[TriLUG] Asterisk for the office

Mon Nov 13 21:14:14 EST 2006

http://www.voip-info.org/wiki/index.php?page=Asterisk+Paging+and+Intercom

Looks like you can do it with a Polycom 600 series.

Check with your local asterisk expert about the details.

-CMP

On 11/13/06, Brian Henning <brian at strutmasters.com> wrote:
> Does your phone system have paging?  If so, do you know how it's
> implemented?
>
> ~B
>
> Cristobal Palmer wrote:
> > I have a Polycom 501 on my desk. My coworkers have the same phone.
> > Asterisk plays nice with SIP, so it works fine on that front.
> >
> > The webmin is a bit clunky, but otherwise it's a great phone. The
> > speakerphone on it is _fantastic_, and it's cheaper than the
> > competition.
> >
> > -CMP
> >
> > On 11/13/06, Brian Henning <brian at strutmasters.com> wrote:
> >> I've been in touch with people at CDW, where we buy some of our
> >> enterprise-grade stuff (when we do buy such things).  They don't seem to
> >> offer the Cisco 79x0 phones, but their "telephony expert" suggested the
> >> Polycom 501/601 phones, as units that are reasonably easy to use and
> >> work well with Asterisk.  Does anyone have comments to make in favor or
> >> against the Polycom models?
> >>
> >> Cheers,
> >> ~Brian
> >>
> >> jonc at nc.rr.com wrote:
> >> > Brian,
> >> >
> >> > Asterisk is definitely enterprise ready but you have identified some of
> >> > the weak points below. Still, if you have a fairly static phone config
> >> > and just need basic phone apps, then Asterisk is easily do-able for the
> >> > average office.
> >> >
> >> > Paging is best done using an analog speaker system - which looks to
> >> > Asterisk like a simple Analog phone line. Other than that, you can use
> >> > the intercom feature available with Cisco 7940 or 7960 phones and just
> >> > setup a "conferencing" group that uses the intercom feature on all your
> >> > phones. It won't work perfectly, but it will work.
> >> >
> >> > If you think you need 24 lines then a PRI is the way to go. You'll get
> >> > CallerID and the cost is much cheaper for the setup and maintenance.
> >> >
> >> > If you go with POE switches, that will be more expensive than buying
> >> > power bricks for each phone, but you will get some nice honking Cisco
> >> > switching power that will vlan out your Voice traffic from your Data.
> >> > The cheaper solution is to get a Cisco 2924 XL-EN (that "EN" part is
> >> > *very* important) and bunch of power bricks. It cost would be about
> >> half
> >> > of that of going with a Cisco 3524-PWR
> >> >
> >> > The advantages of VoIP are tremendous, and installation is about half
> >> > the cost of a traditional service, but... it still ain't cheap.
> >> >
> >> > If you guys want an interrum solution (hosted VoIP), then look us
> >> up. We
> >> > would be happy to help you take you guys off your old PBX and move you
> >> > over to the world of VoIP. And if you need any Asterisk help, let me
> >> know.
> >> >
> >> > BTW: I've gotten several Kick-butt Asterisk servers from Cerient (Jason
> >> > Tower). The costs have all been around $2k (plus the Digium hardware),
> >> > and they would work great as and Enterprise Asterisk server for an
> >> > office of your size or larger.
> >> >
> >> > Jon Carnes
> >> >
> >> > ----- Original Message -----
> >> > From: Brian Henning <brian at strutmasters.com>
> >> > Date: Thursday, November 9, 2006 12:20 pm
> >> > Subject: [TriLUG] Asterisk for the office
> >> > To: TriLUG <trilug at trilug.org>
> >> >
> >> >> Hi Y'all,
> >> >>   Coming back around to the Asterisk topic again..  Now that we're
> >> >> looking at the possibility of expanding off-site operations, having
> >> >> a
> >> >> completely-VoIP office telephony solution is seeming more and more
> >> >> prudent.  So I'm looking for some advice from folks who have
> >> >> deployed
> >> >> whole-office systems using Asterisk (as well as input from folks
> >> >> that
> >> >> have used non-Open-Source software).  I've already thought of the
> >> >> following points:
> >> >>
> >> >> - Need a real butt-kicking server to handle as many as 24 inbound
> >> >> lines
> >> >> (using a Digium TDM2400), plus however many inter-office calls may
> >> >> be
> >> >> occurring (plus room for expansion).  Right now I'm contemplating a
> >> >> Core
> >> >> 2 Extreme-based system.
> >> >>
> >> >> - In the absence of intelligent managed switchgear, need separate
> >> >> switchgear for 100bT for the phones.  Possibly with PoE.
> >> >>
> >> >> - Need to have all the features of our existing PBX.  General
> >> >> call-handling features are a cinch with * dialplan and
> >> >> applications, but
> >> >> I'm finding, in particular, the "page" or "intercom" feature seems
> >> >> to be
> >> >> more of a challenge in the VoIP world.  Paging ability is essential.
> >> >>
> >> >> - Phones need to be simple enough that our folks can use them, but
> >> >> complex enough to handle things like paging.  I've seen
> >> >> recommendations
> >> >> for the Cisco 7960 set.  Price is a consideration, as our initial
> >> >> investment will be 30 phones.
> >> >>
> >> >> I'm also all-ears for other options.  It'd be fantastic in $boss's
> >> >> eyes,
> >> >> I'm sure, if we didn't have to abandon the investment we've already
> >> >> made
> >> >> in our current Nortel MICS system.  Unfortunately, so far the only
> >> >> way
> >> >> I've found to interface the PBX with an Asterisk system is via
> >> >> analog
> >> >> adapters.  Icky, because of course then you lose a lot of the PBX
> >> >> features for the Asterisk users.
> >> >>
> >> >> Also, if there's anyone that would like to come visit our facility,
> >> >> evaluate our current system and our needs and make a quote, I'd be
> >> >> very
> >> >> happy to entertain it.
> >> >>
> >> >> Thanks a lot!
> >> >>
> >> >> Cheers,
> >> >> ~Brian
> >> >> --
> >> >> ----------------
> >> >> Brian A. Henning
> >> >> strutmasters.com
> >> >> 336.597.2397x238
> >> >> ----------------
> >> >> --
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> >> >>
> >>
> >> --
> >> ----------------
> >> Brian A. Henning
> >> strutmasters.com
> >> 336.597.2397x238
> >> ----------------
> >> --
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> >
> >
>
> --
> ----------------
> Brian A. Henning
> strutmasters.com
> 336.597.2397x238
> ----------------
> --
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-- 
Cristobal M. Palmer
UNC-CH SILS Student -- ils.unc.edu/~cmpalmer
TriLUG Vice Chair
"There are many roads to enlightenment, and thus many roads back to
the One True Debian" --crimsun