Cisco Network Consulting and Support

Exchanging real-time voice and video over IP (VoIP and Video over IP) has progressed from simply being being a savvy way to save money on phone carrier bills to being a strategic technology for collaboration and worker productivity. Converged communications, once restricted to integrating Internet-based voice calls and faxing on a single platform to take the place of expensive PBX systems, now includes VoIP and video, mobility, instant messaging, presence, collaboration services, and much more all within a single ecosystem that is manageable, scalable, secure, fault-tolerant, economical, and user friendly.

Cisco is the market leader in providing the hardware and software infrastructure required to support the new model of unified communications (UC). Cisco's unified communications product line adds to the efficiency of IT networks by cutting operating expenses; integrating multiple collaboration functions with familiar software programs to improve worker output; facilitating collaboration among workers, associates, and suppliers to save time and enhance business results; and simplifying the administration of your communications infrastructure.

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

• Call Control Agents for managing calls and sessions
• IP Phones and Softphones to optimize end-user productivity
• UC Applications for easy access to real-time, chat, voice and video, phone messages, white boarding, and voice/video conferencing
• Communications Gateways for providing connectivity with public networks and teleworkers

Call Processing Agents - Unified Communications Manager/CallManager
The call-processing agent is the heart of Cisco's IP telephony portfolio infrastructure and gives you the versatility to implement a central call-processing model, a decentralized model, or a mix of both. In a centralized approach, Unified Communications Manager (UC Manager or CUCM) extends corporate telephony features to packet telephony devices such as IP handsets, media management devices, VoIP gateways, and mixed media programs throughout the network. Unified Communications Manager enables additional multimedia functions including unified messaging, video conferencing, and group-based client interaction networks.

The most recent version of Unified CM, formerly named CallManager, offers a variety of enhancements that accelerate your return on investment by lowering management and maintenance costs, improving worker productivity, enhancing collaboration, accommodating the bring-your-own-device (BYOD) model of computing, elevating security, and making efficient use of IT resources. Top new features include Global Dial Plan Replication (GDPR), streamlined certificate management, extended support for standards-based single sign-on (SSO) for administrators and users, hardware-agnostic call recording, mobile access with no need for VPN tunneling, a revamped self-care utility that makes it simple for end users to install their options and preferences for all of their devices, and support for Transport Layer Security and Secure Real-Time Transport Protocol for mobile users.

When you deploy a central Cisco Unified Communications Manager cluster to manage voice processing for customers at distributed locations, administrators can help achieve continuous call operation using Cisco SRST, an IOS Software image for routers. If a Wide Area Network link breaks, Cisco SRST incorporated in the Cisco router offers basic Cisco UC Manager services until the link is returned. To learn about Progent's consulting support for Cisco ISR routers, refer to consulting support services for Cisco Integrated Services routers.

For small businesses, branch locations, and retail environments that do not need the complete feature set offered by Unified CM, Unified Communications Manager Express, formerly known as CallManager Express offers an economical PBX alternative that meets the requirements of sites with as many as 450 users. Because Cisco Unified Communications Manager Express Unified Communications Manager Express (Unified CCX) is built into the Cisco IOS Software operating on a Cisco router, smaller offices can rapidly set up a unified voice/data environment.

Cisco's BE6000 is a line of all-in-one platforms that provide fundamental collaboration features including routing, gateway, high definition voice/video, messaging, chat and real-time presence, voice and video conferencing, and paging services, allowing any user to collaborate on any endpoint device from anywhere. All Business Edition 6000 solutions come preconfigured with virtualization and collaboration applications software, making deployment quick and simple and cutting cost of ownership for organizations with up to 1000 workers. All BE6000 systems are shipped preloaded with virtualization and Unified Communications applications. You can instantly activate Unified Communications software applications as their needs dictate.

