IP PBXs built on open source software show promise
Tests show four inexpensive systems target ease of use
In this Clear Choice test of four open source-based IP PBX systems, we found products that are well suited for the low end -- defined in this testing as supporting as many as 250 concurrent users.
While this initial test of these products focused on smaller-scale deployment models, several of the systems tested also lend themselves to larger deployments. They incorporate more-advanced features, such as standby systems for failover and presence capabilities. All provide full Session Initiation Protocol (SIP) support for endpoints as well as trunks. The management interfaces are simple but also provide detail for troubleshooting and bandwidth control necessary in larger environments.
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The vendors that accepted our invitation were Escaux, Fonality, Four Loop Technologies and Pingtel. Three of the four products tested (PingTel is the exception) were built on top of Asterisk, the original open source IP PBX (see the assessment of Digium's Asterisk). The four vendors in our test demonstrated tangible improvements to existing open source IP PBX base code, especially in their efforts to facilitate installation, management and maintenance with GUIs.
The systems were ordered and provisioned as a customer would procure them. We then put them through their paces looking at management, features, interoperability, ease of use and architecture. Because such performance metrics as voice quality depend on the endpoint chosen, it was not a key factor in this test.
Pingtel's SIPxchange earns the Clear Choice award for triumphing over the field in our endpoint interoperability and architecture categories. In the latter category we examined how the product was designed to work. SIPxchange comprises some of the more common practices found in larger, proprietary systems, such as direct paths for the media streams. This limits the burden on the server and allows for better scalability and reliability.
Also garnering respectably high scores in our tests were Four Loop and Fonality, but these companies earned their kudos for different reasons. Four Loop's Switchvox has advanced features -- such as a built-in switchboard -- that were better than most. Fonality's PBXtra was the leader of the pack in terms of ease of use, mainly because standard support includes off-site monitoring and management services.
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Tarpley is a senior engineer, Hommer is engineering manager and Smithers is CEO of Miercom. They can be reached at rtarpley@miercom.com, mhommer@miercom and rsmithers@miercom, respectively.
Tarpley, Hommer and Smithers are members of the Network World Lab Alliance, a cooperative of the premier reviewers in the network industry, each bringing to bear years of practical experience on every review. For more Lab Alliance information, including what it takes to become a member, go to www.networkworld.com/alliance.
Copyright © 2007 IDG Communications, Inc.