asterisk users - Sep 2010 - How different is implementing Cisco based system than Asterisk based system?

Hello list,

Slightly off the list topic, but I hope I'll get some help here. Somebody
wants me to implement for his project a Cisco based VoIP system. I told him
that I specialize in Asterisk based systems, but he is not even aware of
Asterisk. The requirement of project is such that chances are slim that this
firm will consider Asterisk based system. So I told him that though not
experienced specifically in Cisco, if they hire me I'll setup their VoIP on
Cisco system.

Now I have no previous experience with Cisco systems and don't want to screw
up anything. Are they much different than Asterisk based systems? I guess
the underlying VoIP technology is the same for both the systems so it
shouldn't be hard to set it up on Cisco. Any ideas, suggestions. I'd
appreciate your help as what to look for, where to start from. My experience
with Cisco is limited to their networking equipment, IOS, their 7960 series
phones and making them work with asterisk, and also using Cisco press's
wonderful book 'Taking charge of Your VoIP Project'.

Sincerely,

Zeeshan A Zakaria

--
www.ilovetovoip.com
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On Tue, Sep 14, 2010 at 3:56 PM, Zeeshan Zakaria <zishanov at gmail.com>
wrote:
> Now I have no previous experience with Cisco systems and don't want to
screw
> up anything. Are they much different than Asterisk based systems? I guess
> the underlying VoIP technology is the same for both the systems so it
> shouldn't be hard to set it up on Cisco. Any ideas, suggestions.
I'd
> appreciate your help as what to look for, where to start from. My
experience
> with Cisco is limited to their networking equipment, IOS, their 7960 series
> phones and making them work with asterisk, and also using Cisco press's
> wonderful book 'Taking charge of Your VoIP Project'.
You don't mention anything about size or nature of the installation.
If these people want Cisco support, they'll have to buy this gear from
an official Cisco reseller, and that's when you'll get a ballpark
price for initial deployment, ongoing support, etc.

When you compare that to Asterisk, perhaps you'll have a convert. Or
maybe not. Decision makers have their reasons and clearly if price was
the only reason, Cisco / Avaya / etc. wouldn't still be selling phone
systems.

My best advice would be "don't do it, it will only cause
headaches".  It is
completely different than * with different terminology, design
considerations, etc.  

 

From: asterisk-users-bounces at lists.digium.com
[mailto:asterisk-users-bounces at lists.digium.com] On Behalf Of Zeeshan
Zakaria
Sent: Tuesday, September 14, 2010 2:56 PM
To: Asterisk Users Mailing List - Non-Commercial Discussion
Subject: [asterisk-users] How different is implementing Cisco based system
than Asterisk based system?

 

Hello list,

Slightly off the list topic, but I hope I'll get some help here. Somebody
wants me to implement for his project a Cisco based VoIP system. I told him
that I specialize in Asterisk based systems, but he is not even aware of
Asterisk. The requirement of project is such that chances are slim that this
firm will consider Asterisk based system. So I told him that though not
experienced specifically in Cisco, if they hire me I'll setup their VoIP on
Cisco system.

Now I have no previous experience with Cisco systems and don't want to screw
up anything. Are they much different than Asterisk based systems? I guess
the underlying VoIP technology is the same for both the systems so it
shouldn't be hard to set it up on Cisco. Any ideas, suggestions. I'd
appreciate your help as what to look for, where to start from. My experience
with Cisco is limited to their networking equipment, IOS, their 7960 series
phones and making them work with asterisk, and also using Cisco press's
wonderful book 'Taking charge of Your VoIP Project'.

Sincerely,

Zeeshan A Zakaria

--
www.ilovetovoip.com

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On Tue, Sep 14, 2010 at 3:56 PM, Zeeshan Zakaria <zishanov at gmail.com>
wrote:
> Now I have no previous experience with Cisco systems and don't want to
screw
> up anything. Are they much different than Asterisk based systems?
sometimes. Cisco supports "SIP", but depending on the product,
asterisk inter-networking with call transfers / dials / etc. can be,
ummm, interesting, and you have to do Transfer() rather than Dial() if
you want subsequent transfers / conferencing, etc. to work within
Cisco. Basically, call setup / control and RTP aren't necessarily on
the same device(s) which is the opposite of my asterisk experience.
> I guess the underlying VoIP technology is the same for both the systems so
it
> shouldn't be hard to set it up on Cisco.
sometimes. Again, the size of the deployment is relevant here.
> Any ideas, suggestions. I'd appreciate your help as what to look for,
where to start from.
Again, at some point you'll need to call a reseller. In the meantime,
if you want to keep them honest, you should get your hands on paper or
digital copies of the Cisco press books about their phone system
products. Can't recommend anything specific without knowing things
about size and purpose of the install.

