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When installing SBC on mini PC, will we need to install updates and restart regularly?

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Josiah Salser

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HI all,

I've installed the SBC on Rpi, but I have a few installs coming up which will exceed 20 phones so I am going to need to choose between using multiple sbcs or using a Mini PC. For deployment purposes it seems that the Mini PC would be easier, but I'm concerned as to

1)whether we will need to configure Windows updates constantly for it? If so, isn't that going to cause my phones to go down whenever Windows needs to reboot? And will we have to log in twoto Windowswindows after that reboot occurs?

2) And also if it will have to be power cycled regularly?

I am concerned since these will likely be put at locations without any direct it support. Any thoughts?

Thanks in advance for your help!
 
Depend on the Windows version...If you are planning on using Win 10, unless it is the Enterprise version, you don't get a choice, updates will install themselves whenever. I suppose you could state that you have measured internet, but it will only delay the inevitable.

If you have Win 7 or 8, you can still choose to do updates when you want to, so best to do off-hours, then re-boot at that time if needed.

I don't find I have to to power cycle my 3CX running on a small Windows 8 machine, but I do so about every 3 months or so anyway.
 
Josiah Salser said:
HI all,

I've installed the SBC on Rpi, but I have a few installs coming up which will exceed 20 phones so I am going to need to choose between using multiple sbcs or using a Mini PC. For deployment purposes it seems that the Mini PC would be easier, but I'm concerned as to

1)whether we will need to configure Windows updates constantly for it? If so, isn't that going to cause my phones to go down whenever Windows needs to reboot? And will we have to log in twoto Windowswindows after that reboot occurs?

2) And also if it will have to be power cycled regularly?

I am concerned since these will likely be put at locations without any direct it support. Any thoughts?

Thanks in advance for your help!
Click to expand...

1. So Windows has nothing to do with 3CX. If you would normally do Windows Updates on your Windows boxes without 3CX (or the SBC) then you would do the same with 3CX/SBC. We can't tell you how you should manage your Windows cmoputers.

Yes lif Windows reboots, everything on it stops running. No magic SBC here.

Have you not installed the SBC before? It seems like you're planning on doing a large install with no previous experience. Otherwise you'd know the SBC runs as a service and like any Windows service will start automatically with Windows.

2. Again, it's a Windows box. Yes many Windows Updates will want a reboot.

You don't seem to be concerned about having to do updates or reboots with Raspberri Pi's so why not just do Debian on the mini PCs?
 
For the record I run almost all my SBCs under Debian/Raspbian. I do have a couple on Windows and they seem to be just fine. I update/reboot them regularly as I would any other Windows box.
 
Thanks guys,
@leejor that helps, if I go with a windows based SBC I'll probably install it on windows 7 or 8 then.

@cobaltit i understand that if it reboots everything would stop running, which, I guess, is why I ask the question because I am wondering how others have managed this potential issue. I have installed the SBC on a Rpi, however never on windows so I didn't know it ran on startup, but that's good to know. I am also Considering running installing it on Debian on a mini pc but I have to figure out how. I can't seem to find the documentation for that. Only the Rpi's.

And you are right, I haven't given much thought to updates on the Raspberry Pi's because I really don't know how they are affected by the need for updates. I only know that windows 10 has made updates mandatory and uncontrolled and that's what has worried me. I'm trying to think about this is an application for deployment at several different locations and I'm wondering what kind of maintenance I will have to do on the Raspberry Pi/mini PC itself., since it is only being used for SBC purposes. I was hoping that once I set it up it would be a "set it and forget it" type scenario.
 
YiannisH_3CX said:
You can use the 3CX Debian ISO which will install the OS on the mini pc and the SBC. Just follow this guide until you reach the SBC selection
https://www.3cx.com/docs/manual/installing-debian-linux-pbx/
And then follow the SBC guide https://www.3cx.com/docs/3cx-tunnel-session-border-controller/

Also i would not recommend installing the SBC on windows 7 or windows 8 as they are no longer supported by 3CX.
https://www.3cx.com/docs/manual/
Click to expand...
@YiannisH_3CX thanks so much, that's a big help! I am thinking of thing that route using this machine : Libre Computer Board ROC-RK3328-CC. It seems to have the specs required for the amount of fundsphones that I am going to be installing. Just 25 phones to start. Assuming I can know the iso correctly, hopefully it'll work for me.
 
