Asterisk Courses

Asterisk Essentials

Learn Asterisk online at your own pace.

Course Overview

This video course is designed to rapidly guide a new user through the installation and basic configuration of Asterisk. Key telephony concepts are introduced, explained, and implemented. The course is heavily example-based, with a focus on the practical knowledge required to successfully administer an Asterisk system. Though some time is given to architecture and theory, we've only included the most helpful information. We've left out the non-essentials so that you can get up-to-speed with Asterisk as quickly as possible. Best practices are described throughout, and many examples are supported with Asterisk documentation.

This course will teach you the most important things you need to know to install and administer an Asterisk system. It will also start you on the path of deeper Asterisk knowledge. The course includes several references to outside resources for additional information and further learning.

Course Outline

Introduction (1 chapter - 04:52)
Get an overview of the Asterisk Essentials training course, brought to you by Digium, the Asterisk company!

Asterisk Overview (4 chapters - 23:30)
This short non-technical chapter offers background information about Digium and Asterisk. This context may give you a better understanding of Asterisk as a whole.

Downloading and Installing Asterisk (5 chapters - 31:03)
This first technical chapter helps you get Asterisk up and running quickly. You'll learn more from this course if you have an Asterisk system handy to test our examples. It's highly recommended to go through this chapter before proceeding with the rest of the course.

Asterisk Basics (3 chapters - 31:48)
It's not enough for an Asterisk administrator to just know which commands to run. This chapter introduces fundamental concepts related to Asterisk's architecture and how its configuration and behavior are controlled by an administrator.

Making Your First Call (3 chapters - 23:43)
Follow the example in this chapter to get a SIP softphone configured to work with Asterisk. Having a working softphone installed will make upcoming dialplan examples easier to test and learn from.

Dialplan Basics (4 chapters - 18:32)
A detailed description of the Asterisk dialplan is offered in this chapter. The important concepts of contexts, extensions, and priorities are each covered at length.

Asterisk Applications (8 chapters - 23:08)
Asterisk natively offers well over 100 dialplan applications. This chapter introduces the most important categories of dialplan applications, and a few examples from each.

Interactive Dialplans (5 chapters - 22:21)
This chapter discusses caller interaction in the Asterisk dialplan. It covers basic setup of an auto-attendant menu, as well as how Asterisk handles several types of timeouts and special extensions.

VoIP Fundamentals (5 chapters - 32:14)
This chapter introduces basic concepts relevant to voice over IP telephony, in a protocol-agnostic way. Details of specific VoIP protocols are covered in the next two chapters.

SIP (5 chapters - 35:15)
The Session Initiation Protocol is the most widely-used VoIP protocol today. This chapter discusses how SIP works, and its configuration and troubleshooting in Asterisk.

IAX2 (3 chapters - 16:43)
The Inter-Asterisk Exchange protocol is an alternative to SIP that is a popular way to connect Asterisk servers together. This chapter describes the protocol and its configuration in Asterisk.

Intermediate Dialplan (6 chapters - 43:17)
This chapter builds on the Dialplan Basics chapter by introducing more robust features of the Asterisk dialplan. Topics covered include variables, pattern matching, and more.

Analog and Digital Connectivity (5 chapters - 48:12)
This chapter introduces the details of traditional telephony that are essential to an Asterisk administrator. Analog and digital telephony each have a module covering core technology concepts, followed by a module offering step-by-step instructions on configuring a related DAHDI interface card.

Advanced Dialplan (4 chapters - 26:33)
This last chapter on the Asterisk dialplan introduces the most advanced dialplan capabilities yet. Make sure you're comfortable with the concepts covered in the Dialplan Basics and Intermediate Dialplan chapters before tackling this chapter.

Call Queues in Asterisk (4 chapters - 19:26)
This final Asterisk Essentials chapter discusses how Asterisk handles call queues. In many ways, Asterisk's queuing system is similar to others on the market. But it also has unique characteristics that should be understood before deploying any live queues.

Conclusion (1 chapter - 02:45)
This is the end of the Asterisk Essential course. There's just one final video that offers resources where you can continue learning about Asterisk.

Course Prerequisites

This is an entry-level course, with no prerequisites to attend. However, you should check out the system requirements for the course.

Course Format

Asterisk Essentials is an online, self-paced, video course. 14 chapters include a total of approximately 60 videos, averaging between 5 and 6 minutes each. The course does not have a formal lab component, but does have numerous detailed examples that students should be able to implement themselves if they have access to a Linux system where they can install Asterisk. Digium does not provide a Linux system or Linux training, but students with even basic Linux skills should be able to follow along with the examples.

