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Exchanging live voice and video over Internet Protocol has evolved from simply being being a shrewd method to save money on phone bills to being a strategic tool for competitive advantage. Converged IP communications, once limited to integrating Internet-based voice and faxes on one network platform to take the place of expensive PBX systems, today includes voice and video, mobility, instant messaging, real-time presence, services, and more all in a single environment that is easy to manage, extensible, protected, fault-tolerant, cost-effective, and intuitive.

Cisco is the global leader in providing solutions required to support the current model of unified communications (UC). Cisco's UC architecture enhances the efficiency of IT networks by slashing operating costs; combining rich media features with popular software programs to improve worker output; supporting teamwork among employees, associates, and vendors to save time and improve business outcomes; and streamlining the administration of your communications ecosystem.

Cisco's Unified Communications solutions address these important product categories:,

• Call Control Platforms for controlling calls and sessions
• Communications Phones and Softphones to enhance worker engagement
• Unified Communications Applications for more productive access to real-time, IM, voice and video, voice messages, white boarding, and voice/video conferencing
• IP Gateways for accessing public networks and remote users

Call Control Software - Unified Communications Manager/CallManager
The call-processing agent is the heart of Cisco's IP Communications solution and provides the flexibility to implement a central call-processing design, a decentralized design, or a mix of the two. In a centralized deployment, Cisco Unified Communications Manager (UC Manager or CUCM) expands enterprise telephony features to packet telephony network devices such as IP phones, media processing appliances, Voice over IP gateways, and mixed media applications throughout the IT environment. Unified Communications Manager enables additional mixed media services such as unified messaging, video conferencing, and group-based customer interaction networks.

The most recent version of Cisco Unified CM, previously known as Cisco CallManager, offers a variety of enhancements that expedite your return on investment by lowering management and maintenance expenses, increasing user output, enhancing teamwork, accommodating the bring-your-own-device (BYOD) model of working, fortifying security, and allowing optimal use of IT infrastructure. Headline innovations include automatic dial-plan replication, simplified certificate control, extended support for single sign-on for administrators and end users, hardware-independent call recording, mobile connectivity with no need for VPN, a new self-provisioning utility that makes it easy for workers to select their options for all endpoints, and support for Transport Layer Security and Secure Real-Time Transport Protocol for mobile clients.

When you deploy a central Cisco Unified Communications Manager cluster to manage voice processing for users at remote locations, administrators can help achieve continuous phone availability using Cisco SRST, an IOS Software image for Cisco routers. If a WAN connection breaks, Cisco SRST incorporated in the Cisco router provides basic UC Manager functions until the link is restored. To learn about Progent's consulting support services for Cisco routers, see consulting support for Cisco routers.

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

The Cisco BE6000 is a family of turn-key solutions that provide essential unified communications features including routing, IP gateway, premium voice/video, messaging, IM and presence, teleconferencing, and paging support, enabling any user to collaborate on any endpoint device from any location. All BE6000 versions come packaged preconfigured with virtualization and collaboration applications, making deployment quick and simple and reducing operating expenses for organizations with from 25 to 1000 employees. All BE6000 versions come packaged preinstalled with a virtualization hypervisor and Unified Communications applications software. Organizations can instantly activate Unified Communications applications whenever their needs grow.

The entry-level BE6000S includes five standard UC applications installed on a single combination ISR router/gateway/virtualized blade server platform and supports a maximum capacity of 150 workers and 300 devices. The mid-market BE6000M includes 4 unified communications application options activated on a virtualized Cisco C220 M4 server and supports up to 1000 workers, 1200 endpoint devices, and 100 contact center agents. The high-end BE6000S Supports eight collaboration application options enabled on a virtualized Cisco C220 M4 server platform and can handle as many as 1000 workers, 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 (CUCM) and CallManager design, configuration, migration and troubleshooting.

Cisco IP Phones: VoIP and IP Video Endpoints
A collaboration endpoint is an end-user instrument, and can be a physical phone set or a soft phone program on a PC or mobile computer. In the Internet Protocol environment, each VoIP endpoint has an Ethernet connection. IP phones have all of the functions that an analog phone has, but Voice over IP phones often offer additional functions such as being able to access websites or host productivity-enhancing software.

