There are five main reasons why Astribank XPP Technology is superior to PCI cards:
- PCI cards are not suitable for high density installations.
- PCI installation requires PC disassembly.
- PCI solutions are difficult to maintain: if a port malfunctions, you have to power down the server and change the PCI board
- If a PC server malfunctions, you have to take 2 computers apart (the old unit, to take out the boards and the new unit, to install the boards). With Astribank – just swap the unit and plug in the USB. No need to shut down the power and dissemble the unit.
- Astribank is a hot-pluggable reliable USB 2.0 solution.
Refer to the table below for a point-by-point comparison:
| Category/Featur | Astriban | PCI Card | Comment |
|---|---|---|---|
Installation and Maintenance |
|||
| Easy installation |
 |
 |
USB connection vs. card assembly |
| Hot swappable |
|
|
Astribank uses external USB connection |
| Easy front panel access |
|
|
|
| Unit status indicators |
|
|
|
| Port status indicators |
|
|
|
| Communications cabinet compatibility |
|
|
Industrial grade 19'' 1U rack mountable design |
| RJ11 and Telco connector |
|
|
Either RJ11 or Telco. Astribank offers both for high density FXS installs. |
Versatility |
|||
| Commercially-supported high availability |
|
|
Astribank provides hot failover for complete PBX with TwinStar™ |
| Support for mixed analog/digital channels |
|
|
|
| Fits any PC / Server |
|
|
PCI cards need ½ or full-size vacant slot. |
| Input and output ports |
|
|
|
| Simple unlimited growth |
|
|
Just add more Astribanks. No PCI slot limitation, no need to turn off the PC. |
| Message Waiting Indicator |
|
|
MWI for analog telephones. This is a requirement in the lodging industry. We can light the message waiting lamp. |
Density |
|||
| Slim 1U 19'' chassis |
|
N / A | |
| Realistic 1,000 ports support |
|
|
PCI cards are typically limited to 48 analog ports. |
