3CX V15 now supports deployment to a MiniPC so that you create a 3CX PBX Appliance. Using a MiniPC you can put together a low cost, yet reliable appliance that can be used in smaller offices where no server is available. It’s important to note that the difference between 3CX and other PBX appliances is that you will use standard hardware and a standard operating system (Debian 8). Besides low cost, MiniPCs offer a number of additional advantages:
- Small form factor - no space requirements
- They use very little power
- They are very silent
- They generate little heat
Depending on the MiniPC you choose and your PBX requirements, MiniPCs can be used for up to 16 or in some cases even 32 sim calls.
So which MiniPC to choose? There are many devices in the market and new ones coming out every day, so it’s difficult to test them all and build an exhaustive list. In addition some models are not available in all countries or shipment to certain countries may be too expensive. So if you want to go ahead and source your own MiniPBX, look for these specs:
- AMD64 architecture with Atom, Celeron, Cherry Trail or i5 processors. Example chipsets from Intel include:
- Z8300 Intel Intel Atom/Cherrytrail 64 bit (Cloudsto & Nexbox)
- Intel® Atom™ x5-Z8350 Processor (Lavaserv)
- 2 gigabyte RAM minimum
- 32 gig SSD minimum
- Onboard ethernet
- Compatible with Debian 8 or Ubuntu 14 – Check before!
Based on this list we have found and tested these models:
- Shuttle (recommended)
- Edox Shuttle Nano IPBX 3CX PME (recommended)
- Cloudsto MiniPCs
- Lavaserv (South Africa)
- Rikomagic
Installing Debian for 3CX on a Mini PC
Download the ISO here. The Edox Nano has 3CX installed already.
Some handy links:
- Installing 3CX in the Cloud - Google