Alcatel Unleashed

Moin, moin

does anybody can give me a hint how to use an OXE (we have bought several from the german telecom) with linux. We need to have a linux-server-based controlling of our phones. We have seen there is a perl-based library Net::CSTA which supports CSTA phase I (one) but we found no way to use it with OXE. If there is an open source api we can use, that would be great if you can tell us. We still have enough licences for each OXE for use with CTI etc.

Thanx for any help,

Stephan

If only need to control phones (like makecall etc...) then xml API it's open source (at least api, you colud register for free on alcatel-lucent.com as XML developer and download API).

For something more advanced: Tsapi server for linux is a good place to start.
On a standard CD there is RPM for RH 7.3 and RHEL 4.0. I whould suggest not to use RH 7.3 in production enviroment as is very, very obsolete and has serious security bugs.

There is (was?) project that was meant to be c++ interface avalible under linux/win32 etc... need to search for presentation about it.

BTW: i do not know any open source implementation of CSTA phase II which is compatible with ALU's OXE implementation of CSTA. I've searched for very long time.

krzysioD wrote:BTW: i do not know any open source implementation of CSTA phase II which is compatible with ALU's OXE implementation of CSTA. I've searched for very long time.

me too.
I started the last days to do this on my own.
I got some documentation from ALU, how to connect to port 2555.
I'm writing a server in java, because there's a nice ASN.1 library for it. In short:

Send "B" to oxe, it replies with "P" (in case of working Master CPU), then send ACSE AARQ message, OXE replies with AARE message. If this authentication is correct you can send CSTA Phase II messages. Each packet must start with 2 bytes of message length.

A good sample to start was pythoncsta. It was written for OXO, only less changes to start a monitor. Only thing is, that i don't really know python. I'll try to get the first things to run until next week. If this is done i'll set up an SVN server. Help is welcome, because CSTA needs MUCH code.

My target is to create a server Windows and Linux clients. Under linux i want to use the decibel framework. I don't know any other CTI framework for linux.

Mario

Why you try to break through some open doors

1) according to my knowledge there is limit of 8 connections to one CPU (according to R.9 presales docs 'there are four connections for CPU3' CPU3 with R9? someone writing this docs should relay review them...) so you need some CSTA 'proxy'
2) there is tsapi server you could use it was written and works with R5-R9 (at least i've personally tested that versions)
3) i've seen a dozen of programmers who tried to do something more than simple B/P to tcp/2555 and talk with PABX and, well all project's i've heard of were discontinued.
4) use some proxy like envox ct-connect or T-server and genesis suite, it is ready and more user-friendly.
5) yes i know that ALU should make at least example of perl/python source of CSTAII client or XML interface (and allow for XML/webservices in CCD enviroment)
6) any client with IT background hearing about inegration and implementation costs is going mad and goes to Ci**o

You named the things, because i do this (reply not ordered on your points):

1. My target is something like a proxy - it is a (small) cti server.

2. The solutions from ALU are targeted for Windows - i need something mainly for linux. I got some customer requests for linux clients and there's nothing. And i do not write a TAPI based proxy for linux clients. That would be absolutely ill.
I have a customer with only 10 cti users - an otuc installation is absolutely crazy there - i need a (relative) high end server for this. I don't like ALU software anymore (i.e.: 4760i client isn't usable since R8) - there are too much bugs.

3. with my idea you would only need csta licenses (don't know how much they cost yet), software will be GPL'd.

4. It is open for other vendors, not only ALU (we moving slowly away from ALU to Aastra, software isn't much better there).

5. i have some ideas to use monitoring with Asterisk

6. I can't promise to finalize this project alone. But i have experience with such a development: i wrote QSIG support for Asterisk w. CAPI - have not worked on it the last month, because i changed my hardware at home. These days i got my QSIG link back - it's ready for use and it works.
I'll see how for i'll come.

Your point 6 is the other part: the costs for something for <20 users are too high (TCO, not only the software).

Mario

You can use a application provided by Professionnal services, CallMgrII.
It's a CTI server under linux/sun/windows with an api in C or java.

G.

Sill: license needed
One big plus: it speed up the development process a lot.

@Gedeon, thank's for your reply. I'll take a look at it.

But I'll go on with my work. Wouldn't it be nice to have something open source?
I got it so far, to make calls and monitor a station. It's a quick hack yet, to see if i'm on the right way.
Next things i have to do, is cleaning up the code and set up a SVN server.
Then i need a interface for clients. Much work to be done...

Mario