Cisco Network Consultants

Exchanging real-time voice and video over Internet Protocol has evolved from simply being being a savvy means to reduce phone bills to a strategic technology for collaboration and productivity. Unified IP communications, at one time restricted to combining Internet-based voice calls and faxing on the same system in order to replace expensive PBX equipment, now includes rich media, mobile communications, messaging, presence, services, and more all within a cohesive environment that is manageable, scalable, highly secure, fault-tolerant, cost-effective, and user friendly.

Cisco is the global leader in supplying solutions required to support the modern paradigm of unified communications (UC). Cisco's UC product line adds to the efficiency of information systems by cutting operational costs; combining multiple collaboration features with popular software applications to improve user output; supporting collaboration among workers, partners, and suppliers to save effort and improve business results; and streamlining the administration of your communications infrastructure.

Cisco's UC solutions cover these main product areas:,

• Call Control Platforms for managing calls and sessions
• Communications Endpoints to optimize worker engagement
• UC Software Applications for simplified access to presence, IM, voice and video, voice messages, white boarding, and conferencing
• IP Gateways for connecting to outside networks and remote users

Call Control Agents - Unified Communications Manager/CallManager
Cisco's call-processing agent is the centerpiece of Cisco's IP Communications portfolio and provides the flexibility to deploy a centralized call-processing design, a decentralized model, or a mix of both. In a centralized deployment, Unified Communications Manager (UC Manager or CUCM) expands corporate telephony features to packet telephony products such as IP phones, media processing appliances, VoIP gateways, and multimedia programs throughout the IT environment. Unified Communications Manager supports extra voice, video, and data functions such as unified messaging, video conferencing, and collaborative client interaction networks.

The latest release of Unified Communications Manager, previously known as Cisco CallManager, offers a wealth of improvements that speed up ROI by cutting administrative and support costs, increasing user productivity, facilitating collaboration, accommodating the bring-your-own-device style of working, strengthening data protection, and allowing optimal use of IT infrastructure. Headline new features include Global Dial Plan Replication (GDPR), simplified certificate management, expanded support for standards-based single sign-on for administrators and users, hardware-independent call recording, mobile access with no need for VPN tunneling, a revamped self-provisioning utility that makes it simple for end users to specify their preferences for all endpoints, and support for Transport Layer Security for mobile clients.

In cases where you implement a centralized Cisco Unified Communications Manager cluster to control voice processing for customers at remote sites, administrators can help ensure non-stop call operation through Cisco SRST, an IOS Software image for routers. If a Wide Area Network connection breaks, Cisco SRST incorporated in the router provides basic Cisco Unified Communications Manager functions until the connection is repaired. For a description of Progent's consulting support services for Cisco routers, refer to consulting support services for Cisco routers.

For small businesses, branch offices, and retail deployments that do not need the complete feature set offered by Unified CM, Unified Communications Manager Express, previously known as CallManager Express provides a cost-effective solution that handles the needs of sites with as many as 450 users. Since Unified Communications Manager Express Unified Communications Manager Express (Unified CCX) is built into the IOS Software running on a Cisco Integrated Services Router (ISR), smaller offices can rapidly set up a converged voice/data environment.

Cisco's Business Edition 6000 is a family of one-stop platforms that provide essential unified communications capabilities such as routing, IP gateway, high definition voice and video, messaging, instant messaging and real-time presence, voice and video conferencing, and paging services, allowing any end user to connect on any device from anywhere. All systems come preinstalled with a virtualization hypervisor and Unified Communications applications, making implementation fast and simple and reducing cost of ownership for companies with up to 1000 employees. All BE6000 solutions are shipped preloaded with virtualization and Unified Communications applications. Organizations can instantly enable UC applications whenever their needs grow.

The entry-level BE6000S includes five standard unified communications applications installed on a single combination ISR router/IP gateway/virtualized E1600 M2 server platform and can handle as many as 150 users and 300 endpoint devices. The medium-scale Business Edition 6000M includes four collaboration application options activated on a single virtualized Cisco C220 M4 server platform and can handle up to 1000 workers, 1200 endpoint devices, and 100 contact center agents. The high-end Business Edition 6000H includes eight UC application options activated on a single virtualized Cisco UCS C220 M4 server and can handle as many as 1000 workers, 2500 endpoint devices, and 100 contact center agents.

For more details about Progent's support for Unified Communications Manager (CallManager), see Unified Communications Manager (CUCM) and CallManager planning, integration, migration and technical support.

