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Exchanging live voice and video over Internet Protocol (VoIP and Video over IP) has advanced from simply being being a smart method to reduce phone bills to being a strategic technology for collaboration and productivity. Unified IP communications, at one time limited to integrating Internet-based voice calls and faxing on one system in order to take the place of traditional PBX equipment, now encompasses rich media, mobility, messaging, real-time presence, services, and much more within a single framework that is manageable, extensible, highly secure, fault-tolerant, economical, and intuitive.

Cisco is the leader in supplying the hardware and software infrastructure required to support the modern model of unified communications (UC). Cisco's unified communications solution adds to the efficiency of IT networks by slashing operational costs; integrating multiple collaboration functions with popular software programs to increase worker output; facilitating teamwork among workers, partners, and suppliers to save effort and improve business outcomes; and streamlining the support of your communications environment.

Cisco's Unified Communications solutions address several primary product areas:,

• Call Control Agents for controlling calls and sessions
• Communications Endpoints to optimize end-user engagement
• UC Applications for more productive access to real-time, chat, voice and video, phone messages, desktop sharing, and voice/video conferencing
• IP Gateways for accessing outside networks and teleworkers

Call Processing Software - Unified Communications Manager/CallManager
The call-processing agent is the centerpiece of Cisco's IP collaboration system and provides the versatility to implement a centralized call-processing model, a decentralized design, or a mix of the two. In a centralized deployment, Unified Communications Manager (UC Manager or CUCM) extends enterprise phone capabilities to packet telephony network devices such as IP handsets, media processing devices, VoIP gateways, and mixed media programs throughout the network. Unified Communications Manager enables extra mixed media services such as unified messaging, multimedia conferencing, and collaborative customer interaction networks.

The latest version of Unified Communications Manager, previously known as CallManager, includes a variety of enhancements that expedite your return on investment by lowering administrative and support expenses, increasing user productivity, enhancing collaboration, supporting the bring-your-own-device style of working, fortifying data protection, and making optimal utilization of IT infrastructure. Top innovations include automatic dial-plan replication and batch provisioning, streamlined certificate control, extended support for single sign-on (SSO) for administrators and users, device-independent call recording, on-the-road connectivity without requiring VPN, a revamped self-provisioning utility that makes it easy for users to install their options and preferences for all endpoint devices, and support for Transport Layer Security for mobile clients.

In cases where you implement a central Unified Communications Manager cluster to control call processing for customers at distributed locations, IT managers can help achieve continuous phone service through Cisco Survivable Remote Site Telephony, a Cisco IOS Software image for Cisco routers. If a WAN connection breaks, Cisco Survivable Remote Site Telephony in the router provides core Cisco UC Manager functions until the connection is repaired. For a description of Progent's consulting services for Cisco ISR routers, refer to consulting support services for Cisco Integrated Services routers.

For small business networks, branch locations, and retail environments that do not need the full feature set available from Unified CM, Cisco Unified Communications Manager Express, previously known as CallManager Express offers a cost-effective solution that meets the needs of locations with as many as 450 workers. Since Unified Communications Manager Express Unified Communications Manager Express (Unified CCX) is built into the IOS Software operating on a Cisco ISR router, smaller organizations can rapidly deploy a converged voice and data environment.

The Cisco BE6000 is a family of complete solutions that offer fundamental collaboration capabilities such as routing, gateway, high definition voice and video, messaging, chat and presence, voice and video conferencing, and paging services, allowing any end user to collaborate on any device from any site. All systems are delivered preconfigured with virtualization and UC applications software, making deployment quick and simple and reducing cost of ownership for companies with from 25 to 1000 employees. All versions come packaged preinstalled with a virtualization hypervisor and UC applications software. Organizations can simply enable collaboration applications when their requirements evolve.

The entry-level Business Edition 6000S supports five fixed collaboration applications preloaded on one integrated 2921V ISR router/IP gateway/virtualized E1600 M2 blade server platform and can handle up to 150 users and 300 endpoint devices. The medium-scale Business Edition 6000M supports 4 UC software application options enabled on a virtualized C220 M4 server platform and can handle as many as 1000 users, 1200 devices, and 100 contact center agents. The top-of-the-line Business Edition 6000H Supports 8 collaboration application options enabled on a virtualized C220 M4 server platform and can handle up to 1000 users, 2500 endpoint devices, and 100 contact center agents.

