I have read about and used:
- the dashboard (Obi Portal)
- Obiexpert
- Direct web access to the dvice.
I understand how they are designed for different levels of users.
Until ObiExpert covers
all the items that can be configured, we need to have the direct config web access.
The problem is that the terms used to describe the different systems are all really synonyms so they have no semantic differences in the mind of the users. I therefore suggest that you you have one interface style with 3 levels of users:
Beginner: fundamental config like which account and password, speed dials etc
Intermediate: digit maps, fixed IP address, InBoundCallRoute, etc, plus the above.
Expert: Everything possible
You would probably also have a 4th (non end user) mode:
Managed service: - remote management - that can be used to set anything - and mutually exclusive to all user config except perhaps speed dials.
The business of preventing provisioning and losing settings because we used different methods of access will not do well over time. You don't want the support headaches. Using synonyms for different levels also wont work. (A web portal is the same as direct access and ObiExpert is also via the web etc.) We need to use terms that are distinct to any speaker of the language.