Cisco IP Phones: IP Voice and IP Video Phones
A communications endpoint is a user instrument, and can be a physical phone set or a soft phone program on a desktop or handheld computer. In the IP world, every IP phone is Ethernet connected. Voice over IP phones offer all of the functions that a conventional phone has, but Voice over IP phones can also have extra features such as being able to access websites or run productivity-enhancing software.

Unlike traditional Private Branch Exchange systems, in a Cisco IP telephony network you can perform virtually instant moves, additions, and changes. You simply move the VoIP phone to your new spot, plug it into an Ethernet jack, and the phone announces itself with Cisco Unified Communications Manager. All user rights and configurations are automatically re-established, doing away with the expense and delay of sending support personnel to wiring closets. Another efficient feature is extension mobility, which allows you to sign into any Cisco VoIP phone and receive your personal phone ID and privileges.

Cisco offers a broad selection of collaboration phones. The entry-level SPA 300 Series are no-frills IP and Digital Enhanced Cordless Telecommunications (DECT) devices that feature high-quality audio, compatibility with hosted IP telephony environments or an IP private branch exchange, easy deployment and safe online provisioning, transparent software upgrades, and web-based set up. The low-end SPA301 is a single-line IP endpoint with no screen or speakerphone, a base dialer with a single Ethernet port, and a corded handset without keys. The SPA302D, designed exclusively for use with the Cisco SPA232D DECT ATA, is a multiline wireless DECT handset that supports 10-lines, a TFT 176 x 220 pixel color screen, and a keypad with speakerphone capability. Cisco's SPA303 is an affordable three-line IP phone with dual Ethernet ports, a 128x64 monochrome graphical display and a speakerphone.

Cisco's SPA500 Series VoIP phones are low-cost devices that support both SIP and SPCP signaling protocols, two switch ports, speakerphones, Power over Ethernet, and voice conferencing capability. Most versions have a 128 x 64 pixel mono screen display, The SPA501G has eight lines and has eight programmable keys but no hi-res screen. The SPA502G IP Phone supports a single line and has no soft keys. The SPA504G VoIP phone supports four lines and has four programmable keys. The SPA508G has eight lines and eight soft buttons. The SPA509G IP Phone supports 12 lines and features 12 soft keys. The SPA512G IP Phone supports four lines, no programmable buttons and supports Gigabit Ethernet. The SPA514G supports four lines, has programmable keys, and supports 1xGb Ethernet. The high-end SPA525G2 VoIP phone has a 320 x 240 pixel color display, supports five lines, and features five soft buttons.

Cisco's Unified IP Phones 3900 Series and IP Phones 6900 Series are specialty IP voice endpoints intended for occasional-use settings such as lobbies, hallways, and conference facilities. Cisco's Unified SIP Phone 3905 features VoIP phone features a 128 x 32 pixel monochrome non-backlit display, an integrated 10/100 Ethernet switch, a speakerphone, and Power over Ethernet (PoE). The simple Cisco Unified IP Phone 6901 is a one-line device with no screen and requires a hook switch for transferring a call or conferencing.

The 7800 Series of budget-priced IP phones are VoIP desktop endpoints featuring backlit monochrome displays, four programmable keys, 11 dedicated buttons, an Ethernet switch with Power over Ethernet, and an integral speakerphone. Cisco's 7800 Series VoIP phones support only the SIP signaling protocol. All devices in Cisco's 7800 Series feature the same high-fidelity speakers and microphones as Cisco's 8800 Series IP phones to deliver a state-of-the-art audio experience. Cisco's EnergyWise power-save feature, available on the advanced 7800 models, reduces off-hours energy consumption by up to 60 percent. The Cisco IP Phone 7811 is a one-line VoIP phone intended for common areas as well as for employees with infrequent call requirements. The IP 7811 VoIP phone comes with a 3.28-inch 384 x 106 display plus a narrow-band speakerphone. Wideband audio is offered via an optional wideband handset. Cisco's IP Phone 7821 is a two-line VoIP phone with a 396 x 162 display. The IP Phone 7841 is a four-line phone with a 396 x 162 screen and is the only unit in the 7800 line that provides 1xGb Ethernet. The high-end IP Phone 7861 VoIP phone is a 16-line device intended for administrators, contact center personnel, and managers who have significant call needs.

