Khan Rahman
asked on
Shoretel Phone System design
We are looking at implementing a Shoretel telephone system at one of our remote offices. Today, it only has an internet connection.
We know we need to install a PRI for voice services, but we are being told we need a DVS server for voicemail, administration and call pilot (whether it is on-site or remote). Couple options are being presented to us:
Option 1: Get a windows server and install Shoretel (on site), to be DVS, with a network connection (dedicated for this, separate from the internet mentioned earlier) back to our Head Quarters server (at our datacenter); site to site VPN
Option 2: Same site to site VPN, but DVS in cloud at our datacenter (so it ends up being remote); if site to site VPN goes down, so does the connection to DVS
Question: for a site with no server, what is the best solution (if we are trying to avoid installing a physical server). Is there a Shoretel appliance that can be installed onsite, to incorporate the DVS features? We will still get the site to site VPN, for connection back to Head Quarter server. Ideally, if the StoSVPN goes down, we don't want there to be impact to voicemail and such.
Equipment planning to use:
1x PRI circuit
1x site to site VPN
1x Shoretel T1k
2x Shoregear 50V
User count is up to 10 people (small site)
Recommendations?
We know we need to install a PRI for voice services, but we are being told we need a DVS server for voicemail, administration and call pilot (whether it is on-site or remote). Couple options are being presented to us:
Option 1: Get a windows server and install Shoretel (on site), to be DVS, with a network connection (dedicated for this, separate from the internet mentioned earlier) back to our Head Quarters server (at our datacenter); site to site VPN
Option 2: Same site to site VPN, but DVS in cloud at our datacenter (so it ends up being remote); if site to site VPN goes down, so does the connection to DVS
Question: for a site with no server, what is the best solution (if we are trying to avoid installing a physical server). Is there a Shoretel appliance that can be installed onsite, to incorporate the DVS features? We will still get the site to site VPN, for connection back to Head Quarter server. Ideally, if the StoSVPN goes down, we don't want there to be impact to voicemail and such.
Equipment planning to use:
1x PRI circuit
1x site to site VPN
1x Shoretel T1k
2x Shoregear 50V
User count is up to 10 people (small site)
Recommendations?
If you have a DVS server at your main site, and reliable tunnels from the remote to the main site, you can usually just run a shoretel switch either physical or virtual at the remote sight , although I think you need a physical switch to support a PRI or analog lines. voicemail is stored on the main DVS.
We actually do something similar with a main DVS and a satellite dvs at our large locations, and sg50 switches at our satellite locations. We even have one small site that just tunnels the 10 or 12 phones into the main site to a virtual switch...
We actually do something similar with a main DVS and a satellite dvs at our large locations, and sg50 switches at our satellite locations. We even have one small site that just tunnels the 10 or 12 phones into the main site to a virtual switch...
ASKER
Thank you for the comments. After reviewing your feedback, and doing my own research, I understand that:
- With a ShoreGear 50V, this will provide the voicemail, local auto-attendant, for the site locally from this appliance
What I want to confirm is:
- site to site VPN connection is still required to the datacenter HeadQuarter server for administration of lines, correct?
- if site to site VPN is down, what is impacted?
- can the site to site VPN be used for other purposes (what are the minimum requirements for this connection)? For example, my site already has one in place for access to our datacenter services. Can I just use this? or is a dedicated one required, if so why?
Reason for the above, is because in our design we are trying to only order the PRI circuit, and avoiding the new site to site vpn connection and server.
- With a ShoreGear 50V, this will provide the voicemail, local auto-attendant, for the site locally from this appliance
What I want to confirm is:
- site to site VPN connection is still required to the datacenter HeadQuarter server for administration of lines, correct?
- if site to site VPN is down, what is impacted?
- can the site to site VPN be used for other purposes (what are the minimum requirements for this connection)? For example, my site already has one in place for access to our datacenter services. Can I just use this? or is a dedicated one required, if so why?
Reason for the above, is because in our design we are trying to only order the PRI circuit, and avoiding the new site to site vpn connection and server.
The PRI goes to the shoregear switch.
You can have a site with a pri, switch, and phones, they do not need a s2s tunnel
You can have a site with just phones, they use a s2s tunnel to get to the site with the switch. If the phones do this directly, you need the vpn gateway. If you have your own vpn tunnel then you don't need the vpn gateway, but I highly recommend a sdwan with line conditioning like velocloud.
Last I checked shoretel made you use a partner anyway, a decent one will explain all of this and demo everything, of course it's always good to have some knowledge yourself so they don't sell you stuff you don't need.
You can have a site with a pri, switch, and phones, they do not need a s2s tunnel
You can have a site with just phones, they use a s2s tunnel to get to the site with the switch. If the phones do this directly, you need the vpn gateway. If you have your own vpn tunnel then you don't need the vpn gateway, but I highly recommend a sdwan with line conditioning like velocloud.
Last I checked shoretel made you use a partner anyway, a decent one will explain all of this and demo everything, of course it's always good to have some knowledge yourself so they don't sell you stuff you don't need.
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You could also look into a fully hosted UCaaS platform, shoretel or other. I don’t see many new on prem phone systems these days for these sorts of reasons.