For more information about Progent's expertise with Unified Communications Manager (CallManager), see Cisco Unified Communications Manager and CallManager planning, configuration, upgrades and troubleshooting.

IP Phones: IP Voice and IP Video Phones
A communications endpoint is a user instrument, and can be a physical handset or a software phone program on a PC or mobile computer. In the Internet Protocol world, each VoIP handset or soft phone is Ethernet connected. Voice over IP phones offer all of the capabilities that an ordinary phone has, but IP phones can also have additional functions such as the ability to access websites or run business applications.

In contrast to conventional Private Branch Exchange systems, in a Cisco IP phone network you can perform virtually instant relocations, additions, and changes. All you do is move the VoIP phone to its new spot, plug it into an Ethernet jack, and the handset announces itself with Cisco Unified Communications Manager. All client rights and configurations are programmatically re-established, doing away with the expense and delay of sending support personnel to rewire connections. An additional efficient feature is extension mobility, which enables you to log into any Cisco IP phone and get your personal phone extension and rights.

Cisco offers a broad selection of collaboration handsets. The low-cost SPA 300 family are no-frills IP and DECT screenless or monochrome phones that feature high-quality audio, support for hosted IP telephony systems or an IP private branch exchange, easy deployment and highly secure remote installation, zero-downtime software updates, and web-based set up. The low-end SPA301 is a single-line VoIP endpoint with no display or speakerphone function, a base dialer that has one Ethernet port, and a wired handset with no keys. The SPA302D, intended exclusively for use with Cisco's SPA232D DECT Analog Telephone Adapter, is a multiline cordless Digital Enhanced Cordless Telecommunications IP phone that supports 10-lines, a TFT 176 x 220 pixel color display, and a keypad with a speakerphone. Cisco's SPA303 is an economical 3-line SIP-based phone with dual switched Ethernet ports, a 128x64 monochrome graphical display and a speaker.

Cisco's SPA500 Series IP phones are low-cost devices that support SIP and SPCP call control protocols, two switch ports, speakerphones, built-in web servers, Power over Ethernet (PoE), and conferencing support. Most models have a 128 x 64 mono screen display, The SPA501G IP Phone supports eight lines and has eight soft keys but no LCD display. The SPA502G has a single line and has no soft buttons. The SPA504G has four lines and has four soft buttons. The SPA508G VoIP phone supports eight lines and eight programmable buttons. The SPA509G VoIP phone supports 12 lines and has 12 soft keys. The SPA512G IP Phone supports four lines, no soft buttons and supports 1xGb Ethernet. The SPA514G IP Phone supports four lines, has programmable buttons, and supports Gigabit Ethernet. The top-of-the-line SPA525G2 includes a 320 x 240 color display, supports five lines, and has five programmable buttons.

Cisco's Unified IP Phones 3900 Series and IP Phones 6900 Series are specialty VoIP devices intended for infrequent-use settings like cafeterias, elevators, and conference facilities. The Unified SIP Phone 3905 IP Phone features a 128 x 32 pixel monochrome screen, a 10/100 Ethernet switch, a speakerphone, and Power over Ethernet. The simple Cisco Unified IP Phone 6901 is a one-line device with no display and uses a hook switch for call transfer or conferencing.

The 7800 line of economical IP phones are VoIP endpoints featuring backlit monochrome displays, four soft buttons, 11 fixed-feature buttons, an Ethernet switch with Class 1 Power over Ethernet (PoE), and a speakerphone. The 7800 Series support only the SIP call control protocol. All devices in the 7800 family feature the same high-fidelity speakers and microphones as Cisco's 8800 Series IP phones to deliver a state-of-the-art audio solution. Cisco's EnergyWise power-save technology, offered on the higher end 7800 units, cuts after-hours energy consumption by as much as 60 percent. The Cisco IP Phone 7811 is a single-line phone designed for shared areas and for workers with occasional-to-light voice communications requirements. The IP 7811 comes with a 3.28-inch 384 x 106 screen plus a narrow-band speakerphone. Wideband audio is available via an extra-cost wideband handset. Cisco's IP Phone 7821 is a dual-line phone with a 396 x 162 screen. The IP Phone 7841 is a four-line endpoint with a 396 x 162 screen and is the only device in the 7800 series that provides Gigabit Ethernet. The high-end IP Phone 7861 is a 16-line endpoint intended for administrators, contact center agents, and managers who have heavy call needs.

