asterisk users - Jun 2006 - This is what I want to do...

I want to set up a test system at my house using a FXO card (one of the X100P
cards) and a FXS device.  I am going to have the one line running into the
machine and the house phones running off of the FXS port.  I will be installing
a softphone on my laptop and will be using Hamachi to tunnel back to my Asterisk
machine while I am out and about.  This way, I can leave my firewall intact
and still use SIP if I need to.  I know the basic differences between SIP
and IAX (many ports vs. one port) but are there any bandwidth issues or other
differences which might come into play?

Also, I am going to set up my Asterisk
box so that when I call in through the FXO number, I'll be able to dial a
code and have Asterisk read me back my Caller ID / ANI info.  Is this feasible?
 There's no need to post me example code right now unless you really really
want to.  I want to try to figure it out on my own.  But I do want to know
whether or not it's even worth trying to do.

Eventually, I'm going to be
getting a VoIP line to complement my one FXO line at which time I will configure
Asterisk for call transfers ("For John, dial 1.  For Sally, dial 2."
etc.)
 Can Asterisk trigger a true three-way user transfer if the FXO line supports
it?  It would require triggering a switch hook and dialing the number to
transfer
to and then hanging up, obviously.  If it can, then I won't even need the
VoIP line.  :)

Finally, I want to end up with a voice-mail system which
will replace our answering machine (which usually blanks out when we lose
power) and have the ability to call in on my FXO and have Asterisk transfer
me to a number I dial on the dial-pad through the VoIP line.  Is Asterisk
capable of doing on-the-fly transfers like this?

I'm sure I'll think of
more scenarios eventually.  I work in the telecom industry and I like that
Asterisk can do what our top-of-the-line phone system can do at a fraction
of the cost.  :)

Undrhil