Cisco Unified IP Phone 7900 Series are dual-protocol (SIP/SCCP) IP voice and video endpoints with a 320 x 240 pixel color screen, a 10/100/1000 Ethernet switch, Class 3 Power over Ethernet (PoE), 10 fixed-feature buttons and a speakerphone. The Cisco Unified IP Phone 7945G is a two-line unit and the Cisco Unified IP Phone 7965G includes four lines. Both IP phones have a 5-inch screen and four soft buttons. The Cisco Unified IP Phone 7975G device is an eight-line IP voice and video phone featuring a 5.6-inch touch screen and five programmable buttons.

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

Cisco's wireless IP phones are hardened wireless devices designed for workers who are mobile within office, hospitality, retail or other environments where management requires user endpoints that offer more administrative control, security and ruggedness than is possible with the Bring-Your-Own-Device style of mobile collaboration. Cisco's 8821 and 8812-EX wireless VoIP phones offer mobile on-premises users the benefits of voice over wireless LAN technology in workplaces that support 802.11x Wi-Fi infrastructure. The 8821 Wireless VoIP Phone includes a 2.4 inch color display, a rugged case rated Mil-SPEC 810G for shock resistance and compliant with IP67 for particulate and splash resistance, long-life batteries, a built-in full-duplex speakerphone, and an integrated Bluetooth 4.0 transceiver for hands-free operation with wireless headsets. The 8821-EX Wireless IP Phone adds anti-sparking protection for use in potentially combustible work sites. Cisco's 8821-EX also features a case made out of industry-standard yellow plastics, which makes the 8821-EX easy to find the event of an emergency. Find out about Progent's Cisco Wireless IP Phone integration and troubleshooting support.

Cisco's legacy 9900 family of powerful IP endpoints combine high-definition voice with business-grade color video to provide a productive collaborative communications solution for knowledge professionals and executives. Both IP phones in this family have an SD 24-bit color screen, a Bluetooth radio to work with a wide selection of headsets, and an integrated 1 GE Ethernet switch. Cisco's EnergyWise function is optional and can lower off-work power draw by 90 percent. The Cisco IP Phone 9951 features a 5-inch screen and supports up to 2 Cisco IP Expansion Modules for expanding customizable line and function keys. The IP Phone 9971 features a 5.6-inch display, a built-in Wi-Fi transceiver for deployment with wireless environments, and 4 programmable touchscreen keys to access Cisco UC functions. The 9971 IP phone allows up to 3 Cisco IP Expansion Modules for adding programmable line and feature keys.

Unified Communications Application Software
Under Cisco's Unified Communications platform, IP voice, IP video, and other UC applications are physically isolated from the call- and voice-processing mechanism, and they may reside at any location within the system. A single network framework offers an open platform for powerful business applications and serves as a firm basis for downstream convergence-based applications. Cisco cooperates with third-party technology companies to provide a broad selection of IP phone and video applications and devices. Cisco also supports the capability to develop and manage specialized in-house programs.

Unified Communications applications offered by Cisco and supported by Progent's consultants include:

Jabber
Jabber is a converge media client application that provides presence, IM, voice, HD video, voicemail, screen sharing, and real-time conferencing features for Windows PCs, Macs, tablets and iPhones, Android phones, and Blackberries. Cisco Jabber is an evolution and combination of the Cisco Unified Personal Communicator, Cisco Mobile, and Cisco WebEx Connect, with major improvements in the areas of video capabilities and desktop sharing, and expanding the collaboration environment to additional operating systems and endpoint hardware. Cisco Jabber operates in conjunction with Cisco Unified CM for call and session control, Cisco Unified Presence for IM and presence, Cisco Unity Connection for voice messaging and programmable attendant, and Cisco WebEx Meeting for conferencing.

Because Jabber is built around key industry standards, it can communicate with a wide range of non-Cisco products. For example, Extensible Messaging and Presence Protocol (XMPP) enables Cisco Jabber users to exchange IM and presence information with various XMPP clients such as Adium, IBM Sametime, and Microsoft Lync. Jabber features can be accessed from Microsoft Office programs such as Outlook and SharePoint. This cross-platform support optimizes output by providing a common user environment and fully enabling the BYOD model of computing. Progent can provide the assistance of certified Exchange and Outlook consultants and SharePoint programmers who can show you how to take advantage of Jabber with Microsoft's premier collaboration products. Progent also offers expertise with iPhone integration and Android phone integration and management to assist your organization to increase the business value of your BYOD environment.

