UPDATE: PBXware is now on the VMware Solution Exchange as VMware PBX!
While the rise of VMware seems unstoppable, Bicom Systems generally does not support virtual machines or VMware. The reasons are simple.
First, the clock source needs to be accurate. Because this service relies so heavily on time, any time-related problem will result in choppy audio, clicks, etc. The time must be accurate. When you open up facebook.com, for example, you won’t care if it is 100ms or 600ms at times. What you care about is getting SOMETHING. But when it comes to voice, this is not the case.
A MySQL/Orace Support forum user stated it best: “if you want a database for production, do not consider virtualization AT ALL. It is impossible to guarantee that when you write to the ‘disk’, you have actually written anything.” This has been tested and proven by professionals.
A second issue is not only the limit on the number of calls, but the reliability of that limit. Because of the real-time requirements of voice and video in PBXware, VMware simply cannot guarantee consistent performance. The exception is a fixed pre-allocated in real bounds of hardware, but that would usually mean no more than 2-3 VMs per machine, at most.
In short, virtual machines are a big no, but virtual servers such as SERVERware are made to the purpose of VoIP. If you must use a virtual machine, we recommend no more than 200 extensions more machine.
VMware Enterprise ESG is a robust and reliable platform for our products:
– Customer running PBXware Multi-Tenant CD install for about 3 years, 60,000 Calls / mo
– Customer running SERVERware with PBXware Multi-Tenant, test mode for 2 years, Calls Volume 20,000 in bulk no issues
– Customer running TELCOware with 2 PBXware for 3 years.
For more information, visit the Bicom Systems Wiki.
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