[asterisk-biz] Large System

[Aaron Daniel]

I know there are a couple companies out there with 1000+ phones on 
solely asterisk systems.  We're in the process of rolling up from testing 
into about 1700 phones this summer (a few hundred in the next week, then 
a straight shot from there to 1700 by june), and then up into the 
8000-10000 phone range by next summer, replacing an old nortel meridian 
system.  We've found that asterisk is more than capable of handling the 
call load, as long as you've got the dialplan and database's programmed 
right.

There are quite a few ways to make it redundant.  Dundi's a good way to 
set up multiple distributed locations with support for automatic extension 
detection from other servers, or you can program the cluster capabilities 
into the dialplan and rely on DNS to get the phones to the right server.

We're currently looking at 2 primary call servers (separate gateways and 
voicemail servers) to handle all the calls, if need be we'll drop in 
another one and add it to the cluster to handle more call load.

Best of luck :)

Aaron

On Wed, 29 Mar 2006, Michael Welter wrote:

> Does anyone know of an Asterisk system with 1000 SIP phones?  I'm being asked 
> to propose an alternative to Cisco/Avaya/Nortel pricing, but I've never 
> contemplated a system this large.
>
> Should I consider a SER front end (to register the phones and for 
> inter-company calling) with an Asterisk back end (to provide the PSTN 
> interface)?  Or would an Asterisk system handle 1000 phones?  Ignoring 
> conference bridges, how should the system be sized?
>
> Until now, I've ignored the Linux clustering discussions on the list. Should 
> I consider a monolithic server or a distributed system with each server 
> having ~250 phones and a PSTN interface?
>
> The real scary part of this project is the necessity to upgrade the wiring 
> (both Cat3 and Cat5) in a very old (lath and plaster) building. I've observed 
> two-prong (no ground) electrical plugs, so I'm thinking a PoE phone with PC 
> jack at each work location.  Or maybe a NetJack at each location.
>
> Thanks for your advice.
> Mike
>
>

-- 
Aaron Daniel
Computer Systems Technician
Sam Houston State University
amdtech at shsu.edu
(936) 294-4198