technical assistance.

A proper analogy would be to your cable box. You could not call up Motorolla or Scientific Atalanta (Now Cisco) and have them provide support to you unless you are a reseller. These companies expect you work with your provider. The same is true for Polycom. That is their business model. If you bought your phone from Voxilla then support would be provided by Voxilla.

Polycom is providing a LOT of documentation to whomever wants it. The full manual for each model is available for download. It is up to the end user (Reseller) to be properly trained to support their customers. Polycom does NOT want YOU the customer calling them for support.

It is becuase of people like you that Polycom is now instituting a $200 charge for all support calls (Even in Warranty calls and RMA's) that do not come from one of their authorised resellers. They used to allow knowledgable end users to receive support for free. Now that so many people who don't have a clue are calling they have closed this support route.

If you want to be taken seriously then you should post packet captures from Wireshark between a phone and a sample SFTP server. You should also show packet captures working properly between an SFTP client and server.

As for support of FTPS you need to read the release notes to see that it has issues based on which SIP software revision and bootrom you are running. The most current version available to consumers is 2.2.2. The issues are listed on page 60 of the release notes.