Basic beginners server installation questions for vicibox

[milan]

I am working a long time with all kind of OS and various database management systems. I also am familiar with Vicidial browser management, asterisk systems and how it works on the user level. Now i want to install VICIdial on a dedicated server and manage it by myself.
I chose what i think is a good platform in terms of hardware (Quad Core 2.1GHz, 8MB RAM, 2 x 160GB 7,200rpm HD, RAID 1), now i need to install the software.
There are obviously a lot of issues to face in advance, some of them i figured, some of them i am not so sure about. Please if anybody could help me on this here, i will greatly appreciate it.
I will install the system from Vicibox, hope it is the right choice and time is an issue. The system should serve the office of 10 seats for the start but plan is to further develop up to 50 or 60. I would like to know what to expect after downloading the .iso installation file from vicibox and executing it on the remote server.

I am wondering:

1) Should i choose the standard or the preload version - ok, there is plenty on this forum on this i decided to go for standard, correct me if there are any strong reasons against.
2) Is it possible to install the system remotely and does it give you further remote access?
3) Does vicibox install MySQL database and Apache or do you have to do it separatelly? If separatelly, could it be done after the OS and Vicidial is installed on the server or should it be done previously?
4) Does OpenSuSe works anywhere close to Ubuntu in terms of user experience? How does the server managment works after the installation?
5) Is there any data to prepare in advance, like prefered usernames, server name, urls etc that you could be asked for in the installation proccess?

That would be it for the moment, please if you can give me some link on this forum or anywhere else where some similar experience is described so to try to figure out what to expect if possible. I am not talking about vicibox Installation manual or vicidial manager manual which i have in front of me but some plain human experience if there is such a thing arround.
Thank you

[mflorell]

Reading the vicibox installation guide would be a good start:

http://download.vicidial.com/iso/vicibo ... nstall.pdf


1). We do recommend the standard install over the preload, because it is used a lot more and offers the most flexibility.
2). Define "install the system remotely". What resources do you have available on the remote machine?
3). Everything you need can be installed from the vicibox ISO, including MySQL and Apache
4). OpenSuSE management is done with the "yast" tool. It is annoying at first but you learn to appreciate it over time and the fact that it just works really helps.
5). You should have network info available, and a password you want to use. The vicibox manual will help to prepare you.

[milan]

Thank you,
i am very pleased with all of the answers except number 2, i will explain.
I am intending to lease a dedicated server (remote server miles away from the place i work) and the guys from the hosting company will mount my .iso vicibox file, give me a session to look what is going on and that is it.
Therefore i assume i will not have much room to make a mistake and i have to do it in a way that i could further access remotely and deal with things on that server.
Is there something like remote desktop with OpenSuSe that i could configure? (6th final question, i think the rest regarding Asterisk, Apache and MySQL i will be able to figure out for myself, just not familiar with OpenSuSe)

[mflorell]

You won't have a "desktop" at all, this is CLI(Command Line Interface) ONLY that is installed from the ISO.

As long as you have SSH access, you can control everything you need to from SSH or the web interface after installation of the ISO and configuration of the network.

As long as OpenSuse supports the hardware you are installing on there shouldn't be a problem.

[milan]

Uh, I understood that it will install the Operating System (openSUSE) on the server, and the rest, so i could start from there.
Starting from the CLI will make it very dificult for me i assume. I guess my best bet is than to do it with the guy that is dealing with system and networking in the company and is familiar with installing OS on the servers. Than i could take it from there.
Thanks for your help mflorell, i think you got me on the right position, very much appreciate

[williamconley]

actually, if you follow the instructions in the Vicibox.com PDF installation document, it will install everything for you. Not just the OS, but all necessary software. When you have completed installation with the PDF from Vicibox.com, you will then use the Vicidial Manager's Manual (from EFLO.net) to configure the system.

And remember that if you think you are being scammed or overcharged (or charged a fee for something you should not be ... likely monthly telephone service, LOL) ask! In the world of VOIP for telemarketing, there should never be a monthly fee unless it is for hardware or internet bandwidth. For telephone service, you should only pay for the minutes you use. And less than 2 cents per minute as a rule.

[milan]

Understood, thanks for support.
I did run into some issues while trying to install for testing on the virtual machine and on some old computer that i have.
On virtual machine it recognised the file and let me go all the way to point 14 of the install manual. There i was unable to make an HD partition required to install opensuse.
I than sacrifised one of my old computers with windows xp installed on it. That one does not want to recognise the installation files on the CD at all. It stops and kind of thinks for a while than just skips the CD drive with installation files (which i appointed as primary for booting in BIOS) and continues opening windows xp.
I am supposed to install this on the server on Monday, hopefully it will go "by the book" and as you said williamconley, as i suppose the virtual machine is a bad choice as it doesnt have an actual hard drive for partitioning, and the old machine is a bad choice as it doesnt have all the responding system requirements satisfied (only 512Mb RAM). However, i tryed to install opensuse which should run even on 512 Mb Ram but no luck.
On the server there is a .iso file provided by vicibox and it is ready to boot from there, it is configured to be very powerfull, so i hope it will just go smoothly following the manual.
Thanks again, cant wait to start on this

[williamconley]

i recommend vmware

my staff prefers virtualbox

we also use vSphere servers

and i hear proxmox is pretty good

otherwise, you can attempt GoAutodial if you have driver conflicts. it installs an older version, with "Branding" that's annoying. But it does have a different OS with different drivers. It also has a different "skin" (with some associated bugs, of course), but is a solid install and ultimately you end up with the same software (just a slightly older version).

[Michael_N]

Why do you use a remote dedicated server?
Instead of using a server at your place?

[williamconley]

there are only three real reasons for a remote server:

1) limited bandwidth - if you have enough bandwidth available for your agents to reach the server, but not enough for 30-2000 calls from the server "to the public", you can use your bandwidth for the agent->server communication and then the remote location's bandwidth for server->public.

2) uptime - if you have no IT staff and do not want the responsibility of maintaining the server hardware or OS, a colocation facility may handle that for you. in our case we handle the hardware, the OS, and even the Vicidial software and all related. Most clients do not even want console access ... as long as the Vicidial Interface works they are happy. We offer console for those in other categories, of course.

3) physical security - a remote server cannot be removed from your office by anyone, since it is not there. There are many implications, and the result of that statement depends entirely on your view of the world. Mull it over from a few angles.