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Exchanging live voice and video over IP (VoIP and Video over IP) has progressed from simply being being a savvy technique to cut phone bills to a strategic technology for productive collaboration. Converged IP communications, at one time restricted to managing Internet-based voice and faxes on the same platform to replace expensive PBX systems, now incorporates VoIP and video, mobile communications, instant messaging, presence, collaboration services, and much more all within a cohesive ecosystem that is manageable, scalable, highly secure, fault-tolerant, cost-effective, and intuitive.

Cisco is the market leader in supplying solutions required to support the new paradigm of unified communications (UC). Cisco's unified communications solution enhances the efficiency of information networks by slashing operational expenses; combining rich media functions with familiar software applications to increase worker output; supporting collaboration among employees, partners, and vendors to save time and enhance business results; and simplifying the support of your communications environment.

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

• Call Control Platforms for managing calls and sessions
• VoIP and Video Phones and Softphones to enhance worker engagement
• UC Software Applications for simplified access to presence, chat, voice and video, phone messages, desktop sharing, and conferencing
• Communications Gateways for accessing public networks and telecommuters

Call Processing Agents - Unified Communications Manager (CallManager)
Cisco's call-processing agent is the centerpiece of the Cisco IP telephony portfolio and gives you the versatility to implement a centralized call-processing design, a decentralized model, or a combination of the two. In a centralized approach, Unified Communications Manager (UC Manager or CUCM) expands enterprise phone capabilities to packet products such as IP handsets, media management products, Voice over IP gateways, and multimedia applications across the IT environment. Unified Communications Manager supports extra mixed media functions including unified messaging, multimedia conferencing, and group-based customer interaction networks.

The most recent version of Unified Communications Manager, formerly known as CallManager, includes a variety of enhancements that speed up your return on investment by lowering administrative and support expenses, improving worker productivity, facilitating teamwork, accommodating the bring-your-own-device (BYOD) model of computing, strengthening data protection, and making efficient use of network infrastructure. Headline new features include Global Dial Plan Replication (GDPR), simplified certificate control, extended support for standards-based single sign-on for managers and users, hardware-agnostic call recording, on-the-road access without requiring VPN tunneling, a new self-care interface that makes it easy for users to manage their preferences for all of their endpoint devices, and support for Transport Layer Security and Secure Real-Time Transport Protocol for mobile users.

In cases where you implement a central Cisco Unified Communications Manager cluster to manage voice processing for customers at distributed sites, IT managers can help ensure non-stop phone service using Cisco SRST, an IOS Software image for routers. If a WAN link breaks, Cisco SRST in the router provides basic Cisco UC Manager capabilities until the link is repaired. For information about Progent's consulting services for Cisco routers, refer to consulting support for Cisco routers.

For small business networks, branch offices, and retail deployments that do not need the complete functionality offered by Unified CM, Cisco Unified Communications Manager Express, formerly named CallManager Express provides a budget-friendly solution that handles the requirements of locations with up to 450 users. Since Cisco 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 organizations can quickly implement a unified voice and data environment.

Cisco's Business Edition 6000 is a line of end-to-end solutions that offer essential unified communications features such as routing, IP gateway, high definition voice/video, messaging, instant messaging and presence, teleconferencing, and paging support, enabling any user to collaborate on any device from anywhere. All Business Edition 6000 systems come packaged preconfigured with a virtualization hypervisor and collaboration applications, making deployment quick and simple and cutting operating expenses for organizations with as many as 1000 workers. All solutions are shipped preconfigured with a virtualization hypervisor and Unified Communications applications. Organizations can simply enable Unified Communications software applications as their needs evolve.

The small-scale Business Edition 6000S includes five standard UC software applications preloaded on a single integrated 2921V router/IP gateway/virtualized E1600 M2 blade server platform and can handle as many as 150 users and 300 devices. The medium-scale BE6000M supports 4 unified communications application options activated on a single virtualized Cisco UCS C220 M4 server platform and supports a maximum capacity of 1000 workers, 1200 endpoint devices, and 100 contact center agents. The high-end BE6000S Supports 8 collaboration software application options activated on a virtualized Cisco UCS C220 M4 server platform and has the capacity for up to 1000 users, 2500 devices, and 100 contact center agents.