Buying this product will grant you access to all of the course videos for a period of 6 months from the date of purchase.

System Requirements

It's easy to get started with Asterisk Essentials! All you'll need to begin is a flash-enabled browser and speakers or headphones. You can learn a lot just by watching and listening to the videos, but we think you'll get the most from the class if you try out the examples yourself. We recommend that before you start, you get access to a Linux system where you can run Asterisk. You'll eventually want to connect a softphone to Asterisk, so it would be ideal if your system were on the same network as your Asterisk system. But don't worry if you can't manage that - we give some guidance for firewall configuration in the course. And even if you can't connect for all the examples, you'll still learn the basic concepts by following along with our examples.

In the Asterisk Essentials course, we cover a lot of information very rapidly. We don't recommend that you try to go through the whole course in just a single session. You're likely to learn the most if you watch 1-2 chapters at a time, over a period of about two weeks. Of course, you're able to watch each chapter more than once, so don't hesitate to review content that is confusing or that lays the foundation for more advanced topics. You may also find it beneficial to review earlier chapters once you have finished later chapters and have a better understanding of the concepts covered.

We've arranged the chapters so that if you're an Asterisk novice, you can follow them in order and learn all the essentials in a logical progression. However, we encourage you to view the chapters in whatever order makes the most sense to you. You can start with the topics you want to know the most about and if the contents are too advanced you can always back up and watch earlier videos to learn more fundamental concepts. We also recommend watching the videos that cover content you may already be familiar with. You may find that you'll learn something new and helpful.

Free Videos

These free Asterisk videos are samples from the full Asterisk Essentials course. Buy now to get access to more than 60 Asterisk training videos!

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Asterisk Fast Start

Get up to speed quickly on Asterisk technology.

Course Objectives

Asterisk Fast Start is a three-day hands-on course designed to equip students with the knowledge and skills necessary for an entry-level Asterisk Administrator to be successful on the job. Using a combination of information rich lectures and practical lab excerises this course familiarizes students with Asterisk and the environment in which it operates, both in terms of operating system and telephony (traditional and IP) connections. This course will take students (who do not need to have previous experience with Linux, telephony or Asterisk) from a freshly installed Linux PC through to a fully configured and working Asterisk implementation.

At the end of the training class, participants will be able to:

• Identify the purpose and primary functionality of Asterisk as a PBX and as an application development platform
• List the functionality associated with a traditional PBX
• Explain the background to Asterisk in terms of the history of Digium and the open source community of which it is a part
• Define the operating system environments in which Asterisk is developed and supported
• Describe the telephony connections which Asterisk supports and identify the Digium hardware needed to enable this connectivity
• Identify the basic characteristics of analog and digital PSTN connections and how VoIP compares and contrasts with these
• Install and run Asterisk from the packages available for download from www.asterisk.org
• Configure Asterisk to deliver basic PBX functionality, including basic call routing, voicemail and directory services
• Learn the basics of Linux in order to be an effective Asterisk administrator

Course Format

The Asterisk Fast Start course is a three-day course. Class will begin at 9:30 AM on the first day and each day thereafter at 8:30 AM. The class will consist of a combination of lectures and lab exercises. Class typically runs until 5:00 PM, except for the last day where it goes until 3:00 PM, depending on circumstances in the classroom.

The labs will be presented in a workbook which the student gets to keep. The lecture notes and sample configurations will also be included. As each lab and lecture builds on the results of the previous lab and lecture, the workbook is a great way for students to work through the process at their own pace, as well as ensure that they have learned all the relevant material.

Class Materials and Cool Stuff

Each attendee will receive the following for the course:

• Digium TDM411B Analog card (1 FXO port + 1 FXS port)
• Digium TE122P T1/E1/J1 card
• SIP Desk Phone
• Training Courseware

... and more!

Is this the right class for me?

Asterisk Fast Start functions as part 1 of the Asterisk Fast Start/Asterisk Advanced combination. It provides the essential knowledge needed in order to succeed in the Asterisk Advanced Class. To help you determine which class will be most helpful to you, you may take the free, online dCAA certification test. If you pass this test then you are most likely ready for the Asterisk Advanced Class. If not, then Asterisk Fast Start or Asterisk Essentials should be completed prior to taking Asterisk Advanced.

Course Prerequisites

This is an entry-level course; there are no prerequisites to attend this training.

Register

To register for class, or to see a list of upcoming classes, visit our Course Locator.

