VoIP.infoThe independent guide to business communications.
VoIP.info Guide

Disaster recovery for a business PBX

Set recovery objectives for calls, configuration and stored media, then test the whole dependency chain.

Reviewed 2026-10-24Foundational

Define what must return first

A recovery plan should state how quickly the business needs calling restored and how much configuration or stored-content loss is tolerable. Incoming-number diversion may restore basic contact before the complete PBX and recordings return.

A backup becomes useful through a restore test
Configuration, secrets and required media enter a protected off-host backup. Restore to an isolated environment, validate behavior and record recovery time before relying on the backup.

Keep production trunk identities from registering during a restore exercise. Include the dependencies needed to decrypt and use the backup.

Map the dependencies

Include carrier account access, numbers, DNS, network policy, certificates, backups, licensing and administrative credentials. A restored VM cannot receive calls if the carrier still delivers to the old address or DNS points elsewhere.

Exercise an isolated restore

Recover to a separate target without activating production trunks. Verify selected configuration, users and content, and record manual steps. Measure elapsed time rather than guessing from the backup file size.

Test the operational handoff

Confirm who can authorize diversion, contact the carrier and communicate with staff during an outage. Keep those instructions outside the unavailable PBX. After an exercise, update the plan with missing permissions and dependencies. A second server is not a recovery plan until routing and state transitions have been validated.

Isolate restored FreeSWITCH service from production

The refreshed installation and security guides require restore proof without production registration or calling.

Sources & applicability

Primary references for the technical details above. Operational examples and planning checklists are VoIP.info editorial guidance.

Continue your research

Hub

VoIP security

Reduce PBX exposure, constrain calling permissions and prepare for accountable recovery.

Explore topic →
Guide · Asterisk 22 LTS

Secure an Asterisk PBX before adding paid calling

Review management access, endpoint identities and dialplan permissions as separate layers.

Read guide →
Guide · FreePBX Backup & Restore release/17.0 source, FreePBX advisories GHSA-5v7h-49gr-jcwr and GHSA-f6hc-rqxg-ch86, and Sangoma Filestore, backup, fwconsole and FreePBX 17 migration documentation reviewed October 12, 2026; the advisories identify affected Backup & Restore versions below 17.0.6 and 17.0.30 respectively, but repository or advisory state does not prove the installed module, archive custody, target handlers or restored runtime, and no PBX, archive, storage destination, credential, job, restore, module, endpoint, trunk or call was inspected or tested

FreePBX backup and restore: prove the recovery path

Choose backup scope, protect off-host storage and validate an isolated restore before relying on it.

Read guide →
Guide · Current SignalWire-maintained installation, module, CLI, SIP-profile and diagnostic documentation was reviewed October 24, 2026. The documented package and source paths, vanilla configuration and command examples do not prove a supported operating-system combination, installed build, enabled module, secured listener, capacity, recoverability or accepted call. No host, repository account, token, package, compiler, module, configuration, endpoint, packet, media stream, backup, restore, price, support entitlement or call was inspected or tested.

FreeSWITCH installation: packages, source, modules and first-call proof

Choose one reproducible installation path, record the effective module and configuration baseline, and prove a restricted first call before exposing service.

Read guide →
Guide · Current SignalWire-maintained SIP-profile, gateway, registration, call-setup, diagnostic, trace and CLI documentation was reviewed October 24, 2026. Shipped profile names and defaults are configuration examples, not security guarantees or proof of an installed listener. No profile, socket, certificate, gateway, credential, provider account, registration, dialplan, packet, call, media stream, price, availability, compatibility or support response was inspected or tested.

FreeSWITCH SIP profiles and gateways: listeners, trust and trunk state

Keep Sofia profile listeners, directory identities, gateway definitions, registration, dialplan authority and observed call behavior as separate evidence.

Read guide →
Guide · Current SignalWire-maintained codec, media-handling, channel-variable, SIP-profile, trace and audio-troubleshooting documentation was reviewed October 24, 2026. Codec and media-mode capabilities do not prove module load, negotiation, transcoding, NAT reachability, SRTP protection, audio quality or capacity. No host, module, endpoint, SDP, packet, capture, recording, conference, benchmark, media stream, price, compatibility or call was inspected or tested.

FreeSWITCH media and codecs: prove each negotiated RTP path

Compare full media, proxy media and bypass media while retaining per-leg codec, SDP, address, security and packet evidence.

Read guide →
Guide · Current SignalWire-maintained SIP-profile, TLS, Event Socket, CLI, diagnostic, registration and trace documentation was reviewed October 24, 2026. Shipped bindings, credentials and verification defaults are documentation values, not a secure deployment baseline. No host, firewall, ACL, listener, certificate, private key, credential, module, Event Socket, endpoint, provider account, packet, backup, restore, penetration test, price, compatibility or call was inspected or tested.

FreeSWITCH security: bound listeners, trust, control and recovery

Secure Sofia, dialplan, TLS, Event Socket, modules and restore paths as separate control boundaries with runtime evidence.

Read guide →
Troubleshooting · Current SignalWire-maintained gateway, Sofia-profile, diagnostic, call-setup, trace and events documentation was reviewed October 24, 2026. Gateway state names and command examples require verification on the installed build and profile. No switch, profile, gateway, credential, provider account, DNS answer, firewall, registration, OPTIONS exchange, packet, call, media stream, failover event, price, availability, compatibility or support response was inspected or tested.

FreeSWITCH gateway down: registration, ping, route or upstream failure

Separate Sofia gateway lifecycle, OPTIONS reachability, dialplan selection, SIP response, hangup cause and media evidence before changing a trunk.

Read guide →