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

IP Phones: VoIP and IP Media Phones
A communications endpoint is a user instrument, either a hardware handset or a software phone program that runs on a desktop or mobile computer. In the IP environment, each VoIP handset or soft phone has an Ethernet connection. VoIP phones have all of the capabilities that an ordinary telephone has, but VoIP phones can also have additional functions such as the ability to connect to the web or run productivity-enhancing software.

In contrast to ordinary PBX systems, in a Cisco IP communications environment you can perform almost instant moves, adds, and modifications. All you do is move the VoIP handset to your new spot, attach it to an Ethernet jack, and the phone announces itself with Cisco Unified Communications Manager (formerly CallManager). All user rights and settings are automatically replicated, doing away with the cost and delay of sending support personnel to rewire connections. An additional helpful capability is location independence, which allows you to sign into any Cisco IP device and get your own phone number and privileges.

Cisco provides a broad range of Unified CM hardware endpoints. The entry-level SPA 300 family are no-frills IP and Digital Enhanced Cordless Telecommunications screenless or monochrome phones that feature wide-band voice, compatibility with hosted IP phone environments or an IP private branch exchange (PBX), easy installation and safe online provisioning, in-service software updates, and browser-based set up. The low-end SPA301 is a one-line VoIP endpoint with no screen or speakerphone, a base dialer with one Ethernet port, and a corded handset without a keypad. The SPA302D, intended solely for operation with Cisco's SPA232D DECT Analog Telephone Adapter, is a multiple-line cordless DECT handset that supports 10-lines, a 176 x 220 color display, and a keypad with a speakerphone. The SPA303 is an economical 3-line IP phone with dual switched Ethernet ports, a 128x64 mono graphical display and a speakerphone.

The SPA500 Series VoIP phones are low-cost devices that support SIP and SPCP signaling protocols, two Ethernet switch ports, speakerphones, PoE, and voice conferencing capability. Most models have a 128 x 64 mono screen display, The SPA501G IP Phone supports eight lines and has eight soft buttons but no LCD screen. The SPA502G has a single line and has no programmable keys. The SPA504G has four lines and has four soft buttons. The SPA508G IP Phone supports eight lines and eight soft buttons. The SPA509G IP Phone supports 12 lines and features 12 programmable buttons. The SPA512G has four lines, no programmable keys and supports Gigabit Ethernet. The SPA514G supports four lines, has soft keys, and supports Gigabit Ethernet. The top-of-the-line SPA525G2 includes a 320 x 240 pixel color screen, supports five lines, and has five soft keys.

Cisco's Unified IP Phones 3900 Series and IP Phones 6900 Series are specialty VoIP endpoints designed for infrequent-use environments like lobbies, elevators, and conference centers. The Unified SIP Phone 3905 features VoIP phone features a 128 x 32 pixel mono non-backlit screen, a Ethernet switch, a speakerphone, and Power over Ethernet (PoE). The bare-bones Cisco Unified IP Phone 6901 is a one-line device without a screen and requires a hook switch for call transfer or joining a conference.

The 7800 line of value-priced IP phones are VoIP desktop devices with backlit mono displays, four programmable buttons, 11 dedicated keys, an Ethernet port with PoE, and a speakerphone. Cisco's 7800 Series IP Phones support only the SIP signaling protocol. All models in Cisco's 7800 Series incorporate the same high-fidelity speakers and microphones as Cisco's 8800 Series IP phones to provide a best-in-class audio experience. Cisco's EnergyWise power-save feature, offered on the higher end 7800 units, cuts after-hours energy usage by as much as 60 percent. The Cisco IP Phone 7811 is a single-line phone designed for shared locations as well as for employees with occasional-to-light call needs. The IP 7811 comes with a 3.28-inch 384 x 106 screen and a narrow-band speakerphone. Wideband audio is offered via an extra-cost handset. Cisco's IP Phone 7821 is a dual-line endpoint with a 396 x 162 screen. The IP Phone 7841 is a four-line VoIP phone with a 396 x 162 display and is the only unit in the 7800 series that provides Gigabit Ethernet. The top-of-the-line IP Phone 7861 is a 16-line endpoint intended for administrators, contact center personnel, and managers who have significant call requirements.