The office-in-a-box BE6000S supports five preselected collaboration software applications preloaded on one integrated ISR router/IP gateway/virtualized blade server device and can handle up to 150 workers and 300 devices. The mid-market BE6000M supports four UC software application options enabled on a single virtualized Cisco C220 M4 server and supports as many as 1000 workers, 1200 endpoint devices, and 100 contact center agents. The high-end Business Edition 6000H Supports eight collaboration software application options enabled on a single virtualized Cisco UCS C220 M4 server and can handle as many as 1000 workers, 2500 devices, and 100 contact center agents.

For additional details about Progent's expertise with Unified Communications Manager (CallManager), visit Cisco Unified Communications Manager and CallManager design, integration, upgrades and technical support.

Cisco IP Phones: IP Voice and IP Video Endpoints
An IP communications endpoint is a user instrument, either a hardware phone set or a software phone application on a PC or handheld computer. In the Internet Protocol world, each IP phone has an Ethernet connection. IP phones offer all of the features that an analog phone has, but IP phones often offer additional features such as being able to access the web or host collaboration software.

In contrast to conventional Private Branch Exchange systems, in a Cisco IP communications network you can implement virtually instantaneous relocations, additions, and changes. You merely take the IP handset to your new location, plug it into an Ethernet jack, and the phone announces itself with Cisco Unified Communications Manager (formerly CallManager). All user privileges and settings are programmatically replicated, eliminating the cost and hassle of sending support personnel to wiring closets. An additional efficient feature is location independence, which allows you to log into any Cisco IP phone and get your personal phone ID and rights.

Cisco provides a wide range of VoIP hardware endpoints. The low-cost SPA 300 family are no-frills IP and Digital Enhanced Cordless Telecommunications screenless or monochrome devices offering wide-band voice, support for hosted IP phone systems or an IP PBX, simple deployment and highly secure remote installation, transparent software updates, and web-based set up. The low-end SPA301 is a single-line VoIP phone with no screen or speakerphone function, a base dialer with a single Ethernet connector, and a wired handset with no keys. The SPA302D, intended exclusively for operation with the Cisco SPA232D Multi-Line DECT ATA, is a multiple-line wireless DECT IP phone that supports 10-lines, a TFT 176 x 220 pixel color screen, and a dial pad with speakerphone capability. Cisco's SPA303 is an entry-level three-line IP phone with two Ethernet ports, a 128x64 mono screen and a speaker.

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

Cisco's IP Phones 3900 Series and IP Phones 6900 Series are specialty VoIP devices designed 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 10/100 Ethernet switch, a speakerphone, and Power over Ethernet (PoE). The simple Cisco Unified IP Phone 6901 is a one-line device without a display and uses a hook switch for transferring a call or joining a conference.

Cisco's 7800 line of economical IP phones are VoIP endpoints with backlit monochrome displays, four programmable keys, 11 fixed-feature keys, an Ethernet port with Class 1 PoE, and an integral speakerphone. Cisco's 7800 Series VoIP phones support only the SIP signaling protocol. All models in the 7800 family feature the same advanced speakers and microphones as Cisco's 8800 Series IP phones to provide a state-of-the-art audio solution. Cisco's EnergyWise power-save technology, available on the higher end 7800 models, reduces off-hours energy consumption by up to 60 percent. The Cisco IP Phone 7811 is a single-line phone designed for shared areas as well as for employees with infrequent call requirements. The IP 7811 VoIP phone comes with a 3.28-inch 384 x 106 screen and a narrow-band speakerphone. Wideband audio is offered through an extra-cost handset. Cisco's IP Phone 7821 is a dual-line VoIP phone 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 line that provides 1xGb Ethernet. The top-of-the-line IP Phone 7861 is a 16-line endpoint intended for administrative staff, call center personnel, and supervisors who have heavy call needs.

