[asterisk-dev] 'IAX2 call variable passing between servers '

[Douglas Garstang]

> -----Original Message-----
> From: Jared Smith [mailto:jaredsmith at jaredsmith.net]
> Sent: Friday, August 04, 2006 8:35 AM
> To: Asterisk Developers Mailing List
> Subject: RE: [asterisk-dev] 'IAX2 call variable passing 
> between servers
> '
> 
> 
> On Fri, 2006-08-04 at 08:17 -0600, Douglas Garstang wrote:
> > No Matt. It's comical. This is exactly the type of 
> situation that IAX2
> > was designed for, and it doesn't do it very well. 
> 
> No, what's comical is your insistence that IAX2 was designed to pass
> variables between servers.  IAX2 was designed to pass *calls* between
> Asterisk servers, not arbitrary variables.

A fundamental requirement of any switch is the ability to bill, transfer and forward calls. It is a plain and simple fact that IAX2 cannot pass these variables between Asterisk systems. Therefore, with the use of IAX2 trunking, you cannot bill, forward or transfer calls between two phones registered to two different Asterisk systems. A more serious concern, beyond the inability to pass variables between Asterisk systems is the fact that all calls at the other end of an IAX2 trunk, also appear as IAX2 calls, regardless of what protocol they use. This therefore means that forwarding and transferring of calls solely between phones at the other end does not work. That's a big problem, and any soft switch that can't a) act in a redundant manner and b) bill, transfer or forward calls is not going to be taken very seriously.

> 
> > The very fact that I have to make modifications to the code to get
> > IAX2 to work, but not SIP (yet), indicates IAX2 is falling far short
> > of it's expectations.
> 
> Who has the expectation that IAX2 should pass variables?  I think most
> of us realize that IAX2 doesn't pass arbitrary variables between
> servers.  Just because SIP can do something and IAX2 can't 
> doesn't mean
> that IAX2 should do it -- as much as I like SIP, there are some things
> that SIP can do that I hope IAX2 never does.  IAX2 wasn't designed by
> committee, it was designed by Mark Spencer to do one thing and do it
> well.  Just because something is *possible*, it doesn't mean 
> it's a good
> idea to implement it.

Maybe the name of IAX2 should be changed to something else? The name implies that it's designed for passing calls, and all ancilliary call data, between two Asterisk boxes.

> 
> > I don't see how this is complaining. I am trying to solve a problem,
> > and given the lack of documentation out there, this is one 
> of the few
> > places to turn. 
> 
> Maybe it's because of the tone of your emails, and how you 
> seem to think
> the Asterisk community is a group of idiots because we don't share the
> same view of IAX2 as you do.  Maybe it's your insistence that you're
> right and we're wrong, even when you fail to read the 
> responses written
> to you.  (Then again, maybe we are a group of idiots, and 
> maybe I should
> calm down and eat some breakfast before I read my email first thing in
> the morning.  Who knows?)

Don't recollect ever saying that the community where idiots, and evidence showing I stated I was right and you where wrong would be appreciated. I do notice however that people get very defensive whenever I make constructive criticisms (like right now).

Doug.