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Voice over IP (VoIP) means technology that transmits voice communications over a network connection using Internet Protocol standards. A primary advantage of Voice over IP is its capability to help reduce costs because telephone conversations travel over the data network instead of the phone company's network. IP telephony covers the full suite of VoIP enabled services including the interfacing of phone sets for communications; related services such as billing and dialing plans; and basic capabilities including group calls, call transfer, forward, and hold. These services were often once handled by a Private Branch Exchange (PBX).

VoIP is the basis for unified communications solutions. Cisco's Unified Communications system of voice, video, mobility, and Internet Protocol communications products provides the technology for building a centralized converged network that can manage multiple types of traffic concurrently. Cisco's solution allows this capability while maintaining an outstanding level of network resilience, Quality of Service (QoS), and Protection. Major benefits of IP telephony product line are:

• A flexible, standards-based migration path that enables you to select IP Communications solutions that meet your existing requirements, while offering a smooth path for expanding IP deployment
• Quality of Service mechanisms that provide high voice quality by means of tight management of delay, drop out, and jitter
• Network management technologies that provide network administration, operations, troubleshooting, configuring, fault tracking, and element control

The architecture of the Cisco IP Telephony platform consists of communications endpoints, call-processing agents, and IP telephony applications.

Call Endpoints
A call endpoint is a user instrument, and can be a physical phone or a soft phone application powered by a personal computer. In the IP world, every VoIP phone has an Ethernet connection. IP phones have all of the features that an ordinary telephone provides. Voice over IP phones can also provide extra features such as being able to access the web or run useful applications. Cisco VoIP phones include the Cisco feature-rich Unified IP Phone 7931G, the Cisco Cordless IP Phone 7921G, and the Cisco IP Phone 7985G desktop video phone.

Within a Cisco Internet Protocol communications network, you can also use Cisco's IP Communicator, a desktop computer-based telephony application. When using the Cisco IP Communicator off-site, you take your virtual office wherever you go and also have access to the same phone features you have at your desk. System managers can provision the IP Communicator the way they do any other Cisco IP Phone, significantly simplifying IP phone management.

Unlike conventional PBX technology, in a Cisco IP Telephony environment you can perform virtually instant moves, adds, and modifications. You merely move the VoIP handset to its new spot, attach it to the Ethernet jack, and the IP phone registers itself with Cisco Communications Manager. All client privileges and configurations are programmatically replicated, doing away with the expense and hassle of dispatching technicians to wiring closets. Another efficient feature is extension mobility, which allows you to log into any Cisco VoIP phone and receive your personal phone number and privileges.

Centralized and Remote Call-processing Agents
Cisco's call-processing agent is the heart of the Cisco IP Phone solution. To meet your business requirements you can choose to deploy a centralized call-processing model, a decentralized design, or a mix of the two. In a centralized deployment, Cisco Communications Manager extends corporate phone features to packet products such as VoIP phones, media management appliances, VoIP gateways, and multimedia programs throughout the environment. Cisco Communications Manager enables extra mixed media functions including unified messaging, video conferencing, and collaborative customer communication networks.

When a central Cisco Communications Manager cluster also handles call management for customers at distributed sites, IT managers can help ensure non-stop call operation using Cisco Survivable Remote Site Telephony, an IOS Software image for routers. If a Wide Area Network link fails, Cisco SRST incorporated in the Cisco offers basic Communications Manager functions until the link is repaired.

For small offices or remote small corporation branch sites that do not require the complete, enterprise-class feature set offered by Cisco Communications Manager, Unified Communications Manager Express, formerly CallManager Express, provides a cost-effective solution that handles the requirements of sites with up to 240 workers. Since Unified Communications Manager Express is embedded in the IOS Software operating on a Cisco router, smaller organizations can rapidly and simply deploy a combined voice/data environment.

Internet Protocol Telephony Applications
Within Cisco's Unified Communications architecture, Internet Protocol telephony applications are physically separate from the call-processing and voice-processing mechanism, and they may reside anywhere within the system. A cohesive network framework provides a versatile platform for feature-rich applications, and acts as a firm foundation for downstream convergence-based applications.

Cisco cooperates with key IT industry partners to provide a wide selection of third-party IP telephony applications and devices. Cisco also supports the capability to develop and manage specialized applications.

Cisco Unity Services for Unified Messaging
The Cisco Unity platform offers advanced voicemail plus integrated messaging options that transparently operate with Microsoft Exchange and other messaging platforms. Cisco Unity expands to meet the needs of large enterprise organizations and provides powerful upgrade utilities and a broad array of efficiency features.

Cisco's Unity platform supports both Cisco Communications Manager and popular PBX products to help your business to transition to IP telephony at your own speed and get the most from your existing network investments. The solution also offers a variety of networking adapters that enable sophisticated message exchange with leading voice-mail systems. While you are upgrading to the Cisco Unity solution, these modules promote a seamless transition by offering you the ability to exchange messages with internal system subscribers who rely an older messaging system.

Unity Connection incorporates integrated messaging, voice recognition, and call transfer functions into a manageable solution for medium-sized companies with up to 3K users. For businesses with up to 500 users, Unity Connection is available as a one-server option with Cisco Unified Communications Manager Business Edition.

Cisco Unity Connection is a feature-rich product based 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 screen on their Cisco Unified IP handset to review, search, and sort voice mail. and can even utilize the voice capability of Unity Connection to access and participate in Cisco Unified MeetingPlace Express meetings. Cisco Unity Connection also provides resilient automated attendant functions that include intelligent call switching and easily customizable call screen and new message notification selections.

Cisco Unity Express, available in select Cisco Integrated Services routers, offers affordable voicemail, integrated messaging, interactive voice response, and automated-attendant functions for small to mid-size businesses (SMBs) and corporate branch offices with as many as 250 workers.

How Progent's Consultants Can Help You with Cisco's IP Telephony Technology
Progent can provide a certified CCIE or Cisco Certified Network Professional (CCNP) to help you to install and manage Cisco IP telephony solutions. Progent's programmers can build specialized unified messaging software that will enable your company to integrate the capabilities of Cisco Unified Communications Manager into your business operations for increased productivity. Progent can audit your existing network and Internet connectivity infrastructure to determine whether your system is configured to accommodate VoIP, assist you to choose and integrate Cisco hardware and software that make sense for your current needs and future growth objectives, and interface your Cisco VoIP solution with products from other vendors.

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