| Here's the scenario: | | | | server with fairly modest specs (Intel Xeon CPU, 1GB |
| You are researching options for a PBX system to | | | | RAM, single or dual SATA hard drives if you want |
| cover about 10 lines or so. You PREFER not to rely on | | | | RAID, and if you have (8) analog phone lines, you |
| VOIP for outbound connections, but VOIP in the office | | | | would need an 8FXO TDM Card integrated into your |
| itself is probably ok.. and possibly for office-to-remote | | | | PBX chassis. |
| office. Your focus (mimicking your bosses orders) is | | | | The only problem with an asterisk based setup is that |
| on ease of setup, affordability, and reliability of the | | | | it requires a lot of work on your part. Definitely do |
| system (the usual pretty obvious management | | | | some research on some hosted or managed PBX |
| direction). | | | | vendors that service your area. Something on premise |
| Now...where do you go from here? | | | | will probably not make financial sense. |
| To go with a premise based solution for a small outfit | | | | If you are looking for more of an appliance type |
| might not be the be the best option. The reason I say | | | | solution, I would check out |
| that is it isn't necessarily an easy system to manage, | | | | Generally speaking .... expect to pay $400-$600 per |
| especially when you are considering linking remote | | | | seat for the PBX, phones, and perhaps a managed |
| users for an "on net" appearance. There are solutions | | | | ethernet switch. |
| available for your size venture, but from my | | | | Also, having your internal LAN setup for VoIP is |
| experience they aren't the most effective. | | | | important. You want to implement an internal QoS |
| An outsourced solution will give you the same look and | | | | (Quality of Service) mechanism, typically a VLAN that |
| feel, plus much more, of a very high end PBX type | | | | segments your IP Phones from your normal bandwidth, |
| solution. It also makes the connection of remote users | | | | so you allocate suitable bandwidth for the VoIP. |
| much easier. In many hosted, or outsourced solutions, | | | | I would not discount voip for outbound connections. So |
| the need for VPN is eliminated, which can be difficult to | | | | hopefully your "PREFER" is not a rock solid |
| maintain for voice. Small companies can operate much | | | | position...and you're open to outbound VoIP. There are |
| like large enterprises with a simple, outsourced | | | | a few good managed voip providers out there. |
| telecommunication service. | | | | Managing your own PBX is not a simple task. You |
| Depending on your level of comfort with network | | | | need to understand dial plans, did/dod, voice mail |
| setup and management, if you intend to install and | | | | integration. If you want to do it well, you will want to |
| maintain the system yourself, I suggest the vendors | | | | have at least a dedicated person.... if not team. For 10 |
| discussed below. When in doubt.....get assistance from | | | | lines, it would likely be overkill. |
| a professional who has experience with IP/VoIP needs | | | | Just my opinion, your mileage may vary. |
| analysis and platform selection for small to midsized | | | | For ten users, I would also consider using Google Apps |
| businesses. | | | | [google.com/a]. |
| You can maintain your analog POTS lines or whatever | | | | For your companies email and calendaring. Why run |
| connection to the PSTN you currently utilize, there is no | | | | your own server and have to deal with backing up |
| reason to let go of that. Most IP based systems these | | | | your email when you can have Google do it for you. |
| days let you create a mixed dialplan, where you can | | | | For a real estate business (for example) you wouldn't |
| supplement your traditional lines with a few VoIP lines | | | | worry too much about storing your mail on Google's |
| (SIP Trunks) that can be leveraged for LD or | | | | servers. They are not medical records or legal records |
| International calls. | | | | (at least not so much that I would not trust google). |
| There are many variants of Asterisk that incorporate | | | | You could likely get away with the free standard |
| a graphic user interface that encompasses most | | | | version. |
| administrative tasks like setting up your trunks(lines), | | | | Whatever direction you decide to go in you do have |
| creating extensions, registering IP phones, setting up | | | | options. Do your research ..... decide early on "in house" |
| auto attendants and myriad other options. | | | | vs "remotely managed" solution ..... and of course don't |
| For Asterisk based systems, I would suggest checking | | | | forget the boss's direction for "ease of setup, |
| With any of these, your base needs would be the | | | | affordability, and reliability of the system". |
| PBX, which is typically a rackmount or midtower | | | | |