Digium

Digium

Type	Private
Industry	Telecommunications
Founded	1999
Founder(s)	Mark Spencer
Headquarters	Huntsville, Alabama, United States 34°43′6.23″N 86°41′34.27″W / 34.7183972°N 86.6928528°W / 34.7183972; -86.6928528
Key people	Mark Spencer, Founder and Chief Technical Officer; Danny Windham, Chief Executive Officer
Website	digium.com/

Digium, Inc. is a privately held communications technology company based in Huntsville, Alabama. Digium specializes in developing and manufacturing communications hardware and telephony software, most notably the open-source telephony platform Asterisk.

History

Digium was founded by Mark Spencer in 1999 as Linux Support Services,^[1] offering technical support and development services to Linux users. While exhibiting the company at Linux Expo,^[2] Spencer and Keith Morgan successfully experimented with receiving a telephone call via VoFR using a PC running Linux. Building on the idea of call processing with PCs, Spencer developed software named Asterisk to act as a telephone system for the startup company.^[3] Asterisk was published as open source software, which gave others the freedom to use, change, and improve the software.

Initially, Asterisk solely used frame relay to send and receive calls, but its capabilities quickly expanded, while frame relay reached obsolescence. Independently of Linux Support Services or Asterisk, Jim Dixon had begun the Zapata Telephony project^[4] to create computer-telephony interfaces that relied on the strength of a general-purpose CPU rather than specialized DSPs. When Spencer encountered the Zapata Telephony project (abbreviated to Zaptel), he and Dixon collaborated to merge the Zaptel Linux drivers with the Asterisk code. The Zaptel software project significantly expanded the utility of Asterisk, allowing Asterisk to use T1 interfaces.^[5]

As interest in Asterisk grew, Linux Support Services began to focus more on supporting Asterisk and addressing the telecom market.^[6] In 2001, the company changed its name to Digium^[7] and began manufacturing and marketing its first telephony hardware interface card, the Wildcard X100P. The following year, Digium began marketing the Wildcard T400P and E400P, four-port T1 interface cards, which were Jim Dixon's "Tormenta 2 PCI" design.^[8] Digium continued to expand and refine its line of telephony interface cards, which remains a significant portion of its business.

In the years following, Digium experienced strong growth^[9] and received industry accolades for the disruptive effects of open source telephony.^[10] "VoIP using an open-source solution, such as Asterisk, will generate more business than the entire Linux marketplace today,"^[11] said Jon 'Maddog' Hall, the president of open-source organisation Linux International. In August 2006, Digium raised $13.8m in first-round from venture capital firm and JBoss investor Matrix Partners.^[12]

Early in 2007, Danny Windham joined Digium as CEO, while founder Mark Spencer became Chairman and CTO.^[13] Later in the year, Digium announced the acquisitions of Sokol & Associates^[14] and Four Loop Technologies. Sokol & Associates were producers of Asterisk training and the AstriCon conference. Four Loop Technologies were makers of Switchvox, an Asterisk-based Unified Communications System marketed to small and medium sized businesses. As 2007 came to a close, Digium moved to its current 60,000-square-foot (5,600 m²) headquarters^[15] in Cummings Research Park. With the company's fast-paced growth, the move fueled speculation about Digium as a target for acquisition.^[16]

A trademark conflict with the ZapTel Corporation (makers of calling cards) prompted the May 2008 renaming^[17] of the Zaptel open source software to DAHDI, the Digium Asterisk Hardware Driver Interface.

In January 2009, an independent research firm reported that Open Source PBXs comprise 18% of the North American market for PBXs, surpassing traditional vendors Nortel, Cisco, and Avaya. The report further found that Digium's Asterisk is the most widely used Open Source PBX software, with more than 85% market share of the Open Source market.^[18]

Digium announced its ISO 9001 certification^[19] for product quality in April 2009.

In collaboration with Skype Limited, Digium released in August 2009 Skype for Asterisk, a closed-source software add-on that allows Asterisk to participate natively in the Skype calling network.^[20] Previously, Skype had solely employed a direct, user-to-user calling model. The Skype for Asterisk software brought Asterisk's advanced dialplan, IVR, Least-cost routing, and Call center features to the Skype network, a significant milestone.^[21]

In a joint effort with IBM, Digium released in October 2009 Asterisk for Smart Cube, a version of Asterisk that integrates with IBM's Smart Desk user interface.^[22]

Products and services

Digium's products are grouped into two categories: business phone systems and custom telephony solutions.

The business phone system product line is a range of server appliances running Switchvox, a Unified Communications System powered by Asterisk. Custom telephony solutions comprise digital and analog interface cards, echo canceling and transcoding hardware, and open source Asterisk software, as the tools and materials with which custom telephony solutions may be constructed.

Software

• Asterisk, Digium's most well-known product, is an open-source PBX application which runs on commodity PC hardware.
• Asterisk Business Edition is a commercial version of Asterisk that is sold by Digium. Digium claims it undergoes more testing than the open source version.^[23]
• Asterisk GUI, an open-source GUI frontend, which can be used with either the free version or Asterisk Business Edition.
• Digium also produces and supports proprietary addons to Asterisk, such as Codec G.729, Fax for Asterisk, HPEC (High Performance Echo Canceller), the Cepstral Connector (text to speech), and the LumenVox Speech Engine (voice recognition).

Hardware

PCI cards

Digium makes a range of analog and digital PCI and PCI Express cards designed to work with Asterisk.

Appliances

Digium also manufactures a variety of appliances designed to simplify PBX installation, support, and maintenance, albeit at the possible cost of disabling some of the more advanced features of Asterisk. One series of the products involves the use of Switchvox, a GUI frontend to Asterisk.

