Trade-Offs | Asterisk

Is Asterisk a Good Fit for Me?

Looking at what Asterisk is and is not, the natural question follows—is Asterisk right for me? This is a vitally important question that should be given serious consideration. Let's take a moment and look at some of the considerations we must explore before we commit to using Asterisk.

Trade-Offs

There are a series of trade-offs we must consider with Asterisk. Choosing Asterisk will lock us into certain choices, while others will be available whether we install an Asterisk server or not. We will now examine some of these trade-offs so that we can gauge the impact they have on us.

Flexibility versus Ease of Use

Asterisk is a very powerful framework into which we can install almost anything. We can configure each piece of Asterisk to the minutest detail. This gives us an amazing amount of flexibility.

This flexibility comes with a price. Each of these details must be researched, understood, and tried. Each change we make affects other parts of the phone system, whether for good or bad. Asterisk is not an easy-to-use platform, especially for a beginner.

There is a learning curve, but it is one that can be surmounted. Many developers have become experts in telephony and many telephony experts have mastered server administration. But each of us must decide what we expect from our phone system. I like to think of it in three major categories, as outlined in the following table:

Description	Solution
I want to plug in the telephone system and never think about it again. I want to call someone when things are not working. I do not plan to add anything to the system once it is set up.	A proprietary phone system is probably your best bet. Many offer a pre-configured system, and when changes are made, a certified consultant will be required.
I don't know much about phone systems, but I want to learn. I need a phone system soon. I'd like to have flexibility and additional features, and may change the configuration of my phone system from time to time.	Either use a packaged version of Asterisk or have a consultant build a customized Asterisk server. Learn to use Asterisk. Build a couple of Asterisk servers just to explore. Add features as necessary.
I want to learn and build my own phone system. I am interested in creating a custom solution for my problems. I am willing to accept the responsibility if something doesn't work, and take the time to figure out why.	Build an Asterisk server from the ground up. Much will be learned in the process, and the result will be an extremely powerful business tool.

Of course, these are not distinct categories. We each fall into a continuum. It is important to realize that Asterisk, as great as it is, is not the right solution for everybody. Like any technology we implement, we must consider its impact on the business. We must also decide whether it will become something useful that enables us to work better, or whether it will require too much maintenance and other work to make it an efficient addition. This depends entirely on our purposes and the other technology we have that requires our attention.

Graphical versus Configuration File Management

Asterisk currently uses plain text files to configure most options. This is a very simple way to create, back up, and modify configurations for those who are comfortable with command-line tools.

Some PBX systems offer a GUI to update the configurations. Others don't allow the configuration to be changed except by dialing cryptic code on telephone handsets. Still others cannot be configured at all, except by certified technicians who receive the required software and cables from the phone system manufacturer.

A few good open source tools are being created to ease the management of Asterisk. However, to get the full ability to customize Asterisk, editing of text files is still required. To help get used to this method of configuration, this book focuses on the text files without relying on any GUI package.