[Asterisk-Users] Asterisk with Nortel BCM

[Ulexus]

David Hajek wrote:
> Thanks for your answer.
> 
> We don't have to use Nortel's BCM, it is one of the option we're considering
> (not sure if it is still in the game now). I will ask this way, what
> commerical fullvoip PBX you will recommend? Unfortunatelly I can't use
> asterisk for this central point, but I can (and will) use asterisk on
> satellites offices.
> 
> Can you please give some hints what vendors/makers I should not forget? 3com
> looks promising....
> 
> Thanks.
> 
> -David
> 
> 
> 
>>-----Original Message-----
>>From: asterisk-users-bounces at lists.digium.com 
>>[mailto:asterisk-users-bounces at lists.digium.com] On Behalf Of 
>>Jim Van Meggelen
>>Sent: Friday, October 29, 2004 4:24 PM
>>To: 'Asterisk Users Mailing List - Non-Commercial Discussion'
>>Subject: RE: [Asterisk-Users] Asterisk with Nortel BCM
>>
>>Use H.323 and in the BCM set the protocol to "Other".
>>
>>Do you HAVE to use the BCM? It's a really horrible system. I 
>>worked for many years in tech support, and I've been involved 
>>in BCMs since the beta trials of version 1.0, four years ago. 
>>I know BCM, and I can tell you that it is one of the worst 
>>telephone systems ever produced. Check out the spec sheet:
>>
>>- The operating system is Windows NT 4.0 -- no really, an 
>>EIGHT YEAR OLD OPERATING SYSTEM.
>>- The MSC card is a Norstar KSU that they put on a PCI card. 
>>That's FIFTEEN YEAR OLD technology - and it shows.
>>- The platform is an Intel Pentium III 700Mhz, with 256megs 
>>of RAM, and a 20meg hard drive. How much do they want you to 
>>pay for it?
>>- Many of the critical scripts in the system are DOS batch 
>>files (I am NOT kidding!).
>>
>>The BCM is famous for it's instability (go figure), and 
>>mind-numbingly stupid interface. Unless you have a lot of 
>>money to waste on obsolescence, I'd remove the BCM completely 
>>from the equation.
>>
>>If you have to go Nortel, go with a Succession (even a 
>>Norstar would be a more stable choice, and you can tie it 
>>into a VoIP gateway with PRI trunks).
>>
>>You might want to consider not using Nortel's VoIP technology 
>>at all -- I don't think they fully understand VoIP yet. 
>>Better would be to tie any Nortel gear into your VoIP network 
>>using legacy trunking through, say, an Asterisk gateway, like this:
>>
>>[NT PBX/KSU]---PRI---[Asterisk]=====(WAN cloud)=====[Asterisk]
>>
>>I wouldn't use the BCM as a boat anchor, but for sure it 
>>should NEVER be used as the core of a VoIP network - it's 
>>just a key system, and not a very good one at that!
>>
>>Good luck!
>>
>>
>>asterisk-users-bounces at lists.digium.com wrote:
>>
>>>Hello,
>>>
>>>does anyone has an experience with connecting Asterisk to 
>>
>>Nortel's BCM 
>>
>>>(http://www.nortelnetworks.com/products/0> 
>>
>>1/eedge/bcm.html)? I would 
>>
>>>like to make this working using some voip protocol IAX, SIP, but it 
>>>looks like Nortel's can't do that?
>>>
>>>My scenario is Nortel's BCM in central office and asterisk 
>>>installations in satellites offices.
>>>

Just a few of comments on the BCM.  The programming is _extremely_ 
limited.  We are not talking about a real PBX here.  We are talking 
about a glorified key system.  (This is from the mouth of the tech of 
the company who installed it for us, and I have since verified that this 
is definitely the case.)

The license fees are ridiculous; the pay-as-you-grow method is just 
another way to gouge more money out of people.  (Though I realize most 
commercial PBX systems are using this method, now.)  Be _very_ careful 
that you look _very_ closely at which licenses are required for what 
service.  There will be several that are daisy-chained and seemingly 
unrelated.  This is definitely the most frustrating part of the 
purchase.  Whatever you come up with for license costs, give yourself 
ample room for errors of omission.

The system is based off of embedded Windows NT, and it is riddled with 
bugs and erros.

We are currently using an Asterisk system encompassing our BCM on all 
sides.   The PRI comes in on Asterisk, all of the VoIP and analog sets 
are on Asterisk, but the digital office sets are on the BCM.  This is 
only because the investment had already been made in the BCM by the time 
I got Asterisk up and running.

--
Ulexus