Cisco Voice over IP SupportExchanging real-time voice and video over IP (VoIP and Video over IP) has evolved from simply being being a savvy technique to save money on phone bills to being an indispensable tool for collaboration and productivity. Unified communications, once restricted to combining Internet-based voice calls and faxing on a single system to replace traditional PBX systems, today includes voice and video, mobility, messaging, real-time presence, collaboration services, and more all within a cohesive environment that is easy to manage, extensible, protected, fault-tolerant, economical, and user friendly.

Cisco is the leader in supplying the hardware and software infrastructure required to support the new model of unified communications (UC). Cisco's unified communications solution enhances the productivity of information networks by cutting operating costs; integrating rich media functions with popular software applications to increase user output; supporting teamwork among employees, partners, and suppliers to save time and improve business outcomes; and simplifying the support of your communications environment.

Cisco's UC technology cover several primary product areas:,

  • Call Control Agents for controlling calls and sessions
  • Communications Phones and Softphones to enhance worker engagement
  • Unified Communications Applications for integrated access to presence, IM, voice and video, phone messages, white boarding, and voice/video conferencing
  • IP Gateways for interfacing with public networks and telecommuters
Progent offers the online or on-premises consulting services of a Cisco-certified CCIE expert to assist organizations of any size to design, configure, manage, migrate, optimize, relocate, and troubleshoot Cisco UC products so that you highest competitive advantage of your communications system. Progent can provide advanced consulting for all components of Cisco's UC solutions such as call processing and control software, IP phones and softphones, and immersive telepresence software. Progent also offers consulting and troubleshooting services for Cisco's IP voice-optimized infrastructure such as Integrated Services routers, Catalyst switches, ASA firewalls, and voice gateways.

Call Control Agents - Unified Communications Manager/CallManager
Cisco IP Communications ConsultingThe call-processing agent is the core of the Cisco IP Communications portfolio and gives you the flexibility to implement a centralized call-processing model, a decentralized model, or a mix of both. In a centralized deployment, Cisco Unified Communications Manager (UC Manager or CUCM) extends corporate telephony features to packet telephony network devices such as VoIP handsets, media processing devices, VoIP gateways, and multimedia programs throughout the network. Unified Communications Manager supports additional multimedia services including unified messaging, multimedia conferencing, and group-based client communication networks.

The latest release of Cisco Unified Communications Manager, previously branded Cisco CallManager, offers a variety of enhancements that expedite ROI by cutting administrative and support expenses, increasing user output, facilitating teamwork, supporting the bring-your-own-device style of computing, strengthening data protection, and allowing efficient use of IT resources. Headline new features include automatic dial-plan replication and batch provisioning, streamlined certificate management, extended support for standards-based single sign-on for managers and end users, device-agnostic call recording, mobile access without requiring VPN, a revamped self-care interface that makes it easy for end users to select their preferences for all of their endpoints, and support for Transport Layer Security and Secure Real-Time Transport Protocol for mobile users.

When you implement a central Unified Communications Manager cluster to manage voice processing for users at distributed locations, administrators can help achieve non-stop phone operation using Cisco Survivable Remote Site Telephony, an IOS Software image for Cisco routers. If a Wide Area Network connection fails, Cisco Survivable Remote Site Telephony in the Cisco router provides core UC Manager functions until the link is returned. To learn about Progent's consulting support services for Cisco ISR routers, refer to consulting and troubleshooting support for Cisco routers.

For small business networks, branch offices, and retail deployments that do not require the full feature set available from Unified CM, Unified Communications Manager Express, formerly known as CallManager Express offers a budget-friendly solution that handles the needs of sites with up to 450 workers. Since Cisco Unified Communications Manager Express Unified Communications Manager Express (Unified CCX) is embedded in the IOS Software operating on a Cisco router, smaller offices can quickly set up a unified voice/data solution.

The Cisco Business Edition 6000 is a line of one-stop solutions that offer fundamental unified communications features such as routing, gateway, high definition voice/video, messaging, IM and presence, conferencing, and paging support, enabling any end user to connect on any endpoint device from anywhere. All solutions come preloaded with a virtualization hypervisor and Unified Communications applications, making implementation quick and simple and reducing cost of ownership for companies with as many as 1000 employees. All BE6000 versions are shipped preloaded with a virtualization hypervisor and Unified Communications applications software. Organizations can simply activate collaboration applications when their needs grow.