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

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

Cisco's wireless IP phones are hardened wireless devices designed for professionals who are on the move within office, warehouse, retail or other environments where management requires user endpoints that offer more control, data security and durability than is possible with the Bring-Your-Own-Device mode of mobile communications. Cisco's 8821 and 8812-EX wireless VoIP phones provide on-the-move on-premises users the advantages of voice over wireless LAN (VoWLAN) communications in workplaces with 802.11x Wi-Fi. The 8821 Wireless VoIP Phone includes a 2.4 inch color screen, a rugged case rated Mil-SPEC 810G for shock resistance and IP67 for particulate and splash resistance, long-life batteries, a full-duplex speakerphone, and a Bluetooth 4.0 radio to support wireless headsets. Cisco's 8821-EX Wireless VoIP Phone adds spark suppression for hazardous environments. Cisco's 8821-EX also has a case composed of yellow plastics, which makes the 8821-EX easy to find in a crisis. Learn about Progent's Cisco Wireless IP Phone integration consultants.

Cisco's legacy 9900 Series of powerful VoIP phones combine high-definition voice with hi-res color video to deliver a rich multimedia experience for managers and executives. Both IP phones in the 9900 family include a Standard Definition 640x480 pixel color screen, a Bluetooth 2.0 transceiver to support a wide selection of headsets, and an integrated 10/100/1000 Ethernet port. The Cisco Power Save feature is offered as an option and can cut off-work energy draw by as much as 90 percent. The Cisco IP Phone 9951 features a 5-inch screen and supports up to 2 Cisco IP Expansion Modules for adding 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 connecting to Voice-over-WLAN networks, and 4 soft-label touchscreen keys to invoke Cisco Unified Communications features. The 9971 IP phone supports up to 3 IP Color Key Expansion Modules for adding scalability to programmable line and feature keys.

Unified Communications Application Software
Under Cisco's Unified Communications architecture, IP phone, IP video, and other converged applications are physically separate from the call- and voice-processing infrastructure, and they may be at any location within the network. A cohesive connectivity framework provides an open environment for feature-rich applications and provides a firm foundation for future convergence-based software. Cisco cooperates with leading technology partners to offer a wide selection of IP phone and IP video applications and products. Cisco also enables the capability to create and administer customized in-house applications.

Unified Communications applications available from Cisco and supported by Progent include:

Cisco Jabber
Cisco Jabber is a UC application that supports presence, instant messaging, business-quality voice, video, voice messaging, desktop sharing, and online conferencing capabilities for PCs, Macs, iPads and Android tablets as well as smartphones. Cisco Jabber is an evolution and integration of the Cisco Unified Personal Communicator soft phone application, Cisco Mobile, and WebEx Connect, with significant enhancements to HD video features and desktop sharing, and extending the team experience to more operating systems and endpoint hardware. Cisco Jabber operates in conjunction with Cisco Unified Communications Manager for call and session management, Cisco Unified Presence for instant messaging and presence, Cisco Unity Connection for voicemail and automated attendant, and WebEX Meeting for conferencing and online meetings.

Since Jabber utilizes popular industry protocols, it can communicate with a wide selection of third-party products. As an example, Extensible Messaging and Presence Protocol enables Jabber users to exchange IM and presence information with a variety of XMPP clients including as Adium for Mac, Sametime, and Microsoft Lync and Office Communications Server. Jabber features can be accessed from Microsoft Office programs such as Outlook and Microsoft SharePoint. This extensive platform compatibility optimizes output by delivering a common end-user environment and fully enabling the BYOD paradigm of computing. Progent can provide the assistance of Microsoft-certified Exchange and Outlook consultants and Microsoft SharePoint application developers who can assist you to integrate Jabber with Microsoft's popular collaboration products. Progent also offers expertise with Apple iPhone integration and management as well as Google Android smartphone integration and management to assist your organization to enhance the productivity of your BYOD ecosystem.

WebEX Meeting Center
Cisco WebEx Meeting Center provides online meetings for participants using a web browser or almost any PC or mobile computer. WebEx Meeting Center is offered as software as a service (SaaS) through Cisco's WebEx Cloud. This makes it easy to roll out and scale, reduces the cost of administration, avoids heavy initial investment, features high availability and world-class data protection, and provides fast throughput. Important capabilities include support for sharing specific content or an entire screen with online attendees in real time, the capability to incorporate multimedia into presentations including Microsoft PowerPoint and Flash animations, network-based recording plus editing and playback for training and demonstrations, single sign-on and support for other Cisco collaboration applications such as Jabber and TelePresence, plus stringent data protection and encrypted connections with strict policy control.

