Deployment Of A Sustainable, Production-Grade VoIP System Based On Open Source Software Component In An Educational Institution: The Case Of The University Of Namibia

Abstract

Governments and their agencies are often challenged by high cost and flexible telephonic and data services. Emerging technologies, such as those of Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) that allow convergent systems where voice and data networks can utilise the same network to provide both services, can be used to improve such services. However, these convergent networks are based on the classical (best-effort) characteristics that come with some weaknesses in respect of quality of service and fair access to network resources. This is true for multimedia applications that need bounds on delay and minimum bandwidth. VoIP is an implementation of these convergence networks that are capable of transporting voice over Internet Protocol (IP) based networks. In order to deploy a VoIP network capable of providing the traditional Public Switched Telephone Network–Private Branch Exchange (PSTN-PBX) scale solution, a number of issues such as services to be offered, end-userterminal, quality of service, security, bandwidth, signalling, protocol and operating legislations must be addressed. The implementation also requires an application software, which can be an open source or a proprietary software. This study examined how Asterisk, an open source VoIP software can be deployed to serve the needs of an educational institution. The educational institution in this case is the University of Namibia which is currently using a conventional PSTN system for voice and fax communication services, as well as the local area network connected to Internet for data services. Like any other open source software, Asterisk comes free of any proprietary costs. The study investigated how this software could be deployed for a longer period at the University of Namibia. Asterisk was deployed on a pilot basis to provide for a larger scale model to cater for the entire university. It was found out that the University of Namibia has a potential to implement the project although implementation can be scaled down so as to support sustainability. Since the software recommended for installation is open source, the project could be used as a source of information by students who specialize in real-time multi-media systems.