asterisk users - Jan 2006 - Recommendations on web interface for IT staff

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@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

asterisk-users-bounces@lists.digium.com wrote:
> 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@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,

PBXware comes as standard with the features your client requires:

http://www.bicomsystems.com/popup/319/C/features/P_2571/#a1597



If you need more info please contact me!

Senad

Chris Mason (Lists) wrote:
> 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.
http://freshmeat.net/search/?q=asterisk&section=projects&Go.x=0&Go.y=0

These projects from the URL above should be helpful:
http://freshmeat.net/projects/amportal/
http://freshmeat.net/projects/acami/
http://freshmeat.net/projects/astbill/
http://freshmeat.net/projects/astguiclient/

Mike