Asterisk Hosting and Databases

Asterisk Asterisk General
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Hi all, I’m new to Asterisk. I just finished implementing asterisk-19.8.1 and now want to host it remotely. I also want to use an external database (is this advisable) so that I can also access the data and display it in my web application for many purposes which include analytics, debugging, operations, etc (unless I can add an api which I can use to query the data - I will need real-time update on data changes - sockets). What platforms can I use (best) to host my server? What databases or drivers (combinations) are best to use? I use Heroku and postgres in my tech-stack. I would like to keep my tech-stack minimal if possible, however, I’m open to the best solution.

Thank you for your advice in advance!

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I also want to use an external database (is this advisable) so that I can
also access the data

What data? What do you want to use this database for?

and display it in my web application for many purposes which include
analytics, debugging, operations, etc (unless I can add an api which I can
use to query the data - I will need real-time update on data changes -
sockets).

Have you looked at whether AMI Events tell you what you need?

What platforms can I use (best) to host my server?

I would always say “the platform you know best and can work most effectively
with”. I would not advise a Windows admin to start running a Linux machine,
and I would not advise a Red Hat person to start using Debian.

What databases or drivers (combinations) are best to use? I use Heroku and
postgres in my tech-stack. I would like to keep my tech-stack minimal if
possible, however, I’m open to the best solution.

“The best solution” depends on a good definition of the requirements :slight_smile:

Asterisk can certainly use Postgres. I know nothing about Heroku.

Tell us more about what specific data you want to get at, and people might have
some more useful opinions and ideas.

Antony.

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Hi Pooh,

Thank you for responding.

  1. What data? What do you want to use it for?
    The integration if for a logistics company. I need data such as time of calls between drivers and passengers (and duration). I will need to record conversations between driver, passengers and customers service (not a now thing but in the future). From my understanding, asterisk uses an internal database.

  2. AMI events.
    Pooh! This might just be exactly what I need. Sorry for being green - I am still understating and figuring out the resourced available to me.

  3. What platform can I use ?
    I will not be hosting the asterisk server internally. I would like to use a cloud hosted environment (such as Heroku, which you said you are not familiar with). When I installed and integrated asterisk on my ubuntu machine, some of its libraries are in OS’ file directories. Is it possible to have asterisk run in a container (of some sort) instead? Or I just need more clarity on the hosting subject.

Overall, at this stage I will only be using asterisk for audio calls only. I want to keep record of callas between my drivers, passengers and customer service (for record keeping and debugging incase something ever comes up). I realized I can do most of this with AMI (thank you mentioning). I need a simple environment where I can put my setup (hosted env) so that I can start making and receiving calls eg cloud providers AWS, Google Cloud Platform.

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Hi Pooh,

Thank you for responding.

  1. What data? What do you want to use it for?
    The integration if for a logistics company. I need data such as time of
    calls between drivers and passengers (and duration).

That’s basic CDR data, which Asterisk can write to a database or to CSV files.
The preferred database driver for Asterisk is ODBC, so any back-end database
service which has an ODBC connector can be written to.

I will need to record conversations between driver, passengers and customers
service (not a now thing but in the future).

Call recording is separate from CDRs, but can also be written to a database if
you need that (again, via ODBC).

From my understanding, asterisk uses an internal database.

It does, but not for the above functionality.

  1. AMI events.
    Pooh! This might just be exactly what I need. Sorry for being green - I am
    still understating and figuring out the resourced available to me.

Okay, good.

  1. What platform can I use ?
    I will not be hosting the asterisk server internally. I would like to use a
    cloud hosted environment (such as Heroku, which you said you are not
    familiar with). When I installed and integrated asterisk on my ubuntu
    machine, some of its libraries are in OS’ file directories. Is it possible
    to have asterisk run in a container (of some sort) instead? Or I just need
    more clarity on the hosting subject.

You can certainly run Asterisk in a container environment; the only thing I
can think of you would need to be careful about is NAT.

I’ll let others speak more on this topic, which I don’t use.

Overall, at this stage I will only be using asterisk for audio calls only.

What do you plan in the future? Video?

I want to keep record of callas between my drivers, passengers and
customer service (for record keeping and debugging incase something ever
comes up). I realized I can do most of this with AMI (thank you
mentioning).

AMI will give you live events as they occur during call setup and take-down.

CDRs will give you all the information about a call as soon as it has
finished.

I don’t know whether you need the “very real-time” aspect of AMI or whether
the “slower but still call-by-call” functionality of CDRs is good enough for
you.

I need a simple environment where I can put my setup (hosted
env) so that I can start making and receiving calls eg cloud providers
AWS, Google Cloud Platform.

I’m sure there are people here who have this sort of experience.

Antony.

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