[Asterisk-Users] Re: 911 and lawsuits and redundancy

Tue Jan 6 20:08:02 MST 2004

These are good issues, but I am even thinking of something simpler and more
common than crises. Such as this scenerio.

I need to update my Asterisk server that runs all my phones inorder to install a
 kernel update that fixes a security bug. This is something I would consider
happening on a regular basis with a voip enable system, whereas the traditional
system might sit in a closet for 10 years never being touched. Let's say I don't
want to stay at work until 2 am to reload the system when noone is there. How
would you configure and * system(s so that you could take a system offline
during working hours without taking out all or parts of the system? 

I have read everything I can find on * in regards to this and I am still not
really sure how to deal with the situation. I think the "standard" answer is to
use multiple * servers with tdmoe (hope I got that right), but it seems like for
this to work redundantly you have to have all your IP phones be multi-server
aware. I have tested a lot of phones both hard and soft and it seems like few
models do this. For instance, I would really like to use some Grandstreams for
some areas, but I don't see how to put in any redundancy at the server level
with them as the clients.

Any ideas?
-- 
Jonathan Moore
Director of Technology
Winfield Public Schools
Office 620.221.5100
Fax 620.221.0508

Quoting Adthrawn <adthrawn at adthrawn.freeserve.co.uk>:

