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Exchanging real-time voice and video over Internet Protocol has evolved from simply being being a smart method to reduce phone carrier bills to a required technology for productive collaboration. Unified communications, at one time limited to integrating Internet-based voice calls and faxing on the same network platform to replace traditional PBX systems, now encompasses rich media, mobile communications, instant messaging, presence, collaboration services, and more all within a cohesive framework that is easy to manage, scalable, highly secure, fault-tolerant, cost-effective, and intuitive.

Cisco is the leader in providing the hardware and software infrastructure for supporting the current paradigm of unified communications (UC). Cisco's unified communications product line adds to the efficiency of IT systems by slashing operational costs; integrating rich media features with familiar software applications to improve user output; supporting collaboration among employees, associates, and suppliers to save effort and improve business outcomes; and streamlining the support of your converged voice and data ecosystem.

Cisco's UC solutions address these important product areas:,

• Call Control Agents for managing calls and sessions
• VoIP and Video Phones and Softphones to enhance worker productivity
• Unified Communications Software Applications for simplified access to real-time, IM, voice and video, phone messages, white boarding, and voice/video conferencing
• IP Gateways for interfacing with outside networks and telecommuters

Call Control Software - Unified Communications Manager (CallManager)
The call-processing agent is the core of the Cisco IP Communications system and gives you the versatility to implement a centralized call-processing model, a decentralized model, or a mix of both. In a centralized approach, Cisco Unified Communications Manager (UC Manager or CUCM) extends enterprise telephony capabilities to packet devices such as VoIP handsets, media management appliances, VoIP gateways, and multimedia applications across the IT environment. Unified Communications Manager enables additional mixed media services including unified messaging, multimedia conferencing, and collaborative client communication networks.

The latest release of Unified CM, previously known as Cisco CallManager, offers a wealth of improvements that expedite ROI by cutting administrative and maintenance expenses, improving user productivity, enhancing teamwork, accommodating the BYOD style of working, elevating security, and making optimal utilization of network infrastructure. Top innovations include Global Dial Plan Replication (GDPR), streamlined certificate control, expanded support for single sign-on for administrators and end users, device-agnostic call recording, mobile access without requiring VPN, a new self-provisioning utility that makes it simple for end users to install their preferences for all of their endpoints, and support for Secure Real-Time Transport Protocol for mobile users.

In cases where you implement a centralized Unified Communications Manager cluster to control voice processing for users at distributed sites, IT managers can help achieve continuous phone availability using Cisco Survivable Remote Site Telephony (SRST), a Cisco IOS Software image for routers. If a Wide Area Network link breaks, Cisco Survivable Remote Site Telephony incorporated in the router offers basic Unified Communications Manager services until the link is repaired. For a description of Progent's consulting support services for Cisco routers, refer to consulting and troubleshooting support for Cisco routers.

For small businesses, branch locations, and retail deployments that do not need the full functionality offered by Unified CM, Cisco Unified Communications Manager Express, previously named CallManager Express provides an economical PBX alternative that meets the needs of sites with up to 450 users. Since Cisco Unified Communications Manager Express Unified Communications Manager Express (Unified CCX) is embedded in the IOS Software running on a Cisco Integrated Services Router (ISR), smaller offices can rapidly deploy a unified voice and data environment.

Cisco's BE6000 is a family of all-in-one platforms that provide essential collaboration features such as routing, IP gateway, high definition voice/video, messaging, instant messaging and real-time presence, voice and video conferencing, and paging services, enabling any end user to collaborate on any endpoint from any location. All systems come packaged preinstalled with a virtualization hypervisor and Unified Communications applications software, making deployment quick and simple and reducing cost of ownership for companies with up to 1000 workers. All BE6000 solutions are delivered preinstalled with virtualization and collaboration applications. You can instantly activate Unified Communications applications whenever their needs dictate.

The small-scale Business Edition 6000S supports five preselected UC software applications preloaded on one combination ISR router/IP gateway/virtualized E1600 M2 server device and supports as many as 150 workers and 300 endpoint devices. The mid-market Business Edition 6000M includes 4 unified communications application options enabled on a single virtualized Cisco C220 M4 server and supports a maximum capacity of 1000 workers, 1200 devices, and 100 contact center agents. The high-end BE6000S includes eight collaboration application options enabled on a virtualized Cisco UCS C220 M4 server platform and has the capacity for as many as 1000 users, 2500 devices, and 100 contact center agents.

