AW: [Asterisk-Users] Integrating an old PBX with Asterisk

[Peter Svensson]

On Thu, 5 Aug 2004, Stefan Märkle wrote:

> Install an asterisk with twice the number of BRI/PRI-Ports your current
> PBX has. Connect half of them to your carrier, the other ones to your
> old PBX (Some sort of proxy scenario, isn't it?).
>
> Pro: - You don't have to change a single configuration option in your old PBX
>        if you don't want to or are not able to ;-)
>      - Full integration of asterisk users with old PBX users (internal calls,
>        voicemailbox on asterisk even for ole PBX users etc.)
>      - Very flexible configuration. For example let asterisk use 3-digit
>        extensions while switching prior 2-digit extensions to the old PBX
> Con: - Costs depending on your setup (Quad-Bri Junghanns costs about 600 Euro,
>        Octo-Bri about 1000 don't know about PRI Cards or other vendors as Digium)
>      - Risk management. Asterisk becomes SPOF for whole telephony system (at
>        least for inbound/outbound calls)

We have done a similar setup using a quad pri card (TE405P). That card was
about 900 Euro. 

Note that you may only be able to reach full integration for external 
calls. Not all pbx:es can be convinced to hand off some extensions to 
Asterisk etc. The level of integration you can get depends on your pbx.

Peter