Unlike conventional PBX systems, in a Cisco IP telephony environment you can perform virtually instant relocations, additions, and changes. All you do is move the VoIP handset to its new spot, attach it to an Ethernet jack, and the IP phone announces itself with Cisco Unified Communications Manager. All client rights and settings are automatically re-established, doing away with the cost and delay of sending technicians to rewire connections. An additional useful feature is extension mobility, which enables you to sign into any Cisco VoIP phone and get your personal phone number and privileges.

Cisco offers a broad selection of VoIP phones. The entry-level SPA 300 family are basic IP and Digital Enhanced Cordless Telecommunications screenless or monochrome phones offering high-quality audio, compatibility with hosted Internet Protocol telephony systems or an IP private branch exchange (PBX), easy deployment and safe remote installation, transparent software updates, and browser-based configuration. The low-end SPA301 is a single-line IP endpoint with no screen or speakerphone function, a base dialer that has one Ethernet port, and a corded handset without keys. The SPA302D, designed exclusively for use with the Cisco SPA232D Multi-Line DECT Analog Telephone Adapter, is a multiple-line wireless DECT IP phone that supports 10-lines, a TFT 176 x 220 pixel color screen, and a keypad with speakerphone capability. The SPA303 is an entry-level three-line SIP-based phone with dual Ethernet ports, a 128x64 mono graphical display and a speaker.

Cisco's SPA500 family IP phones are affordable devices that support both SIP and SPCP call control protocols, two integral switch ports, speakerphones, built-in web servers, Power over Ethernet, and conferencing capability. Most versions have a 128 x 64 monochrome screen display, The SPA501G IP Phone supports eight lines and has eight soft buttons but no LCD display. The SPA502G VoIP phone supports a single line and has no soft keys. The SPA504G VoIP phone supports four lines and has four programmable buttons. The SPA508G has eight lines and eight programmable keys. The SPA509G supports 12 lines and features 12 soft keys. The SPA512G VoIP phone supports four lines, no programmable keys and supports 10/100/1000 Ethernet. The SPA514G IP Phone supports four lines, has programmable buttons, and supports 10/100/1000 Ethernet. The top-of-the-line SPA525G2 includes a 320 x 240 pixel color screen, supports five lines, and includes five programmable buttons.

Cisco's IP Phones 3900 Series and IP Phones 6900 Series are specialty IP voice devices intended for occasional-use settings such as lobbies, elevators, and conference centers. The Unified SIP Phone 3905 features VoIP phone features a 128 x 32 pixel mono non-backlit display, an integrated Ethernet switch, a speakerphone, and PoE. The bare-bones Cisco Unified IP Phone 6901 is a one-line endpoint without a display and requires a hook switch for transferring a call or conferencing.

Cisco's 7800 line of budget-priced IP phones are VoIP devices featuring backlit monochrome screens, four soft buttons, 11 fixed-feature buttons, an Ethernet port with Class 1 Power over Ethernet (PoE), and an integral speakerphone. Cisco's 7800 Series VoIP phones support only the SIP signaling protocol. All devices in the 7800 line 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, available on the higher end 7800 models, reduces after-hours energy usage by as much as 60 percent. The Cisco IP Phone 7811 is a one-line phone designed for shared areas and for workers with occasional-to-light voice communications needs. The IP 7811 VoIP phone comes with a 3.28-inch 384 x 106 display plus a narrow-band speakerphone. Wideband audio is offered through an extra-cost wideband handset. Cisco's IP Phone 7821 is a two-line phone with a 396 x 162 screen. The IP Phone 7841 is a four-line VoIP endpoint with a 396 x 162 display and is the only device in the 7800 series to support Gigabit Ethernet. The top-of-the-line IP Phone 7861 is a 16-line device intended for administrators, call center agents, and supervisors who have significant voice communications needs.

