Grandstream HA100 High Availability Controller for UCM6510

The Grandstream HA100 is a high availability controller: it sits between two UCM6510 IP PBXs, watches both, and moves the whole system — telephone lines, network links, auxiliary devices and every registered SIP endpoint — across to the standby unit when the primary fails.

What makes it work rather than merely exist is the gratuitous ARP. When the switch happens, the HA100 forces every registered handset to refresh the MAC address it is talking to, so phones follow the new PBX instead of sitting there pointed at a dead one. That detail is the difference between a failover that works and a failover that requires someone to walk round rebooting phones.

Two things to be honest about before you buy. First, the switch takes 10 to 50 seconds depending on how many endpoints are registered — calls in progress will drop; what you are buying is a fast recovery, not an invisible one. Second, and more important: the HA100 itself is a single device in the middle of your phone system. Put it on the same UPS as both PBXs, or you have moved the single point of failure rather than removed it.

Key features

• Automatic failover between two UCM6510s — no manual intervention required
• Continuous monitoring of both units — the standby is hot, not cold
• Switches everything — telecom lines, network links, auxiliary devices and SIP endpoints
• Gratuitous ARP — forces handsets to follow the new PBX without being touched
• 10 to 50 second switchover — depending on the number of registered endpoints
• Up to 14 LED indicators — real-time status of lines, links and devices at a glance

Works with

• PSU for UCM6510 and HA100 — spare or replacement adapter
• Grandstream UCM6308A — the current-generation PBX for a new install
• Grandstream UCM6304A — current-generation, 1,000 users
• Grandstream HT881 — analogue line connectivity
• All IP PBX solutions

Frequently asked questions

Will calls in progress survive the switch?

No. The changeover takes between 10 and 50 seconds and active calls drop. What you get is that the system is back within a minute without anyone attending, instead of being down until an engineer arrives.

Do I need two PBXs as well?

Yes. The HA100 is the controller, not the spare — it needs two UCM6510 units, one live and one on hot standby. Budget for both.

Does it work with the UCM6300 series?

The HA100 is specified for the UCM6510. If you are designing resilience for a current-generation UCM, talk to us first — the right approach is different and we will tell you what it is.

Is the HA100 itself a point of failure?

Yes, and it is worth saying plainly. It sits in the middle of the system on its own power supply. Put it on the same UPS as both PBXs, or you have relocated the risk rather than removed it.

Do the phones need reconfiguring after a failover?

No. Gratuitous ARP forces the endpoints to refresh and follow the new PBX automatically, which is the whole point of using a controller rather than swapping cables by hand.

What do the LEDs show?

Real-time status of the telecom lines, network links and auxiliary devices — up to fourteen indicators, so the state of the pair is readable from the front of the rack without logging in.

Designing a resilient phone system? Call 0333 242 1314 or email sales@clisecure.com and we will work through what actually needs protecting — including the power.