Securely replacing existing ip phone with new ip phone using existing directory number and without enabling auto-registration on call control server

An apparatus comprising:

• a network interface unit to communicate with Internet Protocol (IP) phones over a network;
• and
• a processor of a call control entity coupled to the network interface unit and configured to perform:
• responsive to a configuration request from a new IP phone that is to replace an existing IP phone, determining there is no existing IP phone record for the new IP phone;
• responsive to the determining, acquiring from the new IP phone a directory number associated with a user and that is to be used when making calls with the new IP phone;
• searching for an existing IP phone record for the existing IP phone based on the directory number;
• when the existing IP phone record is found, creating for the new IP phone a new IP phone record associated with the directory number, and copying existing configuration information from the existing IP phone record to the new IP phone record;
• and
• configuring the new IP phone with the existing configuration information.

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

• responsive to a configuration request from a new IP phone that is to replace an existing IP phone, determining there is no existing IP phone record for the new IP phone;
• responsive to the determining, acquiring from the new IP phone a directory number associated with a user and that is to be used when making calls with the new IP phone;
• searching for an existing IP phone record for the existing IP phone based on the directory number;
• when the existing IP phone record is found, creating for the new IP phone a new IP phone record associated with the directory number, and copying existing configuration information from the existing IP phone record to the new IP phone record;
• and
• configuring the new IP phone with the existing configuration information.