For additional information about Progent's expertise with Unified Communications Manager (CallManager), visit Cisco Unified Communications Manager (Unified CM) and Cisco CallManager planning, integration, upgrades and technical support.

IP Phones: IP Voice and IP Video Endpoints
An IP communications endpoint is an end-user instrument, and can be a hardware phone or a software phone program on a desktop or handheld computer. In the Internet Protocol world, each VoIP phone is Ethernet connected. VoIP phones have all of the capabilities that an analog phone has, but VoIP phones often provide additional features including being able to connect to the web or host business software.

In contrast to traditional PBX technology, in a Cisco IP telephony environment you can implement virtually instantaneous moves, additions, and changes. You merely take the VoIP handset to your new location, plug it into an Ethernet connection, and the phone announces itself with Cisco Unified Communications Manager (formerly CallManager). All client privileges and settings are automatically re-established, doing away with the expense and hassle of dispatching support personnel to wiring closets. An additional helpful capability is extension mobility, which allows you to log into any Cisco IP phone and get your personal phone extension and privileges.

Cisco provides a wide range of Unified CM phones. The entry-level Small Business SPA 300 family are no-frills IP and DECT devices that feature wide-band audio, support for hosted Internet Protocol phone environments or an IP private branch exchange (PBX), easy deployment and safe remote provisioning, zero-downtime software upgrades, and web-based configuration. The low-end SPA301 is a one-line VoIP endpoint with no display or speakerphone function, a base dialer with a single Ethernet connector, and a wired handset with no keys. The SPA302D, designed solely for operation with the Cisco SPA232D DECT ATA, is a multiple-line cordless Digital Enhanced Cordless Telecommunications (DECT) IP phone that supports 10-lines, a 176 x 220 pixel color display, and a keypad with a speakerphone. Cisco's SPA303 is an economical three-line SIP-based phone with dual switched ports, a 128x64 mono display and a speakerphone.

The SPA500 Series VoIP phones are low-cost endpoints with support for both SIP and SPCP call control protocols, two Ethernet switch ports, speakerphones, built-in web servers, PoE, and voice conferencing capability. Most versions have a 128 x 64 monochrome screen display, The SPA501G has eight lines and has eight soft keys but no hi-res screen. The SPA502G has a single line and has no soft buttons. The SPA504G VoIP phone supports four lines and has four soft buttons. The SPA508G IP Phone supports eight lines and eight programmable keys. The SPA509G supports 12 lines and has 12 programmable buttons. The SPA512G VoIP phone supports four lines, no programmable keys and supports 1xGb Ethernet. The SPA514G VoIP phone supports four lines, has programmable keys, and supports Gigabit Ethernet. The top-of-the-line SPA525G2 includes a 320 x 240 pixel color display, supports five lines, and features five soft buttons.

Cisco's IP Phones 3900 Series and IP Phones 6900 Series are specialty IP voice devices intended for occasional-use settings like lobbies, elevators, and conference centers. Cisco's Unified SIP Phone 3905 IP Phone features a 128 x 32 pixel monochrome display, an integrated Ethernet switch, a speakerphone, and PoE. The bare-bones Cisco Unified IP Phone 6901 is a single-line endpoint with no display and requires a hook switch for call transfer or joining a conference.