The office-in-a-box Business Edition 6000S includes five fixed collaboration applications preloaded on one integrated ISR router/gateway/virtualized E1600 M2 server platform and can handle as many as 150 users and 300 devices. The medium-scale BE6000M includes four unified communications application options enabled on a virtualized Cisco UCS C220 M4 server platform and supports up to 1000 users, 1200 devices, and 100 contact center agents. The top-of-the-line Business Edition 6000H includes 8 UC software application options activated on a virtualized Cisco C220 M4 server and can handle up to 1000 workers, 2500 devices, and 100 contact center agents.

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

IP Phones: VoIP and IP Media Endpoints
A communications endpoint is an end-user device, and can be a hardware phone set or a software phone application on a PC or mobile computer. In the Internet Protocol world, each VoIP handset or soft phone is Ethernet connected. VoIP phones have all of the capabilities that an ordinary phone handset has, but Voice over IP phones can also have extra features such as being able to access the web or host business software.

Cisco IP Phones ConsultingIn contrast to traditional Private Branch Exchange systems, in a Cisco IP phone environment you can perform virtually instant moves, additions, and changes. You simply take the VoIP handset to its new spot, plug it into the Ethernet connection, and the device registers itself with Cisco Unified Communications Manager (formerly CallManager). All user privileges and settings are programmatically re-established, eliminating the expense and hassle of dispatching technicians to wiring closets. Another efficient feature is extension mobility, which allows you to log into any Cisco VoIP device and receive your personal phone ID and privileges.

Cisco provides a broad range of collaboration hardware endpoints. The entry-level Small Business SPA 300 family are no-frills IP and Digital Enhanced Cordless Telecommunications (DECT) devices that feature high-quality audio, support for hosted IP telephony systems or an IP private branch exchange, easy deployment and highly secure remote provisioning, in-service software upgrades, and browser-based configuration. The low-end SPA301 is a one-line IP endpoint with no screen or speakerphone, a base dialer with a single Ethernet connector, and a wired handset without a keypad. The SPA302D, intended exclusively for operation with Cisco's SPA232D DECT Analog Telephone Adapter, is a multiple-line wireless DECT handset that supports 10-lines, a 176 x 220 pixel color screen, and a keypad with a speakerphone. Cisco's SPA303 is an entry-level 3-line SIP-based IP phone with dual Ethernet ports, a 128x64 mono display and a speaker.

Cisco SPA500 Series IP Phones ConsultingCisco's SPA500 line VoIP phones are low-cost devices with support for SIP and SPCP signaling protocols, two integral Ethernet switch ports, speakerphones, built-in web servers, 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 LCD screen. The SPA502G IP Phone supports a single line and has no soft buttons. The SPA504G has four lines and has four soft keys. The SPA508G has eight lines and eight soft keys. The SPA509G VoIP phone supports 12 lines and features 12 programmable buttons. The SPA512G IP Phone supports four lines, no soft keys and supports 1xGb Ethernet. The SPA514G VoIP phone supports four lines, has soft buttons, and supports Gigabit Ethernet. The high-end SPA525G2 VoIP phone has a 320 x 240 pixel color display, supports five lines, and has five soft keys.

Cisco's Unified IP Phones 3900 Series and 6900 Series are specialty VoIP endpoints intended for infrequent-use settings such as cafeterias, hallways, and conference centers. The Unified SIP Phone 3905 features VoIP phone features a 128 x 32 monochrome screen, an integrated Ethernet switch, a speakerphone, and Power over Ethernet. The simple Cisco Unified IP Phone 6901 is a single-line device without a display and uses a hook switch for call transfer or conferencing.

Cisco's 7800 Series of economical IP phones are VoIP desktop devices featuring backlit mono displays, four soft keys, 11 dedicated keys, an Ethernet port with PoE, and a speakerphone. Cisco's 7800 Series IP Phones support only the SIP signaling protocol. All devices in the 7800 family incorporate the same high-fidelity speakers and microphones as Cisco's 8800 Series IP phones to deliver a best-in-class audio solution. Cisco's EnergyWise power-save technology, offered on the advanced 7800 units, cuts after-hours energy consumption by as much as 60 percent. The Cisco IP Phone 7811 is a one-line phone intended for shared areas as well as for workers with infrequent voice communications needs. The IP 7811 VoIP phone comes with a 3.28-inch 384 x 106 display and a narrow-band speakerphone. Wideband audio is available via an extra-cost wideband handset. Cisco's IP Phone 7821 is a dual-line VoIP endpoint with a 396 x 162 display. The IP Phone 7841 is a four-line endpoint with a 396 x 162 screen and is the only unit in the 7800 family to support Gigabit Ethernet. The high-end IP Phone 7861 is a 16-line device intended for administrative staff, contact center agents, and managers who have heavy voice communications needs.