To speak with a Training Specialist about Digium classes or certification please call +1 (256) 428-6165 or email training@digium.com.

Asterisk Advanced

Expand your knowledge of Asterisk.

The Asterisk Advanced course is a five-day hands-on course that covers the knowledge and skills an advanced Asterisk administrator should know to be effective at his or her job. It is a combination of both lectures and labs designed to give the students both the theory behind the concepts and the hands-on experience to be able to effectively deploy Asterisk-based solutions. This course is the successor to the wildly popular Asterisk Bootcamp, which was retired in 2008.

In Asterisk Advanced, students will learn to create advanced dial plans and innovative telephony solutions by using the features of Asterisk. Along the way, students will also get important insight into VoIP. Students will also explore connecting Asterisk to a variety of devices, including analog phones and phone lines, digital phone lines, VoIP phones and VoIP providers.

Course Topics

The Asterisk Advanced course is designed to prepare Linux/Unix consultants, interconnect vendors, enterprise IT personnel , and ITSP/telco systems administrators to configure, manage and troubleshoot Asterisk-based VoIP systems. Topics covered in the course include:

• Asterisk dialplan syntax and constructs
• Effective use of Asterisk features, such as call parking, audio conferencing, and DTMF feature codes.
• Call monitoring and recording
• Theory of Analog telephony, and how to connect Asterisk to the PSTN
• Digital telephony using T1s and E1s
• SIP and IAX protocols
• Connecting Asterisk to a VoIP provider
• Configuring and manipulating CDR (Call Detail Records) as well as CEL (Channel Event Logging)
• Call queues and ACD with Asterisk
• Call routing using DUNDi
• Using AMI (Asterisk Manager Interface) to control Asterisk from an external program
• Using AGI (Asterisk Gateway Interface) to execute external scripts and connect Asterisk to external APIs.
• Connecting Asterisk to a relational database such as MySQL
• Faxing with both traditional and T.38 as well as Fax to PDF using Asterisk.
• Troubleshooting your Asterisk system
• Asterisk and Linux Security to maintain a secure system.

... and more!

Course Format

The Asterisk Advanced course is a five-day course. Class will begin at 9:30 AM on the first day and each day thereafter at 8:30 AM. The class will consist of a combination of lectures and lab exercises. Class typically runs until 5:00 PM, depending on circumstances in the classroom. On Friday, class typically runs until 12:00 noon if you are not taking the dCAP. If you plan to take the dCAP, expect class to run until at least 4:00 PM.

Class Materials and Cool Stuff

Each attendee will receive a Student Kit inlcuding:

• Digium TDM411B Analog card (1 FXO port + 1 FXS port)
• Digium TE122P T1/E1/J1 card
• SIP Desk Phone
• Training Courseware
• Asterisk Computer Laptop Backpack

... and more!

Is this the right class for me?

Asterisk Advanced is a fast-paced technical course that assumes students have completed either the Asterisk Fast Start instructor-led course or the Asterisk Essentials online course; or possess the equivalent real world experience. To help you determine which class will be most helpful to you, you may take the free, online dCAA certification test. If you pass this test then you are most likely ready for the Asterisk Advanced Class. If not, then Asterisk Fast Start or Asterisk Essentials should be completed prior to taking Asterisk Advanced.

Prerequisites

Linux Knowledge:

• Have installed and worked in a Linux environment.
• Know how to manipulate files and perform basic administrative tasks from the command line.
• Know how to use a text editor to modify configuration files.

Asterisk Experience:

• Have installed Asterisk and DAHDI from source.
• Know where Asterisk configs are located, and how to read and use sample config files.
• Know the general format/syntax of the Asterisk dialplan and the basic dialplan appliactions.
• Asterisk CLI: Know how to connect to remote Asterisk sessions and administer them using basic CLI commands.
• Know how to register and use VoIP devices (phones) and providers with Asterisk.

Recommended Skills:

• Have general knowledge of VoIP protocols, especially SIP and IAX including generally how they work and what ports they use.
• Programming and scripting experience: Have some familiarity with programming and scripting languages such as C, C++, Bash, Perl, etc.

Certification Offered

The dCAP exam is offered at the end of each Asterisk Advanced training course. Students registering for the course may also register for the exam. Please note that taking the Advanced course does not guarantee that you will pass the dCAP exam. Please visit the Digium Certified Asterisk Professional page to find out more about Digium certification.

Register

To register for class, or to see a list of upcoming classes, visit our Course Locator.

To speak with a Training Specialist about Digium classes or certification please call +1 (256) 428-6165 or email training@digium.com.