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VoIP means technology that sends live voice traffic across a network utilizing IP standards. A primary attraction of VoIP is its ability to help reduce expenses due to the fact that phone conversations travel over the data network rather than the phone company's services. IP telephony encompasses the full range of Voice over IP related services such as the interconnection of phones for communications; related services such as invoicing and dialing plans; and core capabilities including group calls, transfer, forward, and hold. These services were often previously handled by a PBX.

VoIP is the basis for unified communications solutions. Cisco's Unified Communications portfolio of voice, image, mobility, and IP communications offerings delivers the technology for building a single cohesive system that can handle multiple types of traffic concurrently. Cisco allows this functionality while maintaining a high level of network availability, Quality of Service (QoS), and Protection. Important benefits of IP telephony product line include:

• A versatile, interoperable upgrade strategy that allows you to choose IP solutions that handle your existing need, while offering a smooth path for expanding IP integration
• QoS mechanisms that help ensure excellent voice fidelity by means of strict control of latency, drop out, and jitter
• Network management products that provide network administration, troubleshooting, setup, problem tracking, and element control

The architecture of the Cisco IP Telephony solution is composed of call endpoints, call-processing agents, and IP telephony applications.

Call Endpoints
A call endpoint is a customer device, and can be a desk phone set or a soft phone application powered by a PC. In the Internet Protocol world, every VoIP phone has an Ethernet connection. Voice over IP phones offer all of the features that an ordinary phone handset provides. Voice over IP phones often provide additional functions including being able to connect to Websites or run useful software. Cisco Unified IP handsets include the Cisco 24-button IP Phone 7931G, the Cisco Cordless IP Phone 7921G, and Cisco's IP Phone 7985G video phone.

Within a Cisco IP Telephony network, you can also choose the Cisco IP Communicator, a desktop computer-based phone. When use the Cisco IP Communicator remotely, you take your office extensions wherever you go and in addition have access to the same phone services you use at your desk. System managers can provision the IP Communicator the way they do any other Cisco VoIP device, significantly streamlining IP phone management.

Unlike ordinary PBX technology, in a Cisco IP Telephony network you can perform virtually instant relocations, adds, and changes. You merely move the IP handset to your new location, attach it to the Ethernet connection, and the phone announces itself with Cisco Communications Manager (formerly CallManager). All user privileges and configurations are programmatically re-established, eliminating the expense and delay of sending technicians to rewire connections. An additional useful feature is extension mobility, which enables you to log into any Cisco VoIP phone and receive your personal phone extension and rights.

Call-processing Agents
The call-processing agent is the heart of Cisco's IP Phone system. To address your organizational needs you can elect to deploy a central call-processing model, a decentralized design, or a mix of the two. In a centralized approach, Cisco Communications Manager extends enterprise phone capabilities to packet telephony devices such as IP phones, media processing appliances, VoIP gateways, and mixed media applications throughout the environment. Cisco Communications Manager supports extra voice, video, and data functions including unified messaging, video conferencing, and group-based client interaction networks.

When a centralized Cisco Communications Manager cluster also takes care of call processing for customers at remote sites, IT managers can help ensure non-stop call service through Cisco Survivable Remote Site Telephony (SRST), an IOS Software image for routers. If a WAN link breaks, Cisco SRST incorporated in the Cisco offers basic Communications Manager functions until the connection is repaired.

For small offices or loosely coupled small enterprise branch sites that do not require the complete, high-end feature set offered by Cisco Communications Manager, Cisco Unified Communications Manager Express, formerly CallManager Express, offers a cost-effective solution that handles the needs of locations with as many as 240 workers. Because Cisco Unified Communications Manager Express is built into the Cisco IOS Software operating on a Cisco multiservice access router, smaller offices can quickly and easily deploy a converged voice and data environment.

IP Telephony Applications
Under Cisco's Unified Communications architecture, Internet Protocol telephony applications are physically independent from the call-processing and voice-processing infrastructure, and they may be at any location within the network. A cohesive connectivity infrastructure provides an open environment for feature-rich applications, and serves as a firm basis for downstream convergence-based software.

Cisco works with leading technology companies to offer a wide selection of independent Internet Protocol telephony applications and devices. Cisco also supports the ability to develop and administer specialized programs.

Cisco's Unity Connection Services for Integrated Messaging
The Cisco Unity solution 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 major enterprise organizations and provides powerful migration tools and a broad range of efficiency features.

Cisco's Unity platform supports both Cisco Communications Manager and popular PBX systems to allow your business to move up to IP telephony at your own speed and amortize your existing network investments. Cisco's solution also offers a variety of networking adapters that allow advanced message exchange with leading voice-mail systems. While you are moving to the Cisco Unity solution, these network modules help to ensure a smooth transition by offering you the capability to trade messages with internal system users who rely an older messaging platform.

Cisco Unity Connection incorporates unified messaging, voice recognition, and call transfer rules into a manageable system for mid-size businesses with up to 3K users. For companies with 500 or fewer workers, Cisco Unity Connection is offered as a one-server option with Cisco Unified Communications Manager Business Edition.

Unity Connection is a highly functional product based on a platform that is easy to deploy and maintain. With Unity Connection users can access voice messages via Cisco Unified Personal Communicator, use the screen on their Cisco VoIP Phone to view, find, and sort voice mail. and can even utilize the voice recognition capability of Cisco Unity Connection to connect to and participate in Cisco Unified MeetingPlace Express meetings. Unity Connection also provides resilient automated attendant features that include smart call switching and effortlessly customizable call screen and message notification options.

Unity Express, available in certain Cisco IS routers, provides cost-effective voicemail, integrated messaging, interactive voice response (IVR), and automated-attendant functions for small to mid-size businesses and enterprise branch locations with as many as 250 users.

How Progent's Engineers Can Assist You with Cisco's IP Telephony Technology
Progent can provide a Cisco Certified Internetwork Expert or Cisco Certified Network Professional to assist you to implement and support Cisco IP telephony products. Progent's developers can create specialized unified messaging software that will enable your business to integrate the capabilities of Cisco Unified Communications Manager into your business processes for enhanced efficiency. Progent can analyze your existing network and Internet access architecture to make sure your system is optimized to accommodate Voice over IP, assist you to choose and deploy Cisco hardware and software that make sense for your present situation and downstream expansion goals, and integrate your Cisco Voice over IP products with products from other vendors.

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