The Cisco Unified IP Phone 7900 Series are SIP and SCCP media endpoints with a 320 x 240 pixel color display, an integral Gigabit Ethernet switch, Class 3 PoE, 10 fixed-feature keys 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 have a 5-inch screen and four soft keys. The Cisco Unified IP Phone 7975G unit is an eight-line media phone with a 5.6-inch touch screen and five programmable keys.

Cisco 8800 Series IP Phones Integration and Support

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

Wireless VoIP Phone Integration and Troubleshooting SupportCisco's wireless VoIP phones are industrial-grade Wi-Fi devices designed for professionals who are on the move within office, warehouse, retail or other environments where management requires user endpoints that provide more control, data security and ruggedness than is possible with the BYOD (Bring-Your-Own-Device) style of mobile communications. Cisco's 8821 and 8812-EX wireless VoIP phones offer on-the-move onsite users the advantages of voice over wireless LAN communications in workplaces with 802.11a/b/g/n/ac Wi-Fi. Cisco's 8821 Wireless IP Phone features a 2.4 inch color screen, a rugged case designed for shock resistance and compliant with IP67 for dust and moisture resistance, long-life batteries, a built-in speakerphone, and a Bluetooth 4.0 radio for hands-free operation with cordless headsets. The 8821-EX Wireless VoIP Phone adds protection against sparking for use in hazardous work sites. The 8821-EX also has a case fabricated of industry-standard yellow plastics, which makes it easier to locate the event of an emergency. Find out about Progent's Wireless IP Phone integration consultants.

Cisco 9900 VoIP Phones ConsultingCisco's legacy 9900 line of powerful IP phones mix high-quality voice with business-grade color displays to deliver a rich multimedia experience for knowledge professionals and executive management. Both models in the 9900 family have a Standard Definition 24-bit color display, a Bluetooth 2.0 radio to work with a broad choice of headsets, and an integrated 1 GE Ethernet switch. The Cisco EnergyWise power-save feature is optional and can reduce off-hour energy consumption by 90 percent. The IP Phone 9951 features a 5-inch display and supports up to 2 IP Color Key Expansion Modules for expanding customizable line and feature keys. The Cisco IP Phone 9971 features a 5.6-inch screen, a built-in Wi-Fi transceiver for deployment with Voice-over-WLAN environments, and four soft-label touchscreen keys to access Cisco Unified Communications features. The 9971 supports up to 3 Cisco IP Expansion Modules for adding scalability to programmable line and feature keys.

Cisco Unified Communications Applications
Within Cisco's Unified Communications architecture, IP telephony, video, and other UC applications are physically separate from the call-processing and voice-processing infrastructure, and they may be anywhere within the network. A cohesive network infrastructure provides an open platform for powerful applications and acts as a firm foundation for future convergence-based software. Cisco cooperates with leading technology vendors to offer a wide selection of IP voice and IP video applications and devices. Cisco also enables the ability to create and manage specialized in-house programs.

UC applications offered by Cisco and supported by Progent include:

Jabber
Jabber is a UC application that supports presence, instant messaging, voice, high-definition video, voice messaging, screen sharing, and online conferencing features for PCs, Apple Macs, tablets as well as iPhones, Android phones, and Blackberries. Cisco Jabber is an evolution and integration of the Cisco Unified Personal Communicator soft phone application, Cisco Mobile, and Cisco WebEx Connect, with significant improvements to HD video features and screen sharing, and expanding the collaboration environment to additional platforms 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 WebEX Meeting for online meetings.

Because Cisco Jabber is based on key communication protocols, it can interoperate with a wide selection of non-Cisco platforms. For instance, Extensible Messaging and Presence Protocol (XMPP) allows Jabber to exchange IM and presence data with a variety of XMPP clients such as Adium for Mac OS, IBM Sametime, and Microsoft Lync and Office Communications Server. Jabber features can be accessed from Microsoft Office programs including Microsoft Outlook and Microsoft SharePoint. This cross-platform compatibility optimizes output by delivering a common user experience and fully enabling the BYOD paradigm of computing. Progent can provide the expertise of certified Exchange and Outlook consultants and Microsoft SharePoint experts who can assist you to take advantage of Jabber with Microsoft's premiere collaboration products. Progent also can provide expertise with Apple iPhone integration and management as well as Android phone and tablet integration to assist your organization to increase the business value of your BYOD environment.

