[asterisk-users] PRI Splitter

[Karl Fife]

> "Christian Victor" <christian at victormedia.de> said:
>
> It is powered over USB from the main (internal USB) and backup (external
> USB) server. If one of the power fails it will switch to the other
> server.
> If both servers power fail you have a problem anyway. ;-)

This is incorrect.  According to Jim Rhodes at Rhino, there is no NEED
for 'backup' power from another server via USB:  As I described in the
last post: 

"Not only does the loss of PC power NOT present a problem, is the main
DESIGN element.  If the PC/Server powers off, the relays naturally
de-energize, which by design, PASSES the service [mechanically, as tne
natural result of no power] to the failover port (to the port connected
to your spare server or analog devices)"

> "Christian Victor" <christian at victormedia.de> said:
>
> > Do you have an idea of its price ?
> 
> Approx. US$ 700
> 

This is incorrect.  Again, according to Jim Rhodes, the FULL
nobody-ever-actually-pays-this-much LIST price is US $350.  In my
estimation, the street price will be between US $220 and $299 depending
on your reseller's markup.  I don't know if Rhino has M.A.P. rules.

Karl Fife said: 
> Therefore the Rhino failover device incorporates 
> another design element:  If you choose, you can 
> enable its watchdog system.  If asterisk stops 
> responding to a periodic message, It knows that
> Asterisk is down, and fails over your services 
> to the other server or analog devices EVEN IF 
> the power is still on at the main server!

I would have to ask the guys at Rhino for confirmation on this point
but: My current understanding of the EXTERNAL usb connection is so that
in the event that the secondary server NEEDS TO TAKE OVER the service
for any reason, it can pre-empt the main server without the main server
failing.  Essentially the secondary server can 'ask' for it. 

-Karl