| components |
 Asterisk is a complete PBX in software. It can run on Linux, BSD and MacOSX. It is the base on which the Slacht phone system runs. Asterisk offers classical PBX functionality and features as well as a number of advanced features but in a cost-effective, low-maintenance and flexible manner. Because its code is Open Source, it can be easily implemented into the Slacht system and customised to suit an individual customer's needs. Asterisk requires no additional hardware for VoIP. A number of hardware devices are supported for interconnection between digital and analogue telephony equipment. Asterisk does VoIP in many protocols, and can interoperate with almost all standards-based telephony equipment using relatively inexpensive hardware. The IAX (Inter-Asterisk Exchange) VoIP protocol can also be used to merge voice and data traffic. Practically all phone systems available today differ from each other in some aspect. For example, the needs of different users are likely to be different; phone technologies in some countries are different and there is even a extensive range of phones available. These differences are the reasons that PBX systems are generally so expensive. However Asterisk, having been developed over the last 7 years, supports the majority of telecommunications technology on the market today. Because its code is Open Source and free, this means that we can implement it into our system and customise its code to suit our needs. Asterisk has hundreds of contributors from around the world contributing new code and patches daily. Its development is overseen by the Digium corporation in the US who provide commercial backing for the project. This results in a constantly up-to-date product that provides key functionality in our system for no extra cost. The development work that is done with Asterisk will be to interlink it with other system components and provide web based GUIs which allow the user to change the system configuration easily. Mandriva Linux is the base operating system on which the Slacht phone system is built. It provides key kernel functions and real-time updates. It provides a secure and stable platform on which to install and customise key applications such as Asterisk. Along with Zaptel support, Mandriva Linux will also be used to manage any hardware or phone cards added to the system. Having used Mandriva Linux for a number of years and being confident with its functionality and capability, it was the obvious choice on which to build the Slacht communications stack. From a commercial point of view, Mandriva Linux gives us an invaluable source. Working with Mandriva in France gives us access to the support of their engineers if required and also gives us access to Mandriva Linux sales channels which extend to 140 countries worldwide with offices in Ireland, France, USA, Germany, India, Brazil and Poland. Mandriva in Paris are constantly updating and developing their operating system as well as supporting and solving bugs and security problems that may occur. This allows us to concentrate solely on the development of all communications aspects of the Slacht system.  Jabber is best known as "the Linux of instant messaging" - an open, secure, ad-free alternative to consumer IM services like AIM, ICQ, MSN and Yahoo. Under the hood, Jabber is a set of streaming XML protocols and technologies that enable any two entities on the internet to exchange messages, presence and other structured information in close to real time.Jabber is a robust Instant Messaging application which can be easily deployed to meet the needs of an organisation. Instant messaging will be mostly used for a company's employees to communicate internally. A Jabber server can be easily set up to meet this. Also, if a company has an existing instant messaging system in place, Jabber is almost certain to support it as it is compatible with the likes of AIM, ICQ and MSN. Again, Jabber is an Open Source application and its code is freely available. After looking at different Instant Messaging platforms, it was decided that Jabber would be the easiest to integrate with the Asterisk phone system.  FreePBX is the most powerful GUI (Web Based) configuration tool for Asterisk software. It provides everything that a standard legacy phone system can, as well as a huge amount of new features. Asterisk, lacking any "built-in" programming, can't have a phone plugged into it work without editing configuration files and dialplans and such things. FreePBX, with its pre-written dialplans, simplifies this and offers a functional PBX almost immediately. FreePBX is written in PHP, and connects to a local MySQL Database. It's a modular system, with available plugins that can be downloaded directly over the internet through the online module repository which is built in. Flash Operator Panel Flash Operator Panel is a switchboard type application for the Asterisk PBX. It runs on a web browser with the flash plugin. It is able to display information about your PBX activity in real time. It provides key reporting functionality to the system such as:
As well as being a useful reporting tool, it also gives the system administrator the ability to do the following:
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