Cisco WebEx Meeting Center works with Windows, Mac, and Linux-powered desktops and permits mobile users to start, calendarize, and take part in meetings on Android smartphones and tablets, Apple iPhones and iPads, BlackBerry handhelds, and Windows Phone. You can also launch web meetings instantly from Microsoft Office, Microsoft Outlook, Notes, and a selection of instant messaging solutions.

Cisco TelePresence Products for On-premises Teleconferencing Environments
For medium-size businesses and larger enterprises who wish to create a local or hybrid on-premises/cloud solution for video conferencing, Cisco provides a portfolio of Cisco TelePresence software and equipment that deliver high-quality teleconferencing for attendees with virtually any endpoint device at any site. Cisco TelePresence Server is a scalable teleconferencing bridge that works with Cisco Unified CM to deliver multiparty video, audio and content sharing to converged deployments and can extend meetings to support cloud-connected Cisco WebEx Meeting Center participants. Cisco TelePresence Conductor software streamlines management of the way conferencing bandwidth and features should be rationed for every individual participant, enabling managers to define the exact service level and experience required 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 and Automated Attendant
The Cisco Unity Connection, an integrated extension of Cisco Unified CM, is a unified voice messaging system that promotes collaboration by providing flexible set of alternatives for retrieving voice messages within an environment that is easy to implement and administer. Unity Connection lets you read and manage your voicemail messages from your email inbox, browser, Cisco Jabber, a Cisco Unified VoIP endpoint, a smartphone, or a tablet. Cisco Unity Connection also provides advanced voice-recognition features for hands and eyes free operation and powerful Automated Attendant features that include smart routing for inbound phone calls and custom call-filtering and message-alert options. The Cisco Unity Connection system runs as a virtual machine that can be hosted on a Business Edition 6000 server or a Cisco SRE 910 router blade and can support up to 20,000 voice mailboxes per server.

Cisco Unity Express (CUE), available in select Cisco Integrated Services routers, provides affordable voicemail, unified messaging, IVR, and greeting functions for small to medium businesses (SMBs) and corporate satellite locations with up to 500 voice mailboxes. Unity Express allows you to access and manage voicemail messages via a Cisco IP Phone screen, a browser, or your email system. Integrated Services Routers for which Cisco Unity Express is offered as a network module include Cisco's 2800, 2900, and 3900 families. Progent offers certified configuration and support services for Integrated Services Routers.

Cisco Unified Contact Center
Unified Contact Center Enterprise (Unified CCE) works with Unified Communications Manager and desktop agent applications such as Finesse to offer automatic call distribution (ACD) features that allow an organization to connect customers with the proper sales or support person. Unified CCE or UCCE provides smart call distribution, computer telephony integration (CTI), support for multichannel contact management, network-wide call queuing, IVR and consolidated enterprise-wide reporting to streamline the deployment and administration of a large-scale contact center. Cisco platforms supporting Unified CCE's customer contact management solution include Cisco Unified IP Phones, Voice, and Cisco network infrastructure.

Unified Contact Center Express (Unified CCX or CCX) offers an out-of-the-box bundle for creating a customer contact center for mid-scale deployments that support up to 400 agents. Multiple packages are available, plus a variety of optional enhancements. Unified Contact Center Express works with Cisco Unified Communications Manager and offers smart call distribution, contact management, integrated reporting, interactive voice response, 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 software setup. Optional advanced features include conditional routing, projected-wait-time announcements, and workforce quality management.

Cisco Mobile Connect for Single Number Reach (SNR)
Mobile Connect, popularly known as Single Number Reach (SNR), makes it possible for users to be reached from a single phone number that rings simultaneously on their Cisco desktop VoIP Phone and their mobile phone. Users can switch active conversations between their desktop VoIP phone and their smartphone seamlessly. Calls that are not answered can be redirected to a Cisco Unity or Cisco Unity Connection account. Users can create their own access lists that specify which calls get extended to different endpoints.

Cisco Prime Collaboration
Prime Collaboration offers an automated platform for first-time deployments as well as for follow-on moves, additions, changes, and deletions. A user-friendly interface delivers a unified view of a user and the subscriber's services. Cisco Prime Collaboration Provisioning substantially accelerates site installations and minimizes the effort required to implement future updates. Prime Collaboration in addition offers management analytics including technology adoption and consumption trends, enabling organizations to optimize resources and further lower total cost of ownership.