Cisco's 7800 Series of economical IP phones are VoIP desktop endpoints featuring backlit mono screens, four soft keys, 11 fixed-feature buttons, an Ethernet port with Class 1 Power over Ethernet, and an integral speakerphone. Cisco's 7800 Series support only the SIP call control protocol. All models in the 7800 Series incorporate the same advanced speakers and microphones as Cisco's 8800 Series IP phones to provide a best-in-class audio experience. Cisco's EnergyWise power-save technology, offered on the advanced 7800 units, cuts after-hours energy consumption by up to 60 percent. The Cisco IP Phone 7811 is a single-line VoIP phone intended for common locations and for employees with infrequent call needs. The IP 7811 VoIP phone comes with a 3.28-inch 384 x 106 display plus a narrow-band speakerphone. Wideband audio is available through an extra-cost wideband handset. Cisco's IP Phone 7821 is a two-line phone with a 396 x 162 screen. The IP Phone 7841 is a four-line VoIP phone with a 396 x 162 screen and is the only device in the 7800 family to support Gigabit Ethernet. The top-of-the-line IP Phone 7861 VoIP phone is a 16-line endpoint intended for administrative staff, contact center agents, and supervisors who have significant voice communications requirements.

The Cisco Unified IP Phone 7900 Series are SIP and SCCP media devices with a 320 x 240 color screen, a 10/100/1000 Ethernet switch, Class 3 PoE, 10 fixed-feature keys and a speakerphone. The Cisco Unified IP Phone 7945G is a two-line device and the Cisco Unified IP Phone 7965G features four lines. Both IP phones have a 5-inch display and four programmable buttons. The Cisco Unified IP Phone 7975G unit is an eight-line media phone featuring a 5.6-inch touch screen and five soft buttons.

Cisco's IP Phone 8800 Series is a line of SIP-only endpoints that features desktop devices, a conference IP phone, and wireless IP Phones. The desktop models are five-line IP phones with a 5-inch 800 x 480 pixel display, a Gigabit Ethernet switch, a speakerphone, four soft keys and 12 fixed-feature keys. Cisco's IP Phone 8811 features a mono display and supports Class 2 PoE. Cisco's IP Phone 8841 features a WVGA color display and supports Class 2 PoE. Cisco's IP Phone 8845 has a WVGA color display, 720p HD video, an adjustable camera, Bluetooth, Cisco Intelligent Proximity for Mobile Voice, and supports Class 2 PoE. The Cisco IP Phone 8851 has a WVGA color display and a USB connection with charging capability, supports Intelligent Proximity for Mobile Voice and Class 3 PoE, and is available in Bluetooth and non-Bluetooth versions. Cisco's IP Phone 8861 has a WVGA color screen, Bluetooth, dual USB connections with charging capability, and supports Cisco Intelligent Proximity for Mobile Voice, 802.11ac Wi-Fi, and Class 4 Power over Ethernet. The Cisco IP Phone 8865 has a WVGA color screen, 720p HD video, a tiltable camera, Bluetooth, two USB connections with charging capability, and supports Cisco Intelligent Proximity for Mobile Voice, Wi-Fi, and Class 4 Power over Ethernet.

Cisco's wireless IP phones are hardened wireless devices intended for professionals who are on the move within campus, hospitality, health-care or other environments where IT management wants user endpoints that offer more administrative control, data security and ruggedness than is achievable with the BYOD mode of workplace communications. Cisco's 8821 and 8812-EX wireless VoIP phones offer on-the-move on-premises users the benefits of voice over wireless LAN (VoWLAN) communications in environments that support 802.11x Wi-Fi. Cisco's 8821 Wireless VoIP Phone features a 2.4 inch color screen, a durable shell designed for shock resistance and IP67 for dust and splash resistance, long-life batteries, a built-in speakerphone, and a Bluetooth 4.0 transceiver for hands-free operation with wireless headsets. The 8821-EX Wireless IP Phone adds anti-sparking protection for potentially combustible environments. The 8821-EX also has a case made out of industry-standard yellow plastics, which makes it easy to locate the event of a crisis. Find out about Progent's Wireless VoIP Phone integration consulting.

Cisco's discontinued 9900 family of powerful IP phones combine high-definition voice with business-grade color video to deliver a productive collaborative unified communications solution for knowledge professionals, managers, and executives. Both IP phones in the 9900 family incorporate a Standard Definition 640x480 pixel color display, a Bluetooth 2.0 transceiver to support a wide range of headsets, and an integrated Gigabit Ethernet switch. Cisco's EnergyWise feature is optional and can lower off-hour energy use by 90 percent. The IP Phone 9951 features a 5-inch display and allows up to 2 IP Color Key Expansion Modules for adding scalability to programmable line and feature keys. The IP Phone 9971 features a 5.6-inch display, a built-in 802.11a/b/g Wi-Fi transceiver for deployment with wireless environments, and four soft-label touchscreen keys to invoke Cisco UC features. The 9971 IP phone allows up to 3 Cisco IP Expansion Modules for expanding customizable line and function keys.

