What a VICIdial installation service should include

A VICIdial installation service should deliver a server that is secured, backed up, monitored and ready for agents to log in, plus a written handover of what was done. A server that only boots to the admin screen is half the job. Most of the expensive problems with a new VICIdial box show up weeks later: an open SIP port, a certificate that expires, a disk that fills with recordings, a backup that never ran.

The installation checklist

Use this list to compare quotes. Anything missing is work you will do later, or pay for later.

The base install

• A supported OS with VICIdial, Asterisk, the database and the web server installed and versioned.
• The VICIdial background jobs running, and the server clock set correctly, since VICIdial's timing depends on both.
• Codecs and NAT settings that give two-way audio from your agents' networks.

Security

• A firewall that only lets in your agents, your carrier and the admin ports you need.
• Login protection against password guessing on both SSH and the web pages.
• The default VICIdial passwords changed, and an HTTPS certificate that renews itself.

Phones and carrier

• Agent phones that work, either browser phones or a tested softphone setup.
• Your SIP trunk added and a test call placed in both directions.
• Recording working, with a plan for where recordings go when the disk fills.

After the install

• Backups that run on a schedule, and one test restore.
• Monitoring that tells someone when the server is down or the disk is full.
• A written handover: logins, what was installed, what was changed, and who patches the server from now on.

flowchart LR
  A[Base install] --> B[Security]
  B --> C[Phones and carrier]
  C --> D[Backups and monitoring]
  D --> E[Written handover]
  E --> F{Who patches next month?}
  F -->|You| G[Plan the maintenance time]
  F -->|The host| H[Managed hosting]

Install service, DIY or managed hosting?

The real question is who looks after the server after day one.

Doing it yourself is reasonable if you have someone who knows Linux, Asterisk and MySQL and has the time. Our post on why installing VICIdial is harder than it looks lists the parts that catch people out. A one-off service gets you running but leaves maintenance with you. Managed hosting keeps the installer on the hook.

How VICIfast does it

On VICIfast, a new server arrives in under 40 seconds with secured VICIdial installed, a branded HTTPS address and full root access. Patching, the firewall, the SSL certificate and 24/7 monitoring are part of the plan, and daily backups are an add-on. If you already have a server, we install and manage VICIdial on it for a flat monthly fee. The Setup Wizard then builds your first campaign, groups, logins and inbound line.

See our VICIdial installation service, compare plans, or read the full VICIdial installation guide.