Cisco Unified IP Phone 7900 Series are SIP and SCCP media devices with a 320 x 240 pixel color screen, an integral Gigabit Ethernet switch, Class 3 Power over Ethernet, 10 fixed-feature keys and a speakerphone. The Cisco Unified IP Phone 7945G is a two-line unit and the Cisco Unified IP Phone 7965G features four lines. Both IP phones include a 5-inch display and four programmable 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 soft keys.

Cisco's IP Phone 8800 Series is a portfolio of SIP-based IP phones that features desktop devices, a conference IP phone, and mobile wireless IP Phones. The desktop models are five-line IP phones with a 5-inch 800 x 480 pixel display, a Gigabit Ethernet switch, a speakerphone, four soft keys and 12 fixed-feature buttons. Cisco's IP Phone 8811 features a backlit monochrome display and supports Class 2 Power over Ethernet. The Cisco 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, a tiltable camera, Bluetooth, Cisco Intelligent Proximity for Mobile Voice, and supports Class 2 Power over Ethernet. The Cisco IP Phone 8851 has a WVGA color display and one USB port with charging capability, supports Intelligent Proximity for Mobile Voice and Class 3 Power over Ethernet, and is offered in Bluetooth and non-Bluetooth versions. The Cisco IP Phone 8861 has a WVGA color display, Bluetooth, dual USB connections 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 screen, 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 industrial-grade wireless devices intended for professionals who are mobile within campus, hospitality, health-care or other environments where management requires portable phones that provide more administrative control, security and durability than is possible with the Bring-Your-Own-Device style of workplace communications. Cisco's 8821 and 8812-EX wireless VoIP phones offer on-the-move on-premises workers the advantages of voice over wireless LAN technology in environments that support 802.11x Wi-Fi infrastructure. The 8821 Wireless VoIP Phone includes a hi-res color display, a durable shell rated Mil-SPEC 810G for shock resistance and compliant with IP67 for dust and splash resistance, long-life batteries, a full-duplex speakerphone, and a Bluetooth 4.0 radio for hands-free operation with cordless headsets. Cisco's 8821-EX Wireless IP Phone adds spark suppression for potentially combustible work sites. Cisco's 8821-EX also has a shell composed of yellow plastics, which makes it easy to find in a crisis. Learn about Progent's Cisco Wireless VoIP Phone integration and troubleshooting consulting.

Cisco's legacy 9900 line of high-performance IP endpoints integrate high-quality voice with business-grade color screens to offer a productive multimedia communications solution for knowledge professionals, managers, and executives. Both models in this family incorporate a Standard Definition VGA color display, a Bluetooth 2.0 radio to work with 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 consumption by 90 percent. The IP Phone 9951 features a 5-inch display and supports up to 2 Cisco IP Expansion Modules for adding customizable line and function keys. The IP Phone 9971 features a 5.6-inch screen, a built-in 802.11a/b/g Wi-Fi radio for deployment with voice-over-wireless LAN networks, and four soft-label touchscreen keys to access Cisco Unified Communications functions. The 9971 VoIP phone supports up to 3 IP Expansion Modules for adding customizable line and function keys.

Cisco Unified Communications Application Software
Within Cisco's Unified Communications architecture, IP telephony, video, and other UC applications are physically independent from the call/voice processing mechanism, and they may be at any location within the network. A single network framework provides a versatile environment for powerful business applications and provides a firm basis for future convergence-based software. Cisco cooperates with third-party technology partners to provide a wide range of IP voice and video applications and products. Cisco also supports the ability to develop and manage customized internal programs.