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

Cisco's IP Phone 8800 Series is a line of SIP-based endpoints that includes desktop devices, a conference phone, and wireless IP Phones. The desktop models are five-line IP phones with a 5-inch 800 x 480 screen, 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 Power over Ethernet (PoE). The Cisco IP Phone 8841 features a WVGA color screen and supports Class 2 Power over Ethernet. Cisco's IP Phone 8845 has a WVGA color display, 720p HD video, a tiltable camera, Bluetooth, Cisco Intelligent Proximity for Mobile Voice, and supports Class 2 Power over Ethernet. The Cisco IP Phone 8851 has a WVGA color display and a USB port 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, Wi-Fi, and Class 4 Power over Ethernet. The Cisco IP Phone 8865 includes a WVGA color screen, 720p HD video, an adjustable camera, Bluetooth, dual USB connections with charging capability, and supports Cisco Intelligent Proximity for Mobile Voice, 802.11ac Wi-Fi, and Class 4 PoE.

Cisco's wireless IP phones are hardened wireless handsets designed for professionals who are on the move within office, hospitality, retail or other environments where management requires user endpoints that provide more administrative control, data security and durability than is achievable with the BYOD (Bring-Your-Own-Device) style of mobile communications. Cisco's 8821 and 8812-EX wireless VoIP phones provide mobile on-premises workers the benefits of voice over wireless LAN technology in environments that support 802.11a/b/g/n/ac Wi-Fi infrastructure. Cisco's 8821 Wireless IP Phone features a hi-res color display, a durable case designed to withstand dropping and compliant with IP67 for particulate and splash resistance, extended batteries, a built-in full-duplex speakerphone, and an integrated Bluetooth radio to support cordless headsets. Cisco's 8821-EX Wireless IP Phone adds anti-sparking protection for use in potentially combustible work sites. The 8821-EX also has a shell fabricated of industry-standard yellow plastics, which makes the 8821-EX easier to find during a crisis. Find out about Progent's Cisco Wireless IP Phone integration and troubleshooting consultants.

Cisco's discontinued 9900 Series of advanced VoIP endpoints mix high-definition voice with business-grade color displays to provide a productive collaborative UC experience for knowledge professionals and executive management. Both models in this family have a Standard Definition 640x480 pixel color screen, a Bluetooth radio to support a broad range of headsets, and an integrated 10/100/1000 Ethernet port. The Cisco Power Save feature is offered as an option and can reduce off-hour power draw by 90 percent. The Cisco IP Phone 9951 features a 5-inch screen and supports up to 2 IP Color Key Expansion Modules for adding scalability to customizable line and feature keys. The Cisco IP Phone 9971 features a 5.6-inch display, a built-in 802.11a/b/g Wi-Fi radio for connecting to Voice-over-wireless LAN (VoWLAN) networks, and four soft-label touchscreen keys to access Cisco UC functions. The 9971 VoIP phone allows up to 3 IP Expansion Modules for adding scalability to programmable line and function keys.

Cisco Unified Communications Application Software
Under Cisco's Unified Communications architecture, IP telephony, IP video, and other converged applications are physically independent from the call- and voice-processing mechanism, and they may reside at any location within the system. A cohesive connectivity framework provides an open environment for powerful applications and serves as a solid basis for future convergence-based software. Cisco works with third-party technology companies to provide a broad selection of IP voice and video applications and devices. Cisco also supports the capability to create and manage customized in-house applications.

UC applications available from Cisco and supported by Progent's consultants include:

Cisco Jabber
Jabber is a unified communications client application that provides presence, IM, business-quality voice, high-definition video, voicemail, screen sharing, and real-time conferencing capabilities for PCs, Apple Macs, tablets and smartphones. Cisco Jabber is an evolution and combination of the Unified Personal Communicator, Cisco Mobile, and Cisco WebEx Connect, with significant improvements in the areas of video features and desktop screen sharing, and expanding the collaboration environment to additional operating systems and devices. Cisco Jabber operates with Unified CM for call and session management, Cisco Unified Presence for IM and presence, Cisco Unity Connection for voicemail and programmable attendant, and Cisco WebEx Meeting for conferencing.