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@Josiah Salser Makes more sense. I read your initial post as a very basic 'how does windows work?' :)

If you have a standard office environment then you can probably get away with setting the hours in the update window to after hours and you should be good, but if you are comfortable with Debian then that is definitely the route I would go. You still would want to do updates but you'll have a lot more control over it. @YiannisH_3CX mentioned you can use the ISO but the manual install on Debian works the same as the Pi.

https://www.3cx.com/docs/3cx-tunnel-session-border-controller/
 
Josiah Salser said:
@YiannisH_3CX thanks so much, that's a big help! I am thinking of thing that route using this machine : Libre Computer Board ROC-RK3328-CC. It seems to have the specs required for the amount of fundsphones that I am going to be installing. Just 25 phones to start. Assuming I can know the iso correctly, hopefully it'll work for me.
Click to expand...
Let us know how it goes.
 
Hi Guys, So I wasn't able to install it on the Libre. I couldn't get the ISO to load correctly, perhaps just my poor tech skills, since I am somewhat of a novice in that area.

I decided to purchase a mini PC from Amazon: https://goo.gl/z67byN running windows 10, strip it of all unnecessary apps, setup a schedule for "active hours" during which the PC will not restart, schedule a daily restart at 2AM (which may be overkill but I think perhaps better too much than too little and which will not interrupt my customer), and setup hibernation rules. Most of this is basic but in case another novice could use it, they can see my general setup instructions here in case it could help someone: https://goo.gl/LqMGKR

Any other suggestions?
 
Josiah Salser said:
Hi Guys, So I wasn't able to install it on the Libre. I couldn't get the ISO to load correctly, perhaps just my poor tech skills, since I am somewhat of a novice in that area.

I decided to purchase a mini PC from Amazon: https://goo.gl/z67byN running windows 10, strip it of all unnecessary apps, setup a schedule for "active hours" during which the PC will not restart, schedule a daily restart at 2AM (which may be overkill but I think perhaps better too much than too little and which will not interrupt my customer), and setup hibernation rules. Most of this is basic but in case another novice could use it, they can see my general setup instructions here in case it could help someone: https://goo.gl/LqMGKR

Any other suggestions?
Click to expand...

only suggestion i could add is this: https://community.spiceworks.com/scripts/show/4378-windows-10-decrapifier-1803-1809
 
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By far, any server what so ever should be on Linux. Much more stable and a lot less ressource hogging.
 
Spend a little more time and money getting supported hardware running Debian for your SBC. You will thank yourself for years to come. See the list of 3CX recommended devices at https://www.3cx.com/phone-system/pbx-appliance/. We use the Shuttle XPC Nano and Intel NUC with appropriate processors, 4GB RAM and a 128GB SSD. $200 to $300US for everything. Smaller SSDs cost a few dollars less, but if you need to do wireshark captures the space can be very useful. A Debian install on these devices can be done by anyone that can install Windows, and you can even install XFCE to get a very lightweight GUI to allow network configuration and some other chores. The network adapters in these units are built into the latest Debian Stretch NetInst ISO, and you can ignore the WiFi adapters.

If you stick with Windows a daily reboot might be too much - weekly might be better, but at least monthly. Make sure you have AT LEAST a 64GB drive, and 120GB+ would be much better. Windows updates will consume space quickly. Microsoft is putting a reservation in place on new releases to prevent crashing the machine due to a Windows update filling the disk, but still, don't skimp - it's not worth it.
 
Thx for the feedback.I did install on a mini PC on Debian, worked like a charm. Thanks!

I set it up to reboot once a week - Figured it would be good practice.
 
Glad to see the installation went smoothly and thank you for updating the thread.
 
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