SV9100 to Asterisk SIP Trunk 1

[JacobiC]

We are needing to create a SIP trunk to link our existing SV9100 with our new PBXact (FreePBX/Asterisk based) server. This SIP trunk will need to facilitate 2-way extension to extension dialing between the systems while we migrate all extensions from NEC to PBXact. I am familiar with creating SIP trunk and routing needed on the PBXact side, but not sure what exactly is needed on the NEC side.

 

[CoralTech]

Um, how big is the system?

 

[JacobiC]

The system has around 300 phones.

 

[CoralTech]

Why not just cut it over?

 

[JacobiC]

I have considered cutting everything over at once. However, the phones are located across multiple geographic locations and have varying configurations (call routing, 9 for outside line, etc) which will need standardized along with overhead paging. I decided that we will need to be able to cutover one location at a time due to the significant amount of attention I believe will be required per location post-cutover.

 

[OzzieGeorge]

I think you will find this in the too expensive basket as you can't just set up these trunks on the 9100, they need licenses. Also do you want to spend that money on something that you are removing? With 300 extensions you will need quite a few trunks, how many simultaneous calls will you want to have? You will need to abandon hope of passing CLI through unless you have some very clued up NEC techs available. I once, as a project, set up a link from a 9100 to a 3CX and I needed the full help of TAC with things like CLI. It can be achieved through F-Route programming but expect to be doing a lot of programming as you will need to set up each extension individually in order to be able to cut over piecemeal.

 

[CoralTech]

Are you keeping the old ext numbers?

 

[OzzieGeorge]

@coraltech It is pointless doing this if they aren't!

 

[JacobiC]

@OzzieGeorge Thank you for that insight. I knew the NEC side might be a challenge to setup, but did not imagine we would need to make changes via CLI. Fortunately, I have provisioned the cost to add the IP trunk licenses to facilitate a smooth transition. I also wondered if we might be able to activate the 30 day full license to get us through the transition. That would (temporarily) allow unlimited IP trunks correct? Any problem you see doing that? We do work with an NEC dealer currently, but your point regarding the need for a well-versed NEC tech is my exact concern - they are very familiar with most programming, but the SIP trunk is admittedly out of their comfort zone. I also anticipate that they are not going to be willing to help us transition knowing that we are switching products. I suspect the configuration would be pretty similar to what was needed for your 3CX SIP configuration. I would not be overly concerned if we couldn't pass extension/internal CID, but would be a perk.
We would be migrating the existing extensions to the new system. This would be done in blocks per location (12xx, 13xx, 14xx, etc) so it should be easy to define routing using F-Route (and same on PBXact side). We would need a limited number of IP trunks as MOST extension to extension dialing will be within the location (within the same extension block on the same phone system requiring no trunk). I think 6-8 trunks to facilitate calls between the two systems would be more than enough. This would only peak when half the extensions are migrated. It is the creation of the SIP trunk on the NEC side that would be out of my comfort zone.

I appreciate your feedback.

 

[omonat]

I am jumping in a little late, but let me share tips based on practical experience that i have had.
Last year i interconnected a client's HQ Panasonic KX-TDA600 phone system to PBXact in another branch office several miles away. The bridge between the Panasonic & the PBXact was an open-source FreePBX asterisk. Between the FreeBX & Panasonic were PRI interfaces. 2Port PRI on FreePBX and PRI30 on panasonic. The FreePBX became a VoIP gateway between the Panasonic & the PBXact. DIDs maintained.

In the same way, your NEC PBX can connect to the PBXact using PRI port and an ISDN E1 VoIP gateway if u would like to avoid licenses. Asteris PCI cards are affordable. This approach would allow u do a slow migration of the old sets to SIP IP sets.

wanetelecoms@gmail.com

 

[JacobiC]

@omonat Thank your for that advice. I had considered the PRI interconnect previously and think it would be a more familiar connection method on the NEC side and still just as easy as SIP on the PBXact/FreePBX side. However, we are currently using the only PRI interface on the 9100 currently for PSTN. We would need to purchase an additional PRI card for both the NEC server and the PBXact server. Still the best option?
Other than acknowledging that we seemingly may not be able to get the SIP trunk functional even with licensing, do you see any problem activating the temp/demo license on our production server to get the IP trunk license? It is my understanding that it is an unlimited license only limited in duration. Thoughts?

