These are good issues, but I am even thinking of something simpler and more common than crises. Such as this scenerio.
I need to update my Asterisk server that runs all my phones inorder to install a kernel update that fixes a security bug. This is something I would consider happening on a regular basis with a voip enable system, whereas the traditional system might sit in a closet for 10 years never being touched. Let's say I don't want to stay at work until 2 am to reload the system when noone is there. How would you configure and * system(s so that you could take a system offline during working hours without taking out all or parts of the system? I have read everything I can find on * in regards to this and I am still not really sure how to deal with the situation. I think the "standard" answer is to use multiple * servers with tdmoe (hope I got that right), but it seems like for this to work redundantly you have to have all your IP phones be multi-server aware. I have tested a lot of phones both hard and soft and it seems like few models do this. For instance, I would really like to use some Grandstreams for some areas, but I don't see how to put in any redundancy at the server level with them as the clients. Any ideas? -- Jonathan Moore Director of Technology Winfield Public Schools Office 620.221.5100 Fax 620.221.0508 Quoting Adthrawn <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>: > Hi, > > Most companies we work with, have 'designated' crisis management teams. > These vary from the insignificant crisis', through to life-threatening > crisis'. There is always an assigned emergency services contact, whose > job it is in an emergency, to maintain communication with the emergency > services. > > One of our corporate functions is crisis management - so we have to > consider the global repercussions and the ultra-fine detail at the same > time. From considering overall redundancy of the phone system, down to > the tiny, but significant detail - like "the phone system caused the > fire"... Basically, taking the worse case scenario, and making it > worse. > > At the very least, we always ensure that there is at least one PSTN > line that is run through armored trunking to an analogue phone in a > fire-proof cabinet. Simply put, a classic Hollywood style "red phone" > with one button and a giant red flashing light. (Okay, full keypad and > no flashing light, but you get the idea). > > The reality is, that 999 or 911 redundancy has nothing to do with the > phone system per-say, it's down to the crisis procedures of the > company. Think of it this way; what happens if a fire breaks out on a > large plant? First, you'd have the staff who found it phoning emergency > services. Next, you'll have the security office phoning the emergency > services... Next, staff in the nearest office are likely to phone the > emergency services, not to mention lorry drivers or forklift drivers on > their mobiles! > > On top of this, in most places that a crisis would occur, there is > little possibility of installing phones - period. Most plants rely on > mobiles, walkie-talkie or DECT phones. The number of armored cables > I've seen ripped in half, or optical spurs that have been cut by > diggers - VoIP and traditional PBX's have no coverage of these areas - > forget redundancy! > > So at this point, the emergency services have been contact about the > crisis three or four times... Possibly three or four addresses, > depending on the registration of the phone itself. What if the fire > brigade need to know what special equipment to bring? Chemicals to deal > with? They'll phone the company, and will probably get a confused > receptionist... She's been answering calls all day - she doesn't know > there's a fire on a production line on the other side of the plant. > > Now, with a crisis plan, the following would happen. In an emergency, > the person discovering it would contact the crisis manager, or one of > his/her subordinates. If it's a major emergency, then the person > discovering this may have had to call the emergency services first. > Nonetheless, this is all reported to the crisis manager. The crisis > manager does a number of things, one of which is to be the crisis > manager. Sound bizarre? Well, no. Their job, is partly to be a central > point of communication. Any calls coming in regarding emergencies will > be patched directly to this person. In the event of phone system > failures or major disasters, then the person will have an emergency > phone on which to call out on. > > It's actually more dangerous to empower people in an emergency, then it > is to reduce the number of people involved, and to tightly control the > situation. > > If anybody is interested in crisis management, or looking at ways of > legally solving this problem, then let me know > > Best, > Ad. > > > On 6 Jan 2004, at 6:35 pm, [EMAIL PROTECTED] > wrote: > > > Message: 7 > > From: "Jim Flagg" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > > To: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > > Subject: Re: [Asterisk-Users] 911 and lawsuits and redundancy > > Date: Tue, 6 Jan 2004 13:06:34 -0500 > > Reply-To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] > > > > ----- Original Message ----- > > From: "Jonathan Moore" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > > To: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > > Sent: Tuesday, January 06, 2004 12:34 PM > > Subject: Re: [Asterisk-Users] 911 and lawsuits and redundancy > > > > > >> This is esp true of any VoIP PBX system. In fact I think many of them > >> run Windows. > >> > > > > Or VOIP in general. This is what Vonage makes you agree to in their > > Terms of Service. > > > > "2.4 Requires Activation: > > You acknowledge and understand that 911 dialing does not function > > unless you have successfully activated the 911dialing feature by > > following the instructions from the "Dial 911" link on your dashboard, > > and until such later date that such activation has been > > confirmed to you through a confirming email. You acknowledge and > > understand that you cannot dial 911 from this line unless and > > until you have received a confirming email. > > > > 2.5 Failure to Designate the Correct Physical Address When Activating > > 911 Dialing: > > Failure to provide the current and correct physical address and > > location of your Vonage equipment will result in any 911 > > communication you may make being routed to the incorrect local > > emergency service provider. > > > > 2.6 Requires Re-Activation if You Change Your Number: > > You acknowledge and understand that 911 dialing does not function if > > you change your phone number unless and until you have > > successfully activated the 911 dialing feature following the > > instructions from the "Dial 911" link on your dashboard, and until > > such > > later date that such activation has been confirmed to you through a > > confirming email. 