Is affordable, telco-grade hardware on the horizon for Asterisk-based, IP PBX software platforms?
Posted April 16, 2008 
Comments(0) Yes!
The proliferation of open source, Asterisk-based, IP PBX software platforms has lead to demand for inexpensive, telco-grade hardware appliances. There are 12 or more manufacturers who offer dedicated server / app hardware, in a variety of forms, for use with popular platforms including Asterisk, Trixbox, Elastix and others. Many Asterisk users and integrators choose to run their PBX on off the shelf Intel or AMD-based servers from the likes of Dell and Supermicro, while neither of these manufacturers target the Asterisk marketplace per se. Here’s a quick overview of some of the hardware choices out there if you are looking to deploy open source telephony in your home or business.
Fonality released its Trixbox Appliance
California’s Fonality released its Trixbox Appliance last year. The Trixbox Appliance comes in a standard and enterprise version. Intel P4 CPU, 512MB RAM and 80GB hard drive, and integrated four-line LCD display round out the package in a 3U form factor.
Pika Technologies
Industry vet Pika Technologies tosses its hat in the ring with the release of Warp Appliance for Asterisk. It Features a compact form factor and the Warp Appliance packs a ton of features into a small footprint. Which you can then configure a variety of TDM hardware FXS/FXO combinations for PSTN and legacy analog hardware integration.
