Re: [hylafax-users] Hylafax Alternatives

["Jay R. Ashworth" <jra@baylink.com>]

On Wed, Oct 31, 2001 at 09:44:03AM -0800, Sean Abrahams - FABS ITC wrote:
> I've finally discovered that I'm most likely SOL for using Hylafax due to
> our strange hardware setup here.

Well, it's not really "strange"... it's just that we don't cover it,
because the manufacturers won't cooperate.

>                                   I was wondering if anyone out there had any
> positive experiences with other hostfax solutions. We're currently running
> RightFax with Brooktrout Analog DID cards and are looking to upgrade.
> Sticking with RightFax will cost around $20,000 so I'm looking for an
> alternative. Was hoping to use Hylafax, but oh well. Anyone out there used
> Zetafax or any other comparable solution?

Well, you didn't *say* you had a *budget*, Sean.  ;-)

> Needs to:
> - Handle Analog DID of 100 #'s and forward to appropriate email according to
> DNIS
> - Handle customizations for in-house software integration (interact easy
> with scripts, etc)
> - Cost less than $20,000 for hardware and software
> 
> I'm assuming if it can cover these three bases, it will cover the rest of
> our needs.

HylaFAX can do all of those things, with one exception: if you're
willing to switch your inbound lines from analog DID to T-1/PRI, you're
95% of the way there.

Digiboard makes a card called the Datafire RAS -- it's 24 (or 30)
"faxmodems" on a card with a T-1 DSX interface.  I believe it
terminates PRI, wherein the delivery of DID/DNIS information is
automatic.  The only problem, reports one guy who tried to get them
working, is that there are some problems with the Linux drivers that he
wasn't a good enough coder (or didn't have sufficient time) to deal
with.  It appears to work, and do damn near everything we need/you
want, it just locks up sometimes.  I believe he said "IDE corruption";
if you used SCSI, it might not be a problem at all...

You can, pretty obviously, build the rest of the box for about $2K;
the card is probably well under $5K, and the lines will very likely be
*cheaper*... I'm sure if you waved $3-5K under the right person's nose,
you could have working drivers in a month.

That would put you at 50% of budget.  You could sell that, right?  :-)

And, see, you wouldn't even have to budget for all those people
knocking down your doors for pre-packaged copies of it... I'd be happy
to do that for you.  ;-)

Cheers,
-- jra
-- 
Jay R. Ashworth                                                jra@baylink.com
Member of the Technical Staff     Baylink                             RFC 2100
The Suncoast Freenet         The Things I Think
Tampa Bay, Florida        http://baylink.pitas.com             +1 727 804 5015

   "If you don't have a dream; how're you gonna have a dream come true?"
     -- Captain Sensible, The Damned


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