@JaredBusch said in push "Local Directory" to Yealink handsets from FreePBX:

There is a setting that you can include in the config file for each phone to have it pull in a local address book.
You want this setting: local_contact.data.url

Thanks. That sounds much easier.

Thanks @Pete-S and @JaredBusch I'll have a look into both.

I'm guessing no one has done this before.

On the yealink handsets there is the "Local" phone directory which users can add numbers themselves. However if the phone get factory rested / auto provisioned. It gets blown away.

Is it possible to push this out from FreePBX? Basically we want the user to give us a list of names & numbers and we can add for them. That will keep reloaded if the phone needs to be factory reset etc (when trouble shooting etc).

I'm referring to the individual handsets Local Directory and not the shared one. I know that you can manually export it as an XML then re import it after reseting the phone. Can this be automated.

This is part of if any issue config gets blown away and re-provioned from FreePBX to a known state.

Thanks.

@scottalanmiller said in Best architecture / recommendation for multi sites (separate business) Cloud VOIP PBX:

At such a small scale, you could even use SQLite instead of PostgreSQL

At what size would you stop using SQLite?

@stacksofplates said in What are you using to track daily tasks?:

Wunderlist is nice for just a simple task list.

I'm using Wunderlist until it completely dies. (MS todo sucks)

@eddiejennings said in Remote management of VMs hosted in colocation:

The major problem I see with this:
If my laptop becomes compromised (think ransomware), then my host is pwn'd.

Some other potential options.

You don't have to keep your laptop ZT permanently connected. Just enable it whenever you need to use it then disable it soon after.

You can also have VM (on you laptop) you use just for management.

I would just setup something like Zabbix and then install the Zabbix agent on each host to monitor relevant sensors and alert as things come up.

You can already get Windows on a subscription...

I want to steer this thread back to my original question. That is how would one setup a system that provides those features starting from a clean slate. Please ignore I ever mention about the current system. That part is done and dusted! This is purely for my learning and for other who may have the same questions as I am now.

Let say I will get SIP trunks from a provider and then setup myself a system that does the rest.

From what I've learned so far from this and the other thread is that. FreePBX & FusionPBX are 2 potential options.

FreePBX: not true multi tenant with many limitations (for this screnario)

FusionPBX: True multi tenant. However not as well know used. Documentation are not good.

What other options are out there that wold have those features?

@dustinb3403 said in How to config DSS keys on Yealink handsets from FreePBX:

You simplify the entire system, with 1 system

@jmoore Its all about minimizing support cost and consistency.

@scottalanmiller said in Best architecture / recommendation for multi sites (separate business) Cloud VOIP PBX:

Basically you are saying "I must use this provider" and then asking "what's an alternative provider."

We all agree the current system is a problem. So I'm not talking about that anymore. I'm asking what if I were given this to start fresh. What systems (FreePBX / Fusion) would you use. How would you structure it? What would you need to provide those features.

The main aim of this thread is for me to learn more on what would have been the recommended solution for this particular scenario if one we to set up a phone system servicing that many sites. Let say 10 to 20 brands with multiple sites each.

Something that is more manage than having over a hundred phone system to manage. Ideally share as much of the config as possible. So if corporate decide on something it doesn't have to be changed on multiple systems.

@scottalanmiller said in Best architecture / recommendation for multi sites (separate business) Cloud VOIP PBX:

Ah, you violated a basic rule of bundling,

Not my doing They are not someone I would have used.

@jaredbusch said in Best architecture / recommendation for multi sites (separate business) Cloud VOIP PBX:

I am not sure I would recommend FreePBX for this. I would lean more towards having him treat the sub companies as a true separate tenant.

This is the sort of thing I'm looking to hear / learn.

@jaredbusch said in Best architecture / recommendation for multi sites (separate business) Cloud VOIP PBX:

FusionPBX (based on FreeSwitch) is a solid mutli-tenant solution.

I had a quick play with installing FusionPBX in the past. However haven't actually use it in live calls.

@scottalanmiller said in Best architecture / recommendation for multi sites (separate business) Cloud VOIP PBX:

Don't confused the location of hosting with the location of a provider. What difference does it make if your provider is in the US?

I'm saying I can't use a provider in the US that can't host our local phone numbers.

@scottalanmiller said in Best architecture / recommendation for multi sites (separate business) Cloud VOIP PBX:

This is completely a vendor, not a platform, problem.

Agree and I have mentioned as much previously. I'm in no position to make the decision on moving off this provider. Hence wanting to see alternative solutions / implementation. I'm trying to be better informed when the times comes to look at alternatives.

@scottalanmiller said in Best architecture / recommendation for multi sites (separate business) Cloud VOIP PBX:

FreePBX is what most of us use and recommend in situations like these. But you have to be certain you are getting a Hosted PBX, not Hosted VoIP. A Hosted PBX is dedicated to you, it's a PBX hosted on your behalf. Hosted VoIP is shared, you are just another user on a platform already handling other people.

We currently have an instance of FreePBX hosted on our behalf by the provider who also provides us with the SIP trunks / holds the phone numbers etc. We don't share that with anyone.

This is a spin off from my other thread. This thread is more of me trying to learn better way of doing this to suggest / recommend better solution to our business. For background info, our IT dept belongs to the parent company supporting all sub businesses (sort of like an internal MSP).

What would you recommend the setup for a "Cloud" based PBX for below requirement?

We are trying to avoid managing 100s of instance of onsite PBXs. Hence migration to a centrally managed Cloud system with standardized handsets etc.

I have previous experience (a number of years ago) setting up a multi sites solution using Epygi internally hosted with SIP trunks. However, we want to be in the cloud et all with the latest stuff. I’m just not too up to date with current cloud offerings out there.

Phone system Requirements:

• list itemA unified centrally managed phone system to control phones across all sites. *Internal call directory and sites to site calls.
  *Multi sites: Sites belong to one of the sub businesses / brands. All under the one parent company.
  *Each brand has multiple sites.
  *Sites will have a pre-allocated internal range. Example site A is 2000 – 2010
  *Sites needs to have their own settings for phones like speedials, Parking etc. Centrally pushed out.
  *Sites will have separate MOH, greeting, After hours, Parking slots (using pre-defined buttons) & the usual.

Currently running off a managed (by telco) FreePBX instance that seems very limited without many addon modules. Let say they are not very useful in making changes even basic ones. We are also trying to to go with something that we can mostly manage basic stuff (update extensions, speedial etc centrally). We need the ability to quickly rollout new sites (template?).

The whole thing needs to scale to support a couple hundred remote sites / departments.

We are outside of the US so any of the hosted provider there won’t work for us. Most local provider I know of I believe are using FreePBX behind the scene so I’m guessing will have similar restrictions to our current provider.

Thanks for any input / recommendations from those who have been here before!

Its more a multi sites than muti tenant. However what we are using make it more like multi tenant.

I got onto this after the whole thing has been started by someone else (who hasn't though it through / sold the wrong thing and in experience in this) and used for a while. I'm trying to tweak it to work as best as I can.

For the moment I need to get it working best I can. Until I can think about it more and or convince higher up to migrate to a better solution.

Best I start another thread on what might have been the best setup for our scenario.