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

Jabber
Cisco Jabber is a converge media application that provides presence, instant messaging, business-quality voice, high-definition video, voice messaging, desktop sharing, and online conferencing features for PCs, Apple Macs, Apple and Android tablets plus iPhones, Android phones, and Blackberries. Jabber is a rebranding and combination of the Unified Personal Communicator soft phone, Cisco Mobile, and Cisco WebEx Connect, with important improvements to video features and desktop screen sharing, and expanding the team experience to more platforms and devices. Cisco Jabber operates with Unified CM for call and session control, Cisco Unified Presence for IM and presence, Cisco Unity Connection for voicemail and automated attendant, and WebEX Meeting for conferencing and online meetings.

Since Jabber is built around key industry standards, it can interoperate with a broad selection of third-party platforms. For example, XMPP allows Jabber users to trade IM and presence data with other XMPP clients such as Adium for Mac, IBM Sametime, and Microsoft Lync and Office Communications Server. Cisco Jabber features can be accessed from Microsoft Office programs such as Outlook and Microsoft SharePoint. This broad platform support optimizes productivity by providing a common end-user environment and accommodating the BYOD model of networking. Progent offers the services of certified Exchange consultants and SharePoint application developers who can help you to use Jabber with Microsoft's premiere collaboration products. Progent also offers expertise with iPhone and iPad integration as well as Google Android smartphone integration and management to assist you to enhance the business value of your BYOD ecosystem.

Cisco WebEx Meeting Center
WebEX Meeting Center enables web and video meetings for users with a browser or virtually any PC or mobile computer. Cisco WebEx is delivered as software as a service (SaaS) through the Cisco WebEx Cloud. This makes it easy to roll out and scale, reduces the cost of management, avoids major up-front investment, offers high availability and enterprise-class data protection, and provides fast throughput. Important capabilities include support for sharing specific content or an whole screen with remote attendees in real time, the ability to embed multimedia into your presentations including Microsoft PowerPoint and Flash animations, session recording plus editing and playback for future reference and training, single sign-on (SSO) and integration with other Cisco collaboration products such as Cisco Jabber and TelePresence, plus strong data protection and encrypted access with strict policy management.

WebEX Meeting Center works with Windows, Apple Mac, and Linux-powered PCs and permits mobile workers to launch, calendarize, and participate in meetings on Google Android devices, iPhones and iPads, BlackBerry phones, and Microsoft Windows Phone. You can also launch online meetings with a few clicks from Microsoft Office, Microsoft Outlook, Notes, and a selection of IM applications.

Cisco TelePresence Portfolio for On-premises Video Conferencing Infrastructure
For midsize organizations and larger enterprises who wish to create an on-premises or hybrid on-premises/cloud environment for video conferencing, Cisco offers a portfolio of Cisco TelePresence platforms that deliver high-quality video conferencing for participants with virtually any endpoint device at any location. Cisco TelePresence Server is a scalable teleconferencing bridge that runs in conjunction with Cisco Unified Communications Manager to deliver multiparty video, audio and content sharing to converged environments and can expand conferences to include cloud-based Cisco WebEx Meeting Center users. Cisco TelePresence Conductor software simplifies the control of how teleconferencing resources are rationed for each participant, enabling managers to specify the exact service level and user experience needed for every user. Cisco TelePresence Content Server captures video conference presentations for real-time distribution and on-demand viewing.

Cisco Unity Connection and Unity Express for Unified Voice Messaging
Cisco's Unity Connection, an integrated extension of Cisco Unified CM, is a converged voice messaging system that facilitates collaboration by offering flexible set of options for retrieving calls and messages within an environment that is simple to deploy and maintain. Cisco Unity Connection lets you access and manage voicemail from your email inbox, web browser, Cisco Jabber messaging integration platform, a Cisco Unified VoIP Phone, an iPhone or other smartphone, or a tablet. Cisco Unity Connection also provides advanced speech-recognition capabilities for hands-free management and powerful Automated Attendant features such as smart routing for inbound calls and custom call-filtering and message-alert options. The Cisco Unity Connection platform runs as a VM that can reside on a BE6000 server or a Cisco SRE 910 router blade service module and can support as many as 20,000 voice mailboxes per server.