External links

Free software portal

• http://www.digium.com/ - Digium, Inc
• http://developers.digium.com/ - Digium Developer Central
• http://www.twit.tv/floss38 - An interview of Mark Spencer by Randal Schwartz and Leo Laporte originally netcasted 30 August 2008 on the FLOSS Weekly podcast.

References

1. ^ Chapman, Beth. "Alabama Corporate Records". Alabama Secretary of State. http://arc-sos.state.al.us/CGI/SOSCRP10.mbr/output?PGM=2&P01=663434M. Retrieved 8 April 2009. 
2. ^ Litt, Steve (June 1999). "Mark Spencer interview". Troubleshooting Professional Magazine. http://www.troubleshooters.com/tpromag/199906/_markspencer.htm. Retrieved 8 April 2009. 
3. ^ Dal (8 April 2005). "Interview with Mark Spencer". SineApps. http://asteriskvoip.blogspot.com/2005/04/interview-with-mark-spencer.html. Retrieved 8 April 2009. 
4. ^ Dixon, Jim (5 January 2005). "History of the Zapata Telephony Project". Jim van Meggelen. http://www.asteriskdocs.org/modules/tinycontent/index.php?id=10. Retrieved 8 April 2009. 
5. ^ Rodgers, Steve (21 October 2005). "The Asterisk PBX as a Linked Repeater Controller, pg 2". TIARA Technology. http://app-rpt.qrvc.com/app_rpt_article.pdf. Retrieved 8 April 2009. ^{[dead link]}
6. ^ Savarese, Janine (13 July 2006). "Inc.com Names Mark Spencer of Digium to its '30 Under 30: America's Coolest Young Entrepreneurs' Feature". MRB. http://news.thomasnet.com/companystory/489282. Retrieved 8 April 2009. 
7. ^ Wintermeyer, Stefan (4 July 2006). "New Mark Sencer Interview". Asterisk VoIP News. http://www.asteriskvoipnews.com/asterisk_news/new_mark_spencer_interview_creator_of_asterisk.html. Retrieved 8 April 2009. 
8. ^ Dixon, Jim (5 January 2005). "History of the Zapata Telephony Project". Jim van Meggelen. http://www.asteriskdocs.org/modules/tinycontent/index.php?id=10. Retrieved 8 April 2009. 
9. ^ Meyerson, Bruce (20 September 2005). "Voice over Internet market sees changes". USA Today. http://www.usatoday.com/tech/products/services/2005-09-20-voip-conference_x.htm?csp=34. Retrieved 08April 2009. 
10. ^ Hardy, Quentin (10 April 2006). "Dial D for Disruption". Forbes. http://www.forbes.com/forbes/2006/0410/063.html. Retrieved 8 April 2009. 
11. ^ Marson, Ingrid (6 October 2004). "Open-source VoIP 'will be bigger than Linux'". ZDNet. http://news.zdnet.co.uk/communications/0,1000000085,39169076,00.htm. Retrieved 8 April 2009. 
12. ^ Kraeuter, Chris (9 August 2006). "Digium Gets Funding From Matrix". Forbes. http://www.forbes.com/2006/08/08/digium-matrix-telecom_cx_ck_0809digium.html. Retrieved 4 May 2009. 
13. ^ Asay, Matt (25 June 2007). "The Open Source CEO: Danny Windham (Part 13)". CNet News: The Open Road. http://news.cnet.com/8301-13505_3-9734063-16.html. Retrieved 8 April 2009. 
14. ^ Bauduin, Raphaël (October 2007). "Profoss - Interview of Kevin P. Fleming". Profoss. http://www.profoss.eu/events/october-2007-asterisk/speakers/kevin-p-fleming/interview/. Retrieved 4 May 2009. ^{[dead link]}
15. ^ "Digium Unveils New Corporate Headquarters in Huntsville". http://www.asteriskvoipnews.com/asterisk_news/digium_unveils_new_corporate_headquarters_in_huntsville.html. Retrieved 8 April 2009. 
16. ^ "Linux Magazine’s Top 20 Companies to Watch in 2008". Linux Magazine. 10 January 2008. http://www.linux-mag.com/id/4766/8/. Retrieved 8 April 2009. 
17. ^ Fleming, Kevin (19 May 2008). "Zaptel project being renamed to DAHDI". Digium Blog. http://blogs.digium.com/2008/05/19/zaptel-project-being-renamed-to-dahdi/. Retrieved 8 April 2009. 
18. ^ Malone, John (28 January 2009). "Open Source PBX is 18% of North America Market". No Jitter. http://www.nojitter.com/showArticle.jhtml?printable=true&articleID=212903167. Retrieved 25 December 2009. 
19. ^ Kempke, Laura (27 April 2009). "Digium Achieves ISO 9001 Certification for Product Quality". Digium. http://www.digium.com/en/mediacenter/viewpress.php?id=Digium-Achieves-ISO-9001-Certification-for-Product-Quality. Retrieved 20 December 2009. 
20. ^ Hoover, Lisa (01 Sept 2009). "Skype for Asterisk Gives Small Businesses the Best of Both VoIP Worlds". OStatic. http://ostatic.com/blog/skype-for-asterisk-gives-small-businesses-the-best-of-both-voip-worlds. Retrieved 09 Dec 2009. 
21. ^ Courtney, Jim (9 September 2009). "The Skype for Asterisk Story -- Significant Details". OStatic. http://skypejournal.com/2008/09/skype-for-asterisk-story-real-details.html. Retrieved 8 April 2009. 
22. ^ Kerner, Sean Michael (15 October 2009). "IBM, Digium Team on Asterisk Phone System". InternetNews.com. http://www.internetnews.com/infra/article.php/3843961/. Retrieved 20 December 2009. 
23. ^ http://www.digium.com/en/products/software/abe.php?tab=overview Asterisk Business Edition overview