WebEX Meeting Center
Cisco WebEx Meeting Center enables web conferencing for users with a web browser or almost any PC or handheld device. Cisco WebEx 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, eliminates major initial investment, offers high availability and enterprise-grade data protection, and provides consistently high performance. Important features include support for sharing specific content or an whole screen with online participants in real time, the ability to add rich media into presentations including PowerPoint and Flash videos, network-based recording plus editing and playback for training, single sign-on and support for other Cisco collaboration applications such as Jabber and TelePresence, plus stringent data protection and encrypted access with strict policy control.

WebEx Meeting Center Web Conferencing Consulting and Support

WebEX Meeting Center runs on Microsoft Windows, Apple Mac, and Linux-powered desktops and allows mobile workers to initiate, schedule, and attend conferences on Google Android devices, iPhones and iPads, BlackBerry phones, and Microsoft Windows Phone. You can also launch web meetings instantly from Microsoft Office, Microsoft Outlook, Lotus Notes, and a variety of instant messaging applications.

Cisco TelePresence Products for On-premises Teleconferencing Infrastructure
For midsize organizations and larger enterprises who want to build an in-house or hybrid on-premises/cloud environment for video conferencing, Cisco offers a selection of Cisco TelePresence platforms that enable high-definition teleconferencing for attendees with almost any IP endpoint at any site. Cisco TelePresence Server is an expandable teleconferencing bridge that runs with Cisco Unified Communications Manager to deliver multiparty video, audio and content sharing to unified communications environments and can expand conferences to include cloud-based WebEx Meeting Center participants. Cisco TelePresence Conductor software simplifies management of how video conferencing bandwidth and features should be allotted for every individual attendee, allowing administrators to define the exact service level and user experience required for every user. Cisco TelePresence Content Server collects video and presentations for real-time distribution and video on demand viewing.

Cisco's Unity Connection and Unity Express for Unified Voicemail and Automated Attendant
The Cisco Unity Connection, an integrated extension of Unified Communications Manager, is a unified voice messaging solution that promotes productive collaboration by providing a variety of options for accessing calls and messages within a framework that is easy to implement and administer. Cisco Unity Connection allows you to read and manage voicemail from your email inbox, browser, Cisco Jabber messaging integration platform, a Cisco Unified VoIP endpoint, an iPhone or other smartphone, or an iPad or tablet. Cisco Unity Connection also provides advanced speech-recognition features for hands-free operation and powerful Automated Attendant capabilities that include smart routing for incoming phone calls and custom call-screening and message-alert options. The Cisco Unity Connection platform runs as a VM that can be hosted on a BE6000 server or a Cisco Services Ready Engine 910 router blade and can support as many as 20,000 mailboxes on each server.

Unity Express (CUE), available in certain Cisco ISR routers, provides cost-effective voicemail, integrated messaging, interactive voice response (IVR), and greeting functions for small to medium businesses and enterprise satellite locations with up to 500 users. Unity Express allows users to access and manage voicemail using a Cisco Unified IP Phone screen, a browser, or your email client. Integrated Services Routers for which Cisco Unity Express is available as a network module or advanced integration module include Cisco's 1861, 2800, 2900, and 3900 Series. Progent can provide certified deployment and support services for all Cisco routers.

Cisco Unified Contact Center
Cisco Unified Contact Center Enterprise (Unified CCE) integrates with Unified CM and desktop agent applications such as 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 offers smart call routing, computer telephony integration, multiple channel contact management, network-wide call queuing, interactive voice response (IVR) and advanced enterprise-wide reporting to streamline the creation and management of a large-scale contact center. Cisco platforms incorporated in Unified CCE's customer contact management ecosystem include Cisco Unified IP Phones, Voice, and Cisco LAN/WAN technology.

Cisco Unified Contact Center Express (CCX) offers an out-of-the-box solution for building a customer interaction management center for mid-scale deployments that handle as many as 400 agents. Several bundles are available, as well as a variety of optional advanced features. Unified Contact Center Express integrates closely with Cisco CUCM and provides smart call distribution, contact management, integrated reporting, IVR, and management of voice, email, web chat, and social media inquiries. Cisco Unified Contact Center Express includes Cisco Finesse, a browser-based customizable desktop agent that needs no client software setup. Optional enhancements include conditional routing, estimated-wait-time messages, and productivity optimization with workforce and quality management.