Unified Communications Application Software
Within Cisco's Unified Communications architecture, IP voice, IP video, and other converged applications are separate from the call/voice processing infrastructure, and they may be anywhere within the network. A single network framework provides an open platform for feature-rich applications and serves as a firm basis for downstream convergence-based applications. Cisco works with leading technology companies to provide a broad range of IP voice and IP video software applications and products. Cisco also enables the capability to create and manage specialized internal programs.

UC application software offered by Cisco and supported by Progent's consultants include:

Jabber
Cisco Jabber is a unified communications client application that supports presence, instant messaging, voice, video, voice messaging, desktop sharing, and real-time conferencing features for Windows PCs, Macs, tablets plus iPhones, Android phones, and Blackberries. Jabber is a rebranding and combination of the Cisco Unified Personal Communicator soft phone, Cisco Mobile, and WebEx Connect, with significant improvements in the areas of HD video features and desktop sharing, and expanding the collaboration experience to additional platforms and endpoint hardware. Cisco Jabber works with Cisco Unified CM for call and session control, Cisco Unified Presence for instant messaging and presence, Unity Connection for voice messaging and programmable attendant, and Cisco WebEx Meeting for conferencing.

Since Jabber is built around popular industry protocols, it can interoperate with a broad range of non-Cisco products. As an example, Extensible Messaging and Presence Protocol allows Cisco Jabber users to exchange IM and presence data with various XMPP clients including as Adium for Mac, IBM Sametime, and Microsoft Lync and Office Communications Server. Cisco Jabber capabilities are available from Microsoft Office applications such as Outlook and SharePoint. This extensive platform compatibility optimizes productivity by delivering a common end-user experience and fully enabling the bring-your-own-device model of computing. Progent offers the expertise of Microsoft-certified Exchange consultants and Microsoft SharePoint experts who can show you how to take advantage of Jabber with Microsoft's premier collaboration products. Progent also offers expertise with Apple iPhone and iPad integration as well as Google Android phone and tablet integration to assist you to enhance the productivity of your BYOD ecosystem.

WebEX Meeting Center
WebEX Meeting Center enables online conferencing for users with a web browser or almost any PC or mobile device. Cisco WebEx Meeting Center is offered as software as a service (SaaS) via Cisco's WebEx Cloud. This makes it simple to deploy and expand, reduces the cost of administration, avoids heavy up-front expenditures, offers high availability and enterprise-class security, and provides consistently high throughput. Key features include support for sharing discrete content or an whole screen display with remote attendees in real time, the ability to incorporate multimedia into presentations including PowerPoint and Flash videos, network-based recording plus editing and playback for future reference and training, single sign-on (SSO) and support for other Cisco collaboration products such as Jabber and TelePresence, plus stringent data privacy and encrypted connections with strict policy control.

Cisco WebEx Meeting Center runs on Microsoft Windows, Mac, and Linux desktops and notebooks and permits mobile workers to initiate, schedule, and participate in meetings on Google Android devices, Apple iPhones and iPads, BlackBerry handhelds, and Microsoft Windows Phone. You can also initiate web meetings instantly from Microsoft Office, Outlook, Lotus Notes, and a selection of instant messaging solutions.

Cisco TelePresence Portfolio for On-premises Video Conferencing Infrastructure
For midsize organizations and larger enterprises who want to build an on-premises or hybrid in-house/cloud environment for teleconferencing, Cisco provides a portfolio of Cisco TelePresence platforms that deliver high-definition video conferencing for attendees with virtually any IP endpoint at any site. Cisco TelePresence Server is a scalable teleconferencing bridge that runs in conjunction with Cisco Unified CM to bring multiparty video, audio and content sharing to UC environments and can expand meetings to incorporate cloud-connected Cisco WebEx Meeting Center users. Cisco TelePresence Conductor software streamlines management of how video conferencing resources should be allocated for every individual attendee, enabling managers to specify the precise service level and user experience needed for every user. Cisco TelePresence Content Server records video conference presentations for real-time distribution as well as on-demand playback.

