Rightfax and Cisco integration using PRI

Rightfax, a Captaris product that centralizes Desktop Faxing and Electronic Document Delivery. I purchased Rightfax to help my company integrating Fax solutions, and save on maintenance and labor costs associated with manual faxing.

I purchased Rightfax with a digital PRI Brooktrout board (specifically a TR1034+E4H+T1+1N). Now, this board also supports T.38. So, why did I choose to use the digital PRI? Well, up till now, I haven’t had alot of luck using the T.38 protocol (probably due to my ignorance), and my users are starting to get very frustrated. So, for the time being, I chose to use PRI.

It took some soft massaging on both the Brooktrout, as well as on the Serial interface on my Cisco 3845, but I have it working. I will start with an overview of my design, before the implementation.

Here is the corresponding configuration on my Cisco 3845:

controller T1 0/0/0
  framing esf
  clock source internal
  linecode b8zs
  pri-group timeslots 1-4,24
  description RIGHTFAX
!
! Config Snipped
!
interface Serial0/0/0:23
  no ip address
  encapsulation hdlc
  isdn switch-type primary-dms100
  isdn protocol-emulate network
  isdn incoming-voice voice
  no cdp enable
!
! Config snipped
!
dial-peer voice 6799 pots
  destination-pattern 6799
  no digit-strip
  port 0/0/0:23

Okay, so here is some specifics:

CONTROLLER T1 0/0/0

• clock source internal - I am receiving my clock source from one of my T1’s from the Telco side.  This command passes the clock source internally on the backplane, for this controller
• pri-group timeslots 1-4,24 - I only have 4 channels licensed on the PRI card for RightFax.  Thus, I only want to allocate those channels.  Channel 24 is required for the D-channel.

INTERFACE SERIAL 0/0/0:23

• isdn switch-type primary-dms100 - This will change based on your configuration.  I am only using it, since I’m using it on my other PRI’s from the telco.  Whatever you choose, you must make sure it’s matched on the Brooktrout card.
• isdn protocol-emulate network - THIS IS INCREDIBLY IMPORTANT!!  Rightfax expects to be talking to the telco, not another device.

DIAL-PEER VOICE 6799 POTS

• destination-pattern 6799 - This will change based on your dialplan.  I chose to use a specific number for testing.  Generally, you will create a pattern for your fax numbers.
• no digit-strip - If you will be using DID numbers (you probably are), then you’ll need to send the number along to RightFax.  In order to do that, we need to send the digits on, so RightFax can use them to sort out the correct Fax mailbox.
• port 0/0/0:23 - This just directs the call to the Serial interface for Rightfax.

That’s really it.  I kept the default configuration on the Brooktrout card, except for the ISDN config (Protocol Options under the Port A tab).  For the ISDN config, I just chose what I’ve configured here (i.e. B8ZS, DMS-100 switch, etc).  Oh, and you need to modify the max. DID digits.  By default, it is set to ‘0′, so I assumed that meant no limit.  No, that means 0 digits.  Change it.
Good LUCK!!!

Styx Update

Styx now has it’s own webpage. I had to put it in googlepages since Javaforge won’t do web hosting Which makes me irritable, since they were doing web hosting when I first checked them out!

The site is in it’s extreme infancy, since I just started it today, but plan for much more information in the very near future. I can’t wait for this project to really take off!

Anyway, the project site is located here.

I’m calling it a 0.01 release. It won’t be a 0.1 release, until I have two tasks completed. Which one of them is already 95% done.

It’s the Network. No it’s NOT!

Hasn’t everyone received this reason for practically every problem that exists in business? My computer won’t open Outlook…. It’s the Network! My system is running slow… It’s the Network! My chair won’t swivel… It’s the Network! It’s getting ridiculous.

Quite a frustrating incident today. One of our database servers was running incredibly slow. A user calls me up informing me about it. Upon looking at the server, their process was pegging the CPU at 100%.

I merely told them there wasn’t much I can do. The server is giving them everything it’s got (Quoting Scotty with a scottish accent). I was then told, “Well, we do this every month, and it’s never done this before”. I merely said (paraphrasing, of course), “I don’t know what to tell you. Maybe you have more calculations, data, etc etc”.

I then realized, that this user was attempting to train me in the ways of Net-Fu, and why it is the Wireless network that was causing the slow down. I must have been trained well in the Net-Fu skills, as that was a VERY enlightening experience for me. What level of ascension allows CPU cycles to be affected by Wireless RF signals? I need more training………..

