Pure Java VoIP Telephony Servers? 1
Curt Cox asks: "My company develops pure Java web applications, using Win32 and Linux, that are then deployed on Linux servers. One bell/whistle that many customers want is telephony integration. Our current solution is to handle calls through a dedicated Windows NT/TAPI box with an expensive telephony card. The thing I like least about this solution is that adding phone lines is such a pain. I would really like to use the net2phone or dialpad networks and avoid physical lines completely. Unfortunately, their client software is written to interface with speakers and microphones, and not programs. Are there any pure Java solutions for VoIP telephony?"
Why YES! (Score:4)
1. There are plenty of telephony systems for Linux/Solaris that have APIs written in C. It would take only a day to interface these cards with Java via JNI. I've done it before. If you are doing VoIP only then I recommend Dialogic [dialogic.com] (now Intel) or Brooktrout [brooktrout.com]. They are very inexpensive, especially if you need high port density (up to 96 ports per board). Brooktrout is offering great deals now, since they are new to the market and want to get some market share. If you are doing a combinations of things (Voice, IVR, FAX, VoIP) then try Natural MicroSystems [nmss.com]. A bit more pricey, but they have a rock solid API that has everything you'd need. They also have an octel board that supports 196 ports.
2. Use a system built around JTAPI. This would be for VoIP only, since I know of no reasonably priced implementation of JTAPI on hardware that does anything else. (If you find one, let me know, I need IVR, VM and outbound dialing it for a project I'm doing). Here's a short list of JTAPI Implementations:
Netergy [netergynet.com]
IBM's AlphaWorks [ibm.com]
Lucent's PassageWay [lucent.com]
NOTE: I've priced the lucent system, the quote that came back was in the six figures!!!
JTAPI is relatively new, and the only people with implementations are those who helped design the spec. If my company decides to sell the implementation I'm in the process of writing as a package, I'll be sure to email you.
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