 

[CoralTech]

If you have the resource licenses and card slot to plug it in. Honestly you can probably get this working if you spend the time to get it figured out. I mean, obviously the Asterisk is just sitting right now so all you would have to do test bench it and get it working. NEC has Wireshark built in so you can probably get an idea what the issues are IF you really understand the Asterisk SIP. There aren't that many settings and you should be able get the systems tied together. I have yet to NOT get an NEC connected to about ANY SIP white paper or none. Bonus it's on the local network so the majority of the issues are solved from a firewall issue. Just setup a test number (out of the range) and test.

 

[omonat]

Get a 2Port PRI VoIP Gateway.
Plug the current Telco line into port 1 of the PRI Gateway
Plu the 2nd Port of the PRI Gateway into the SV9100 PRI Port
With that, The PBXact is able to see both systems over IP - Two trunks. One to PSTN & the other to SV9100

This is a setup i have done before but with a Panasonic system and works too. Ofcourse you will need some configs on the VoIP Gateway & PBXact. This is a preferable approach in my opinion. If it seems complicated you may need to hire Tech support.


wanetelecoms@gmail.com

 

[OzzieGeorge]

Ok so if you want to go via the demo license you first have to hope that no one has ever activated it! however most people don't think about the 10 day license which will give you the same but is re-useable. the only drawback with this is having set the 10 day license, you have to reset the system. Now if you are happy to do this out of hours every 10 days, this is not an issue. This would give you as long as you need to slowly cut over! If you are going down this track you may decide to use extensions off the NEC as trunks on the asterisk and extensions off the asterisk as lines on the NEC as it may get you round issues of what can act as a SIP server.

 

[omonat]

The setup i have just described requires no license for inter-trunk connection i suppose if the interfaces are PRI or does NEC need license for PRI to work?

wanetelecoms@gmail.com

 

[JacobiC]

@omonat Thank you for that recommendation! The dual PRI gateway setup that you described will work perfect. We already have the PRI interface and resource license on the SV9100 which currently connects to PSTN. With this setup I can easily interconnect all systems. I may use a separate FreePBX server (which you mentioned in a prior post) for a little more control over the routing between PSTN and the two servers, but concept is unchanged. This setup will also allow me to facilitate the move of PSTN and not just inter-system calls. Thanks a lot!

Thank you others who contributed on this thread as well. All very good input and is much appreciated.

 

[omonat]

The PBXact can do what you would want the FreePBX to do.
So basically you just need the SV9100 with PRI interface,
2port PRI VoIP gateway and the PBXact.

And both systems (SV9100 & PBXact) will be able to use your existing PRI Line/SIP trunk from the Telco.

wanetelecoms@gmail.com

 

[JacobiC]

@omonat Yes, even better. The one thing I will need to address is the SV9100 PRI is configured for 7 digits for PSTN. This was extended from 4 digits because of some public number overlap between prefixes. Our internal extensions are 4 digit. How is this handled on the NEC side coming in on the single PRI interface? Can we accept both 4 and 7 digit numbers? If not my initial thoughts are I could prepend (and strip) a placeholder on the front of the 4 digit extension (ex: for extension 12xx -> 88812xx). But I’m not sure if NEC can do the equivalent. Probably a better way of handling this on the NEC side or I may be overthinking? Thank you!

 

[omonat]

Lets say you have 2Port PRI VoIP Gateway.
I recommend Yeastar TE200 - Easy to setup.
The PRI Line from the Telco goes into port 1 of the PRI VoIP Gateway
Port 2 of the PRI VoIP Gateway connects to PRI port of the SV9100
The PBXact becomes a provider to SV9100. PBXact is Master, SV9100 is slave
PBXact will see both PRI Line from Telco and PRI from SV9100 as SIP Trunks because the PRI Gateay converts them to SIP Trunk.

You can maintain your internal extension numbering in the 4 digits range XXXX AND map the Telcos DID to those extensions.
You can creat virtual extensions in PBXact and map the DIDs to them then forward to the respective extensions in SV9100.

That should adress it.



wanetelecoms@gmail.com

 

[JacobiC]

@omonat Thank you for getting me pointed in the right direction here. What you have described will work perfect. Thank you!