Redundant Systems/Disaster Recovery

[CTarv]

We currently have a CS1000M with one sig server in our main location. We are looking into our options as far as having redundant systems across the board (data and voice) as opposed to restoring at a hot site/forwarding numbers in the event of a disaster. What recommendations can you give me as far as the best option PBX wise to accomplish this. We obviously don't want a full CS1000M at the alternate site because of cost, but do want something that would take little to no time to come up (preferably a hot failover) that is as cost effective as possible. Currently about 350 stations in our building, but would need about 50-75 in the case of a true disaster as a start. Any suggestions would be appreciated.

 

[guycable2]

We used the CS1000E HA product. It puts a call server and sig server in each building. You could add an HA Call Pilot also. Gets expensive though. I believe in release 6.0 the wan connection between the two call servers can be higher latency than in 5.5 where it needed 50ms or less.

 

[CTarv]

I probably should state that we have version 5.5 of the CS1000, and we have CallPilot and CC6. We have a failover for the CC6, but not the PBX or CallPilot currently.

 

[allenmac]

You could upgrade the existing system if necessary and implement geographic redundancy.

 

[Tman45]

Hate to say it, but Avaya seems to be more data resilent then the Nortel. Nortel is probably going to be Avaya anyway unless someone else bids on Enterprise.

Yes, definitely go with CS1000E with SMC (surviable remote core) at the alternate site - and if you need HA Call Pilot and even HA Contact Center.

Contact Center 7 will have GUI scripting and other cool features if you wanna check that out.

You can also look at SCS (software Communication Server) which is Open Source Nortel and SIP based. Not sure how 'surviable' it is though.

 

[CTarv]

So, if the main site goes down, the SMC site never loses the ability to process calls? Would I still have to route my toll-frees to the alternate site if the main goes down, or is that an inherent function?