[Asterisk-Users] Re: iax or sip

[Randy Bush]

> There are many reasons to have an Asterisk box in a stream:
>
> 1. Control a call, (maybe you want to do some ACL type filtering,
> maybe you want to keep track of usage, maybe you just to be in
> control...)

hmmm.  post setup, which clearly needs to go through all servers
(or pbxen) in path, i don't see a win here.  send more clue.

> 2. Provide features (access to PSTN, conference capability, music
> on hold, call parking, agents and queues.....  the list goes on
> and on)

that's setup not payload

> 3. Endpoints (User Agents) MAY not be able to send data streams
> to each other directly (firewalls or nats in the middle)

yes indeed.  so one, but likely only one, if they're asterisk, pbx
needs to intermediate, not a bunch on a path.

> And depending upon your view of things (your view might be
> different than the view of the IT/communications administrator of
> a large company), using IAX in a geographically distributed use
> scenario might very well be exactly what you want (use over an
> encrypted vpn link, etc.)

yes, it might be.  but as you know, i am a big pipe backbone geek,
not an admin of a large distributed company.  and i am addict of
simple (non-complex, not the presence protocol:-).

randy