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Servers for PBXware and TELCOware

Customers often ask which servers should be able to support PBXware and TELCOware, so we’ve compiled some specifications to clarify.

Generic x86 distribution that support more than just specific hardware configurations.

The most common issues with installation are:

  • We do not support Software RAID controllers, mainly due to bad support for drivers under Linux.
  • Some new 10Gb network cards require driver updates.
  • Sometimes the clock source must be changed (Linux configuration option)
  • Corrupted CDs are often the result of download and burning the ISO image and it failing to install. We recommended using USB image but if CD is the only option to burn at a low speed to avoid this.

Other, currently unknown issues or bugs are always possible :-) .

It is always a good idea to have some method of remote access to machines (like KVMoIP) in case you need assistance with any problem that make servers unavailable by network like SSH telnet.

If you need PBXware and TELCOware, we recommend using SERVERware: http://downloads.bicomsystems.com/serverware/serverware-1.7.3-r8.iso

There is also a USB disk image available:
http://downloads.bicomsystems.com/serverware/serverware-1.7.3-r8.img

This allows you to create virtual machines with almost native performance. You can create PBXware , TELCOware, SIP and Voice Monitoring servers, as well as plain Gentoo Linux.
It contains virtualization and has performance advantages, but you cannot put windows in this kind of virtual machine, only in Linux.

You will need at least one IP per each VM on a network, its bridged on host interface, with no other options like virtual networks etc.

The web console for SERVERware is pretty basic; it allows you to create virtual machines, configure IP, start/stop, and other basic things. There is no option for resource limitation in the GUI, all machines share CPU memory and disk by default. However it is possible to apply limitations per VM, outside graphical user interface if needed, though in most cases the default works just fine.

There are others features such as duplication from one host to another, automatic failover, mirror, etc. You can read about these in more detail, on our website. It is described on our web page as a cloud platform, but will actually let you start small and then scale. I recommend the Server Edition: http://www.bicomsystems.com/products/serverware-server-edition

Another option is to simply use a PBXware CD, you will get what you see on Amazon now, but installed on your server. Telcoware doesn’t have CD, it can be installed on top of the PBXware system, replacing PBXware.

http://downloads.bicomsystems.com/pbxwarecd/pbxware-3.8-r9.iso

http://downloads.bicomsystems.com/pbxwarecd/pbxware-3.8-r9.img

SAS vs. SATA

The difference between SAS and SATA drives lies in performance and price. While the two are physically similar, they are designed for entirely different purposes.

SAS (Serial Attached SCSI) drives are able to rotate much more quickly than SATA (Serial ATA) drives. SAS drives can function up to 15,000 RPM while SATA drives typically operate around 7,200 RPM. This means that response time will be up to twice as fast with a SAS drive.

Why are they so much faster? SAS drives are built for performance. They are more durable and offer a better performance, but at a steep price. On the other hand, SATA drives are built for affordability. They are less reliable and do not offer the same level of performance, but are available at a reasonable, affordable price.

All this to say, SATA drives are not necessarily a bad choice. They are ideal for desktop computers and one-user scenarios. An SAS would be overkill on a desktop computer and simply too expensive for the average user. SAS drives are the best choice in the case of servers or data centers. Their faster performance and increased durability is essential when multiple users are depending on one device. The higher price is more than worth it in a server scenario.

In summary, SAS drives are ideal for servers while SATA drives are ideal for desktop computers.