Cisco WebEx Meeting Center
Cisco WebEx Meeting Center provides web meetings for participants using a web browser or virtually any desktop or handheld device. WebEx Meeting Center is offered as SaaS via the Cisco WebEx Cloud. This makes it simple to deploy and scale, streamlines administration, eliminates high up-front expenditures, offers high availability and world-class security, and delivers fast throughput. Key features include the ability to share discrete content or an whole screen with online participants in real time, the capability to embed multimedia into presentations including Microsoft PowerPoint and Flash videos, network-based recording plus editing and playback for training, single sign-on and support for Cisco collaboration applications such as Jabber and Cisco TelePresence, plus strong data privacy and encrypted connections with strict policy management.

WebEX Meeting Center runs on Microsoft Windows, Apple Mac, and Linux PCs and permits mobile users to start, calendarize, and attend meetings on Android devices, iPhones and iPads, BlackBerry handhelds, and Microsoft Windows Phone. Users can also launch online conferences with a few clicks from Microsoft Office, Outlook, Notes, and a variety of IM solutions.

Cisco TelePresence Portfolio for In-house Teleconferencing Environments
For midsize organizations and enterprises who wish to create a local or hybrid on-premises/cloud environment for teleconferencing, Cisco offers a portfolio of Cisco TelePresence software and equipment that deliver high-quality teleconferencing for participants with virtually any IP endpoint at any location. Cisco TelePresence Server is an expandable teleconferencing bridge that runs with Cisco Unified CM to bring multiparty telepresence to converged environments and can extend meetings to include cloud-connected WebEx Meeting Center participants. Cisco TelePresence Conductor software simplifies the control of how teleconferencing resources are allocated for every individual attendee, allowing managers to define the exact service level and user experience needed for each user. Cisco TelePresence Content Server captures video conference presentations for live distribution and video on demand playback.

Cisco Unity Connection Platform and Unity Express for Converged Voice Messaging
The Cisco Unity Connection, an extension of Unified Communications Manager, is a converged voice messaging platform that promotes collaboration by offering flexible set of options for retrieving voice messages within an environment that is simple to implement and manage. Cisco Unity Connection lets you access and manage voice messages from your Exchange inbox, browser, Cisco Jabber, a Cisco Unified IP endpoint, an iPhone or other smartphone, or a tablet. Cisco Unity Connection also offers advanced speech-recognition features for hands and eyes free operation and extensive Automated Attendant features such as smart routing for inbound phone calls and custom call-filtering and message-notification options. The Cisco Unity Connection system operates as a virtual machine that can reside on a BE6000 server or a Cisco Services Ready Engine 910 router service module and can support as many as 20,000 voice mailboxes per server.

Cisco Unity Express (CUE), offered in certain Cisco Integrated Services routers, provides affordable voicemail, integrated messaging, interactive voice response, and greeting services for small to mid-size businesses (SMBs) and enterprise branch offices with up to 500 workers. Cisco Unity Express permits you to manage voicemail messages via a Cisco Unified IP Phone screen, your web browser, or an email system. Integrated Services Routers for which Unity Express is offered as a network module include Cisco's 2800, 2900, and 3900 families. Progent can provide certified deployment and troubleshooting services for Cisco routers.

Unified Contact Center
Unified Contact Center Enterprise (Unified CCE) works with CUCM and desktop agent applications like Finesse to provide automatic call distribution capabilities that allow an organization to match customers with the right sales or support person. UCCE provides intelligent 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 management of a large-scale customer contact center. Cisco platforms incorporated in Unified CCE's customer contact management ecosystem include Cisco Unified IP Phones, Cisco Voice Gateways, and Cisco network infrastructure.

Cisco Unified Contact Center Express (Unified CCX) provides a packaged bundle for building a customer contact center for mid-scale deployments that handle as many as 400 agents. Multiple packages are available, as well as a variety of optional advanced features. Unified CCX integrates closely with Cisco Unified CM and provides intelligent call routing, client management, integrated reporting, IVR, and the ability to manage voice, email, chat, and social media requests. Cisco Unified CCX comes with Cisco Finesse, a web-based customizable desktop agent that needs no client-side installation. Advanced options include call-in-queue, estimated-wait-time messages, and quality management.

Cisco Mobile Connect and Single Number Reach
Mobile Connect, popularly referred to as Single Number Reach, allows users to be reached from one phone number that rings simultaneously on their Cisco VoIP Phone and their mobile phone. Users can transfer live calls between their Cisco VoIP phone and their cell phone without disruption. Unanswered calls can be redirected to a Unity or Unity Connection account. Users can create their own access lists that specify which calls get directed to different endpoints.