Since Jabber is built around key industry standards, it can interoperate with a broad range of non-Cisco platforms. As an example, Extensible Messaging and Presence Protocol (XMPP) enables Jabber users to trade instant messaging and presence information with various XMPP clients including as Adium, IBM Sametime, and Microsoft Lync and Office Communications Server. Cisco Jabber capabilities can be accessed from Microsoft Office programs including Outlook and Microsoft SharePoint. This broad platform compatibility optimizes productivity by delivering a common user experience and accommodating the bring-your-own-device model of networking. Progent can provide the services of Microsoft-certified Exchange and Outlook consultants and Microsoft SharePoint experts who can assist you to use Jabber with Microsoft's powerful collaboration platforms. Progent also offers expertise with Apple iPhone integration as well as Google Android phone integration to help you to increase the business value of your BYOD ecosystem.

WebEX Meeting Center
Cisco WebEx Meeting Center enables online conferencing for participants using a web browser or almost any desktop or mobile device. WebEx Meeting Center is delivered as SaaS through the Cisco WebEx Cloud. This makes it simple to deploy and scale, streamlines administration, avoids heavy initial investment, features high availability and enterprise-grade security, and provides fast performance. Important features include the ability to share discrete content or your entire screen with remote attendees in real time, the capability to embed multimedia into presentations including Microsoft PowerPoint and Flash animations, network-based recording plus editing and playback for training, single sign-on (SSO) and support for Cisco collaboration applications such as Cisco Jabber and TelePresence, plus strong data privacy and encrypted access with tight policy control.

Cisco WebEx Meeting Center runs on Microsoft Windows, Mac, and Linux desktops and permits mobile users to launch, calendarize, and attend meetings on Android devices, iPhones and iPads, BlackBerry handhelds, and Windows Phone. You can also launch web conferences with a few clicks from Microsoft Office, Outlook, Lotus Notes, and a variety of instant messaging solutions.

Cisco TelePresence Products for In-house Video Conferencing Ecosystems
For midsize businesses and enterprises who wish to create an on-premises or hybrid on-premises/cloud environment for teleconferencing, Cisco offers a portfolio of Cisco TelePresence products that deliver high-quality video conferencing for attendees with virtually any IP endpoint at any location. Cisco TelePresence Server is an expandable teleconferencing bridge that runs in conjunction with Cisco Unified Communications Manager to deliver multiparty video, audio and content sharing to UC deployments and can expand conferences to include cloud-connected Cisco WebEx Meeting Center participants. Cisco TelePresence Conductor software streamlines the control of the way teleconferencing bandwidth and features should be rationed for every individual participant, enabling managers to define the exact service level and experience needed for every user. Cisco TelePresence Content Server records video and presentations for live streaming as well as video on demand playback.

Cisco's Unity Connection Platform and Unity Express for Unified Voice Messaging
The Cisco Unity Connection, an extension of Cisco Unified CM, is a converged voicemail solution that facilitates teamwork by providing flexible set of options for accessing calls and messages within a framework that is easy to implement and manage. Unity Connection lets you access and manage voicemail from your email inbox, browser, Jabber, a Cisco Unified VoIP Phone, a smartphone, or a tablet. Unity Connection also provides advanced voice-recognition features for hands and eyes free operation and extensive Automated Attendant features such as intelligent routing for incoming phone calls and custom call-filtering and message-alert settings. The Cisco Unity Connection system runs as a VM that can reside on a Business Edition 6000 server or a Cisco SRE 910 router blade and can accommodate as many as 20,000 voice mailboxes on each server.

Unity Express (CUE), offered in certain Cisco Integrated Services routers, provides affordable voicemail, integrated messaging, interactive voice response, and greeting services for small to mid-size businesses and corporate branch offices with up to 500 workers. Cisco Unity Express allows you to access and manage voicemail via a Cisco Unified IP Phone display, a browser, or your email system. Integrated Services Routers for which Unity Express is available as a network module include Cisco's 1861, 2900, and 3900 Series. Progent offers certified deployment and support services for Cisco routers.

Cisco Unified Contact Center
Unified Contact Center Enterprise (Unified CCE) works with Cisco CUCM and desktop agent apps such as Cisco Finesse to offer automatic call distribution features that allow an organization to match customers with the right salesperson or service representative. UCCE features smart call routing, computer telephony integration, multiple channel customer contact management, network call queuing, interactive voice response and consolidated company-wide reporting to simplify the creation and administration of a modern customer contact center. Cisco platforms supporting Unified CCE's customer contact management solution include Unified IP Phones, Cisco Voice Gateways, and Cisco network infrastructure.