Cisco's Unity Connection Platform and Unity Express for Converged Voicemail
Cisco's Unity Connection, an integrated extension of Cisco Unified CM, is a converged voicemail solution that facilitates productive collaboration by providing a variety of alternatives for accessing voice messages within a framework that is simple to deploy and manage. Unity Connection lets you read and manage your voicemail from your Exchange inbox, browser, Cisco Jabber, a Cisco Unified VoIP Phone, a smartphone, or an iPad or tablet. Cisco Unity Connection also offers sophisticated speech-recognition features for hands and eyes free operation and powerful Automated Attendant capabilities that include intelligent routing for incoming calls and custom call-filtering and message-alert settings. The Cisco Unity Connection system operates as a fully virtualized system that can reside on a BE6000 server or a Cisco Services Ready Engine 910 router service module and can accommodate as many as 20,000 mailboxes on each server.

Unity Express (CUE), offered in select Cisco Integrated Services routers, provides cost-effective voicemail, integrated messaging, interactive voice response, and greeting services for small to medium businesses and enterprise branch offices with as many as 500 voice mailboxes. Cisco Unity Express permits users to access and manage voicemail messages using a Cisco IP Phone screen, your web browser, or an email system. ISR Routers for which Cisco Unity Express is offered as a network module or advanced integration module include Cisco's 1861, 2900, and 3900 families. Progent can provide comprehensive consulting and support services for all Cisco routers.

Cisco Unified Contact Center
Cisco Unified Contact Center Enterprise (Unified CCE or UCCE) works with Cisco Unified CM and desktop agent apps such as Cisco Finesse to offer automatic call distribution (ACD) features that allow an organization to match customers with the right salesperson or service representative. Unified CCE or UCCE features smart call distribution, computer telephony integration, multichannel customer contact management, network call queuing, interactive voice response and consolidated company-wide reporting to streamline the creation and administration of a modern contact center. Cisco products incorporated in Unified CCE's customer interaction management ecosystem include Cisco Unified IP Phones, Voice, and Cisco LAN/WAN technology.

Cisco Unified Contact Center Express (CCX) provides a packaged bundle for building a customer interaction management center for mid-scale systems that support up to 400 agents. Several bundles are offered, as well as a selection of optional enhancements. Cisco Unified CCX works with CUCM and offers intelligent call distribution, client management, reporting, IVR, and the ability to manage voice, email, web chat, and social media requests. Unified CCX comes with Cisco Finesse, a web-based desktop agent that requires no client-side installation. Optional enhancements include conditional routing, estimated-wait-time messages, and workforce quality management.

Cisco Mobile Connect for Single Number Reach (SNR)
Mobile Connect, commonly referred to as Single Number Reach, makes it possible for users to be called via a single number that rings at the same time on their Cisco VoIP Phone and their mobile phone. Users can transfer live conversations between their Cisco VoIP phone and their mobile phone without disruption. Calls that are not answered can be redirected to a Cisco Unity or Unity Connection voicemail account. Users can create personal access lists that specify which calls are extended to different phones.

Prime Collaboration Provisioning
Prime Collaboration Provisioning provides an automated platform for first-time deployments and for follow-on moves, adds, changes, and deletions. An intuitive console delivers a unified view of a subscriber and the user's services. Cisco Prime Collaboration significantly accelerates company-wide rollouts and reduces the time required to implement future updates. Prime Collaboration in addition offers advanced analytics that show application adoption and consumption rates, enabling administrators to optimize IT resources and further lower TCO.

Cisco Communications Gateways
Cisco's communications gateways allow Cisco Unified Communications deployments to communicate with public systems and with users operating outside the corporate firewall. Cisco's portfolio of communication gateways deliver unified communications support for all types of gateway and session-border-control applications.

