[Asterisk-Users] Recommendations on web interface for IT staff

[Chris Mason (Lists)]

I am proposing an Asterisk system of many servers to service multiple 
departments in a number of locatations to a large client. They have an 
IT department but their Linux skills are weak and they are likely to 
face a high churn rate in staff so it would not be wise to expect a high 
level of Linux expertise to be maintained. I am thinking it would be 
best to do the nitty gritty glue work at the config file level myself 
but have a web based interface to common tasks such as managing 
extensions, adding trucks, voicemail etc. They are anxious for obvious 
reasons that they are able to manage the system without having to call 
me every time they need changes.
As it will be a multi-server system there will be some fairly detailed 
configs to put together, so I would think a Asterisk at home installation 
would not be suitable, but I haven't tested that theory so I am not 
against trying it. What recommendations for web management can you make 
from experience of larger systems? It doesn't have to be limited to free 
systems.
I am also interested in opinions on whether you would implement one 
monster server to do everything and have parts to maintain it, or would 
your preference be to have one server per department and interlink them, 
keeping the hardware the same and having a standby system ready to fill 
in for failed systems. On one hand there is only one server to monitor, 
on the other there is redundancy but also complexity. I can see 
advantages in both approaches.

-- 
Chris Mason