[Asterisk-Users] *** Asterisk 2.0 Stable release out now

[Olle E. Johansson]

During the developer's conference call yesterday evening,
it was decided that we finally should release the much-awaited
Asterisk 2.0 Stable release, also called "codename AAFJ".

This relaese is based on the "hidden" cvs that has been in
operation for six months by a group of core development members
in the Asterisk.org open source project, under the leadership of
Brian K. East, who will maintain the stable code base for
the 2.0 CVS tree and releases.

-"It's awsome", says Brian, "but the new features I'm adding to
2.0.1 stable will be even more spectacular. Follow me to the future!"

Among the new features in Asterisk 2.0 is

* APBX - A fully pluggable PBX architecture
   -----------------------------------------
   The APBX framework makes everything in Asterisk 2.0
   hot-pluggable and dynamic, including the PBX itself.
   With this framework, Asterisk 2.0 will be able to be the host
   system for almost anything, including the famous Apache.org
   web server, the SipFoundry SIPx PBX and a Java Runtime Engine.
   Rumours has it that one developer actually ported the
   Erlang runtime and executed an Ericsson AXE switch within
   Asterisk.
   "With an embedded web server, we can finally start working
    on a decent user interface model" says Kram Spencer, the
   original developer of Asterisk.

* DBRAGI - The Database Remote procedure call AGI subsystem
   ----------------------------------------------------------
   The DBRAGI subsystem makes it possible to move the dial plan
   processing to stored procedures in databases. With Asterisk
   1.2, the ARA (Asterisk Realtime Architecture) took a first
   step towards a better database integration. With 2.0, the
   project actually runs most of the PBX within an Oracle (TM)
   database, making Asterisk carrier grade.

* XIAX - The New Inter-Asterisk Protocol
   --------------------------------------
   With Asterisk 2.0, the project also launches the next
   generation of the IAX protocol. This is a huge update
   of the rather oldfashioned IAX protocol engine.
   - XML based messages
   All messages in XIAX is based on XML. This makes the protocol
   more robust, since all messages are checked for correct syntax
   with an external DTD and XML parser. All voice frames are
   encoded in BASE64 and checked with an S/MIME signature, which
   makes the XIAX protocol the most secure VoIP protocol
   in the known universe.
   - Full DNS NAPTR/SRV support
   To add to the robustness of the protocol, all communication
   is done with full DNS service names. For each packet in the
   data stream, there's full redundancy based on DNS lookups.
   "The recommendation for XIAX is to define at least five
   XIAX servers per phone number, and let DNS route the XIAX
   packets. No packet will get lost, due to the stability
   and simpleness of the DNS system." says Kram. "Using IP
   numbers did not gives us this functionality."
   - Strong TCP/SSL support
   The new XIAX protocol also supports TCP with SSL encapsulation.
   "TCP is much easier for the firewall to handle and with
    strong SSL encryption. With IAX2 we could bypass every
    NAT device. With XIAX over SSL on the HTTP port, we can
    traverse any firewall too." says Steve Xintaro, the main
    architect of XIAX.

* New source code structure - C# and .net
   ----------------------------------------
   Asterisk 2.0 was moved to a Microsoft platform due to the
   demand for higher stability and a more secure foundation.
   Therefore, the code was quickly moved to C# on the
   .net platform. This gives Asterisk a lot of new features,
   including being fully integrated with Microsoft Exchange
   and Microsoft Active Directory.
   "With all the user data stored in Active Directory, we
   finally have the user under full control. Users can
   dial in to the PBX to change their Windows password. We
   can also implement single-sign-on based on DTMF from a
   cell phone or WiFi phone." says Kelvin Reming. "The C#
   language gives us much more modern code. And I'm so
   happy to get rid of the stupid-looking arctic bird,
   an ugly animal that that couldn't even fly."

* New user-support system: SmartyList (TM)
   ----------------------------------------
   In order to solve the problem with the asterisk-users
   mailing list that was the main support channel for
   old Asterisk versions, the Asterisk 2 team also
   constructed the SmartyList auto-support system, that
   will automatically analyze all input and sort it out
   on one of twenty different lists. Eighteen of these
   are automatically handled by auto-responders, that
   point to the proper Wiki page, developer or line
   of code.
   "Users doesn't seem to read the available
   documentation before sending e-mails, so now we
   streamlined the process, giving them the oppurtunity
   to send even more e-mails."
   The SmartyList server is hosted on a 500 KB cable link
   in Brians basement, making it easier for the source
   code maintainer to stay in touch with the user base.

* Removed features
   ----------------
   To clean up the product, a lot of functionality
   was removed. Among them are the SIP protocol driver
   that never could be implemented correctly anyway.
   "We kept improving stuff according to the specs
    all the time, but at the same time they changed
    the specs so it was impossible to sort out
    how to do it." says Ulle Jansson, the driving
    force behind the old SIP channel. Ulle is now
    working solely with XIAX channel usability.

Asterisk 2.0 is immediately available on SourceForge
and for purchase from Dogium, inc in a Carrier-grade
version that also includes SS7, MegaCO and X.25
support.

Have a nice friday, enjoy 2.0!
The Asterisk 2.0 Developer Team

/O ;-)