Communications gateways available from Cisco and supported by Progent's certified consultants include:

Cisco Expressway Collaboration Gateway
Cisco's Expressway is a powerful converged media gatekeeper that allows organizations to allow workers, vendors, consumers, or business partners who are working on different networks, workgroup platforms, or endpoint equipment to access to Cisco Unified Communication features. The Expressway integrates with an enterprise Cisco CM deployment or Cisco Business Edition 6000, or can be accessed through the cloud with Cisco HCS to help make productive collaboration more universal. Key features of Expressway are are:

• Mobile and Remote Access: Remote users who have any Jabber-supported client or telecommuters with Cisco TelePresence endpoints have the benefit of single-sign-on and of Transport Layer Security (TLS) and are able to access all their Jabber applications (video, business-quality voice, rich content IM, and presence) without requiring the inconvenience establishing a VPN connection. Also, teleworkers can utilize their Cisco TelePresence endpoints without the need for a VPN, providing a user experience at home identical to the office.
• Jabber Guest Support: Cisco Expressway is required for enabling the Cisco Jabber Guest, which makes it possible for “guests” to communicate with your business simply and safely through streamlined web-browser and mobile multimedia calls.
• Cisco Cloud Access: Cisco Expressway can function as a gateway that creates a path between onsite Cisco or non-Cisco collaboration solutions and Cisco's WebEx cloud. By offering support for Cisco Collaboration Meeting Rooms (CMRs), Expressway offers a world-class, scalable meeting experience that transparently combines high-quality voice, HD video, and content sharing to any client, at any location, using any endpoint.
• Interoperability: In case your company currently has non-Cisco video technology, Expressway can assist you to move efficiently to a Cisco solution whenever you choose. Cisco Expressway provides video interoperability with standards-based H.323, H.264 Scalable Video Coding (SVC), or Session Initiation Protocol (SIP) environments. Internetworking standards allowed by Expressway include IPv4 to IPv6, H.323 to Session Initiation Protocol (SIP), and Microsoft Lync 2013 H.264 Scalable Video Coding to MPEG-4/H.264 AVC.

• WebEx Cloud Connected Audio for high-capacity SIP-media-connected audio conferencing
• Voice/Video recording
• Enterprise Call-center and interactive-voice-response (IVR) solutions
• Policy-based security evaluation of phone calls
• B2B telepresence over SIP

Cisco's End-of-Life UC520, UC540 and UC560 VoIP Gateways
The legacy Cisco Unified Communications 500 (UC500) Series is an all-in-one VoIP and unified communications appliance and software package for small organizations. UC500 packages provide voice, data, voicemail, automated attendant, video, security, and WiFi functionality, run with older generation Cisco VoIP endpoints, and support public switched telephone network (PSTN) interfaces.

All of UC500 packages include a desktop switch with 8 PoE interfaces plus additional foreign exchange stations (FXS) and FXO interfaces, a firewall, and VPN support. Built-in WiFi is an option. VoIP user capacity can be expanded by connecting with Cisco Catalyst Express companion switches. Every UC500 model also includes software licenses for Cisco Unified Communications Manager for VoIP call processing as well as Cisco Unity Express for voice messaging and automated attendant. The Cisco UC520 package supports 8 to 16 users and include 4 foreign exchange stations and 4 FXO ports. The Cisco UC540 system allows 32 users and has 8 foreign exchange office interfaces. The Cisco UC560 system allows 48 VoIP clients and 12 foreign exchange office ports.

Progent's seasoned VoIP experts can assist you to maintain your legacy UC500 VoIP gateway or plan and carry out a smooth upgrade to a modern VoIP solution such as Cisco's Business Edition 4000.

How Progent Can Help You with Cisco VoIP and IP Media Phones, Cisco Unified CM, and Telepresence
Progent can provide online or onsite help from a Cisco Certified Internetwork Expert (CCIE) Collaboration consultant to assist you to design, deploy, manage and troubleshoot converged communications environments supported by Cisco Unified Communication products in an in-house, cloud-based, or hybrid deployment. Progent's Cisco-certified engineers have extensive experience with Unified Communications Manager and CallManager, VoIP phones and other endpoints, UC applications like Jabber and WebEx Meeting Center, Cisco's immersive telepresence products, collaboration gatekeepers, tools built into Cisco switches and routers. Progent can also provide expertise with technologies like Cisco SRST, CUBE, SIP gateways, CAC, VoIP trunks, various signaling protocols, and Cisco's architecture for voice, video and integrated data. Progent's SIP infrastructure experts can in addition assist you to build SIP infrastructure solutions that include SIP IP voice phones and media phones, SIP trunks, and SIP management tools via Cisco Unified CM.

