GOOD NEWS High Availability XiVO Platform

[wardmundy]

If you're new to High Availability server technology, the idea is that you have two identical servers. And, if one fails, the other one takes over. Not including hardware, Sangoma sells this technology as a FreePBX add-on for about $3,000 plus annual maintenance. XiVO gives it away. Both are based upon a healthy dose of open source software. For our server platforms, we're using VirtualBox for the Master, and ImpactVPS for the Slave. Because both servers must be running the same version of XiVO, we upgraded the VirtualBox platform which was built using the Nerd Vittles .ova image that includes XiVO 16.10. We followed the 2-minute upgrade instructions here.

We've set out to test whether the XiVO solution actually works. And we've put maximum stress on our testing methodology by doing all of it using a NeoRouter VPN connection between two servers located in Charleston, SC (Eastern time zone) and Dallas, TX (Central time zone). HA also requires that both servers be on the same local network, and a NeoRouter VPN network qualifies, at least with XiVO.

We'll publish the step-by-step tutorial next week on Nerd Vittles. But here are screenshots to demonstrate what happens when the Master server in Charleston goes down. Within a minute or so, the Slave in Dallas takes over. And, when the Master is brought back on line, the Slave in Dallas goes back to its secondary role just as it should. A few pieces don't get replicated so you have to load them on both servers.

Want a head start? XiVO documentation here.

Step 1: Both servers on line...

Step 2: Master server goes down and Slave takes over...

Step 3: Master back on line and Slave goes back to sleep

 

[briankelly63]

Can't possibly work without costing $3000..........lol.

 

[wardmundy]

Today on Nerd Vittles...

2016, The Year of (real) VoIP Choice: Redundancy and Multi-Tenant with XiVO

 

[wardmundy]

We've agreed to participate in James Body's Dangerous Demos session at AstriCon to demonstrate the HA implementation procedure with Incredible PBX for XiVO. With a little luck, it won't be dangerous at all... except to those that charge $3,000 for the same functionality. The session is scheduled for Wednesday, September 28, at 4:30 p.m. if you are attending.

We'll be "live" (hopefully) from Charleston via Skype with our automatic-failover UTP E62 $29 phone.

Here's $20 to experience XiVO in the Cloud for yourself. It's free 'til 2017!

 

[krzykat]

You need to make it dangerous - that's what they like on that. Maybe have something where its like a magic act, where someone talks to someone on the phone, they say lock a digital lock while they are trapped with only so much time to get out before something dangerous happen (houdini drowning cage) - and then the internet line gets pulled or the machine dies for whatever reason. Then you have the 60 seconds to reconnect and get the passcode from them before they drown. ... Now That's a dangerous demo

 

[wardmundy]

Trust me. It will be dangerous. Phones in Phoenix that I can't set up, servers in Dallas and Seattle, Google Voice calling from California, and Skype from who knows where with Micro$oft enhancements. What could possibly go wrong?

 

[krzykat]

Will it be webcast? Can we watch the crash and burn live?

 

[chris_c_]

@wardmundy
Major respect for getting on Dangerous Demos at Astricon 2016!
Here's another way to make it a little more dangerous, instead of typing "halt" on the master pbx server, just have a kid, or your family dog, trip and yank out the power plug, or step on the switch on the power strip, turning off the power to the pbx server!
Then time how long slave pbx server comes online,
Better yet, to have a live GV call running on the master pbx server.
See if the client softphone (SIP settings stay as they are) will be able to keep on making / receiving calls.

Will this work even when the master pbx server gets powered down or unplugged from the internet?
Such as, what if the master pbx were victim of a flood or worse?

I'm thinking the master server needs to be up in order to perform vpn routing functions of incoming sip requests to the slave?

Or is it using DNS SRV records to locate the slave server?

 

[chris_c_]

Will it be webcast? Can we watch the crash and burn live?

YES!

The event will be streamed. who can vote? local and remote? can we separate them?
I think that we will have to constrain voting to those local to the event in order to prevent 'crowd sourced voting' (a la Peter Dunkley)
need to think about that!

Source:
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1WmllOV5WUM-rPiSSVtO0tWGO_jdVDaOMVKf89-rSPwo/

 

[chris_c_]

Jessica (Digium brand rep) :

The AstriCon conference & expo is a 3-day event being held on Sept 27-29th in Glendale, AZ. This Facebook LIVE stream will be online and will give attendees and people interested in attending AstriCon a chance to learn a little more about it- what goes on, what topics will be discussed, fun things to do, etc. After the live streaming the video will be available on the Digium Facebook page.

Videos from the AstriCon speaker sessions will be available following the actual event. To watch videos from past AstriCon events you can check out the official Asterisk YouTube channel.

Official Asterisk YouTube channel:
https://www.youtube.com/user/asteriskvideos

Possibly facebook live streamed on the Digium Inc. facebook page:
https://www.facebook.com/DigiumTheAsteriskCompany/

 

[wardmundy]

Will it be webcast? Can we watch the crash and burn live?

Hey, it's at 7:30 at night on the east coast. Couple of beers. What could possibly go wrong?

 

[krzykat]

I had it for 4:30 EST on my calendar. It's officially going at 7:30? - YES - I will be watching (and even having a beer to enjoy) - I can't get the T-shirt

 

[Sylvain Boily]

Is there people from piaf forum at this dangerous demo? I'll be there

 

[krzykat]

Can someone post a link for webcast? Anxious to watch.

 

[krzykat]

Looks like on their facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/DigiumTheAsteriskCompany/videos

 

[wardmundy]

Epilogue: Dangerous Demo turned into Disastrous Demo. Planned on 15 minute demo, and it turned out you only got 3 minutes. Maybe next year.

 

[Sylvain Boily]

Hehe you're not the only had disaster
Very dangerous.

 

[wardmundy]

But who says it can't be done in 3 minutes?

 

[Sylvain Boily]

Yeah great video!

 

[chris_c_]

But who says it can't be done in 3 minutes?

Nice video!
Only way I'd suggest to improve on it would be to make a more "user-oriented " video.
No human intervention, no admin, no command line stuff.
Step 1. Show HA pbx terminal screens running in 2 pbx in 2 separate locations.
Step 2. User receives call goes thru pbx A. - terminal screen indicator lights blink to show pbx A
Step 3. pbx A goes down (red light).
Step 4. User receives call thru pbx B (green light) while pbx A is definitely down.
Step 5. pbx A comes back online (green).
Step 6. user receives call thru pbx A (some flashing indicator to show it).
Done.