911 dialing must be re-activated. Although > > you may have activated 911 dialing with your former Vonage phone > > number, you must separately activate 911 dialing for any new > > number. > > > > 2.7 Change of Physical Location of Vonage Equipment: > > You acknowledge and understand that 911dialing does not function > > properly or may not function at all if you take your equipment with > > you away from the address or physical location that you have > > designated. > > > > 2.8 Requires Re-Activation if You Move: > > You acknowledge and understand that 911 dialing does not function > > properly or at all if you move or change the physical location of > > your Vonage equipment to a different street address, unless and until > > you have successfully activated the 911 dialing feature > > following the instructions from the "Dial 911" link on your dashboard, > > and until such later date that such activation has been > > confirmed to you through a confirming email. 911dialing must be > > re-activated although you may have activated 911 dialing using your > > former address, and you must separately activate 911 dialing for any > > new physical address. Failure to provide the current and > > correct physical address and location of your Vonage equipment will > > result in any 911 dialing you may make being routed to the > > incorrect local emergency service provider > > > > 2.9 Possibility of Network Congestion and/or Reduced Speed for Routing > > 911: > > Due to the manner in which it is technically possible to provide the > > 911 dialing feature for Vonage DigitalVoice at this time, you > > acknowledge and understand that there is a greater possibility of > > network congestion and/or reduced speed in the routing of a 911 > > communication made utilizing your Vonage equipment as compared to > > traditional 911 dialing over traditional public telephone > > networks. You acknowledge and understand that 911 dialing from your > > Vonage equipment will be routed to the general telephone number > > for the local emergency service provider, and will not be routed to > > the 911 dispatcher(s) who are specifically designated to receive > > incoming 911 calls at such local provider's facilities when such calls > > are routed using traditional 911 dialing. You acknowledge > > and understand that there may be a greater possibility that the > > general telephone number for the local emergency service provider > > will produce a busy signal or will take longer to answer, as compared > > to those 911 calls routed to the 911 dispatcher(s) who are > > specifically designated to receive incoming 911 calls using > > traditional 911 dialing. > > > > 2.10 Automated Number Identification: > > At this time in the technical development of Vonage 911 dialing, it > > may or may not be possible for the Public Safety Answering Point > > (PSAP) and the local emergency personnel to identify your phone number > > when you dial 911. Vonage's system is configured in most > > instances to send the automated number identification information; > > however, the phone system routes the traffic to the PSAP and the > > PSAP itself must be able to receive the information and pass it along > > properly, and they are not yet always technically capable of > > doing so. You acknowledge and understand that PSAP and emergency > > personnel may or may not be able to identify your phone number in > > order to call you back if the call is unable to be completed, is > > dropped or disconnected, or if you are unable to speak to tell them > > your phone number and/or if the Service is not operational for any > > reason, including without limitation those listed elsewhere in > > this Agreement. > > > > 2.11 Automated Location Identification: > > At this time in the technical development of Vonage 911 Dialing, it is > > not possible to transmit identification of the address that > > you have listed to the Public Safety Answering Point (PSAP) and local > > emergency personnel for your area when you dial 911. You > > acknowledge and understand that you will need to state the nature of > > your emergency promptly and clearly, including your location, > > as PSAP personnel will NOT have this information. You acknowledge and > > understand that PSAP and emergency personnel will not be able > > to find your location if the call is unable to be completed, is > > dropped or disconnected, if you are unable to speak to tell them > > your location and/or if the Service is not operational for any reason, > > including without limitation those listed elsewhere in this > > Agreement. > > > > 2.12 Alternative 911 Arrangements > > You acknowledge that Vonage does not offer primary line or lifeline > > services. You should always have an alternative means of > > accessing traditional E911 services." > > _______________________________________________ > Asterisk-Users mailing list > [EMAIL PROTECTED] > http://lists.digium.com/mailman/listinfo/asterisk-users > Visit Winfield Public Schools at http://usd465.com ------------------------------------------------- This mail sent through IMP: http://horde.org/imp/ _______________________________________________ Asterisk-Users mailing list [EMAIL PROTECTED] http://lists.digium.com/mailman/listinfo/asterisk-users
