asterisk users - Feb 2006 - Some Hardware & Asterisk Applications Questions

Hello List:

Am a newbie planning to setup Asterisk for the first time. Planning to use
PIII 550 Mhz with 256 or 512 MB Ram & 80 GB HDD. Please advise if the above
configuration is ok for the application below...if not, please tell me what
I need to have a comfortable system.

I plan to install minimum CentOS 4.2 Server required with iptables, Samhain
& Asterisk & associated programs. System will have no X/KDE/Gnome.

I require an expandable system with at least two/three VoIP ports (have 256
Kbps Async Adsl) and two POTS ports (am not using FXO/FXS anology because I
may confuse myself at this stage) that I will plug into the office Analog
EPABX's Telephone Lines ports.

I need web based stats (if possible internal billing for each user in the
office), recording of all VoIP calls, Fax on VoIP & VoIP to POTS (through
EPABX..can spare extensions) & VoIP to GSM gateway (using FCT connected to
the EPABX ) and an answering machine with user level prompts or any other
configuration that will do these things.

Please advise the hardware & softwares required/best suited to these
jobs...I am assuming here that all this can be done by Asterisk....but from
what I have researched in the last month, all this is possible but
differences as to harware preffered & software extensions are there. Please
let me have some of your insights that can make my job less of a trial.

Also, I remember a RAD brochure saying 4k requirement for Voice Compression
on its proprietory device (not VoIP but some sort of point to point device
on leased lines), but during my research its 16k....are there no other
better codecs?

Please  guide me.

With best regards.
Sanjay.
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