| Asterisk IP-PBX server has so many benefits, at such | | | | can be, every piece of hardware or software feature |
| a competitive cost, that many in the industry take it for | | | | enhancement you require can cost a small fortune. |
| granted that businesses know what these benefits | | | | Besides the fact that Asterisk system are also |
| are, and fail to provide the information needed by new | | | | available on contract with no up front payment, |
| businesses seeking to gain a better understanding of | | | | Asterisk has been designed to work with generic |
| how Asterisk can benefit them. In South Africa, | | | | computer hardware meaning that you are free to buy |
| Asterisk is rapidly gaining market share. This article | | | | your hardware from the cheapest supplier. You can |
| aims to answer the basic question for business "What | | | | even reuse old hardware! In addition, the specialised |
| are the benefits of Asterisk and what does open | | | | hardware you may need to buy to integrate into your |
| source mean?". | | | | local land line or cell phone system, is based on open |
| Asterisk IP PBX benefits | | | | specifications, which means that there is more than |
| Many of the benefits of the Asterisk IP PBX server | | | | one supplier for compatible hardware. All this means |
| come from the very fact that it is an open source | | | | that costs are driven down and you have more |
| product. Many people, especially business people, may | | | | flexibility in your telephony system. |
| find it hard to understand the concepts behind open | | | | A very similar and extremely beneficial development, |
| source, or free software, and why, or how, anyone | | | | and one we are all familiar with, is the common PC. |
| would use this as a business model for their product. | | | | The PC revolution was sparked by IBM releasing the |
| The business models behind open source are many | | | | open specifications for its first PCs, enabling an entire |
| and varied, and I will only deal with this question as it | | | | ecosystem and industry to develop around supplying |
| pertains to Asterisk. So how does open source make | | | | and supporting PCs. If IBM had taken a proprietary |
| Asterisk a better bet for businesses than proprietary | | | | approach who know what the computing world would |
| PBX solutions? | | | | look like today? |
| Asterisk source code availability, your guarantee for | | | | Asterisk is freely and easily extensible |
| business continuity | | | | Another benefit of using Asterisk, is that is extremely |
| The main question that you would like to answered, as | | | | easy to extend. It is extensible in both a hardware and |
| a business man when considering in investing in any | | | | a software sense. From a hardware point of view, it is |
| solution to your business problems, besides costs, is | | | | easy to extend an existing Asterisk solution, without |
| whether the company behind the solution has a sound | | | | having to throw away hardware you have already |
| financial footing. Basically will it be around in the | | | | invested in. Just as you can extend a PC with |
| foreseeable future to provide support and continue to | | | | peripheral devices, or reuse components in a new PC, |
| enhance the solution? | | | | so too with your Asterisk PBX. You no longer have to |
| The answer to this question, when it comes to | | | | toss out the old PBX hardware simply to get new |
| Asterisk, has two points. Firstly, Digium, the company | | | | features. |
| behind Asterisk, makes its money from selling Asterisk | | | | From a software point of view Asterisk is easy to |
| compatible hardware. So they way Digium has used | | | | integrate into 3rd party applications. Part of the open |
| open source, is very similar to the approach of many | | | | source philosophy, is the desire to freely integrate with |
| other companies when it comes to creating a market | | | | other applications , and to allow other applications to |
| for their product or service. Examples where | | | | integrate with Asterisk. There is a well defined |
| something is given away for "free" abound. Some | | | | software api, which allows your local IT department to |
| such examples are: | | | | really exploit the possibilities of computer and telephony |
| * cell phone companies giving away discounted mobile | | | | integration (CTI). Due to its open source nature, |
| phones on contract, or | | | | Asterisk has nothing to gain by forcing you to buy a |
| * companies that give away free Primus cooking | | | | specific call management or reporting software. |
| stoves but charging for the gas needed to use the | | | | Easily switch Asterisk service providers |
| stove. | | | | As Asterisk is open source you are also not locked to |
| What this means is that Digium is a company that has | | | | one service provider for your Asterisk support. You |
| a solid business model behind it, and it is unlikely to go | | | | are free to switch providers, and be secure with the |
| out of business in the future. The second aspect to | | | | knowledge that your new service provider will not |
| this answer, is that open source is precisely your | | | | have to deal with any proprietary extensions, |
| guarantee, that should the company behind an | | | | hardware or software configuration. No longer do you |
| application go out of business, the source code is | | | | have to live with a bad choice you made years ago. If |
| available for you, or other interested parties to continue | | | | you want better service, simply find a better service |
| to development and enhance. In today's world, where | | | | provider. |
| brand names often have a shorter life span than your | | | | Asterisk is extremely cost effective |
| average pet goldfish, there is no guarantee that a | | | | Of course this is the main benefit of Asterisk that first |
| proprietary vendor will remain in business for any | | | | brings Asterisk to the attention of corporates and |
| period of time. Just consider the take over of People | | | | companies wishing to cut costs and improve service. |
| Soft by Oracle and the resultant need for People Soft | | | | The reason that Asterisk is so cost effective, is that it |
| customers to upgrade to Oracle? Or the take over of | | | | is disrupting a proprietary market where every vendor |
| Sun, again by Oracle? Don't make the mistake of | | | | has its own manufacturing facilities and service |
| thinking proprietary and big, is better. It could be an | | | | provider eco-system for its specific hardware. |
| expensive trap when a competitor takes them over or | | | | There are no economies of scale in production or in |
| they simply go out of business and you are left with | | | | the development of an eco-system around supporting |
| an unsupported application. | | | | their products. Because of its open nature, Asterisk |
| Asterisk's open code base and use of generic | | | | encourages competition amongst suppliers, lowering |
| hardware means no proprietary lock-in | | | | the cost of telephony to businesses, and at the same |
| With your traditional PBX vendors, the proprietary | | | | time increasing the level of innovation for the use of |
| nature of their solutions means, that you have little | | | | telephony solutions in business. |
| choice when deciding to upgrade your system or | | | | Conclusion |
| implement any new features, other than having to | | | | With all these benefits many smart business people |
| approach them again. Usually their entry level PBX is | | | | have already decided to switch their infrastructure |
| cheap and available on a monthly rental. This appeals | | | | from proprietary telephony solutions to ones based on |
| to many small companies as it means there is no need | | | | Asterisk. If your business is looking to invest in its |
| for a upfront capital outlay. Sadly this is usually a | | | | telephony infrastructure in the near future, you would |
| strategy to get your company so locked-in to the | | | | be well advised to take a closer look at Asterisk and |
| system, that as you grow you have no choice but to | | | | evaluate it along with any solution proposed by your |
| approach the same vendor, and it is at this point that | | | | existing provider. |
| you discover just how expensive proprietary solutions | | | | |