[Asterisk-Users] Asterisk in production as a fax server, anyone?

[Julio Arruda]

Paulo Scardine wrote:
> I have a worst issue for you... If your fax solution is ever going to 
> receive fax in Brazil, how would you block collect calls?
> I have made a fax server solution with cheap Digium hardware that works 
> in Brazil (2 E1s).
> -- 

Paulo,
He is mentioning E1/PRI, so I assume the well known "collect call on 
E1/R2 thingie" doesn't apply to him.

> 
> Adolfo R. Brandes escreveu:
> 
>>     Greetings, All-Knowing Asterisk Users List,
>>
>>     My company needs to build a reliable fax server that can handle at 
>> least 30 simultaneous incoming faxes from the PSTN, using PRI.  We 
>> realize that this can be solved in any number of ways using a Linux 
>> box, but since IVR is also a must, Asterisk popped up as the most 
>> promising solution.
>>
>>     After combing these lists for clues, we began experimenting 
>> extensively with Asterisk and its software DSP and fax capabilities in 
>> most of their incarnations, such as Rxfax or Iaxmodem/Hylafax, 
>> together with Digium's E1 cards in server-grade Intel motherboards, 
>> all in a dedicated test environment.
>>
>>     Unfortunately, though, we have yet to achieve reliable and 
>> satisfactory results, even with only 1 fax call at a time.  I won't go 
>> into the details because we don't need technical support, given that 
>> this is, as of yet, a very loosely defined test.  What we want is is 
>> merely a pointer in the right direction. So here it comes:
>>
>>     Has anybody ever achieved, or know of someone who has, reliable 30 
>> simultaneous PRI fax calls using Asterisk and Asterisk-compatible 
>> hardware and software?
>>
>>     We are hardware agnostic, so if you say Sangoma's cards do it 
>> better than Digium's, or that Eicon Diva cards' hardware DSP and 
>> chan_capi are the only solution, we have no problem going there.  I 
>> would be most thankful, however, for detailed explanations of 
>> successful scenarios, including such things as motherboard make and 
>> model, processor speed, Linux distribution and version, and anything 
>> else you decide to be even marginally pertinent.