Unity Express (CUE), offered in select Cisco ISR routers, offers cost-effective voicemail, unified messaging, interactive voice response, and greeting services for small to mid-size businesses and enterprise satellite locations with as many as 500 users. Unity Express permits users to manage voicemail messages using a Cisco Unified IP Phone screen, your web browser, or your email client. Cisco routers for which Cisco Unity Express is available as a network module include Cisco's 1861, 2800, 2900, 3800, and 3900 families. Progent offers certified deployment and troubleshooting services for ISR routers.

Cisco Unified Contact Center
Unified Contact Center Enterprise (Unified CCE) integrates with Unified Communications Manager and agent desktop applications like Cisco Finesse to offer automatic call distribution features that allow an organization to connect customers with the right sales or support person. Unified CCE provides smart call routing, computer telephony integration (CTI), multiple channel customer contact management, call queuing, IVR and consolidated company-wide reporting to streamline the creation and administration of a modern customer contact center. Cisco platforms supporting UCCE's customer interaction management solution include Unified IP Phones, Voice, and Cisco network infrastructure.

Cisco Unified Contact Center Express (Unified CCX or CCX) provides an out-of-the-box solution for creating a customer interaction management center for branch or midmarket deployments that handle up to 400 agents. Multiple packages are available, as well as a selection of optional enhancements. Unified Contact Center Express integrates with Cisco CUCM and offers intelligent call distribution, client management, integrated reporting, IVR, and the ability to manage voice, email, web chat, and social media requests. Unified CCX comes with Cisco Finesse, a web-based customizable desktop agent that needs no client installation. Special options include conditional routing, estimated-wait-time announcements, and quality management.

Cisco Mobile Connect for Single Number Reach
Mobile Connect, commonly known as Single Number Reach, makes it possible for users to be called from a single number that rings at the same time on their Cisco VoIP Phone and their smartphone. Users can transfer live conversations between their desktop VoIP phone and their smartphone seamlessly. Calls that are not answered can be transferred to a Cisco Unity or Unity Connection account. Users can create personal access lists that specify which calls are directed to alternate phones.

Cisco Prime Collaboration Provisioning
Cisco Prime Collaboration Provisioning provides an automated process for first-time deployments and for “day 2” moves, adds, changes, and deletions. A user-friendly console provides a unified look at a user and the subscriber's services. Cisco Prime Collaboration Provisioning substantially accelerates site rollouts and reduces the time required for future changes. Prime Collaboration also provides advanced analytics that show technology adoption and consumption trends, enabling administrators to make more efficient use of resources and further lower total cost of ownership.

Cisco Collaboration Gateways
Cisco's communications gateways permit Cisco converged communications networks to communicate with other systems and with users working beyond the corporate firewall. Cisco's line of communication gateways provide unified communications services for a broad range of gateway as well as session-border-control deployments.

Communications gateways available from Cisco and supported by Progent include:

Expressway Converged Communication Gateway
Cisco's Expressway is a powerful unified communications and collaboration gatekeeper that allows companies to provide team members, suppliers, customers and prospects, or partners who are working on different networks, collaboration applications, or endpoint devices to access to Cisco Unified Communication functions. Cisco's Expressway collaboration gateway works with a Cisco CM system or Cisco BE6000, or can be accessed via the cloud with Cisco Hosted Collaboration Solution (HCS) to make collaboration more pervasive. Important capabilities of Expressway are are:

• Mobile and Remote Connectivity: Off-site users with any Jabber-supported desktop or handheld computer or teleworkers with Cisco TelePresence endpoints get the convenience of single-sign-on as well as Transport Layer Security (TLS) and can connect to all their collaboration workloads (high-definition video, business-quality voice, rich content IM, and presence) without requiring the inconvenience a VPN. Also, teleworkers can use their Cisco TelePresence endpoints without a VPN, delivering a user environment at home the same as the office.
• Jabber Guest Support: Cisco Expressway is required for enabling Cisco's Jabber Guest, which permits “guests” to interact with your organization simply and safely through streamlined web-browser and mobile multimedia calls.
• Cisco Cloud Connectivity: Cisco Expressway can function as a gateway that connects between on-premises Cisco or non-Cisco collaboration solutions and Cisco's WebEx cloud. By offering support for Cisco Collaboration Meeting Rooms (CMRs), Cisco Expressway offers a world-class, extensible teleconferencing environment that transparently combines high-quality voice, high-definition video, and data sharing to anyone, at any location, on any endpoint.
• Interoperability: If your company already has third-party video systems, Expressway can help you to migrate efficiently to Cisco technology whenever it makes business sense. Cisco Expressway offers video interoperability with standards-based H.323, H.264 Scalable Video Coding (SVC), or SIP systems. Interoperability standards allowed by Cisco Expressway include IPv4 to IPv6, H.323 to Session Initiation Protocol (SIP), and Microsoft Lync 2013 H.264 Scalable Video Coding (SVC) to MPEG-4/H.264 AVC.

