Voice over IP (VoIP) refers to technology that transmits live voice traffic across a network connection using IP standards. A primary advantage of Voice over IP is its ability to help reduce expenses due to the fact that telephone conversations take place across the data network instead of the phone company's network. IP telephony covers the full range of VoIP enabled functions including the interconnection of phones for communications; related services such as invoicing and dialing plans; and basic capabilities such as group calls, transfer, forward, and call hold. These features were often previously handled by a Private Branch Exchange (PBX).

VoIP is the foundation for more advanced unified communications solutions. Cisco's Unified Communications system of voice, video, mobile, and Internet Protocol communications offerings delivers the technology for creating a centralized cohesive network that can handle multiple types of traffic simultaneously. Cisco's solution provides this functionality while maintaining an outstanding level of network resilience, Quality of Service (QoS), and security. Major advantages of Cisco's telephony technologies include:

• A versatile, interoperable upgrade strategy that allows you to choose IP Communications solutions that handle your existing need, while offering a smooth path for accelerating IP deployment
• QoS mechanisms that help ensure high voice fidelity through tight management of latency, loss, and jitter
• Network management tools that provide system administration, troubleshooting, configuring, problem monitoring, and device control

The framework of the Cisco IP communications solution consists of call endpoints, call-processing agents, and telephony applications.

Communications Endpoints
A communications endpoint is a user instrument, either a desk phone or a software phone program powered by a personal computer. In the IP environment, every VoIP phone is Ethernet connected. IP phones have all of the functions that an ordinary telephone provides. Voice over IP phones often have additional features such as being able to access Websites or run productivity-enhancing software. Cisco VoIP phones include Cisco's feature-rich Unified IP Phone 7931G, Cisco's Wireless IP Phone 7921G, and the Cisco Unified IP Phone 7985G desktop video phone.

Within a Cisco IP Telephony network, you can also choose the Cisco IP Communicator product, a PC--enabled telephony application. When use the Cisco IP Communicator off-site, you take your virtual office wherever you go and in addition have access to the same phone features you use in the office. IT managers can configure the IP Communicator the way they would any other Cisco VoIP device, significantly streamlining IP phone support.

In contrast to traditional PBX systems, in a Cisco Internet Protocol phone environment you can perform almost instant moves, additions, and modifications. You merely take the VoIP phone to its new spot, plug it into the Ethernet connection, and the handset registers itself with Cisco Communications Manager. All client rights and settings are automatically re-established, eliminating the cost and hassle of dispatching technicians to wiring closets. An additional efficient feature is extension mobility, which enables you to sign into any Cisco VoIP device and get your personal phone extension and rights.

Call-processing Agents
Cisco's call-processing agent is the center of the Cisco IP Telephony solution. To address your organizational requirements you can choose to deploy a centralized call-processing design, a decentralized model, or a mix of the two. In a centralized deployment, Cisco Communications Manager expands enterprise phone capabilities to packet telephony products such as VoIP phones, media management products, VoIP gateways, and multimedia applications throughout the network. Cisco Communications Manager supports extra multimedia functions such as unified messaging, video conferencing, and group-based client communication networks.

When a central Communications Manager cluster also handles call management for users at distributed sites, IT managers can help promote continuous call service through Cisco Survivable Remote Site Telephony, an IOS Software image for Cisco routers. If a Wide Area Network connection fails, Cisco SRST incorporated in the router offers basic Cisco Communications Manager functions until the link is restored.

For small networks or loosely coupled small enterprise branch sites that do not require the complete, enterprise-class feature set available from Communications Manager, Unified Communications Manager Express, formerly CallManager Express, offers a budget-friendly alternative that handles the needs of locations with as many as 240 users. Because Unified Communications Manager Express is built into the IOS Software operating on a Cisco multiservice access router, smaller organizations can rapidly and easily deploy a converged voice and data solution.

Internet Protocol Phone Applications
Under Cisco's Unified Communications architecture, IP telephony applications are physically independent from the call-processing and voice-processing infrastructure, and they may be anywhere within the network. A single network framework offers a versatile platform for feature-rich productivity applications, and serves as a solid basis for downstream convergence-based applications.

Cisco cooperates with leading IT industry partners to offer a wide selection of independent IP telephony applications and devices. Cisco also supports the ability to create and administer customized applications.

Cisco's Unity Connection Services for Integrated Messaging
Cisco's Unity product portfolio offers powerful voicemail plus unified messaging options that seamlessly operate with Exchange, Domino, and Groupwise. Cisco Unity scales to meet the needs of major enterprise organizations and provides versatile upgrade utilities and a wide array of efficiency enhancing features.

The Cisco Unity system supports both Cisco Communications Manager and leading PBX systems to help your organization to move up to Internet Protocol telephony at your own pace and preserve your existing infrastructure investments. The product suite also includes a variety of networking adapters that support advanced message exchange with popular voice-mail products. While you are moving to the Cisco Unity solution, these modules help to ensure a seamless transition by offering you the ability to exchange messages with internal system subscribers who rely an older messaging platform.

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

Unity Connection is a highly functional solution built on a platform that is easy to deploy and support. With Unity Connection workers can access voice messages using Cisco Unified Personal Communicator, utilize the screen on their Cisco Unified IP handset to view, find, and sort messages. and can even use the voice recognition interface of Unity Connection to access and attend Cisco Unified MeetingPlace Express conferences. Unity Connection also provides resilient automated attendant functions such as smart call switching and effortlessly customizable call screen and message notification selections.

Cisco Unity Express, offered in select Cisco Integrated Services routers, offers affordable voicemail, integrated messaging, IVR, and automated-attendant services for small to mid-size businesses and corporate satellite locations with up to 250 workers.

How Progent's Consultants Can Assist You with Cisco's IP Telephony Technology
Progent can give you access to a Cisco Certified Internetwork Expert or certified CCNP to help you to implement and support Cisco IP telephony solutions. Progent's developers can create custom IP telephony applications that will enable your company to incorporate the features of Cisco Unified Communications Manager into your business processes for enhanced productivity. Progent can evaluate your existing network and Internet access infrastructure to determine whether your environment is configured to support VoIP, assist you to select and integrate Cisco hardware and software that make sense for your present situation and future growth goals, and integrate your Cisco VoIP solution with technology from other vendors.

To find out additional details about Progent's professional assistance for Cisco solutions, select a subject: