The benefits of unified communications (UC) in the modern, flexible workplace are well established already. By integrating your telephony, messaging, e-mail, video and web services, your business is unshackled from location-dependent operations, so everyone can stay in touch on the move from wherever they need to be.
As with most new technology, the tendency when considering adopting UC is to look for complete off-the-shelf packages, mainly because they tend to be well-marketed and enjoy high visibility.
But a recent trend has been towards open-source UC options. Open source refers mainly to software which can be altered and adapted under license. It is often designed and developed through collaboration and is prized for its flexibility. Famous examples include the Linux and Android operating systems, and the Mozilla Firefox web browser.
The key benefits of open source in the context of UC are how easy it can be customised and its interoperability. When you are knitting together a diverse range of communication platforms and their attendant hardware systems, being able to customise the operating systems of each so they are compatible is priceless.
Open-source software tends to stick to open standards for coding and data formatting, meaning different software is also likely to be compatible.
All of this means that more and more businesses are looking to open-source UC for its economy and control. But what are the options?
-
Asterix: One of the earliest open source pieces of UC software, Asterix runs IP PBX systems, VoIP gateways and conference servers from an ordinary computer. Consultants can be employed to help implement a bespoke Asterix system, or full packages can be purchased via resellers.
-
Visit: https://www.asterisk.org/
What to watch our for
Most open-source communications platforms like Asterisk require software development experience. Unless you have a provider or in-house coder you might be biting off more than you can chew.
Bear in mind also if you have limited experience and need to get up and running fast you might consider an off-the-shelf solution. It might cost more but at least your business can keep operating without disruption.
We’d appreciate your comments on this one, are you using or have experience of setting up an open-source phone system?
