Cisco Voice over IP Support From CCIE Certified Professionals
Voice over IP means technology that sends voice traffic over a network using Internet Protocol (IP) protocols. A primary benefit of Voice over IP is its capability to help reduce costs due to the fact that telephone conversations travel across the data connection instead of the phone company's network. IP telephony encompasses the entire range of Voice over IP enabled functions such as the interfacing of phones for communications; related functions including billing and dialing plans; and core features such as group calls, call transfer, forward, and hold. These services might previously provided by a Private Branch Exchange (PBX).
VoIP is the basis for unified communications solutions. Cisco's Unified Communications portfolio of voice, image, mobile, and IP communications products provides the technology for creating a centralized converged network that can manage voice, video, and data traffic simultaneously. Cisco provides this functionality while sustaining an outstanding degree of network resilience, Quality of Service , and security. Major benefits of IP telephony technologies include:
A flexible, interoperable migration path that enables you to choose IP Communications solutions that meet your current requirements, while offering a seamless path for accelerating IP integration
Quality of Service mechanisms that provide excellent voice quality through strict management of delay, drop out, and jitter
Network management technologies that facilitate network administration, operations, repair, setup, fault tracking, and device management
The framework of Cisco's IP communications platform consists of call endpoints, processing agents, and telephony applications.
Call Endpoints A call endpoint is a user device, and can be a desk phone or a soft phone application that runs on a PC. In the IP environment, each VoIP phone has an Ethernet connection. Voice over IP phones offer all of the functions that an ordinary phone handset has. IP phones can also provide extra functions such as the ability to access the web or host productivity-enhancing software. Cisco VoIP phones include the Cisco 24-button Unified IP Phone 7931G, Cisco's Wireless IP Phone 7921G, and the Cisco Unified IP Phone 7985G desktop video phone.
In a Cisco Internet Protocol communications network, you can also use Cisco's IP Communicator, a PC--enabled telephony application. When use the Cisco IP Communicator remotely, you carry your virtual office wherever you go and in addition have available the familiar phone features you use at your desk. IT managers can set up Cisco IP Communicator the way they do any other Cisco IP Phone, greatly streamlining IP telephony support.
In contrast to traditional Private Branch Exchange systems, in a Cisco IP Telephony network you can perform virtually instant moves, adds, and modifications. You simply move the IP phone to its new spot, plug it into the Ethernet jack, and the IP phone announces itself with Cisco Communications Manager (formerly CallManager). All client privileges and configurations are programmatically replicated, eliminating the cost and hassle of dispatching technicians to wiring closets. Another useful capability is extension mobility, which allows you to sign into any Cisco IP device and get your personal phone extension and privileges.
Centralized and Remote Call-processing Agents
The call-processing agent is the center of Cisco's IP Phone system. To meet your business requirements you can elect to install a central call-processing design, a decentralized model, or a mix of the two. In a centralized approach, Cisco Communications Manager expands enterprise telephony features to packet devices such as IP phones, media management appliances, VoIP gateways, and mixed media programs throughout the environment. Cisco Communications Manager supports additional multimedia services such as unified messaging, video conferencing, and group-based client interaction networks.
When a central Cisco Communications Manager cluster also handles call management for users at remote sites, IT managers can help ensure continuous phone service through Cisco SRST, a Cisco IOS Software image for Cisco routers. If a WAN connection breaks, Cisco Survivable Remote Site Telephony in the Cisco offers basic Cisco Communications Manager functions until the connection is returned.
For small networks or loosely coupled small enterprise branch sites that do not need the full, enterprise-class feature set offered by Communications Manager, Unified Communications Manager Express provides an economical solution that handles the requirements of locations with as many as 240 workers. Because Cisco Unified Communications Manager Express is built into the Cisco IOS Software running on a Cisco router, smaller offices can rapidly and easily implement a combined voice/data environment.
IP Telephony Applications
Under Cisco's Unified Communications architecture, Internet Protocol telephony applications are physically independent from the call/voice processing mechanism, and they may be anywhere within the network. A single connectivity infrastructure provides an open environment for powerful productivity applications, and serves as a firm foundation for downstream convergence-based applications.
Cisco cooperates with key IT industry vendors to offer a wide selection of independent Internet Protocol telephony applications and devices. Cisco also enables the capability to create and administer specialized applications.
Cisco's Unity Connection Services for Integrated Messaging
Cisco's Unity solution delivers advanced voicemail plus unified messaging options that transparently integrate with Microsoft Exchange and other messaging platforms. Cisco Unity scales to handle the requirements of large enterprises and offers versatile upgrade utilities and a broad array of efficiency increasing functions.
The Cisco Unity solution works with both Cisco Communications Manager and popular PBX products to allow your organization to transition to Internet Protocol telephony at a comfortable speed and get the most from your existing infrastructure investments. The solution also includes a variety of networking adapters that support sophisticated message exchange with leading voice-mail systems. While you are upgrading to the Cisco Unity solution, these network modules help to ensure a smooth transition by offering you the capability to exchange messages with internal system users who reside on a different messaging platform.
Unity Connection incorporates unified messaging, voice recognition, and call routing functions into a manageable system for mid-size organizations with up to 3000 workers. For businesses with 500 users, Unity Connection is offered as a one-server option with Cisco Unified Communications Manager Business Edition.
Cisco Unity Connection is a feature-rich product built on a platform that is straightforward to install and maintain. With Unity Connection users can access voice messages using Cisco Unified Personal Communicator, use the screen on their Cisco Unified IP handset to view, find, and sort messages. and even utilize the voice recognition interface of Cisco Unity Connection to connect to and participate in Unified MeetingPlace Express meetings. Cisco Unity Connection also offers resilient automated attendant functions such as smart call routing and effortlessly customizable call screen and message alert selections.
Unity Express, offered in select Cisco Integrated Services routers, offers affordable voicemail, integrated messaging, interactive voice response, and automated-attendant services for small to mid-size businesses (SMBs) and enterprise branch locations with up to 250 workers.
How Progent's Consultants Can Assist You with Cisco's IP Telephony Technology
Progent can provide a Cisco Certified Internetwork Expert or certified CCNP to help you to implement and maintain Cisco IP telephony solutions. Progent's programmers can build specialized IP telephony applications that will help your organization to incorporate the features of Cisco Unified Communications Manager into your company operations for increased efficiency. Progent can evaluate your current network and Internet access infrastructure to determine whether your environment is optimized to support VoIP, assist you to select and deploy Cisco hardware and software appropriate for your current situation and downstream growth goals, and integrate your Cisco VoIP products with technology from other suppliers.
To see additional information about Progent's consulting help for Cisco solutions, select a subject:
Voice over IP means technology that sends voice traffic over a network using Internet Protocol (IP) protocols. A primary benefit of Voice over IP is its capability to help reduce costs due to the fact that telephone conversations travel across the data connection instead of the phone company's network. IP telephony encompasses the entire range of Voice over IP enabled functions such as the interfacing of phones for communications; related functions including billing and dialing plans; and core features such as group calls, call transfer, forward, and hold. These services might previously provided by a Private Branch Exchange (PBX).
A call endpoint is a user device, and can be a desk phone or a soft phone application that runs on a PC. In the IP environment, each VoIP phone has an Ethernet connection. Voice over IP phones offer all of the functions that an ordinary phone handset has. IP phones can also provide extra functions such as the ability to access the web or host productivity-enhancing software. Cisco VoIP phones include the Cisco 24-button Unified IP Phone 7931G, Cisco's Wireless IP Phone 7921G, and the Cisco Unified IP Phone 7985G desktop video phone.
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