Cisco Prime Collaboration
Cisco Prime Collaboration Provisioning offers an automated process for first-time deployments and for “day 2” moves, adds, changes, and deletions. A user-friendly console delivers a unified view of a subscriber and the user's services. Prime Collaboration Provisioning significantly speeds up company-wide rollouts and reduces the effort required to implement ongoing changes. Prime Collaboration in addition provides management analytics including application adoption and consumption rates, enabling administrators to make more efficient use of resources and further lower total cost of ownership.

Cisco Collaboration Gateways
Cisco's communications gateways allow Cisco converged communications networks to communicate with other systems and with clients operating beyond the firewall. Cisco's line of communication gateways provide unified communications services for a broad range of gateway and session-border-control applications.

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

Expressway Collaboration Gateway
Cisco's Expressway is an advanced converged media gateway that allows organizations to allow workers, suppliers, customers and prospects, or partners who are using different network environments, collaboration applications, or endpoint devices to connect to Cisco Unified Communication services. Cisco's Expressway integrates with an enterprise Cisco Communications Manager system or Cisco Business Edition 6000 (BE6000), or can be run through the cloud with Cisco HCS to help make productive collaboration more pervasive. Key features of Expressway are are:

• Mobile and Remote Access: Remote workers with any Jabber-compatible desktop or handheld computer or teleworkers with Cisco TelePresence endpoints have the convenience of single-sign-on (SSO) as well as Transport Layer Security (TLS) and are able to connect to all their Jabber workloads (video, business-quality voice, rich content instant messaging, and realtime presence) without the inconvenience establishing a VPN connection. Also, telecommuters have the ability to utilize their Cisco TelePresence endpoints without a VPN, delivering a user environment at home the same as the corporate office.
• Cisco Jabber Guest Support: Expressway is required for enabling Jabber Guest, which makes it possible for “guests” to interact with your organization simply and safely via lightweight web-browser and mobile multimedia calls.
• Cisco Cloud Access: Expressway can function as a gateway that creates a path between on-premises Cisco or non-Cisco systems and the WebEx cloud. By offering support for Cisco Collaboration Meeting Rooms (CMRs), Cisco Expressway offers a world-class, scalable teleconferencing environment that seamlessly combines business-quality voice, HD video, and data sharing to any client, at any location, on any endpoint.
• Interoperability: In case your organization currently has third-party video technology, Cisco Expressway can help you to move easily to Cisco technology whenever you choose. Cisco Expressway provides video compatibility with standards-based H.323, H.264 Scalable Video Coding (SVC), or Session Initiation Protocol (SIP) systems. Gateway standards supported by Expressway include IPv4 to IPv6, H.323 to SIP, and Microsoft Lync H.264 SVC to MPEG-4/H.264 AVC.

• WebEx Cloud Connected Audio (CCA) for SIP-based audio conferencing
• Voice/Video recording
• SIP-based Call-center and IVR solutions
• Policy-based security evaluation of voice calls
• Business-to-business telepresence over SIP

Cisco's Legacy UC520, UC540 and UC560 VoIP Gateways
The legacy Cisco Unified Communications 500 (UC500) product line is a VoIP gateway appliance and software package for small organizations. UC500 packages provide voice, data, voicemail, automated attendant, video, firewall, and WiFi functionality, run with older generation Cisco VoIP endpoints, and support public switched telephone network (PSTN) interfaces.

All of Cisco's UC500 packages include a compact switch appliance with 8 Power-over-Ethernet interfaces and additional foreign exchange stations (FXS) and foreign exchange office (FXO) ports, a firewall, and VPN. Built-in WiFi is optional. VoIP user capacity can be expanded by attaching Cisco Catalyst Express companion switches. Every UC500 offering also comes with licenses for Cisco Unified Communications Manager for VoIP call processing and Cisco Unity Express software for voice messaging and automated attendant. The Cisco UC520 package supports 8 to 16 users and incorporate 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 FXO ports.

Progent's Cisco-certified VoIP experts can assist you to maintain your legacy UC500 VoIP system or design and carry out an efficient upgrade to a current IP telephony and voicemail system such as Cisco's Business Edition 4000.

