Multiple fax modems for fax broadcasting

[58sniper]

Greets!

I have a client who is using an existing SBS box. One of things they do is send bid requests to ~300 subcontractors about once a week (opt in, so it's legal). Using the built in SBS faxing and an external modem, this can sometimes take more than 8 hours to complete. Unfortunately, that sometimes causes a problem as a quick turn-around on those requests is sometimes necessary.

I know that you can configure more than one fax modem in SBS, but can you "load balance" among sending fax modems? Will submitting a single fax to ~300 fax numbers automatically distribute that among both (or more) modems?

Thanks!

Pat Richard, MCSE MCSA:Messaging CNA
Microsoft Exchange MVP

 

[ShackDaddy]

Pat, when I've had to handle this situation in the past, I've used GFI's FaxMaker program. I'm able to put 8 modems on a Digi card into a 2003 server and then submit jobs to FaxMaker that were then distributed to the modems on an as-available basis. I haven't seen any functionality like that in the native fax server. But maybe someone else has?

ShackDaddy
Shackelford Consulting

 

[dotobi]

Hey

This is 'slightly' off subject, but we're just starting to use the fax function on the server here and I want to find out about a few things...

Firstly, thanks ShackDaddy for mentioning FAXMaker. I'm checking out the website now. Looks good!

Here are my quieries...

DIGI CARD
You mention that you're "able to put 8 modems on a Digi card". What is the digi card?

PERSONAL FAX NUMBERS
With FAXMaker & a Digi Card, can users have thier own personal fax lines that deliver faxes directly to thier inboxes? (i.e. Extension 001 answered by modem 1, goes to John Smith's inbox. Extensiion 002 answered by modem 2, goes to Peter Jones, etc...)

MERGING LETTERHEAD
Have you dicsovered away to merge letthead graphics onto a word document so that once faxed it appears to be a fax of the hard caopy printed onto letterhead paper?

Thanks

Kev

 

[58sniper]

Dotobi - Please start your own thread.

ShackDaddy - Have you tried it with just multiple modems using SBS faxing?

Pat Richard, MCSE MCSA:Messaging CNA
Microsoft Exchange MVP

 

[ShackDaddy]

Pat, haven't tried it. Let us know if you do.

ShackDaddy
Shackelford Consulting

 

[ShackDaddy]

dotobi, you should start your own thread, but I will tell you that Digi is the vendor that makes multi-line modem cards. They are all-in-one hardware solutions. One card might have 8 or 16 lines in it. And yes, Faxmaker with a multi-line card does describe the routing mechanism you describe. I used two 8-line cards once and had some directed inbound as well as load-balanced outbound lines.

ShackDaddy
Shackelford Consulting

 

[dotobi]

OK. Sorry about that. And thanks for the info ShackDaddy. Been looking around and even found some PCIe x1 MultiPort modem boards which is handy as I'm out of PCI slots. I'll do some more research and probably need to ask some more questions, in which case, I'll start a new thread. Thanks!