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

Cisco Mobile Connect and Single Number Reach
Mobile Connect, commonly known as Single Number Reach, makes it possible for users to be reached via one phone number that rings at the same time on their desktop VoIP Phone and their smartphone. Users can transfer live conversations between their Cisco IP phone and their mobile phone seamlessly. Unanswered calls can be redirected to a Unity or Unity Connection voicemail account. Users can create personal access lists that specify which calls get extended to alternate endpoints.

Cisco Prime Collaboration
Prime Collaboration Provisioning offers an automated platform for first-time installs as well as for follow-on moves, adds, changes, and deletions. A user-friendly console delivers a unified look at a user and the user's services. Cisco Prime Collaboration substantially accelerates company-wide rollouts and reduces the time required to implement future updates. Prime Collaboration in addition offers advanced analytics that show technology adoption and consumption trends, allowing administrators to optimize IT resources and further reduce total cost of ownership.

Cisco Collaboration Gateways
Cisco's communications gateways allow Cisco converged communications networks to communicate with other systems and with users operating beyond the firewall. Cisco's portfolio of gateways provide UC support for a broad range of gateway and session-border-control applications.

Collaboration gateways available from Cisco and supported by Progent include:

Cisco Expressway Converged Communication Gateway
Cisco's Expressway is an advanced unified communications and collaboration gatekeeper that allows organizations to allow team members, suppliers, consumers, or partners who are working on various outside network environments, collaboration platforms, or endpoint equipment to access to Cisco Unified Communication services. The Expressway gateway works with an enterprise Cisco CM system or Cisco Business Edition 6000, or can be accessed through the cloud with Cisco Hosted Collaboration Solution (HCS) to help make collaboration more pervasive. Key features of Expressway are include:

• Mobile and Remote Connectivity: Off-site workers with any Jabber-supported device or telecommuters with Cisco TelePresence endpoints have the benefit of one-time sign-on and of Transport Layer Security (TLS) and can access all their collaboration workloads (video, high-quality voice, rich content IM, and presence) without the inconvenience starting a VPN. Also, teleworkers can use their Cisco TelePresence endpoints without a VPN, providing a user environment at home that is identical to the corporate office.
• Jabber Guest Support: Cisco Expressway is integral for enabling Cisco's Jabber Guest, which allows “guests” to interact with your business easily and safely using streamlined web-browser and mobile multimedia calls.
• Cisco Cloud Access: Cisco Expressway can function as a gateway that connects between onsite Cisco or non-Cisco systems and Cisco's WebEx cloud. By offering support for Cisco Collaboration Meeting Rooms, Cisco Expressway deliver an advanced, scalable teleconferencing experience that transparently combines business-quality voice, video, and content sharing to anyone, anywhere, using any device.
• Interoperability: If your company currently has non-Cisco video technology, Expressway can help you to move easily to a Cisco solution when you choose. Cisco Expressway offers video interoperability with standards-based H.323, H.264 SVC, or SIP environments. Interoperability capabilities allowed by Expressway include IPv4 to IPv6, H.323 to Session Initiation Protocol, and Microsoft Lync 2013 H.264 Scalable Video Coding to AVC/H.264.

• Cisco WebEx Cloud Connected Audio for SIP-media-connected audio conferencing
• Voice/Video recording
• Enterprise Call-center and IVR applications
• Policy-led evaluation of voice calls
• Business-to-business teleconferencing over SIP

Cisco's End-of-Life UC520, UC540 and UC560 VoIP Phone Systems
The end-of-life Cisco Unified Communications 500 Series is an early VoIP communications solution for small organizations. UC500 packages provide voice, data, voicemail, automated attendant, IP video, firewall, and WiFi capabilities, run with older generation Cisco VoIP phones, and support various PSTN connections.

