pi SBC Best practices? please contribute

[AGidi]

Hello 3CX gurus of the world.

We are deploying pi based SBCs for small branch stores and offices for our clients. With some success.

I would like to share and ask you to share the best practices for your pi based SBCs so we can all gain some insight on how to keep them going the longer.

We
Use the latest version available, at the moment we have some Pi model B and around half a dozen B+ models
use brand name class 10 SD cards
use 3 amp power supplies and a UPS.
use vented but no fan cases. (we found fans unreliable)
use fixed IP outside dhcp range
Keep a clone handy.
We tried raspbian lite.
With and without desktop environment but techs do like the flexibility of the desktop for getting into the phones when they fail. (client knows we have this access).


I read somewhere some of you were using USB power banks as UPSs we need to find one that is always on or has passthru that would be nice.

Every now and then a SBC might become unresponsive and kills the branch´s comms. This means a truck roll and we hate it.

Can you share your experiences and best practice suggestions?
Best OS combo and remote access for phones suggestions ?

 

[rfcomms]

We use the inline PSUs to allow remote reboots via PoE switches.

They are available on Amazon for around $10.

Google - DSLRKIT Active PoE Splitter Power Over Ethernet 48V to 5V 2.4A Micro USB Plug for Raspberry Pi B/B+/2/3

 

[Christopher Reagoso]

You pretty much got it right there. That combined with rfcomm's poe tip.

Just don't over-size the pi - don't try to push too much through it. Make sure you right-size it.

 

[curtcar21]

We have many pi's out both with and with out fans, have yet to have any problems and or failures knock on wood I guess. Some branches have as many as 15 phones on them. We also pay for a teamviewer account for remote access(we let clients know as you do) We actually let the pi grab the IP through DHCP and then just remove that IP from the DHCP range and then apply it through dhcpcd.conf

 

[cobaltit]

@AGidi

So best practices in this case are really based on how you conduct your business. Obviously using a current version Pi is a no brainer, as is using a quality SD card and quality power supply. None of those things is 3CX SBC specific though as it would apply to anyone depending on the Pi for anything they rely on. Everything else is up to how you want to conduct business. A lot of people go the PoE injector route but that only works if you normally put in PoE switches. If you don't, the fact that it is a 'best practice' doesn't help you much. Remote access is also going to be company specific as there's like 10 different ways I can think of off the top of my head. Some free, some paid, some with GUI, some without. We have an enterprise Teamviewer license already so it doesn't cost us anything more than what we already pay for the MSP side of the house but otherwise Teamviewer can be pricey if you are doing it right and paying for it. So again my best practice might not be your best practice. So the answer here is really the answer for anything to do in IT:

- Use quality hardware
- Standardize your setup (naming conventions, remote access, IP addressing, etc)
- Document

 

[Lee Cramman]

Don't go BLF crazy

 

[DSXVOICE]

Lee's advice is very important. We use HTOP to watch CPU usage in the early stages of a deployment to see if there are going to be any issues. It's the BLFs that load the SBC up and CPU usage will be the giveaway. In those cases, we use Intel I5 based mini-PC platforms or - and this is common - larger clients tend to have a virtual host server onsite. We politely ask for a small 2G RAM / 32G disk / 4 thread debian instance and almost always get it. The local VM host machine has the family jewels as a rule and so its well protected.

The SBC has a side benefit by allowing us to get around a local ALG that the network admin can't or won't turn off. If you leave encryption on, the ALG can't see the SIP traffic and won't mess with it.

 

[AGidi]

I'm assuming a mini pc i3 can take care of 60 exts? We use mostly Fanvil X3 which really dont have much BLFs, and a handful of X4s for reception and the boss that like larger phones.