If you’re interested in PBX systems or Virtual Private Servers, there’s an interesting article on using
Virtual Private Servers to secure and even run multiple instances of Asterisk (open source PBX software) on one machine. It’s like running a
small telco in a box!
Since the bus limits how many ports I can cram in one pc then virtualization makes no sense at all. You want all development working on the production switch but in virtual windows with dummy drivers? Are you that pc poor? Most companies can afford for programmers to have their own pc to develop on, not like the cards and hardware aren’t dirt cheap. Virtual machines just because we can creates virtually pointless crap.
Err. Maybe you should try reading the article. We (telephreak.org) a small group. Yes – We are that poor that we can’t co-locate 15 machines at theplanet.com.
You make is sound as if the Asterisk is some sort of bus killer. It’s not. The machines sits idle most of the time. While hardware wise, it may not be very practicle, I still thought it was something to look into. Had you read the article, it also talks about virtualization to keep a enviorment “secure”. That is, partition off the “Asterisk machine” from the rest of the enviroment. People do this with other things (DNS Servers, Apache, etc). We use the VPS idea to give out for our group. We run about 15 instances of Asterisk for our guys. They also run other things as well with no problems. Just because it doesnt fit into the scope of your “IT department” needs, doesnt make it useless.
Actually, do a little research on Asterisk and you’ll find it isn’t just a physical telco switch replacement, it is a virtual one too.
Sure if you want POTS you’ll need cards and therefore bus (PCI) space. But one of the great things about Asterisk is it’s VoIP abilities as well. Look into IAX (the Inter Asterisk Exchange) and you can see a lot of potential. While it isn’t quite to the “Hey, this is *everything* I’ve ever wanted” Yet, it’s doing more every day.
But for a real quick overview of what you can do:
Asterisk Server located in Plano, TX.
VAS (Virtual Asterisk Server) 1 – Company A
VAS 2 – Company B
VAS 3 – Company C
Jim, in L.A., CA using a SIP VoIP phone, programmed to use the Plano VAS1 as his switch calls his coworker, Tim in N.Y., NY. Jim dials extension, VAS1 flips call internally to Tim’s extension, relays call to SIP Phone on desk in N.Y.
Sandy in Indpls, IN similar scenario, calls coworker John in St. Louis, MO. Their phones are set up through VAS2, again in Plano, again on the same server.
Michiko, Tokyo Japan and working for Company C needs to make a call to the U.S., SIP Phone bounces off Plano and VAS3 and locates a VoIP to POTS carrier connect and allows call to be switched to a business in Miami, FL.
Sandy, done talking to John, needs to get a prospectus from Jim. Dials IAX/SIP based phone number for Company A, Sandy’s main switch is the Plano, TX VAS System, internally flips the call across VAS2 to VAS1 and connects Sandy to Jim.
Mike, in Ontario, CA, needs to order a part from Company B. Dials the Company Toll Free / 800 number, and is switched from CA through US, to TX exchange where DID drops call into FX / T1 card in VAS which connects the call to VAS2 internally and completes the call to the Sales Dept. as a VoIP call.
This is why the TelCos have stopped laughing at Linux / OSS developers. I used to work for both a Baby Bell and a CLEC, and what most people don’t know is that a lot of gear ran off OS/2 (yes, yes, and VAX, and UNIX too), and is why IBM kept it so long. (TelCo, and Bank ATMs being the largest users of the OS/2 system) but as Windows ate more and more of the pie and more and more needed interfaced into newer systems and desktops increasingly became Windows boxes, they were laughing their collective behinds off at OSS vs. Microsoft. “Way to Go” “Go get `em” and all that, however now they aren’t laughing as much anymore. OSS didn’t just stop with trying to free information via OS and computer bound systems, they now want to move into other communication based areas.
And Asterisk with VoIP is starting to get scary.
There is a guy in CA, and I don’t have the link handy, but is working for a company that has a WiMax type of thing they are working on. He has an Asterisk box and home, and the main one at work, and his PDA/Phone moves from being a home phone as he walks around the house to a cell phone as he leaves the house to his work phone as he walks into his office.
They (as in developers, hackers, phreakers, crackers, coders, and all the rest) are doing things with the systems that, just a few years ago, were considered completely impossible.
So there is a real and good reason that has nothing to do with Bus (per se) to virutalize an Asterisk server. Open your mind my friend, and join in the revolution.
So there is no external virtualization needed to run multiple “VAS” instances on a single hardware machine?
The VPS option only works for hosted computers. SW-Soft is not friendly towards small shops whereas VMWare is.
Would a similar approach work with VMWare vs. Virtuozzo?