[Asterisk-Users] Nortel --> Asterisk-------->Asterisk

[Ryan Cavanaugh]

Jim Van Meggelen wrote:

>asterisk-users-bounces at lists.digium.com wrote:
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>>[snip]
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>Your diagram is a bit confusing to me. Still, the use of PRI in the BCM
>is a good plan. You've avoided using the highly unstable VoIP functions
>in the BCM. 
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Sorry, it got a little jumbled

>PRI support on the BCM is based on the Norstar architecture, which is
>very stable. So that basic design philosophy should serve you well.
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>>[snip]
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>That should work well. One thing you may want to consider is fronting
>the BCM with the Asterisk, as the Asterisk dial plan is far more
>flexible.
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The Nortel is set up and runs well enough to serve the one location. I 
am a strong believer in if it isn't broke don't fix it. Any short 
comings that we have experienced with the BCM, I hate to say it, but 
people have gotten used to it.

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>Never mind the money, Asterisk is technically superior to the BCM in
>every way on the VoIP and OS side of things. The only place the BCM
>might be able to argue a slight advantage is the wealth of key system
>features it offers on its sets. 
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>Whatever you do, avoid using the BCM for VoIP - you *will* regret it.
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Too late! I have 32 i2004's currently running off of it. Please don't 
even let me get started on how hard it is to get a clean call through 
the system even with QOS and dedicated links.

>Bottom line? The BCM has a limited future, whereas Asterisk *is* the
>future!
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>>plus Tampa has twice the data rate capacity of Sarasota already.
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>>I am really looking to achieve the following:
>>1. Reliability
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>Asterisk - BCM is famously unstable (as is its operating system -
>Windows NT4.0).
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We experienced the VOIP phones sporadically losing connection to the 
BCM. The ethernet link on the BCM was locking up for some reason. The 
only way to do a hard reset on a BCM it to literally pull the power plug 
out of the back of the machine. To turn it on you plug it back in. Mind 
you these are Nortel directions. When they first told me that I thought 
they were joking.

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>>2. Call quality
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>The BCM may offer a slight advantage on the legacy links, but Asterisk
>is no slouch in this regard.
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>>3. Cost effectiveness
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>Asterisk - The BCM is closed, obsolete and expensive
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>>4. Redundancy
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>Asterisk - Linux has far more redundancy options than BCM ever will.
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>>Thank you in advance for your input.
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>Good luck.
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Thank you very much.