Cisco Communications Gateways
Cisco's collaboration gateways allow Cisco converged communications networks to connect with public networks and with clients working beyond the firewall. Cisco's portfolio of gateways provide UC support for a wide variety of gateway as well as session-border-control deployments.

Communications gateways offered by Cisco and supported by Progent include:

Cisco Expressway Converged Communication Gateway
Cisco's Expressway is an advanced collaboration gateway that enables organizations to allow colleagues, vendors, customers and prospects, or partners who are using different network environments, workgroup platforms, or endpoint equipment to connect to Cisco Unified Communication functions. The Expressway integrates with an enterprise Cisco CM system or Cisco Business Edition, or can be run through the cloud with Cisco HCS to help make collaboration more pervasive. Key features of Expressway are include:

• Mobile and Remote Connectivity: Off-site workers with any Jabber-compatible device or teleworkers with Cisco TelePresence endpoints have the benefit of one-time sign-on and of Transport Layer Security (TLS) and can connect to all their Jabber workloads (video, business-quality voice, rich content IM, and presence) without the inconvenience starting a VPN connection. In addition, teleworkers can utilize their Cisco TelePresence endpoints without a VPN, providing a user environment at home that is identical to the office.
• Jabber Guest Support: Expressway is integral for supporting Cisco's Jabber Guest, which permits “guests” to interact with your business easily and securely through lightweight web-browser and mobile multimedia calls.
• Cisco Cloud Access: Cisco Expressway can function as a gateway that creates a path between on-premises Cisco or third-party collaboration solutions and Cisco's WebEx cloud. By supporting Cisco Collaboration Meeting Rooms, Cisco Expressway deliver a world-class, scalable conferencing environment that seamlessly integrates high-quality voice, high-definition video, and content sharing to anyone, at any location, using any endpoint.
• Interoperability: In case your organization currently has third-party video technology, Expressway can help you to move easily to Cisco technology when you choose. Cisco Expressway offers video interoperability with standards-based H.323, H.264 Scalable Video Coding, or Session Initiation Protocol (SIP) systems. Interoperability capabilities supported by Expressway include IPv4 to IPv6, H.323 to Session Initiation Protocol (SIP), and Microsoft Lync H.264 Scalable Video Coding to H.264/MPEG-4 AVC.

• WebEx Cloud Connected Audio for SIP-based audio conferencing
• Voice/Video recording
• Enterprise Call-center and interactive-voice-response solutions
• Policy-led security evaluation of voice calls
• B2B immersive telepresence over SIP

Cisco's Legacy UC520, UC540 and UC560 VoIP Gateways
The legacy Cisco Unified Communications 500 product line is an early VoIP gateway system for small organizations. UC500 models provide voice, data, voicemail, auto attendant, video, security, and wireless functionality, work with older generation Cisco IP Voice phones, and support various public switched telephone network connections.

All of Cisco's UC500 series bundles include a desktop switch with 8 PoE ports and additional FXS and foreign exchange office (FXO) interfaces, a firewall, and VPN. Integrated WiFi is an option. User capacity can be increased by connecting with Cisco Catalyst Express switches. Every UC500 offering also comes with licenses for Cisco Unified Communications Manager for VoIP call processing and Cisco Unity Express for voice messaging and automated attendant. The Cisco UC520 package supports 8 to 16 VoIP users and include 4 FXS and 4 FXO interfaces. The Cisco UC540 system supports 24 to 32 clients and has 8 foreign exchange office interfaces. The Cisco UC560 system supports 48 users and 12 FXO ports.

Progent's Cisco-certified VoIP consultants can help you to maintain your legacy UC500 VoIP gateway or plan and implement a smooth migration to a modern VoIP system such as Cisco's Business Edition 4000.

