Method and apparatus to simplify replacing existing IP phone with new IP phone using headset

An apparatus comprising:

• a network interface unit configured to communicate with Internet Protocol (IP) phones over a network;
• and
• a processor coupled to the network interface unit and configured to perform:
• creating a mapping between (i) a headset identifier of a headset connected to a first IP phone registered with a call control entity, and (ii) an identifier associated with the first IP phone and by which an existing first IP phone record for the first IP phone is accessible;
• upon receiving a configuration request from a second IP phone not registered with the call control entity, determining there is no existing IP phone record for the second IP phone;
• responsive to the determining, acquiring from the second IP phone the headset identifier when the headset is connected to the second IP phone;
• accessing the first IP phone record based on the headset identifier and the mapping;
• creating a second IP phone record for the second IP phone, and copying existing configuration information from the first IP phone record to the second IP phone record;
• and
• configuring the second IP phone with the existing configuration information.

A non-transitory computer readable medium encoded with instructions that, when executed by a processor of a call control entity configured to communicate with Internet Protocol (IP) phones, cause the processor to perform:

• creating a mapping between (i) a headset identifier of a headset connected to a first IP phone registered with the call control entity, and (ii) an identifier associated with the first IP phone and by which an existing first IP phone record for the first IP phone is accessible;
• upon receiving a configuration request from a second IP phone not registered with the call control entity, determining there is no existing IP phone record for the second IP phone;
• responsive to the determining, acquiring from the second IP phone the headset identifier when the headset is connected to the second IP phone;
• accessing the first IP phone record based on the headset identifier and the mapping;
• creating a second IP phone record for the second IP phone, and copying existing configuration information from the first IP phone record to the second IP phone record;
• and
• configuring the second IP phone with the existing configuration information.