All of Cisco's UC500 packages include a desktop switch appliance with 8 PoE ports plus additional FXS and foreign exchange office (FXO) ports, a firewall, and VPN support. Integrated WiFi is an option. User capacity can be expanded by connecting with Cisco Catalyst Express companion switches. Every UC500 offering also comes with software 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 users and include 4 foreign exchange stations and 4 FXO interfaces. The Cisco UC540 package supports 24 to 32 clients and provides 8 FXO interfaces. The Cisco UC560 system supports 48 VoIP clients and 12 FXO ports.

Progent's seasoned VoIP experts can help you to maintain your legacy UC500 VoIP system or plan and carry out a smooth upgrade to a modern IP telephony and voicemail system like Cisco's cloud-managed Business Edition 4000.

How Progent Can Assist You with Cisco IP Voice and IP Media Phones, CUCM, and Telepresence
Progent offers online or onsite help from a Cisco Certified Internetwork Expert (CCIE) Collaboration expert to help you to plan, install, manage and repair unified communications environments supported by Cisco Unified Communication technology in an in-house, cloud-based, or hybrid deployment. Progent's Cisco consultants have extensive experience integrating Cisco Unified Communications Manager and CallManager, Voice over IP and video phones and other endpoints, UC applications like Jabber and WebEx Meeting Center, Cisco's immersive telepresence products, communication gatekeepers, tools built into Cisco switches and routers. Progent can also offer expertise with related technologies like Cisco SRST, CUBE, H.323 and H.264 gateways, CAC, VoIP trunks, PSTN, and AVVID. Progent's SIP infrastructure consultants can in addition help you to create SIP connectivity solutions that incorporate SIP-based VoIP phones and video phones, SIP-based CUBE trunks, and SIP management tools with CUCM.

Progent's custom application developers can create specialized IP telephony applications that will enable your company to incorporate the features of Cisco Unified Communications Manager into your business processes for increased efficiency. Progent can evaluate your current network and Internet connectivity architecture to make sure your system is optimized to support high-quality VoIP and HD video, help you to choose and deploy Cisco hardware and software appropriate for your present needs and downstream growth goals, and interface your Cisco Unified Communications solution with technology from other suppliers. Progent's CISSP-ISSAP certified network security consultants can show you how to create, implement, and validate a comprehensive security and compliance plan for your converged communications ecosystem. Also, Progent can assist you to configure Cisco high-availability technologies such as Cisco Unified Survivable Remote Site Telephony for cost-effective call control redundancy in remote-branch and telecommuter sites, and Progent's disaster recovery preparedness experts can help you create a sensible disaster recovery plan to ensure the availability of your business-critical unified communications system.

Unified Communications Manager/CallManager Migration Services
Releases of Cisco Unified CM earlier than 8.6 and all releases of CallManager have arrived at end-of-life. This means Cisco Engineering will no longer enhance, repair, or test this older software. Security updates for this pivotal application will end, which in some situations may cause compliance or potential liability issues.

Progent continues to provide expert consulting and support for outdated editions of Cisco Unified Communications Manager and CallManager, but in case your business is still using a legacy release of this critical application you should start now to prepare for your migration. Progent's collaboration consultants can assist you to upgrade smoothly to the current edition of Cisco Unified CM and can often save clients as much as 50% off consulting expense versus competing computer service companies thanks to Progent's documented procedures and hands-on experience in this practice area. By following leading practices, Progent can make sure your company sees a fast return on your investment by helping you take full advantage of the new and improved features, lower management and support expense, more productive collaboration capabilities, and tighter data protection offered by the current version of Cisco Unified CM.

Progent's migration services include return-on-investment assessment, project management or co-management, pilot testing and validation, Cloud integration, configuring collaboration endpoints from Cisco and third-party 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 services and technical support. Progent also offers fixed-priced migration packages to make sure your costs are predictable and affordable.

To learn additional details about Progent's consulting help for Cisco products, choose a subject:

• Overview of Progent's Cisco Consulting Services
• Fast Online Help from a CCIE Engineer
• Cisco Firepower NGFW Firewalls: Configuration and Troubleshooting Expertise
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• Cisco Small Business 100, 300 and 500 Wireless Access Points Deployment Services
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• Cisco Unified Communications Manager (CUCM or Unified CM) and CallManager Consulting and Troubleshooting
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• Remote Management Solutions for Cisco Environments