I also thought that they should get it from an official Cisco reseller if
they wanted support. Maybe at this stage they themselves don't know what
they want.

Zeeshan A Zakaria

--
www.ilovetovoip.com

On 2010-09-14 4:14 PM, "Peder" <peder at networkoblivion.com>
wrote:

 My best advice would be ?don?t do it, it will only cause headaches?.  It is
completely different than * with different terminology, design
considerations, etc.



*From:* asterisk-users-bounces at lists.digium.com [mailto:
asterisk-users-bounces at lists.digium.com] *On Behalf Of *Zeeshan Zakaria
*Sent:* Tuesday, September 14, 2010 2:56 PM
*To:* Asterisk Users Mailing List - Non-Commercial Discussion
*Subject:* [asterisk-users] How different is implementing Cisco based system
than Asterisk based system?





Hello list,

Slightly off the list topic, but I hope I'll get some help here. Somebody
wants me...

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I'll keep this all in mind. I don't plan to become a Cisco expert over
night. Flirts I'll try to make them use Asterisk. I don't know the
details
yet. But some of these big organizations don't even want to consider
anything other than the proprietary systems.

Zeeshan A Zakaria

--
www.ilovetovoip.com

On 2010-09-14 4:23 PM, "David Backeberg" <dbackeberg at
gmail.com> wrote:

On Tue, Sep 14, 2010 at 3:56 PM, Zeeshan Zakaria <zishanov at gmail.com>
wrote:
> Now I have no previous experience with Cisco systems and don't want to
screw
> up anything. Are th...
sometimes. Cisco supports "SIP", but depending on the product,
asterisk inter-networking with call transfers / dials / etc. can be,
ummm, interesting, and you have to do Transfer() rather than Dial() if
you want subsequent transfers / conferencing, etc. to work within
Cisco. Basically, call setup / control and RTP aren't necessarily on
the same device(s) which is the opposite of my asterisk experience.

> I guess the underlying VoIP technology is the same for both the systems so
it
> shouldn't be hard...
sometimes. Again, the size of the deployment is relevant here.

> Any ideas, suggestions. I'd appreciate your help as what to look for,
where to start from.
Again, at some point you'll need to call a reseller. In the meantime,
if you want to keep them honest, you should get your hands on paper or
digital copies of the Cisco press books about their phone system
products. Can't recommend anything specific without knowing things
about size and purpose of the install.


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-- Bandwidth and Colocati...
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On Tue, 2010-09-14 at 15:56 -0400, Zeeshan Zakaria
wrote:
> Hello list,
> 
> Slightly off the list topic, but I hope I'll get some help here.
> Somebody wants me to implement for his project a Cisco based VoIP
> system. I told him that I specialize in Asterisk based systems, but he
> is not even aware of Asterisk. The requirement of project is such that
> chances are slim that this firm will consider Asterisk based system.
> So I told him that though not experienced specifically in Cisco, if
> they hire me I'll setup their VoIP on Cisco system.
> 
> Now I have no previous experience with Cisco systems and don't want to
> screw up anything. Are they much different than Asterisk based
> systems? I guess the underlying VoIP technology is the same for both
> the systems so it shouldn't be hard to set it up on Cisco. Any ideas,
> suggestions. I'd appreciate your help as what to look for, where to
> start from. My experience with Cisco is limited to their networking
> equipment, IOS, their 7960 series phones and making them work with
> asterisk, and also using Cisco press's wonderful book 'Taking
charge
> of Your VoIP Project'.
> 
	I have a DCAP and CCNA certifications with a little training in Call
Manager.  Knowing Asterisk will NOT help you get a Cisco system up and
running plus you may not be even able to purchase a Cisco solution if
you are not certified by them (this changes from country to country).


-- 
Telecomunicaciones Abiertas de M?xico S.A. de C.V.
Carlos Ch?vez Prats
Director de Tecnolog?a
+52-55-91169161 ext 2001
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