[Asterisk-Dev] How many users can one Asterisk server support?

[Steven Sokol]

Oliver,

> 
> We are thinking of using the Asterisk platform to provide VoIP service to
> our broadband customers. I have looked buy could not find any information
> on the capacity of the Asterisk server. Suppose I use the fastest Intel
> CPUs in the server how many users can I support? 
> 

Unfortunately, there is not single answer for this question.  It all depends
on what you plan on doing with Asterisk, and how you intend to do it.  It
depends on the codecs you are using, the amount of protocol conversion that
is happening, the amount of media processing (voice I/O) that is being done,
the hardware you use, the number of PSTN connections, etc, etc.

This is by no means meant to discourage you.  Asterisk is quite powerful and
quite scalable.  Users on the list have reported using Asterisk with 8 PRI
spans (184 calls) all simultaneously active with positive results.

What do you envision as your "typical" scenario?

> Also, is it possible to
> run multiple Asterisk servers and somehow link them up in a seemless
> manner?

Yes.  You can create a "mesh" or fabric of Asterisk systems using IAX2.
There are a few caveats.  The default Asterisk build will require you do
some work to manage a dial plan across multiple systems.  Also, if you want
to create a central registry for IAX and SIP (and whatever else) so users
are not assigned to specific boxes, that also requires some changes or the
use of a front-end proxy (for SIP).

Again, this is not meant to discourage in any way.  What you plan to do has
been done and works.

-S