How Progent Can Assist 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 expert to assist you to plan, deploy, manage and troubleshoot unified communications networks that incorporate Cisco Unified Communication technology in a centralized, cloud-based, or hybrid deployment. Progent's Cisco-certified engineers have in-depth experience integrating Cisco Unified Communications Manager and Cisco CallManager, VoIP phones and other endpoints, UC applications such as Jabber and Unity Connection, Cisco's teleconferencing products, collaboration gatekeepers, tools built into Cisco Catalyst switches and routers. Progent can also provide expertise with related technologies like Cisco Survivable Remote Site Telephony, Cisco Unified Border Element, H.323 and SIP gateways, Call Admission Control, IP voice trunks, various signaling protocols, and AVVID. Progent's SIP integration consultants can in addition assist you to build SIP connectivity environments that include SIP-based IP voice phones and video endpoints, SIP-based CUBE trunks, SIP conferencing and SIP administration tools via CUCM.

Progent's application developers can create specialized IP telephony software that will enable your organization to integrate the capabilities of Cisco Unified Communications Manager into your company processes for increased efficiency. Progent can analyze your existing network and Internet access infrastructure to make sure your environment is configured to accommodate business-quality VoIP and high-definition video, assist you to select and install Cisco products that make sense for your present situation and downstream expansion strategy, and integrate your Cisco collaborative communications solution with products from other suppliers. Progent's CISSP-ISSAP certified network security and compliance consultants can assist you to develop, deploy, and test an enterprise-wide security and compliance plan for your converged communications ecosystem. In addition, Progent can help you to configure Cisco high-availability technologies like Cisco Unified Survivable Remote Site Telephony for cost-effective call control redundancy in branch office and telecommuter environments, and Progent's disaster recovery planning experts can help you create a viable disaster recovery strategy to ensure the availability of your crucial unified communications system.

Cisco Unified Communications Manager/CallManager Upgrade Services
Releases of Cisco Unified CM earlier than 8.6 and every version of CallManager have reached end-of-life. This means Cisco Engineering will cease to develop, fix, or test this older software. Security patches for this pivotal application will end, which in certain circumstances could cause regulatory compliance or potential liability problems.

Progent will continue to offer expert consulting and troubleshooting support for outdated versions of Unified CM and Cisco CallManager, but if you are now using an out-of-dated release of this critical application your organization should begin now to prepare for your upgrade. Progent's collaboration consulting professionals can assist your company to migrate non-disruptively to the current edition of Cisco Unified CM and can often save clients as much as 50% off consulting costs compared to most computer service firms thanks to Progent's documented process and experience in this area. By following best practices, Progent can make sure your company realizes a quick payback on your IT investment by helping you benefit fully from the enhanced feature set, reduced management and maintenance expense, more engaging collaboration, and tighter security provided by the latest edition of Unified CM.

Progent's migration consulting services include ROI assessment, project management or co-management, pilot testing, Cloud connectivity, configuring collaboration endpoints from Cisco and third-party vendors, mobile connectivity, security and compliance services, management automation, disaster recovery/business continuity planning, network infrastructure design, training, and ongoing consulting and troubleshooting. Progent also offers fixed-priced upgrade packages to make sure your costs are visible and under control.

To learn more details about Progent's professional help for Cisco networking products, select a topic:

• Introduction to Cisco Network Support
• Timely Remote Assistance from a CCIE Engineer
• Cisco Firepower Series Firewalls: Integration and Troubleshooting Expertise
• Cisco ASA 5500-X Series Firewall with Firepower Services: Integration and Troubleshooting Services
• Cisco ASA 5500 Firewall Management Services
• PIX 500 Firewall Engineering Expertise
• Cisco Routers Consulting Services
• Cisco Wireless Consulting Services
• Aironet Wireless Access Points Consulting Support
• Cisco Small Business 100, 300 and 500 Wireless Access Points Engineering Support
• Cisco WiFi Controllers Support Services
• Meraki Wireless Access Points Engineering Support
• Cisco Unified Communications Manager (CUCM or Unified CM) and Cisco CallManager Integration and Technical Support
• Cisco Jabber Migration and Support Services
• Cisco Catalyst Switches Configuration and Maintenance Expertise
• Nexus Switches Consulting and Support Expertise
• Meraki MS Switches Configuration and Maintenance Expertise
• Cisco VPN Engineering Support
• SIP and CUBE Infrastructure Solutions: SIP Trunks and CUBE Integration Consulting
• Design Expertise for Cisco-powered Data Centers
• Network Optimization Services for Internet Service Providers
• Remote Network Management Solutions for Cisco-powered Environments