Failover system and method for ip telephony

A configuration controller providing for failover in an IP telephony system, the configuration controller comprising:

• a telephony management software unit for monitoring operational status of a second configuration controller configured until its failure as an active configuration controller, the telephony management software unit adapted for communication with the second configuration controller, the telephony management software unit configured to generate a failure signal based on detected failure of the second configuration controller;
• a failover module for initializing and communicating with switches controlled by and associated with the second configuration controller in response to the failure signal from the telephony management software unit, the failover module adapted for communication with the telephony management software unit for receiving the failure signal, the failover module adapted for communication with the switches;
• and
• a switch table for storing information about the switches, the switch table adapted for communication with the telephony management software unit and the failover module.

A method for providing failover in an IP telephony system performed by one or more computing devices, the IP telephony system comprising a plurality of networked switches each assigned to route calls and requests from different extensions, the method comprising:

• monitoring for failure in the IP telephony system to determining whether a switch failure has been detected;
• based on a switch failure having been detected, sending by a first switch a service request to a configuration controller, the service request including information identifying an extension requiring reassignment and identifying a failed switch;
• reassigning, by the configuration controller, the extension to an operational switch in response to the service request;
• notifying the first switch of the reassignment;
• and
• storing information about at least one other switch and at least one associated extension in a routing table,
• wherein at least two of the networked switches each actively route calls and requests from different extensions.