[Asterisk-Users] Asterisk as a stand alone voice mail server

[John Todd]

Yes, * would work well with a PRI.  You should only need one number 
assigned, but then use the ANI (or DNIS; depends on your access 
method) to send them to the right mailbox.

I would suggest a 2x2ghz box with 512m to handle 4 PRIs for voicemail 
only.  That might be slight overkill, but better too much than too 
little.

Yes, voicemail can be stored locally and sent via email.  To my 
knowledge, it's not an "or" proposition; it's both.  You could write 
a script that goes through and deletes VM from the directory 
structure, though - it's file-based storage unless you want to turn 
on the database functions.

JT


>Sounds like * would be perfect for me to start with a PRI and a few
>hundred numbers to create a standalone voicemail system.  Can I assume
>that individual mailboxes can be identified by the DNIS information
>passed in from the switch?  Can I also assume that voicemail can be
>stored on the server or delivered to the recipient via email?
>
>What type of hardware would be needed to support a VM-only system that
>can scale up to 4 PRI or so?
>
>
>
>--
>   Troy Settle
>   Pulaski Networks
>   http://www.psknet.com
>   540.994.4254 ~ 866.477.5638
>   Pulaski Chamber 2002 Small Business Of The Year
>
>
>>  -----Original Message-----
>>  From: asterisk-users-admin at lists.digium.com
>>  [mailto:asterisk-users-admin at lists.digium.com] On Behalf Of John Todd
>>  Sent: Wednesday, July 23, 2003 7:54 PM
>>  To: asterisk-users at lists.digium.com
>>  Subject: Re: [Asterisk-Users] Asterisk as a stand alone voice
>>  mail server
>>
>>
>>
>>  The downside right now to using Asterisk as a VM server is that there
>>  is no "easy" way to get message waiting indications back into your
>>  upstream PBX platform so that message waiting lights work as
>>  expected.  I posted the spec for SMDI (Bellcore spec TSR-TSY-000283)
>>  on the 13th of last month
>>  (http://lists.digium.com/pipermail/asterisk-dev/2003-June/0008
>>  84.html)
>>  if anyone wants to take up the flag and start writing code.  I see
>>  that SMDI is supported by Cisco Call Manager (at least, in >v3.0 that
>>  I've found) but I don't know if they support it _inbound_ and if it's
>>  TCP or serial or what.  I have not done any research on Cisco's
>>  implementation.  It does not appear that writing an SMDI interface
>>  for Asterisk would be of great difficulty, so if Cisco supports the
>>  standard, it would be a day or two of work by a clever programmer to
>>  get a module together.
>>
>>  Other than that "gotcha", Asterisk works quite well as a voicemail
>>  server.  There are some quirks to the existing Voicemail and
>>  Voicemail2 applications, but if you find bugs they are (usually)
>>  fixed quickly.  Shortly, the envelope functions should be in place
>>  which are the last remaining pieces that are "basic" functionality
>>  that is expected to work in a voicemail system but is currently
>>  missing.  ("Message one received at three fifty two pm july tenth")
>>  I would strongly suggest that your VM access be via IP or PRI
>>  channels; using analog channels is certainly possible, but not
>>  desirable if you have other options.
>>
>>
>>  >I'm sure asterisk would make a great stand alone voice mail server.
>>  >Basically I want to get rid of our voice mail system and
>>  replace it with
>>  >*, but the problem is we use a cisco cluster with skinny
>>  clients. So I
>>  >was thinking the way to contact a * server, would be through
>  > our 3640.
>  > >But so far any attempt has failed. I am wondering if anyone has done
>  > >something similar. Just want to verify the idea is sound.
>  > Please keep in
>  > >mind I just heard of * a few days ago and don't know much about it.
>>  >Though it seems pretty easy to use. At least configuring a couple
>>  >clients was not that tough. Thanks to John Todd for his easy
>>  to follow
>>  >guide at www.onlamp.com.
>>
>>  Yer welcome.
>>
>>  >Anyone with something similar? if so some info on what you did would
>>  >help a lot.
>>  >
>>  >Thanks all,
>>  >
>>  >Ron E.
>>
>>
>>  JT
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