What are the ways to get VICIdial installed?
There are three ways to get a working VICIdial: install it yourself on a VPS, get a server from a managed host such as VICIfast with VICIdial already on it, or have VICIfast install and manage it on a server you already own.
Install VICIdial yourself. VICIdial is free, and a VPS is cheap. You install the operating system packages, Asterisk, the database, the web server and VICIdial, then lock the server down and get SSL working. Our guides walk through installing VICIdial on a VPS and what installing VICIdial involves, step by step.
VICIfast installs it for you. You pay, and in under 40 seconds you have your own VICIdial server - a dedicated VPS or dedicated-core server - with secured VICIdial installed, a branded HTTPS address and full root access. From then on VICIfast runs the patching, firewall, SSL certificate and 24/7 monitoring, with daily backups as an add-on.
BYOI - your server, our install. If you already own a server, VICIfast installs VICIdial on it and manages it for $29 a month, flat. You keep the hardware, the recordings and the data.
How do the VICIdial installation options compare?
The three options trade money against time, and they differ most in who carries the risk after install day.
| What matters | Do it yourself on a VPS | VICIfast server | BYOI on your server |
|---|---|---|---|
| Time to a working VICIdial | Hours of work, longer if a build step fails | Under 40 seconds | Minutes, after a check of your server |
| Who patches VICIdial and the server | You | VICIfast | VICIfast manages VICIdial; you own the hardware |
| Firewall and SSL | You set them up and keep them working | Included | Set up by VICIfast |
| Backups | You set them up and test them | Daily backups as an add-on | Set up by VICIfast |
| Who notices a problem at 3am | Whoever is awake | 24/7 server monitoring; human support on standard plans is not round the clock | VICIfast for VICIdial; your provider for the hardware |
| Root access | Yes | Yes, through a root console in the browser | Yes |
| Cost | The VPS plus your time | Per server, not per agent, from $49 a month | $29 a month plus your server |
If you are weighing the first two columns on cost alone, managed VICIdial vs self-hosted compares them in more detail.
What does VICIdial setup mean after the install?
VICIdial setup is the work between "the admin page loads" and "agents are taking calls" - campaigns, lists, users, phones, carriers and inbound routing. A fresh install has none of it.
- Campaigns and lists - the dialing mode, dial level, calling hours and the leads to dial.
- User groups and agent logins - who can log in, which campaigns they see and what managers may change.
- Phones - a softphone or browser phone for each agent. On VICIfast, agents use the branded webphone in the browser.
- Carriers - your SIP trunk from your own carrier, or VICIfast Voice, with caller ID and dial prefixes. The carrier integration guide covers the settings.
- Inbound - DIDs, in-groups and the routing that gets each caller to the right agents.
On VICIfast, the Setup Wizard builds a campaign, user groups, logins with browser phones and an inbound line in about five minutes. Then work through the VICIdial post-install checklist to tune the predictive dialer and the rest for your floor.
Which VICIdial installation should you choose?
Choose by who you want to own the server after install day, because the install itself is the short part.
- Do it yourself if you have a Linux and Asterisk admin on staff, a small floor and time to learn. It costs the least in cash.
- A VICIfast server if you want to start dialing today and not think about patching. Pricing is per server, not per agent - see pricing - and there is a 7-day free trial (card required).
- BYOI if you already pay for hardware you trust, or your own policies say where the server has to live.
Already running VICIdial and want out from under it? The ViciBox migration page explains how a move to a managed server works.
When is an installation service the wrong choice?
If your team wants to control every package version and choose its own patch dates, install VICIdial yourself. A managed install means VICIfast keeps VICIdial updated for you, and some admins would rather keep that job.
Where to start
If you want VICIdial running today, start a free trial and let the Setup Wizard build your first campaign. If you already have a server, look at BYOI on the pricing page, or tell us about your setup on the contact page - a person reads every message.