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The Cisco 3750-Metro swtich?

Well, I’m about 4-6 weeks out from finishing my co-lo project.  We are moving some of our critical servers and phone system to a hardened datacenter facility.  In doing so, Cisco kept insisting that we purchase the 3750-Metro switches.  I was just going to get the regular 3750’s.

Well, I guess the 3750-Metros does have some nice features, but not all of it is useful.  For example, they were telling me, “But, Aaron….. this switch does HEIRARCHICAL QoS.”.  In lamens terms, it allows you to merge different QoS policies.  But that only helps when you are the provider with multiple customers and different SLA’s.  I’m the customer.  Why would I need that?

The packet shaping option is kind of nice, I’ll admit.  But, in order to take advantage of it, you MUST uplink into an SFP port.  They are the only ports that can use the advanced IP feature set.

I’ll let you know more, once I receive the switches, which should be this week, actually.  Does anyone have a comment on the 3750-Metros?

Technorati Tags: cisco, 3750, metro, switch, networking

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My Netflow Collector/Analyzer Project

I thought I would run a quick post, to let you all know where I’m at.  For those that have been following for a little while, you’ll know that I’ve started a bit of an adventure to create an easy-to-use, but very powerful, Netflow Analyzer.

Why another one?  Well, each analyzer has their benefits and their weaknesses.  Some have steep learning curves to configure and report on.  Others are not very portable across OS’s, and still others are not very flexible with writing your own reports, or takes a seasoned Unix sysadmin to compile and install.

So, I’ve started my project, written in Java, to help alleviate all those pains I just mentioned, and make it easy to extend.

I’ve decided on a code-name, until a proper project name can be determined (any suggestions??).  I’ve codenamed the project “Styx” based on the Greek Mythological river Styx.  While I can give a clever little speech on a few metaphores…. for now I’ll leave it to your imagination.  I’ve created a project on JavaForge, but haven’t uploaded anything yet.

Anyway, I’ve made some decent progress.  The fundamental engine I’m using is a dead project called JNCA (Java Netflow Collector Analyzer).  I’ve received the author’s permission to use it.  But, since it’s fairly old, I’m replacing some core functionality, such as adding Apache’s log4j, and cleaning up the code to be properly wrapped in a java container.

Anyway, I’ll be using LOTS of Open-Source technologies and projects to kind of mash and mold this project.  It will be interesting to see what I come up with.  If it’s half as cool as what I can imagine in my head, it WILL ROCK!!!  My only concern is using an RDBMS system to store the data.  If you have a busy network, you could be looking at millions of records per day (or more), easily.  So, I’ll have to work on some kind of buffering/aggregating system to alleviate that a little.  Dunno.

One of the biggest resources I’ve been using is Cisco’s new book “Network Management: Accounting and Performance Strategies“, which I’ve been meaning to write a complete review of for quite some time!  I feel so ashamed.  This book rocks, and I have not given it the respect it deserves!

No ideas on when Styx will be available… time will tell.

Stay tuned!

Technorati Tags: cisco, netflow, collector, analyzer, java, styx

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OpenOffice vs Microsoft Office: Which one??

So, many of you know my sincere and utter disliking to Microsoft.  That is not to say they do not have great products… I can name a few (and only a few) that are superb products (and the majority of those were done by acquisition).

Microsoft Office is not one of them.  OpenOffice is a fantastic business productivity suite that is perfect for your small business, and most likely, even for your medium-sized businesses.  Your Large Businesses can afford to waste money to Microsoft (grin… sorry… had to say it).  No, they just have the resources to make the most out of Microsoft Office.

So, which is better?  Well, TechTarget has an article that describes just that.  They do not actually choose, but they give you some research and some opinions to help YOU choose.

Personally, I love OpenOffice.  I am also very impressed that the next version of OpenOffice will include Pentaho’s Business Reporting software.  Definately a good move, if they want to take on the Microsoft Giant.  Can’t wait to see it.  It’s planned for OpenOffice 2.3.

As I’ve mentioned in a previous post, I use OpenOffice for 80% of my needs, and no one (i.e. other Microsoft Office users) seems to notice a thing.

Technorati Tags: business, technology, productivity suite, openoffice, microsoft office

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