Casper College evaluated transitioning from an aging Avaya and Cisco phone system to a unified communications platform, ultimately deciding on Digium Switchvox as a cost-effective solution. The project aimed to consolidate three phone systems into one, standardize handsets, and enhance voice communication capabilities while minimizing recurring costs. The successful pilot highlighted the importance of commercial support and the right organizational culture for implementing a feature-rich VoIP system.

1. Are Open Source Phone Systems Possible?
Kent Brooks, IT DirectorDon Lewis, Computer Systems
Technician
#edu14
@educause

3. ● Converge three (3)
Objectives: ● Upgrade & improve
phone systems to one (1)
● Standardize campus
handsets
● Drive recurring costs
near zero
voice
/communication
capabilities
● Obtain greatest
value for initial
investment

4. Final Tally:
● 596 Voice
● 152
Analog
● Fax
● Elevator
● HVAC
● Security

5. 3 Phone Systems

6. 2011: Out with Old……...…In with the New
In 2011 discussions were taking place on the
direction Casper College should move with the
campus phone systems.
The only sure thing was the time had come to scrap our
analog Avaya phone System and we should move
toward a Unified Communications platform.
The existing infrastructure was an aging Avaya system with
approximately 700 phones and a 92 phone Cisco Callmanager
Express Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) system. The systems
did not play well together and did not allow full utilization of
functionality for either system. Originally the CME was deployed
and it was assumed a Cisco expansion was to follow.

7. The Problem...the Cost
As we began evaluating the cost we were
going to have to take one of the following
steps:
1) Ask for more money to accelerate the
change
2) Phase the costs in over a 3-4 year period
3) Look at other alternatives

8. To Cisco or Not to Cisco… That was the question
It was really hard not going with Cisco. We run Cisco Networking gear and a small Cisco
presence had been deployed on campus, but when we looked at costs related to expanding the
Cisco Callmanager Express which was currently residing on campus we knew the Callmanager
Express solution would have to be discarded and replaced regardless of the final solution, as
that Cisco CME solution would not scale to handle our entire campus.
Moving to a Cisco solution would have required 3 tiers of licensing for
1) Phones
2) Voicemail boxes
3) Messaging Services including Jabber & Voice to email
Additionally, to get the level of service we wanted with a Cisco solution we would have to
acquire extras:
● Attendant Console/ Switchboard = Extra cost
● Voice Recording = Extra cost
● Agent / Call Center CCX = Extra cost
● Hardware = Extra cost Note: Cannot virtualize. Have to use Cisco’s UCS Chassis
thus the requirement for additional hardware.
VS.

9. The Alternative
As our discussions continued into the fall of 2012 we decided to test another solution. We installed
Digium Switchvox software on existing server hardware in a virtual environment and integrated it so
that it work with our other two existing systems. Digium Switchvox is the commercially supported
version of the open source Asterisk Phone System. Although not encouraged by Digium the
virtualized solution was supported by a Digium reseller and thus would provide us a level of support to
make us feel comfortable moving this direction. With a successful pilot of the Digium product
underway following objectives of this VoIP project were identified:
● Converge three (3) phone systems to one (1)
● Standardize handsets across campus
● Upgrade and improve our voice communication capabilities
● Obtain the greatest value for our initial investment
● Drive our recurring costs to near zero

12. Avaya and Cisco Proposed Cisco
2012
Digium Solution

13. If our user culture was
different we could
have used softphones
for all the 700ish
phones and our cost
have been price at
about $50,000 total.

14. Digium Full Featured at one price:
Interactive Voice Response
Call Ques - Help Desk, Business Office, Enrollment Services
Voicemail - Over the phone, email, web and App
Reporting - Per Line and System wide
Web Interface - User Level and Administrative
Android and iOS App - Directory, Voicemail, Calling
Programmable features - Greetings, Ring Options, call pickups

15. Standard Desktop Phone Digium D70
100 number
speed dial
Three way
Conference
calling
Voice mail
integration
Searchable
contact list
Configurable
from the phone
or the Web

16. Benefits:
• Unified Communications features such as voice mail being pushed to email
• Fast Forward and Rewind Voice Mail (I have heard multiple end users react positively to this
one)
• Status Buttons allow you to look and see if someone is on the phone
• User Level Web Interface for configuration and a full featured switchboardfree and accessible to
all
• Automated Accounting: No account codes, access or trunk number to get to the outside.
• Users can now redial long distance calls
• There is a smartphone app which allows:
– Access to Campus phone directory
– Make calls look like it is coming from your office phone rather than personal cell phone
– Access Voice Mail
– Change Greeting and Status through the App
• IVR’s are a standard feature
• Intercom System for library was a cheap add vs. purchasing a separate new system
• Will supplement our Emergency Notification System options

17. Things to Remember
Commercial Support is Key
A key influence in choosing a commercially supported approach for a
project this size was a successful deployment at Sam Houston State
University of 6000 VoIP phones running Asterisk which turned into a
failed deployment in 2009. After the deployment they were forced to
move back to a proprietary Cisco solutions they lost key staff with
Asterisk specific knowledge. Losing those key staff who were
instrumental to the 2006 deployment was key in failed deployment.

18. Things to Remember
● You should have a strong POE network environment to make this work
● You need solid server hardware to install the virtualized environment.I wanted to do the virtualized
environment based on my experience deploying a 250 phone system at a previous institution. In my
opinion the Digium appliance hardware is a little underpowered. In the previous case, for example, we
immediately had to upgrade memory. I guess the lesson if you are using appliances take whatever the
recommended specification is and bump that specification. Following the successful install of the
Digium software on existing hardware in the spring of 2013, we began with a test of approximately 20
phones within the IT department. The VoIP software itself runs in a VMware virtual environment on
existing HP c7000 blade hardware consisting of g8 bl460c blades and virtual connect switches. The
storage for this environment is the Lefthand p4000 series SAN. Although the software version of
Switchvox is not supported directly by Digium, it is supported through NP Information Systems who is
part of the Digium reseller network. This was another strategic risk we were willing to assume.
● If transitioning with multiple systems simultaneously, differences in systems can create extra
troubleshooting challenges.

19. So is it Possible….
● Yes…
○ If you're broke you can still upgrade your phones
○ It’s a feature rich system even if you're not broke
○ Your organizational culture must be right
○ Commercial support can ensure long term success

20. Are there other alternatives to explore….
● Yes…
○ Yate: http://yate.null.ro
○ CallWeaver: http://www.callweaver.org
○ FreeSwitch: http://www.freeswitch.org
○ SipXecs: http://www.freeswitch.org
○ Starfish PBX: http://www.starfish-pbx.org/
○ OpenVBX: http://www.openvbx.org/

21. Additional Resources:
Casper College VoIP
Phone Learning Center Web Site:
http://goo.gl/fYScEK
Blog Posts Related to this project :
http://goo.gl/hNqTh3

22. For More Info:
Kent Brooks
@kentbrooks
kbrooks@caspercollege.edu
Don Lewis
dlewis@caspercollege.edu