From the ‘open source VoIP’ files
I’ve been an Asterisk fan (and user) ever since the first release of
the open source VoIP PBX back in 2004.
Asterisk is an application that runs on Linux and it can sometimes require some interesting packages and can be somewhat challenging to install, which is what led Digium (the lead sponsor behind Asterisk) to launch AsteriskNOW in 2007.
AsteriskNOW is an all-in-one Asterisk Linux distribution including the core operating system as well as a front end GUI.
AsteriskNOW had its last major update in 2009 with the 2.0 release cycle and is now **FINALLY** getting its 3.0 update.
With AsteriskNOW 3.0, the core Linux base is being updated to the latest CentOS 6.4 release, from the previous CentOS 5.x base.
The underlying Asterisk version is being updated to Asterisk 11, a huge jump from the prior Asterisk 1.8 that had been the core of AsteriskNOW 2.0.
Since it’s all open source – you can (and should) download this now for free and give a go yourself
http://www.asterisk.org/downloads/asterisknow
Sean Michael Kerner is a senior editor at InternetNews.com, the news service of the IT Business Edge Network, the network for technology professionals Follow him on Twitter @TechJournalist.