How Progent Can Assist You with Cisco VoIP and IP Media Phones, CUCM, and Video Conferencing
Progent can provide remote or onsite help from a certified CCIE Collaboration consultant to help your business to design, implement, administer and troubleshoot converged communications environments that incorporate Cisco Unified Communication technology in an in-house, distributed, or hybrid deployment. Progent's Cisco-certified consultants have in-depth backgrounds integrating Cisco Unified Communications Manager and CallManager, Voice over IP and video phones and other endpoints, Unified Communications applications like Cisco Jabber and Unity Connection, Cisco's video conferencing products, collaboration gateways, utilities built into Cisco switches and routers. Progent can also provide expertise with technologies like Cisco Survivable Remote Site Telephony, CUBE, H.323 and H.264 gateways, CAC, IP voice trunks, PSTN, and AVVID. Progent's SIP integration consultants can also assist you to create SIP connectivity environments that incorporate SIP-based IP voice phones and media endpoints, SIP-based CUBE trunks, SIP conferencing and SIP administration tools via Cisco Unified Communications Manager.

Progent's custom application programmers can create specialized IP telephony software that will enable your organization to integrate the features of Cisco Unified Communications Manager into your company processes for increased productivity. Progent can audit your current network and Internet connectivity architecture to determine whether your system is configured to accommodate high-quality IP voice and high-definition video, assist you to choose and deploy Cisco products that make sense for your present situation and future expansion plans, and interface your Cisco collaborative communications products with technology from other suppliers. Progent's CISSP-ISSAP certified network security consultants can assist you to develop, deploy, and test an enterprise-wide security and compliance strategy for your unified communications ecosystem. In addition, Progent can help your organization to deploy Cisco high-availability mechanisms like Cisco Unified Survivable Remote Site Telephony to provide cost-effective call control backup in branch office and telecommuter environments, and Progent's disaster recovery preparedness experts can help you develop a sensible disaster recovery plan to protect your crucial unified communications environment.

Cisco Unified Communications Manager/CallManager Upgrade Services
Releases of Cisco Unified Communications Manager 8.6 lower than 8.6 and every release of its predecessor CallManager have reached end-of-life. This means Cisco will cease to enhance, fix, or test this older software. Security updates for this business-critical application will end, which in some circumstances may create compliance or even legal liability problems.

Progent will continue to offer comprehensive support services for end-of-life versions of Unified Communications Manager and CallManager, but if you are now running a legacy edition of this essential software you should begin now to plan your upgrade. Progent's collaboration consulting professionals can assist you to migrate efficiently to the current release of Cisco Unified Communications Manager and can routinely save customers as much as 50% off consulting service costs versus most computer service firms thanks to Progent's documented process and hands-on experience in this practice area. By adhering to leading practices, Progent can make sure your organization sees a quick return on your investment by helping you take full advantage of the new and improved feature set, lower administrative and maintenance expense, more engaging collaboration, and stronger security offered by the current version of Unified CM.

Progent's upgrade consulting services include ROI assessment, project management or co-management, system testing, Cloud connectivity, setting up collaboration endpoints from Cisco and third-party suppliers, smartphone and tablet connectivity, security and compliance services, streamlined management, disaster recovery/business continuity planning, network architecture design, training, and continuing consulting and technical support. Progent also has put together ultra-affordable migration packages to keep your costs predictable and affordable.

To see additional details about Progent's professional expertise for Cisco products, choose a topic:

• Overview of Progent's Cisco Expertise
• Fast and Affordable Remote Access to a Cisco Certified Internetwork Expert (CCIE) Consultant
• Cisco Firepower NGFW Series Firewalls: Integration and Troubleshooting Support
• ASA 5500-X Firewalls with Firepower: Consulting and Troubleshooting Expertise
• Cisco ASA 5500 Series Firewall Upgrade. Migration Services
• PIX Series Firewall Engineering Assistance
• Cisco Routers Engineering Services
• Cisco Wireless Network Design Services
• Cisco Aironet APs Deployment Help
• Cisco Small Business 100, 300 and 500 WiFi Access Points Engineering Help
• Catalyst Wi-Fi 6 APs Solution Design, Deployment and Debugging Services
• Cisco Wireless Controllers Experts
• Meraki Access Points Consulting Support
• Cisco Unified Communications Manager (CUCM or Unified CM) and Cisco CallManager Configuration and Technical Support
• Cisco Jabber Deployment Services
• Cisco Catalyst Switches Configuration and Maintenance Services
• Nexus Switches Consulting and Support Services
• Cisco Meraki Switches Deployment Expertise
• Cisco VPN and Network Security Integration Assistance
• SIP and CUBE Integration Solutions: SIP PSTN Trunks and Cisco CUBE Integration Consulting
• Design and Support for Cisco-powered Datacenters and Colocation Centers
• Network Optimization Consulting for ISPs
• Remote Network Management Technologies for Cisco Infrastructure