[asterisk-users] what is softswitch

[Anthony Francis]

Alex Balashov wrote:
> So, is a pure VoIP switch by definition not a softswitch, despite whatever 
> other characteristics it might have?
>
> On Wed, 19 Sep 2007, Anthony Francis wrote:
>
>   
>> A real softswitch uses TDM
>> (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Time-division_multiplexing) and Asterisk
>> uses a psuedo TDM driver (zapata).
>>
>> Anthony
>>
>> Tzafrir Cohen wrote:
>>     
>>> On Wed, Sep 19, 2007 at 11:15:25AM -0400, Alex Balashov wrote:
>>>
>>>       
>>>> Asterisk is a PBX.  A softswitch is more or less a fully featured
>>>> telephone switch, usually one that is extensively application-driven
>>>> (more so than traditional big-iron switches) and multiprotocol.
>>>>
>>>>         
>>> Hmmm, Still describes Asterisk.
>>>
>>>
>>>       
>>>> A
>>>> softswitch implements full PSTN interconnection and Class 5 end-user
>>>> features, among other things.
>>>>
>>>>         
>>> Sounds like both you and bkw know what the difference is but don't
>>> really know how to explain it...
>>>
>>>
>>>       
>> -- 
>> Thank you and have a wonderful day,
>>
>> Anthony Francis
>> Rockynet VOIP
>>
>>     
>
> --
> Alex Balashov
> Evariste Systems
> Web    : http://www.evaristesys.com/
> Tel    : +1-678-954-0670
> Direct : +1-678-954-0671
>
>   
IMHO asterisk is a softswitch, it may not be a very high capacity one 
(right now) but it can be and if you don't mind splitting your physical 
trunk calls over multiple machines it works very well as a call routing 
engine, you just need to have carefully designed plans. It is far to 
easy to create call routing loops, but if you don't know what you are 
doing with a real telephony switch you can do the same.

-- 
Thank you and have a wonderful day,

Anthony Francis
Rockynet VOIP