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Linux has proven itself to be a versatile solution across a variety of hardware architectures to support workloads ranging from basic infrastructure services to enterprise-class database deployments. Today, Linux is commonly found operating in some capacity within most larger organizations, and over time, it has captured many of the same workloads that previously were deployed aboard RISC platforms running Unix operating systems. Read IDC's report on how Oracle support differentiates itself in a commodity market.
Get the latest on storage technologies that allow IT professionals to better cope with new IT demands. Learn how storage technologies can help you successfully tackle e-Discover, regulatory compliance, green data center initiatives and the data explosion. Get all the details now.
IT professionals like the idea of consolidating hundreds of servers into only a few, but it takes a lot more to cost effectively consolidate and virtualize servers. Watch this six-chapter webcast, "Reduce Complexity and Cost - Windows Server Consolidation with Virtualization" to learn how to effectively consolidate your Windows environment. One of the themes explored includes the characteristics of an orchestrated data center, which includes: Resource management, dynamic provisioning, job management, policy management, accounting and auditing and real-time availability. Learn more about orchestration and much more today. Register below to learn more and be entered to win an Archos 605 Portable Media Player.
We need more like him, people who point our bugs rather than use it agains others. If he can find it,...- Anonymous
Foundry Networks, Inc. (NASDAQ: FDRY) is a leading provider of high-performance enterprise and service provider switching, routing, security and Web traffic management solutions. Foundry's customers include the world's premier ISPs, metro service providers, and enterprises.
For further information on Foundry Networks please click here.
Today's enterprise network provides more than simply a technology infrastructure. It's an enabler for the enterprise, supporting mission critical applications, creating operational efficiencies and increasing productivity gains. Foundry Networks provides the ideal foundation for a multi-vendor network.
The Asterisk PBX platform has been around for nine years and has drawn interest from a wide range of end users as well as businesses looking
to expand on the basic software or add peripherals to make it more attractive to potential users.
Here are a few questions and answers to help get grounded in Asterisk.
What is Asterisk?
Asterisk is an open source PBX written by Mark Spencer that is available for free download. A free beta trial version of a simplified version called AsteriskNow also is available.
The software supports a stand-alone PBX or can function as a gateway between older TDM PBXs and IP networks. It includes features such as voice mail, conferencing, call distribution and voice phone menus, among many, many others.
Asterisk runs on Linux, Solaris, Mac OS and NetBSD, FreeBSD and OpenBSD servers.
The platform supports SIP, MGCP, H.323 and the Inter-Asterisk Exchange protocols.
How popular is Asterisk?
Digium, the company created by Spencer to capitalize on Asterisk, reported more than 1 million downloads in 2007 alone, and the
company has been around since 1999. That doesn’t mean all of those downloads are actually used to support phone networks,
but it does show considerable interest.
Vendors that incorporate Asterisk into commercial PBX platforms don’t report sales statistics, according to Infonetics Research, which tracks IP PBX sales. Anecdotally, in a 2007 survey of businesses about IP PBXs, just two out of 240 respondents said they used an Asterisk platform.
How many phones can Asterisk support?
The largest deployment Digium knows about is at the University of Pennsylvania, which has more than 10,000 phones.
Why would I want to use an unsupported PBX platform?
The main reason is price -- zero for the software. If you have the time and technical savvy, you stand to save a lot of money
initially deploying the system. Over time you can save even more if you have the wherewithal to maintain the system, update
it and modify it to your needs. Even with the hardware thrown in, the cost savings can be significant, as much as 90% off
the price of a commercially available PBX.
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