[Serusers] SER IP PBX for multiple clients - sr-users

Iqbal

22 Aug 22 Aug

9:26 p.m.

Hi If you are already using multiple contexts within asterisk, then your already half way there, the problem is if you stick in SER, bcause then your phones are not registered in asterisk, hence all fall into the same context in sip.conf, which means they all will hit one context in extensions.conf, hence you should look into that. I am not sure if you can do the 101/102 extension thing in asterisk, since aliases will be bound to a contact, whereas in asterisk the context is also part of the dialing plan. DID can be done, as can forking and directing to voicemail on no answer. Iqbal Waldo Rubinstein wrote:

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Hello, I'm still trying to learn more about SER. I've been using Asterisk to manage virtual PBX services for different companies by using multiple contexts within Asterisk. However, since I only use Asterisk with SIP UAs and to communicate with ITSPs, I don't have the need to have all the fancy features Asterisk offers, plus I have the additional advantage of having the built-in NAT support in SER. The question I have is if someone can point me to the right place where I can see some sample configs that do more or less the things I need or if someone would be willing to share some of those configs on the list. Basically, I need to have the ability to manage any number of virtual PBX services where each virtual entity can manage their own extension numbering, DIDs, outbound CLID. I would probably just continue using Asterisk for voicemail services since I get the feeling that SEMS is still "unstable" to go into production, even for voicemail services only (unless told otherwise). The idea is that even if two companies define two extensions 101 and two extensions 102, when each company calls ext 101 or 102 internally, the call will be maintained within that company and would not cross over to the other company. Also, having features like one main number (DID) that could ring in multiple extensions simultaneously (forking) and if no one answers, leave a message in the general mailbox, or that each extension could have, additionally, a DID so that they can be reached directly from the outside. Any help would be greatly appreciated. Thanks, Waldo _______________________________________________ Serusers mailing list serusers(a)lists.iptel.org http://lists.iptel.org/mailman/listinfo/serusers .

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Nils Ohlmeier

11:05 p.m.

On Monday 22 August 2005 22:21, Waldo Rubinstein wrote:

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The way I manage this in Asterisk is every SIP UA has a unique login but in different contexts. I suppose that if SER directs a call to Asterisk to the specific SIP client, Asterisk will recognize it belongs to a different context. The question is, I don't know if SER knows about multiple contexts under the premise of the Asterisk world. Also, I get the feeling you are pretty much telling me to stick to Asterisk :) Is that so?

The problem is simply, that it is almost impossible to build all features known from PSTN PBXs just with a SIP proxy like SER. Because in theory signaling and audio is separated in the proxy scenario. In a centralized approach like with * it is lot easier to copy PBX features because they are based on the same design idea. So if you need PSTN/PBX features your probably better stay with *, although everybody is welcome on hard path setting up such features in a de-centralized environment. Just my 2 cents Nils

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Waldo Rubinstein

24 Aug 24 Aug

5:28 p.m.

lqbal, I do plan on having alot of users. Two markets I'm trying to get some volume users from are: residential consumers and business users. Residential consumers should get basic line services such as their own DID, voicemail, caller-id, call-waiting, three-way calling, and basically, all the standard features you get from companies like Vonage, etc. This particular market base will have a higher volume than business users. Business users will get everything residential consumers get, plus additional features. Features such as, automated attendant, extension- to-extension calling, company directories, etc. I guess I would need to have SER and Asterisk work in tandem. Now, what should be the correct approach in assigning responsibilities to both SER and Asterisk respectively? Should SER be used strictly as proxy to Asterisk, may be also registrar, and NAT helper, and then have Asterisk handle all the calling plans, features, enhanced services and SER will simply forward everything to Asterisk? Can you or someone advise as to what would be the more robust/scaleable architecture to deploy this? Needless to say, it is imperative that I get proper CDR from either one or both systems in order for me to properly bill our users. I don't know which of the two platforms has a more robust/customizable call logging facility. I took the liberty of cross-posting to the Asterisk list in order to get some of their feedback as well. Thanks, Waldo On Aug 23, 2005, at 6:49 AM, Iqbal wrote:

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Um..no actually I am saying you could combine both, but that will only help if you have alot of users. I guess you could direct calls to a particular sip client, ut normally when ser and asterisk work in tandem, all calls from SER hit one section of sip.conf, and hence can only be pointed to one context, you can get around this by including contexts from this default one, which is what I do, based upon a mysql lookup, but then you will have problems in call pickup, because all pickup is not context based, again there is a solution to this, if you look at bristuff patch for asterisk. If you dont have many users stick with ust asterisk, if you want to scale you may need to kludge something with ser and asterisk, and this might be easy or hard depending on exacly what you require, and call scenarios. Iqbal Waldo Rubinstein wrote:

The way I manage this in Asterisk is every SIP UA has a unique login but in different contexts. I suppose that if SER directs a call to Asterisk to the specific SIP client, Asterisk will recognize it belongs to a different context. The question is, I don't know if SER knows about multiple contexts under the premise of the Asterisk world. Also, I get the feeling you are pretty much telling me to stick to Asterisk :) Is that so? Thanks, Waldo On Aug 22, 2005, at 3:26 PM, Iqbal wrote:

Hi If you are already using multiple contexts within asterisk, then your already half way there, the problem is if you stick in SER, bcause then your phones are not registered in asterisk, hence all fall into the same context in sip.conf, which means they all will hit one context in extensions.conf, hence you should look into that. I am not sure if you can do the 101/102 extension thing in asterisk, since aliases will be bound to a contact, whereas in asterisk the context is also part of the dialing plan. DID can be done, as can forking and directing to voicemail on no answer. Iqbal Waldo Rubinstein wrote:

Hello, I'm still trying to learn more about SER. I've been using Asterisk to manage virtual PBX services for different companies by using multiple contexts within Asterisk. However, since I only use Asterisk with SIP UAs and to communicate with ITSPs, I don't have the need to have all the fancy features Asterisk offers, plus I have the additional advantage of having the built-in NAT support in SER. The question I have is if someone can point me to the right place where I can see some sample configs that do more or less the things I need or if someone would be willing to share some of those configs on the list. Basically, I need to have the ability to manage any number of virtual PBX services where each virtual entity can manage their own extension numbering, DIDs, outbound CLID. I would probably just continue using Asterisk for voicemail services since I get the feeling that SEMS is still "unstable" to go into production, even for voicemail services only (unless told otherwise). The idea is that even if two companies define two extensions 101 and two extensions 102, when each company calls ext 101 or 102 internally, the call will be maintained within that company and would not cross over to the other company. Also, having features like one main number (DID) that could ring in multiple extensions simultaneously (forking) and if no one answers, leave a message in the general mailbox, or that each extension could have, additionally, a DID so that they can be reached directly from the outside. Any help would be greatly appreciated. Thanks, Waldo _______________________________________________ Serusers mailing list serusers(a)lists.iptel.org http://lists.iptel.org/mailman/listinfo/serusers .

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