Progent's custom application developers can create specialized unified communications software that will help your business to integrate the features of Cisco Unified Communications Manager into your company processes for increased efficiency. Progent can evaluate your current network and Internet access infrastructure to determine whether your system is configured to support high-quality Voice over IP and HD video, assist you to choose and integrate Cisco hardware and software that make sense for your present situation and downstream growth plans, and interface your Cisco Unified Communications products with technology from other vendors. Progent's CISSP-ISSAP certified data security consultants can show you how to develop, deploy, and validate an enterprise-wide security strategy for your converged communications solution. In addition, Progent can assist you to configure Cisco high-availability mechanisms like Cisco Unified Survivable Remote Site Telephony to provide cost-effective call control redundancy in remote-branch and home-office environments, and Progent's disaster recovery preparedness experts can help you create a viable disaster recovery strategy to protect your business-critical communications system.

Cisco Unified Communications Manager/CallManager Migration Services
Versions of Cisco Unified Communications Manager 8.6 earlier than 8.6 and all releases of CallManager have reached end-of-life. This means Cisco Engineering will no longer enhance, fix, or test this older software. Security patches for this pivotal product will end, which in certain situations may cause compliance or legal liability problems.

Progent continues to offer comprehensive support for end-of-life releases of Cisco Unified Communications Manager and CallManager, but in case your company is now running an out-of-dated edition of this pivotal software your organization should begin immediately to prepare for your migration. Progent's collaboration consulting professionals can help you to upgrade non-disruptively to the current edition of Cisco Unified CM and can often save customers as much as 50% off consulting service fees compared to most IT service companies because of Progent's documented procedures and hands-on experience in this area. By adhering to leading practices, Progent can make sure your business realizes a quick payback on your IT investment by showing you how to take full advantage of the enhanced feature set, lower management and support expense, more engaging collaboration, and stronger security offered by the latest release of Cisco Unified Communications Manager.

Progent's migration consulting services include return-on-investment analysis, project management, system testing and validation, Cloud connectivity, configuring collaboration endpoints from Cisco and third-party providers, mobile integration, data protection services, management automation, business continuity planning, network infrastructure design, training for IT staff and end users, and ongoing consulting services and technical support. Progent also has put together fixed-priced migration packages to make sure your costs are visible and under control.

To learn additional details concerning Progent's professional assistance for Cisco networking products, choose a subject:

• Overview of Cisco Network Support
• Fast Online Support from a CCIE Network Engineer
• Cisco Firepower NGFW Series Firewalls: Integration and Management Support
• ASA 5500-X Firewalls with Firepower Services: Integration and Management Expertise
• Cisco ASA 5500 Firewalls Integration Services
• PIX 500 Series Firewall Troubleshooting Help
• Cisco Routers Engineering Support
• Cisco Wireless Deployment Support
• Aironet Wireless Access Points Design Expertise
• Cisco Small Business Wireless Access Points Consulting Support
• Catalyst 802.11ax APs Planning, Deployment and Debugging Services
• Cisco WiFi Controllers Consultants
• Meraki Access Points Consulting Services
• Cisco Unified Communications Manager (CUCM or Unified CM) and CallManager Integration and Technical Support
• Cisco Jabber Consulting and Support Services
• Catalyst Switches Configuration and Maintenance Expertise
• Nexus Switches Consulting and Support Services
• Cisco Meraki Switches Configuration and Maintenance Services
• Cisco Security and VPN Integration Expertise
• SIP and CUBE Infrastructure Solutions: SIP Trunking and Cisco CUBE Integration Consulting
• Cisco Duo MFA two-factor authentication (2FA) services for at-home workers
• Design Expertise for Cisco-powered Datacenters
• Network Optimization Consulting for ISPs
• Remote Management Strategies for Cisco-powered Environments