• Cisco WebEx Cloud Connected Audio for high-capacity SIP-media-connected conferencing
• Voice/Video recording
• Enterprise Call-center and interactive-voice-response applications
• Policy-based evaluation of voice calls
• B2B teleconferencing over SIP

Cisco's End-of-Life UC520, UC540 and UC560 VoIP Phone Systems
The end-of-life Cisco Unified Communications 500 (UC500) product line is an all-in-one VoIP gateway appliance and software package for small organizations. UC500 packages deliver voice, data, voicemail, auto attendant, IP video, security, and WiFi functionality, run with older generation Cisco VoIP phones, and support various public switched telephone network (PSTN) interfaces.

All Cisco's UC500 packages include a desktop switch with 8 Power-over-Ethernet interfaces and additional FXS and FXO ports, a firewall, and VPN support. Integrated WiFi is an option. User capacity can be expanded by attaching Cisco Catalyst Express switches. Each UC500 model 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 system supports 8 to 16 VoIP users and incorporate 4 FXS and 4 FXO interfaces. The Cisco UC540 package supports 32 clients and has 8 foreign exchange office ports. The Cisco UC560 package supports 48 users and 12 foreign exchange office ports.

Progent's seasoned VoIP experts can help you to support your legacy UC500 VoIP system or design and carry out an efficient migration to a current VoIP solution like Cisco's cloud-managed 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 on-premises access to a Cisco Certified Internetwork Expert (CCIE) Collaboration expert to assist your business to design, implement, administer and troubleshoot unified communications networks supported by Cisco Unified Communication technology in a centralized, cloud-based, or hybrid environment. Progent's Cisco engineers have extensive experience with Cisco Unified Communications Manager and Cisco CallManager, VoIP phones and other endpoints, UC applications such as Cisco Jabber and WebEx Meeting Center, Cisco's video conferencing technologies, communication gatekeepers, utilities built into Cisco Catalyst switches and routers. Progent can also offer expertise with technologies like Cisco SRST, CUBE, H.323 gateways, Call Admission Control, IP voice trunks, various signaling protocols, and Cisco's architecture for voice, video and integrated data. Progent's SIP infrastructure experts can in addition help you to build SIP connectivity solutions that incorporate SIP-based VoIP phones and media phones, SIP-based CUBE trunks, and SIP administration tools with Cisco Unified Communications Manager.

Progent's custom application developers can build specialized IP telephony applications that will help your business to incorporate the telephony capabilities of Cisco Unified Communications Manager into your business processes for enhanced productivity. Progent can analyze your existing network and Internet access architecture to make sure your system is optimized to accommodate business-quality Voice over IP and high-definition video, help you to choose and install Cisco hardware and software appropriate for your present situation and downstream expansion goals, and integrate your Cisco Unified Communications solution with products from other vendors. Progent's CISSP-ISSAP certified data security and compliance consultants can show you how to develop, carry out, and validate a comprehensive security strategy for your unified communications solution. In addition, Progent can help you to deploy Cisco high-availability technologies such as Cisco Unified Survivable Remote Site Telephony to provide cost-effective call control backup in branch office and telecommuter sites, and Progent's disaster recovery and business continuity planning consultants can help you create a sensible DR/BC strategy to ensure the availability of your vital unified communications environment.

