[Asterisk-Users] Systems Admin; Telecom Newbie - What do I need?

[Philipp von Klitzing]

Hi there,

can't resist to add a few thoughts as well...

> Hi, folks. I am planning on implementing Asterisk in 2006, and need 
> to budget for it now, so I need to know what I'll need to get. My 
> company has about 50 users, and is currently languishing on a very 
> old Comdial PBX. 

Wiley is right, don't rely fully on VoIP, keep at least some lines as 
backup. For reliable fax operation you anyway need to have the fax 
machines on PSTN/PRI. Go digitial on those telephones lines wherever you 
can, so avoid PSTN and go for ISDN PRI if you have the choice.

As others have pointed out you'll need some redundancy either by an 
entire backup server incl. T1 card, or at least by having another T1 card 
on the shelf and RAID 1 plus redundant power supply on your single 
server. A Sangoma A101 or A102 is fine, personally I'd prefer that 
compared to the Digium hardware when it comes to T1/E1 - by the way 
Digium doesn't have a 2-port card, Sangoma does (that would give you a 
little bit of headroom while you surely don't need a 4-port T1 card).

Correct me if I am wrong, but if you move to Gigabit then you can't do 
power-over-ethernet, right? Not that this is a must, but it can reduce 
your cable mess nicely and do away with them bricks.

If security is a concern for you then get some hardware phones that can 
do SRTP and SIPS (encryption). Asterisk isn't there yet, but it won't 
hurt to have phones that are. Others recommend that you run different 
networks for workstations and phones (or look at VLANs), which could give 
you the option to go for 100 Mbit/s with Pover-over-Ethernet for your 
phones (using your existing infrastructure), and Gigabit for your 
workstations. 
By the way, your Asterisk server needs a public IP address if you want to 
do VoIP over the Internet (don't place it behind NAT or sth alike). Use 
Debian, not OS-X so that you can work with Asterisk compatible PCI 
hardware.

SNOM phones are a good choice, imho these have a nicer design than the 
polycom devices. Check if you want phones that support Power-over-
Ethernet - if yes then you'll also need to get a switch with PoE or some 
kind of power injector. Don't go for softphones, neither USB phones.

Finally decide if you can live with manual PBX administration, or if you 
want/need a shiny GUI for admin and/or users. If yes, then go evaluate 
the open sourced "AMP", and if that doesn't suit you, then go for a 
commercial GUI with Asterisk behind. That will most likely bind you to 
its manufacturer also for what concerns Asterisk patches & upgrades and 
of course consulting & licensing fees.

Cheers, Philipp