Cisco Network Support Outsourcing

VoIP means technology that sends voice communications over a network connection utilizing Internet Protocol standards. A key benefit of Voice over IP is its ability to help reduce expenses because phone calls take place over the data network instead of the phone company's services. IP telephony covers the entire suite of VoIP related functions such as the interfacing of phones for communications; associated functions including billing and dialing plans; and core features including group calls, call transfer, forward, and hold. These features might once handled by a PBX.

VoIP is the foundation for more advanced unified communications applications. Cisco's Unified Communications portfolio of voice, image, mobile, and IP communications offerings delivers the technology for creating a centralized converged system that can handle multiple types of traffic simultaneously. Cisco's solution provides this functionality while maintaining a high degree of network availability, Quality of Service , and security. Major benefits of Cisco's telephony technologies are:

• A flexible, interoperable migration path that enables you to select IP solutions that handle your existing need, while offering a seamless path for accelerating IP integration
• QoS mechanisms that provide excellent voice fidelity by means of tight management of delay, drop out, and jitter
• Network management technologies that facilitate network administration, operations, repair, setup, problem monitoring, and device control

The framework of the Cisco IP Telephony solution is made up of communications endpoints, call-processing agents, and IP telephony applications.

Communications Endpoints
A communications endpoint is a customer instrument, either a desk phone set or a soft phone program powered by a personal computer. In the Internet Protocol world, each phone has an Ethernet connection. VoIP phones have all of the features that an ordinary telephone has. VoIP phones often provide additional functions including the ability to connect to Websites or host useful software. Cisco Unified IP phones include the Cisco 24-button IP Phone 7931G, the Cisco Unified Wireless IP Phone 7921G, and the Cisco IP Phone 7985G desktop video phone.

Within a Cisco IP communications network, you can also use the Cisco IP Communicator product, a PC--based phone. When using the Cisco IP Communicator off-site, you take your office extensions wherever you go and also have access to the familiar phone features you use in the office. IT administrators can configure the IP Communicator the way they integrate any other Cisco IP Phone, significantly simplifying IP telephony management.

Unlike conventional PBX systems, in a Cisco Internet Protocol Telephony environment you can implement virtually instantaneous relocations, additions, and changes. You merely take the IP handset to your new spot, attach it to an Ethernet connection, and the IP phone announces itself with Cisco Communications Manager (formerly CallManager). All client privileges and configurations are programmatically replicated, eliminating the cost and delay of dispatching technicians to wiring closets. An additional efficient capability is extension capability, which allows you to log into any Cisco IP device and receive your personal phone extension and privileges.

Call-processing Agents
Cisco's call-processing agent is the center of Cisco's IP Communications system. To meet your organizational needs you can elect to deploy a centralized call-processing model, a decentralized design, or a mix of both. In a centralized approach, Cisco Communications Manager expands corporate telephony features to packet telephony products such as IP phones, media processing appliances, Voice over IP gateways, and mixed media applications across the network. Cisco Communications Manager supports additional voice, video, and data functions such as unified messaging, multimedia conferencing, and group-based client interaction networks.

In cases where a central Cisco Communications Manager cluster also takes care of call management for customers at distributed locations, IT managers can help ensure continuous call service using Cisco Survivable Remote Site Telephony, a Cisco IOS Software image for routers. If a WAN link fails, Cisco SRST incorporated in the Cisco provides basic Cisco Communications Manager services until the connection is restored.

For small networks or remote small enterprise branch sites that do not require the full, enterprise-class functionality available from Cisco Communications Manager, Cisco Unified Communications Manager Express offers a budget-friendly solution that handles the needs of sites with up to 240 users. Because Unified Communications Manager Express is embedded in the IOS Software running on a Cisco multiservice access router, smaller offices are able to quickly and easily implement a converged voice and data solution.

IP Telephony Applications
Within Cisco's Unified Communications platform, IP phone applications are physically separate from the call-processing and voice-processing infrastructure, and they may reside anywhere within the system. A single network framework provides a versatile environment for powerful applications, and serves as a firm foundation for future convergence-based software.

Cisco cooperates with leading technology partners to provide a wide selection of third-party IP telephony applications and devices. Cisco also enables the capability to develop and administer customized programs.

Cisco's Unity Connection Solutions for Unified Messaging
The Cisco Unity solution delivers advanced voicemail plus unified messaging options that seamlessly integrate with Microsoft Exchange, Lotus Domino, and Novell GroupWise. Cisco Unity expands to meet the requirements of large enterprise organizations and offers powerful upgrade tools and a wide array of productivity increasing functions.

The Cisco Unity product portfolio works with both Cisco Communications Manager and popular PBX products to allow your organization to transition to IP telephony at a comfortable pace and protect your current infrastructure investments. Cisco's product suite also offers a variety of networking adapters that enable advanced message interchange with leading voice-mail systems. While you are moving to the Cisco Unity framework, these network modules promote a smooth migration by giving you the ability to trade messages with internal users who rely an older messaging system.

Cisco Unity Connection incorporates integrated messaging, voice recognition, and call transfer rules into an easy-to-manage solution for mid-size organizations with as many as 3K users. For companies with 500 or fewer workers, Cisco Unity Connection is offered as a one-server solution with Unified Communications Manager Business Edition.

Unity Connection is a feature-rich solution built on an architecture that is easy to install and support. With Cisco Unity Connection workers can access voice messages using Cisco Unified Personal Communicator, use the display on their Cisco VoIP handset to view, search, and file messages. and can even use the voice recognition capability of Unity Connection to access and attend Cisco Unified MeetingPlace Express meetings. Unity Connection also offers resilient automated attendant functions that include smart call switching and easily customizable call screen and new message notification options.

Unity Express, available in select Cisco IS routers, provides cost-effective voicemail, unified messaging, interactive voice response, and automated-attendant functions for small to mid-size businesses (SMBs) and corporate satellite offices with as many as 250 users.

How Progent's Engineers Can Assist You with Cisco's Voice over IP Telephony Technology
Progent can provide a Cisco Certified Internetwork Expert or Cisco Certified Network Professional (CCNP) to help you to install and maintain Cisco IP telephony solutions. Progent's programmers can build specialized IP telephony applications that will help your company to integrate the capabilities of Cisco Unified Communications Manager into your company operations for enhanced productivity. Progent can evaluate your existing network and Internet access architecture to make sure your system is configured to accommodate Voice over IP, assist you to select and install Cisco products that make sense for your present needs and future growth objectives, and integrate your Cisco VoIP solution with products from other vendors.

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