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

Cisco Prime Collaboration
Cisco Prime Collaboration provides an automated platform for initial installs and for “day 2” moves, adds, changes, and deletions. A user-friendly console provides a unified view of a subscriber and the subscriber's services. Cisco Prime Collaboration significantly accelerates site installations and reduces the time needed for ongoing changes. Prime Collaboration also offers management analytics that show technology adoption and consumption trends, enabling organizations to make more efficient use of resources and further reduce total cost of ownership.

Cisco Communications Gateways
Cisco's communications gateways permit Cisco converged communications environments to connect with other networks and with clients operating outside the corporate firewall. Cisco's line of gateways deliver unified communications services for a wide variety of gateway as well as session-border-control applications.

Collaboration gateways available from Cisco and supported by Progent include:

Cisco Expressway Communication Gateway
Cisco's Expressway is a powerful unified communications and collaboration gatekeeper that allows companies to provide employees, suppliers, consumers, or business partners who are working on different network environments, workgroup applications, or endpoint devices to connect to Cisco Unified Communication services. Cisco's Expressway integrates with a Cisco Communications Manager system or Cisco Business Edition 6000 (BE6000), or can be accessed via the cloud with Cisco HCS to make productive collaboration more pervasive. Key capabilities of Cisco Expressway are:

  • Mobile and Off-site Connectivity: Remote workers who have any Jabber-supported client or telecommuters with Cisco TelePresence endpoints have the convenience of one-time sign-on as well as TLS security and can connect to all their Jabber applications (high-definition video, voice, content IM, and presence) without the extra step of starting a VPN connection. In addition, telecommuters have the ability to utilize their Cisco TelePresence endpoints without the need for a VPN, providing a user environment at home that is the same as the corporate office.
  • Jabber Guest Support: Expressway is integral for supporting the Cisco Jabber Guest, which makes it possible for “guests” to communicate with your business simply and safely using streamlined browser and mobile multimedia phone calls.
  • Cisco Cloud Connectivity: Expressway can act as a gateway that creates a path between on-premises Cisco or non-Cisco collaboration solutions and the WebEx cloud. By supporting Cisco Collaboration Meeting Rooms, Expressway deliver a world-class, scalable meeting environment that seamlessly combines high-quality voice, high-definition video, and data sharing to anyone, anywhere, using any endpoint.
  • Interoperability: In case your organization already has third-party video technology, Expressway can help you to move easily to Cisco products when it makes business sense. Cisco Expressway provides video compatibility with industry standard H.323, H.264 Scalable Video Coding (SVC), or Session Initiation Protocol (SIP) systems. Internetworking standards allowed by Cisco Expressway include IPv4 to IPv6, H.323 to SIP, and Microsoft Lync H.264 Scalable Video Coding to H.264/MPEG-4 AVC.
Cisco Unified Border Element
Cisco Unified Border Element is a collaboration edge session border controller that interconnects converged business communications networks to the public switched telephone network. In addition to providing session border control, Cisco Unified Border Element (CUBE) provides simple and affordable collaboration beyond the firewall. Important collaboration functions enabled by CUBE include:
  • Cisco WebEx Cloud Connected Audio (CCA) for high-capacity SIP-based audio conferencing
  • Voice/Video recording
  • SIP-based Call-center and IVR applications
  • Policy-led security evaluation of voice calls
  • B2B immersive telepresence over SIP
CUBE software is available for licensing on Cisco IOS software and can be run on a wide selection of Cisco's enterprise router platforms, which include ASR 1000 routers, the ISR 4000 line, the ISR G2 Series, and several models of the 800 Series fixed routers. The virtualized CUBE, or vCUBE, runs in an ESXi virtual container.

Cisco's End-of-Life UC520, UC540 and UC560 VoIP Phone Systems
The end-of-life Cisco Unified Communications 500 (UC500) Series is an all-in-one VoIP and unified communications solution for small businesses. UC500 models provide voice, data, voicemail, auto attendant, IP video, security, and wireless functionality, run with older Cisco IP Voice endpoints, and support public switched telephone network (PSTN) connections.

