The Asterisk Masterclass
The Asterisk 5 day Masterclass!
Detailed agenda and overview
Note (January 2015): We are no longer offering this class. Please visit Digium.com for more information about Asterisk trainings.
Asterisk™, the Open Source PBX, is taking the world by storm. Asterisk makes a complete business- or carrier-class PBX out of an ordinary Linux computer, integrating with the telephony network as well as the new world of voice over IP and Internet.
However, Asterisk is not easy to learn or administer. This five-day training class will give you the knowledge and insights you need to get up to speed with your Asterisk implementation and make it production ready in no time.
The “Asterisk Masterclass” training class starts with installation and covers the most common features in Asterisk: Integration with the PSTN, the IAX2 and SIP channels for VoIP telephony and how to build a dial plan with applications like follow-me, voicemail, conferencing and call queues
Teacher – an active Asterisk developer
The teacher is Olle E. Johansson – one of the Asterisk developers with many years of experience in teaching networking. Olle is an active Asterisk developer with many years of experience of running Asterisk in enterprise and service provider networks. He’s been teaching SIP and Asterisk since early 2005 and have previously taught many classes in networking, IP, IP security, LDAP, XML and other topics.
The Asterisk Bootcamp – Overview
Day | Monday | Tuesday | Wednesday | Thursday | Friday |
Block 1 | Introduction | Dial Plan Intro | VoIP overview | PSTN connections | Advanced Asterisk topics |
Block 2 | Asterisk Architecture | Handling calls | IAX2 | Digium hardware | |
Block 3 | Asterisk Installation | Implementing features | SIP | LAB: Building a business PBX | dCAP certification |
Block 4 | Basic configuration |
Call queues | LAB |
Day 1
Introduction and Welcome
Module 1: Asterisk Installation and Basic Configuration
The Asterisk Project
- Brief History
- About Digium
- Open Source Overview
- Related projects
The Asterisk Architecture
- PBX Core and Modules
- Channels
- Codecs
- Applications
- AGI, The Asterisk Gateway Interface
- AMI, The Asterisk Manager Interface
- Asterisk calls
Asterisk Installation
- Hardware Considerations & Options
- PSTN Connectivity, Timing Devices, Etc.
- CVS and Versioning
- “Make” Asterisk & Components
- Starting and stopping Asterisk: Runtime options, Remote Asterisk consoles, Auto-Start Options for Asterisk, “make samples” and Basic Testing, Lab: Install Asterisk on Linux, From SVN to “Welcome to Asterisk”
Asterisk Configuration
- Configuration Files: Function, Layout, Location
- Basic Dahdi – PSTN Connections
- Basic VoIP Connections: SIP.conf & IAX.conf
- Introduction To The Dial Plan
Lab: Construct a PBX
Day 2
Module 2: Asterisk Applications, functions & The Dial Plan
Dialplan Overview – Beyond The Basic Extension
- Contexts
- Switches
- Variables
- Includes
- Macros
- Standard extensions and priorities
Building the dialplan
- Applications
- Functions
- Design models
- Using #include files
- The Asterisk DB – AstDB
Handling Calls
- Incoming contexts
- Extensions
- Alphanumeric and numeric extensions
- The Dial command
- Building a Standard User Macro
LAB: Implementing a basic dial plan
Implementing Features
- Implementing Features In The Dial Plan
- Advanced Applications
- Conferencing with MeetMe
- Enhanced Voice Mail
LAB: Implementing features in the dial plan
Introduction to Asterisk ACD Functions
- Call queues
- Agents
- Statistics
Day 3
Module 3: Asterisk and VoIP
General Concepts & Definitions
- VoIP The Asterisk Way: IAX, SIP, MGCP, H323, SCCP
- Peers, Users & Friends
- The Registration Process
- Codecs & Codec Conversion
- Protocols
Asterisk and IAX
- Theory and Usage: Why IAX• Bandwidth Calculations • IAX Trunking • IAX Provisioning
- Configurations and Implementations: User Agent (ATA, Phone, Soft-Phone)
- IAX HowTo: iax.conf
Lab: IAX Implementations
- Implement an IAXy Device.
- Implement a connection between teams.
- Implement a connection to an IAX Provider.
Asterisk and SIP Communication
- SIP protocol, server and client models
- Theory and Usage: Why SIP • SIP Features and Functions • Bandwidth Calculations
- NAT Traversal Issues
- SIP How-To: sip.conf
Lab: Sip Implementations
- Implement A SIP User Agent Device
- Implement a SIP Service Provider Connection
Day 4
Module 4: Advanced PSTN Connectivity
PSTN Direct Connections (TDM)
- Overview Of PSTN Interconnectivity
- Analogue Connections: FXO, FXS
- Digital T1/E1 Connections: • Direct PSTN Network Connections • Line-Side Connections to PBX • Analogue Break Out & Aggregation w/ Channel Banks • Hybrid Voice & Data Connections (HDLC)
- Echo & Echo Cancellation Strategies
Connecting Asterisk to PSTN: Digium Telephony Cards
- Installation & Configuration
- Kernel device drivers
- Support, Tuning and Troubleshooting
Lab: Asterisk – Create A VoIP Service
- Half day practical lab
Day 5
Module 5: The Asterisk Smorgasboard: Advanced Asterisk Topics
- Clustering & Scaling
- Billing & CDR Generation
- AGI IVR Applications
- Database-Driven Configurations: Realtime
- Graphical User Interfaces
Administrative (Configuration), Receptionist, End-User - DUNDi, ENUM and Asterisk
- Working with the Asterisk bug tracker
- Visions and future ideas: Asterisk SVN head development
- Conclusion: Review w/ Q&A