3CX offers integrators pre-install 3CX on mini PC

After the release of the latest service packs, the 3CX V15 system can be installed on a miniature PC, forming a single software and hardware complex, the so-called PBX appliance. You get an inexpensive and highly reliable solution for small and medium-sized businesses. If the company does not have a server on which you can install 3CX, there is nothing easier than offering a “book” with a free or paid 3CX installed and configured (even if you installed the free version of 3CX PBX Edition, you can earn a year by renewing your subscription to 3CX updates .

The main advantage of our solution over other boxed PBXs is the use of the standard Intel hardware platform and the standard Debian 8 operating system. In addition, using a mini-PC as a PBX server has the following advantages:

• Very small size - the system is almost invisible in the office.
• Very low power consumption - using an external fanless power supply.
• Silent operation - there are also no fans in the case
• The system does not require periodic cleaning, or it can be done much less frequently.
• Integrated video conferencing system for 5 people in the free version of 3CX PBX Edition

Depending on the chosen platform, you can use inexpensive mini-PCs for PBXs with up to 32 (and up to 64 when using Intel Core processors) simultaneous calls!

Which mini PC should I choose? Various manufacturers produce many similar devices. Of course, we are not able to test them all. However, it is enough to comply with the following recommendations for selection, and you will not have problems.

• Intel 64 / AMD 64 architecture - Atom Cherry Trail, Celeron or Core i3 / i5 processors, for example:
  
  
  • Intel Atom x5-Z8300 Processor (mobile processor, support up to 2 GB of RAM)
  • Intel Atom x5-Z8330 Processor (mobile processor, support up to 2 GB of RAM)
  • Intel Atom x5-Z8350 Processor (mobile processor, support up to 2 GB of RAM)
  • Intel Atom x5-E8000 Processor (Braswell desktop processor for more powerful systems, support up to 8 GB of RAM)
  • Short differences between processors are described here.
  
  
• At least 2 GB of RAM
• Not less than 32 GB SSD drive
• Wired ethernet interface
• Debian 8 or Ubuntu 14 support must be declared.

If we talk about specific manufacturers, we can list:

• Cloudsto MiniPCs (tested by 3CX, recommended)
• Lavaserv (tested by 3CX, offered mainly in South Africa)
• Nexbox J1900 (tested by 3CX)
• Nexbox N2830 (tested by 3CX)
• Rikomagic (tested by 3CX), in particular, Linux PC MK36S LE
• And of course, the Intel NUC Mini PC series .
  

Once you have decided on the power of the mini-PC (you can offer several systems for projects of different sizes), install the free version of 3CX on it. This is a simple procedure, especially after the release of 3CX SP4 with the support of the file of answers, i.e. a configuration file that is automatically applied to the installed system ( this option will be available in 3CX SP4 ). This file will allow you to quickly configure the PBX for standard tasks.

In the meantime, consider installing 3CX on your chosen mini-PC.

Installing Debian for 3CX on a mini PC

To install 3CX you will need:

• performance mini pc
• ISO image 3CX for Debian
• USB flash drive with a minimum capacity of 1 GB
• Rufus program to create bootable flash drives

Preparing a bootable USB flash drive:
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1. Download and install Rufus
2. Insert a flash drive and run Rufus
3. Set recording options
   
   
   1. Device - your flash drive
   2. Partition scheme - MBR partition for BIOS or UEFI
   3. File System - FAT32 (Default)
   4. Cluster Size - 4096 bytes (Default)
   5. New volume label - for example, ISOLINUX
   6. Turn on Quick format
   7. Turn on Create bootable disk using ISO image and specify the ISO image you downloaded.
   
   
4. Click Start , select the Write in DD Image mode option and click OK .

The ISO image of Debian for 3CX will be burned to a flash disk. Then insert the disk into the mini-PC and boot from it.

If the mini-PC does not have an operating system, you will immediately be taken to the Debian for 3CX installation menu. If the mini PC already has an OS installed, press Del or F2 and select the boot device. The installation procedure itself is described in this manual .