Remote site design 1

[dereklindo]

Hi all,

I have a potential client looking for a PBX and I want to quote IPO for them. Their site scope is as follows:

Main office - 14 phones
9 Remote Sites - 2 Phones each (preferably cordless)(18 total)

I am hoping to build some form of redundancy into the solution.

Currently each site has its own analog trunk line and DSL circuit on site.

I am interested in hearing different suggestions on how others would design this solution ie hardware, licenses, VPN? extended LAN? etc etc.

Thanks in advance.

 

[intrigrant]

There are a few roads you can follow:
The best way which is expensive: A IP Office on each site with a DECT R4 basestation and a ATM combocard, all sites connected with SCN
The best for money way : A IP500V2 at the main location and at each location a IP DECT R4 basestation registered on the main office and a FXO ATA sending the analog trunks to the main site.
The cheapest way : A IP500V2 at the main location and on the remote sites a cheap 2 analog trunk/4 analog stations PBX with 2 analog DECT phones and a FXO ATA to have a IP Line to the main site.

I would offer the cheapest variant, if IP fails then they can still work locally as analog PBXes hardly ever fail.

 

[dereklindo]

Our initial thought was to have an IPO at the main office and get all of the remote sites telephone numbers added to the PRI. The problem with that, is if the main office goes down then all 10 sites are down. That's not going to fly considering that won't happen right now because they are individual sites.

Is there a way to keep the analog trunk at each location and still have the phones onsite as extensions off of the main office?

Does a SIP phone exist that also allows an analog trunk to be plugged into it? Or is their a gateway of some sort that will allow a SIP connection and a local analog trunk connection?

Is their a way to build a design around 2 or 3 IPO's, each in a different location? Some form of redundancy so if one goes down then the remote phones can just fail over to one of the other 2? The problem I see with this scenario is I would need to mirror the PRI in each location. How would that even work because you can't have the same number at 2-3 locations?

 

[intrigrant]

There are ATA's which can do that, checkout PATTON or Audiocodes.
The device needs at least one FXO port. Both are nasty to program if you are not familiar with them so look for a reseller whith knowledge so they can help you with the configuration. Avaya has a apllication note on Audiocodes with SIP connected to IP Office somewere but it is for analog stations and not analog trunks.
In my experience the PATTON is more versatile but more expensive as well.

 

[IPGuru]

1st thing - redundancy/resiliency costs you cannot do things on the cheap.

you will need to go with either option 1 or option 2 as described in intregants 1st reply.

Opt 1 would be better as it would mean the PBX on each site operated the same (+ you would get better integration)


A Maintenance contract is essential, not a Luxury.
Do things on the cheap & it will cost you dear

 

[derfloh]

If you want resiliency for the centralized call server(s) and not for the branch office WAN connection you could place two IPOs Talk different locations and register the remote site phones with one IPO, create a SCN trunk between these two IPOs and let one IPO be the secondary call server for the phones registered with the other site's IPO.

So ich you have trunks at every IPO site and IP connections from remote sites to the two main sites you should be (almost) good.

If you want the phones to work even if the connection to the main office(s) is broken you will need local IPO at every site.

 

[intrigrant]

Forget about resiliancy, way to expensive for SMBs. For real resiliancy you need per site two Internet connections from two different providers, you need a UPS per site big enough to cover the estimated duration of power outage, ypou need extar routers firewalls etc.
In the end the costs of it all is way over one or two outages of approx two hours a year.
Better invest in SIP trunks which can be diverted to mobile phones via a web portal in case of a local outage..

 

[dereklindo]

Thanks guys for all the responses.

So I have just been informed they will be extending their LAN to each of their 9 remote sites using the local TELCO. Each site will have its own internet connection which is great because now if the main office goes down it doesn't take down all 9 remote sites.

I am hoping to get guidance on the remote sites. Now that they are extending their LAN I could use Avaya IP phones. The problem is I want to be able to keep each analog trunk(s) at the local site. Intrigrant mentioned gateways/ATA's from Patton or Audiocodes being able to do that. I envision a 3rd party SIP phone plugged into a gateway/ATA which allows me access to the internal extension on the IPO and the analog trunk locally installed at the remote site.

Can anyone suggest the exact gateway/ATA I should be looking for and possibly even a SIP 3rd party phone that would work as well (or would any SIP phone work?).

Thanks

Derek

 

[StubbedmytoeonIPO]

I like Yealink W52P They work great, have a GUI to use for setup and they support multiple SIP accounts so you can set up another account to a ITSP if the link at the main office goes down. Obviously you will still need internet where the Yealinks are but its a half backup at least. The Avaya DECTs are nice but the yealink are far easier.

 

[Jerrberr]

Yeah, I have the yeahlinks set up on a close scenario to yours. If you need deeper specifics, I can send you my contact info maybe I can help you out. There's a lot to consider on a span like that.

Jerry