How To Setup Multiple Asterisk Servers @ Different Locations

I hope this is the right place to ask this:

I know there are a lot of you Asterisk Guru People (AGP) out here. Please, someone out here enhance my knowledge about Asterisk. I will try to explain what I am trying to accomplish as crystal clear as possible.

Firstly, let me explain what I know and done so far:
After tedious research, Googling, and reading, I was able to setup Asterisk on Debian OS. I have it configured properly and was able to make calls between softphones (x-lite) and POTS (connected with ATA) successfully.

Secondly, what I am trying to accomplish:
The next thing I would like to do is to build another Asterisk PBX Sever which will reside in a remote location (outside of USA. Let’s call it location XYZ). This Asterisk Server will be connected with the other Asterisk Server located in USA through some type of configuration, I would guess. If you can provide me or point me to the right direction how this can be accomplish, it would be appreciated; otherwise, I will Google.

The Asterisk Servers located in USA will be connected to VoIP service provider so call can be terminated to PSTN lines. The server located at XYZ may not be connected to VoIP server provider since I careless and VoIP providers may not exist. But this server will be connected to a high speed internet up 2048Kbs download and 512Kbs upload or even higher speed. This Asterisk Server will also be connected to channel banks (Xorcom or other device) so several POTS will be connected. With these settings, users from location XYZ can call internal users or to PSTN through Asterisk Server located in USA. Users in USA however can call only internal users from both locations.

Example: Let’s say user located in XYZ wants to call somewhere in Canada. Then this user will dial a number so Asterisk Server in location in XYZ will forward calls to Asterisk Server located in USA, then the server in USA will dial out through the setup VoIP server provider. However, users in located in USA can only call internal users located in both USA and XYZ places.

Finally, the questions:
1. With such type of internet speed (2048Kbs download and 512Kbs upload), what is the guesstmate number of concurrent calls can be made averagely?
2. What other device can I use besied Xorcom to connect POTS?
3. If I want to process CDR for billing, report, or other purpose, what open source software can I use? Can Trixbox be used for this purpose?
4. I have been wanting to know more about Digium TE420 and this type of products as far as how they are used. I need to know if this card can be connected to server provided or does it just gets connected to some other type of devices that will connect POTS??? I have less knowledge of this card. If you can feed me all that I need to know, it would be nice

I hope I summarized what I need know and accomplish. Someone please help me understand these. I have come thus far to getting to know Asterisk with so much passion and ambition. Thanks to all of you for your kind contribution.[/list]

To accomplish your scenario try to google "connect two Asterisk server via Iax Trunk or sip trunk"
Answers to your questions:
1- number of calls depends actually on which codec you are gonna use like g711 or g729 or GSM. for connection over internet i recommend to use either GSM or g729 with a feature of Asterisk called IAX Trunking. Have a look here site.asteriskguide.com/bandcalc/bandcalc.php through this link you can calculate the required bandwidth based on many features.

2- you can use FXS ports on Digium analog cards like TDM410, or there are a couple of other ATAs like IAXy provided by Digium or ATA provided by Grandstream or Polycom.

3- A2Billing is a good choice asterisk2billing.org/cgi-bin/trac.cgi . or you can configure Asterisk to dump CDR to MySql DB and then do whatever reporting you need.

4- TE420 is a PCI card provided you with T1/E1 connection which you can use it in whatever way you want. (like connect it to a channel bank for example)
hope this will help :wink:

Your reply really helped alot :smiley:

When you said I can use TE420 PCI card to connect to T1/E1 or channel bank, what config file do i need to modify to tell Asterisk that the card is connected to T1/E1 or channel bank?

If I may ask few more questions, is there any program you know of that i can create an exact image of my computer (Debian OS)? I dont want to go through the hasle of setting up another asterisk server.

Let’s say I have more than one FXO connected to Asterisk Server through channel bank, can I make asterisk dial out on behalf of me given a phone number? If so, can you guide once again? :wink:

glad to hear that :wink:
regarding the E1/T1 issue, you have two files to deal with. Zaptel.conf and Zapata.conf. you should configure your card in both files.
have a look here:
voip-info.org/wiki/index.php … aptel.conf

i don’t think that creating an image of your Debian OS make cause any problem as far as you are using the same hardware.

of course you can let Asterisk dial on your behalf, and this can be done through using call Files.
have a look here as well:
voip-info.org/tiki-index.php … o-dial+out
i hope that is gonna help as well!