Cisco UC500 Series VoIP Gateway Consultants

Cisco's discontinued UC500 VoIP gateway was the centerpiece of a comprehensive unified communications solution

All Cisco's UC500 series bundles include a desktop switch with 8 Power-over-Ethernet (PoE) interfaces plus additional FXS and FXO interfaces, a firewall, and VPN support. Built-in WiFi is optional. VoIP user capacity can be increased by attaching Cisco Catalyst Express switches. Every UC500 model also includes software licenses for Cisco Unified Communications Manager for VoIP call processing and Cisco Unity Express software for voice messaging and automated attendant. The Cisco UC520 system supports 8 to 16 VoIP users and incorporate 4 FXS and 4 FXO interfaces. The Cisco UC540 package allows 24 to 32 users and provides 8 foreign exchange office interfaces. The Cisco UC560 system supports 48 users and 12 foreign exchange office ports.

Progent's Cisco-certified VoIP consultants can help you to support your legacy UC500 VoIP system or design and carry out a smooth migration to a current IP telephony and voicemail solution like the Cisco Business Edition 4000.

How Progent Can Assist You with Cisco IP Voice and IP Media Phones, CUCM, and Telepresence
Progent offers remote or on-premises help from a certified CCIE Collaboration expert to assist you to design, install, manage and repair unified communications environments that incorporate Cisco Unified Communication products in a centralized, distributed, or hybrid environment. Progent's Cisco-certified consultants have in-depth backgrounds supporting Unified Communications Manager and CallManager, IP voice and video phones and other endpoints, UC applications such as Jabber and WebEx Meeting Center, Cisco's immersive telepresence technologies, collaboration gateways, utilities built into Cisco Catalyst switches and routers. Progent can also provide support for technologies such as Cisco Survivable Remote Site Telephony, Cisco Unified Border Element, SIP gateways, CAC, IP voice trunks, PSTN, and AVVID. Progent's SIP infrastructure consultants can in addition help you to create SIP connectivity solutions that include SIP-based VoIP phones and media phones, SIP trunks, and SIP administration tools with Cisco Unified CM.

Progent's custom application developers can create specialized IP telephony applications that will enable your organization to incorporate the telephony capabilities of Cisco Unified Communications Manager into your company operations for increased efficiency. Progent can evaluate your existing network and Internet connectivity infrastructure to make sure your environment is configured to support high-quality IP voice and HD video, help you to select and integrate Cisco hardware and software appropriate for your current needs and future growth strategy, and integrate your Cisco collaborative communications solution with technology from other vendors. Progent's CISSP-ISSAP certified information security consultants can show you how to create, implement, and validate a comprehensive security plan for your unified communications solution. Also, Progent can help your organization to configure Cisco high-availability technologies like Cisco Unified Survivable Remote Site Telephony (SRST) for cost-effective call control redundancy in remote-branch and telecommuter environments, and Progent's disaster recovery and business continuity planning experts can help you create a viable disaster recovery strategy to ensure the availability of your business-critical unified communications environment.

Unified Communications Manager/CallManager Migration Services
Versions of Cisco Unified CM lower than 8.6 and every release of CallManager have arrived at end-of-life. Therefore Cisco will no longer enhance, repair, or validate this older software. Security patches for this business-critical product will end, which in certain situations may cause compliance or even legal liability issues.

Progent will continue to offer premiere support for outdated editions of Unified CM and CallManager, but in case your company is now running a legacy version of this essential software you should start immediately to plan your upgrade. Progent's Cisco-certified consultants can assist your company to upgrade efficiently to the latest edition of Unified Communications Manager and can often save customers up to 50% off consulting expense compared to competing IT service companies because of Progent's documented process and hands-on experience in this practice area. By following leading practices, Progent can ensure that your company sees a quick payback on your investment by showing you how to benefit fully from the enhanced feature set, lower administrative and maintenance expense, more productive collaboration capabilities, and stronger security provided by the current release of Cisco Unified CM.

Progent's migration services include ROI assessment, project management, system testing, Cloud connectivity, configuring collaboration endpoints from Cisco and third-party providers, smartphone and tablet integration, security and compliance services, streamlined management, disaster recovery/business continuity planning, network infrastructure design, staff and user training, and ongoing consulting services and troubleshooting. Progent also has put together ultra-affordable upgrade packages to make sure your costs are visible and under control.

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To get in touch with Progent about professional support for Cisco networking, call 1-800-993-9400 or go to Contact Progent.