[Asterisk-Users] Request for help designing an unusual * application

[Rich Adamson]

> I have been reading asterisk doc's for the past couple weeks, and
> monitoring this list.  I have to implement an unusual (I think)
> application of asterisk.  I have the beginnings of a plan, and I would
> like to throw it up here for comments.
> 
> The application:
> An after-hours emergency support "hotline" for our technology company.
> 
> We have 5 different support people that take turns on 24-hour call (at
> any time, one support person is "on call").  We may have 3 or more
> contact numbers for each person, eg:
> - office phone
> - cell phone
> - home phone
> 
> The support people, and their contact numbers, would ideally be stored
> in a database.
> 
> When a customer calls in, they get a canned greeting, and then they
> leave a message.  Asterisk records it.
> 
> Asterisk then tries to reach the current "on call" person.  It starts

Technically, all of that's very possible.

Having been through similar on-call arrangements in a previous life,
you might want to consider a slightly different management approach.

Whoever is the primary on-call person, allow that person to call into
asterisk and enter their on-call number. Store it, and use it for
delivery of the calls. Same for a secondary (or backup) on call person.

The management problem with your approach essentially is one that 
says the 'system' will dictate the calling numbers. In practical cases,
if the on-call person knowingly is at a location where cell phones (etc)
don't work, the system breaks down. Whereas, if you allow the on-call
person to program a "can-be-reached-at" variable, the on-call
person has the freedom to move around and it becomes that person's
responsibility to provide the contact number. Accountability is
shifted to the on-call person, which then avoids the finger pointing
that happens when the 'system' can't properly dispatch the call.
Same technical requirements, slightly different way to handle the
called numbers.

Using an approach similar to the above, its trivial to build an
escalation process into the call delivery mechanism. (E.g, if the
primary on-call person doesn't respond within xx minutes, then
dispatch the secondary. If that person doesn't respond, dispatch
same message to a manager, etc, etc.)

Typical problems go something like:
 - was in church/mass, turned my cell phone off
 - guess its  marginal coverage at my girlfriend's house
 - I was at xyz's house and didn't receive the call
 - etc

Rich