[asterisk-users] Multi-Tenant PBX with Asterisk

[Carlos Alvarez]

I don't know what ARA is.  We use just bare Asterisk, no GUI, and from the
context it seems that's related to a GUI.  We have no problem doing a
config reload during production hours.  We never do a full reload, just the
relevant module (SIP, dialplan, voicemail, etc).

I don't believe there is any freeware PBX software that is good for hosted
services unless they are kept tiny and limited.  Switchvox is excellent as
a hosted platform, but extremely expensive and totally closed so you can't
customize as needed.  And at least 50% of our customers have customization
that wouldn't fit into any of the GUI-based systems.

You'll need to decide what your market is and your value proposition as
well as your ability to learn Asterisk (which I don't think anyone would
argue is easy or fast).


On Mon, Jul 30, 2012 at 9:41 PM, Kannan <vasdeveloper at gmail.com> wrote:

> Thanks Carlos, it is good to hear from one who is in a similar business.
>
> Are you getting use of ARA too in similar hosted PBX offerings?
>
>
>
> On Mon, Jul 30, 2012 at 10:00 PM, Carlos Alvarez <carlos at televolve.com>wrote:
>
>>
>>
>> On Mon, Jul 30, 2012 at 2:36 AM, Kannan <vasdeveloper at gmail.com> wrote:
>>
>>> 2. Multi-tenant PBX: Configuring multiple PBXs within the same instance
>>> of Asterisk. I.e. partitioning a single instance of Asterisk into multiple
>>> PBXs by way of configurations, using unique landing context for each tenant.
>>> 3. Virtual PBX: Multiple virtual machines within the same hardware, each
>>> host an instance of Asterisk.
>>>
>>
>> We use number two.  We dabbled with number three but didn't like the
>> results for a lot of different reasons.  As others have mentioned, there is
>> a certain level of danger when you mix companies so closely.  We have in
>> the past made a mistake and brought down the whole system, but it's been
>> many years since we've done that.  Part is improved skill and part is that
>> Asterisk has improved and no longer commits suicide for certain minor
>> errors.
>>
>> To do this, you need to plan out a good naming convention for everything
>> that will be unique to customers accounts.  SIP accounts, macros, contexts,
>> etc etc.  We use the accountcode feature and prepend the accountcode
>> through the dial plan and accounts.
>>
>> accountcode.301 would be a SIP account
>>
>> accountcode#function would be a context name
>>
>> We do deploy custom hardware for specific functions or customers who are
>> particularly large in some cases.  We just need a good reason to.  Like
>> they want to self-manage, or they make a lot of changes, need custom
>> integration with databases, etc.
>>
>> --
>> Carlos Alvarez
>> TelEvolve
>> 602-889-3003
>>
>>
>>
>> --
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>
>
> --
> _____________________________________________________________________
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> New to Asterisk? Join us for a live introductory webinar every Thurs:
>                http://www.asterisk.org/hello
>
> asterisk-users mailing list
> To UNSUBSCRIBE or update options visit:
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-- 
Carlos Alvarez
TelEvolve
602-889-3003
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