Unified Communications Manager/CallManager Migration Services
Releases of Cisco Unified Communications Manager 8.6 earlier than 8.6 and every release of its predecessor CallManager have arrived at end-of-life. Therefore Cisco Engineering will no longer develop, fix, or test the product software. Security patches for this pivotal product will stop, which in some circumstances may cause compliance or even potential liability issues.

Progent will continue to offer premiere consulting and troubleshooting support for outdated releases of Unified CM and Cisco CallManager, but in case your company is still using an out-of-dated release of this critical software you should begin now to prepare for your upgrade. Progent's Cisco-certified consulting professionals can help you to upgrade efficiently to the current version of Cisco Unified Communications Manager and can typically save clients as much as 50% off consulting fees compared to most IT service companies because of Progent's documented process and experience in this area. By following best practices, Progent can make sure your organization realizes a quick return on your investment by helping you benefit fully from the new and improved features, reduced management and maintenance expense, more productive collaboration, and tighter security offered by the newest edition of Cisco Unified Communications Manager.

Progent's upgrade services include return-on-investment assessment, project management or co-management, system testing and validation, Cloud connectivity, setting up collaboration endpoints from Cisco and other vendors, smartphone and tablet connectivity, security and compliance consulting, management automation, disaster recovery/business continuity planning, network topology design, staff and user training, and continuing consulting and troubleshooting. Progent also has put together ultra-affordable migration service bundles to make sure your costs are predictable and under control.

To find out more information about Progent's professional assistance for Cisco technology, choose a topic:

• Introduction to Progent's Cisco Network Support
• Timely Remote Help from a Cisco Certified Internetwork Expert (CCIE) Engineer
• ASA 5500-X Firewall with Firepower: Configuration and Management Expertise
• ASA 5500 Firewall Engineering Assistance
• PIX Series Firewall Maintenance Help
• Cisco Routers Consulting Services
• Cisco Wireless Engineering Expertise
• Aironet Wireless Access Points Design Services
• Cisco Small Business 100, 300 and 500 WiFi Access Points Consulting Help
• Cisco WiFi Controllers Integration Consulting
• Cisco Meraki Wireless APs Consulting Services
• Cisco Unified Communications Manager (CUCM or Unified CM) and CallManager Configuration and Troubleshooting
• Cisco Jabber and Management Services
• Catalyst Switches Engineering Expertise
• Nexus Switches Support and Troubleshooting Services
• Cisco Meraki Switches Deployment Services
• Cisco Security and VPN Engineering Help
• SIP and CUBE Integration Solutions: SIP PSTN Trunks and Cisco CUBE Integration Expertise
• Infrastructure Design for Cisco-based Datacenters and Colocation Centers
• Data Center Design Consulting for ISPs
• Remote Network Management Technologies for Cisco Infrastructure

• San Diego, CA Help and Support for Cisco VoIP Phones and Jabber
• Worldwide SIP Infrastructure Network Consultant in Denver, Colorado
• Migration Help for Cisco in Alaska - Anchorage, AK, Juneau, AK, Fairbanks, AK, Ketchikan, AK
• 7800 Series IP Phone On-site Support in Akron, OH
• Cisco VoIP Phones and CUBE Configuration in Glendale, AZ
• Migration Firm for Windows Server 2012 Colorado Springs, CO
• Salt Lake City Ogden Clearfield Computer Network Support Firms for Microsoft SQL 2008
• 8800-EX Wireless IP Phone Online Troubleshooting in Hurricane, UT
• Security Audits for Firewall Downtown Dallas
• Emergency CISSP Security Companies Pima County
• SharePoint 2013 Support Outsourcing
• CCDP Certified Online Consulting for SPA300 Series IP Phone
• Iowa Computer Network Providers
• IT Outsourcing Firm Cary North Carolina
• Emergency CCIE Certified Support and Help
• SPA300 Series IP Phone Professionals Grover City, CA
• Slackware Linux, Solaris, UNIX Technology Consulting Services
• Technical Support Services for IP Communications Montgomery, Alabama
• Slackware Linux, Sun Solaris, UNIX Technology Consulting Services