> Hi,
> 
> Most companies we work with, have 'designated' crisis management teams. 
> These vary from the insignificant crisis', through to life-threatening 
> crisis'. There is always an assigned emergency services contact, whose 
> job it is in an emergency, to maintain communication with the emergency 
> services.
> 
> One of our corporate functions is crisis management - so we have to 
> consider the global repercussions and the ultra-fine detail at the same 
> time. From considering overall redundancy of the phone system, down to 
> the tiny, but significant detail - like "the phone system caused the 
> fire"... Basically, taking the worse case scenario, and making it 
> worse.
> 
> At the very least, we always ensure that there is at least one PSTN 
> line that is run through armored trunking to an analogue phone in a 
> fire-proof cabinet. Simply put, a classic Hollywood style "red phone" 
> with one button and a giant red flashing light. (Okay, full keypad and 
> no flashing light, but you get the idea).
> 
> The reality is, that 999 or 911 redundancy has nothing to do with the 
> phone system per-say, it's down to the crisis procedures of the 
> company. Think of it this way; what happens if a fire breaks out on a 
> large plant? First, you'd have the staff who found it phoning emergency 
> services. Next, you'll have the security office phoning the emergency 
> services... Next, staff in the nearest office are likely to phone the 
> emergency services, not to mention lorry drivers or forklift drivers on 
> their mobiles!
> 
> On top of this, in most places that a crisis would occur, there is 
> little possibility of installing phones - period. Most plants rely on 
> mobiles, walkie-talkie or DECT phones. The number of armored cables 
> I've seen ripped in half, or optical spurs that have been cut by 
> diggers - VoIP and traditional PBX's have no coverage of these areas - 
> forget redundancy!
> 
> So at this point, the emergency services have been contact about the 
> crisis three or four times... Possibly three or four addresses, 
> depending on the registration of the phone itself. What if the fire 
> brigade need to know what special equipment to bring? Chemicals to deal 
> with? They'll phone the company, and will probably get a confused 
> receptionist... She's been answering calls all day - she doesn't know 
> there's a fire on a production line on the other side of the plant.
> 
> Now, with a crisis plan, the following would happen. In an emergency, 
> the person discovering it would contact the crisis manager, or one of 
> his/her subordinates. If it's a major emergency, then the person 
> discovering this may have had to call the emergency services first. 
> Nonetheless, this is all reported to the crisis manager. The crisis 
> manager does a number of things, one of which is to be the crisis 
> manager. Sound bizarre? Well, no. Their job, is partly to be a central 
> point of communication. Any calls coming in regarding emergencies will 
> be patched directly to this person. In the event of phone system 
> failures or major disasters, then the person will have an emergency 
> phone on which to call out on.
> 
> It's actually more dangerous to empower people in an emergency, then it 
> is to reduce the number of people involved, and to tightly control the 
> situation.
> 
> If anybody is interested in crisis management, or looking at ways of 
> legally solving this problem, then let me know
> 
> Best,
> Ad.
> 
> 
> On 6 Jan 2004, at 6:35 pm, asterisk-users-request at lists.digium.com 
> wrote:
> 
> > Message: 7
> > From: "Jim Flagg" <flaggj at comcast.net>
> > To: <asterisk-users at lists.digium.com>
> > Subject: Re: [Asterisk-Users] 911 and lawsuits and redundancy
> > Date: Tue, 6 Jan 2004 13:06:34 -0500
> > Reply-To: asterisk-users at lists.digium.com
> >
> > ----- Original Message -----
> > From: "Jonathan Moore" <moorejon at usd465.com>
> > To: <asterisk-users at lists.digium.com>
> > Sent: Tuesday, January 06, 2004 12:34 PM
> > Subject: Re: [Asterisk-Users] 911 and lawsuits and redundancy
> >
> >
> >> This is esp true of any VoIP PBX system. In fact I think many of them 
> >> run Windows.
> >>
> >
> > Or VOIP in general.  This is what Vonage makes you agree to in their 
> > Terms of Service.
> >
> > "2.4 Requires Activation:
> > You acknowledge and understand that 911 dialing does not function 
> > unless you have successfully activated the 911dialing feature by
> > following the instructions from the "Dial 911" link on your dashboard, 
> > and until such later date that such activation has been
> > confirmed to you through a confirming email.  You acknowledge and 
> > understand that you cannot dial 911 from this line unless and
> > until you have received a confirming email.
> >
> > 2.5 Failure to Designate the Correct Physical Address When Activating 
> > 911 Dialing:
> > Failure to provide the current and correct physical address and 
> > location of your Vonage equipment will result in any 911
> > communication you may make being routed to the incorrect local 
> > emergency service provider.
> >
> > 2.6 Requires Re-Activation if You Change Your Number:
> > You acknowledge and understand that 911 dialing does not function if 
> > you change your phone number unless and until you have
> > successfully activated the 911 dialing feature following the 
> > instructions from the "Dial 911" link on your dashboard, and until 
> > such
> > later date that such activation has been confirmed to you through a 
> > confirming email.  911 dialing must be re-activated.  Although
> > you may have activated 911 dialing with your former Vonage phone 
> > number, you must separately activate 911 dialing for any new
> > number.
> >
> > 2.7 Change of Physical Location of Vonage Equipment:
> > You acknowledge and understand that 911dialing does not function 
> > properly or may not function at all if you take your equipment with
> > you away from the address or physical location that you have 
> > designated.
> >
> > 2.8 Requires Re-Activation if You Move:
> > You acknowledge and understand that 911 dialing does not function 
> > properly or at all if you move or change the physical location of
> > your Vonage equipment to a different street address, unless and until 
> > you have successfully activated the 911 dialing feature
> > following the instructions from the "Dial 911" link on your dashboard, 
> > and until such later date that such activation has been
> > confirmed to you through a confirming email.  911dialing must be 
> > re-activated although you may have activated 911 dialing using your
> > former address, and you must separately activate 911 dialing for any 
> > new physical address.  Failure to provide the current and
> > correct physical address and location of your Vonage equipment will 
> > result in any 911 dialing you may make being routed to the
> > incorrect local emergency service provider
> >
> > 2.9 Possibility of Network Congestion and/or Reduced Speed for Routing 
> > 911:
> > Due to the manner in which it is technically possible to provide the 
> > 911 dialing feature for Vonage DigitalVoice at this time, you
> > acknowledge and understand that there is a greater possibility of 
> > network congestion and/or reduced speed in the routing of a 911
> > communication made utilizing your Vonage equipment as compared to 
> > traditional 911 dialing over traditional public telephone
> > networks.  You acknowledge and understand that 911 dialing from your 
> > Vonage equipment will be routed to the general telephone number
> > for the local emergency service provider, and will not be routed to 
> > the 911 dispatcher(s) who are specifically designated to receive
> > incoming 911 calls at such local provider's facilities when such calls 
> > are routed using traditional 911 dialing.  You acknowledge
> > and understand that there may be a greater possibility that the 
> > general telephone number for the local emergency service provider
> > will produce a busy signal or will take longer to answer, as compared 
> > to those 911 calls routed to the 911 dispatcher(s) who are
> > specifically designated to receive incoming 911 calls using 
> > traditional 911 dialing.
> >
> > 2.10 Automated Number Identification:
> > At this time in the technical development of Vonage 911 dialing, it 
> > may or may not be possible for the Public Safety Answering Point
> > (PSAP) and the local emergency personnel to identify your phone number 
> > when you dial 911.  Vonage's system is configured in most
> > instances to send the automated number identification information; 
> > however, the phone system routes the traffic to  the PSAP and the
> > PSAP itself must be able to receive the information and pass it along 
> > properly, and they are not yet always technically capable of
> > doing so.  You acknowledge and understand that PSAP and emergency 
> > personnel may or may not be able to identify your phone number in
> > order to call you back if the call is unable to be completed, is 
> > dropped or disconnected, or if you are unable to speak to tell them
> > your phone number and/or if the Service is not operational for any 
> > reason, including without limitation those listed elsewhere in
> > this Agreement.
> >
> > 2.11 Automated Location Identification:
> > At this time in the technical development of Vonage 911 Dialing, it is 
> > not possible to transmit identification of the address that
> > you have listed to the Public Safety Answering Point (PSAP) and local 
> > emergency personnel for your area when you dial 911.  You
> > acknowledge and understand that you will need to state the nature of 
> > your emergency promptly and clearly, including your location,
> > as PSAP personnel will NOT have this information.  You acknowledge and 
> > understand that PSAP and emergency personnel will not be able
> > to find your location if the call is unable to be completed, is 
> > dropped or disconnected, if you are unable to speak to tell them
> > your location and/or if the Service is not operational for any reason, 
> > including without limitation those listed elsewhere in this
> > Agreement.
> >
> > 2.12 Alternative 911 Arrangements
> > You acknowledge that Vonage does not offer primary line or lifeline 
> > services. You should always have an alternative means of
> > accessing traditional E911 services."
> 
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Visit Winfield Public Schools at http://usd465.com
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