The Cisco Unified IP Phone 7900 Series are dual-protocol (SIP/SCCP) IP voice and video endpoints with a 320 x 240 color screen, a 10/100/1000 Ethernet switch, Class 3 Power over Ethernet, 10 fixed-feature buttons and a speakerphone. The Cisco Unified IP Phone 7945G is a two-line unit and the Cisco Unified IP Phone 7965G features four lines. Both IP phones have a 5-inch display and four soft keys. The Cisco Unified IP Phone 7975G unit 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 family of SIP-based endpoints that includes desktop devices, a conference IP phone, and mobile wireless IP Phones. The desktop models are five-line IP phones featuring a 5-inch 800 x 480 pixel display, a Gigabit Ethernet switch, a speakerphone, four programmable keys and 12 dedicated keys. Cisco's IP Phone 8811 includes a monochrome screen and supports Class 2 Power over Ethernet. The Cisco IP Phone 8841 features a WVGA color screen and supports Class 2 PoE. 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 screen and one USB connection with charging capability, supports Intelligent Proximity for Mobile Voice and Class 3 PoE, and is available in Bluetooth and non-Bluetooth versions. The Cisco IP Phone 8861 includes a WVGA color display, Bluetooth, dual USB ports with charging capability, and supports Cisco Intelligent Proximity for Mobile Voice, 802.11ac Wi-Fi, and Class 4 Power over Ethernet. The Cisco IP Phone 8865 has a WVGA color screen, 720p HD video, a tiltable camera, Bluetooth, dual USB connections with charging capability, and supports Cisco Intelligent Proximity for Mobile Voice, 802.11ac Wi-Fi, and Class 4 Power over Ethernet.

Cisco's wireless IP phones are industrial-grade wireless handsets designed for workers who are on the move within campus, hospitality, retail or other environments where management requires user endpoints that provide more control, security and durability than is achievable with the Bring-Your-Own-Device mode of mobile communications. Cisco's 8821 and 8812-EX wireless IP phones provide on-the-move onsite users the advantages of voice over wireless LAN (VoWLAN) technology in workplaces that support 802.11x Wi-Fi. Cisco's 8821 Wireless VoIP Phone features a 2.4 inch color display, a durable shell rated Mil-SPEC 810G to withstand dropping and compliant with IP67 for particulate and moisture resistance, extended batteries, a full-duplex speakerphone, and an integrated Bluetooth transceiver to support cordless headsets. The 8821-EX Wireless IP Phone adds spark suppression for use in potentially combustible environments. Cisco's 8821-EX also features a case fabricated of yellow plastics, which makes the 8821-EX easy to find during an emergency. Find out about Progent's Wireless VoIP Phone integration support.

Cisco's legacy 9900 line of advanced IP phones mix high-quality voice with business-grade color screens to deliver a productive collaborative unified communications solution for knowledge professionals, managers, and executives. Both models in this line include an SD 640x480 pixel color display, a Bluetooth 2.0 transceiver to support a broad choice of headsets, and a built-in 1 GE Ethernet port. The Cisco EnergyWise power-save function is optional and can lower off-work energy draw by up to 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 IP Phone 9971 features a 5.6-inch screen, a built-in Wi-Fi transceiver for deployment with wireless networks, and 4 customizable touchscreen keys to access Cisco UC features. The 9971 IP phone allows up to 3 Cisco IP Color Key Expansion Modules for expanding programmable line and function keys.

Unified Communications Application Software
Under Cisco's Unified Communications platform, IP telephony, IP video, and other converged applications are isolated from the call- and voice-processing mechanism, and they may be anywhere within the network. A single connectivity framework offers a versatile platform for powerful business applications and acts as a firm basis for downstream convergence-based software. Cisco cooperates with third-party IT industry companies to provide a wide range of IP telephony and IP video applications and products. Cisco also enables the ability to develop and administer customized internal applications.

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

Cisco Jabber
Cisco Jabber is a UC client application that supports presence, instant messaging, business-quality voice, HD video, voice messaging, desktop sharing, and real-time conferencing capabilities for Windows PCs, Apple Macs, tablets plus iPhones, Android phones, and Blackberries. Jabber is an evolution and integration of the Cisco Unified Personal Communicator soft phone, Cisco Mobile, and WebEx Connect, with major enhancements in the areas of HD video features and desktop sharing, and expanding the collaboration experience to more platforms and endpoint hardware. Cisco Jabber works with Unified CM for call and session control, Cisco Unified Presence for instant messaging and presence, Cisco Unity Connection for voice messaging and automated attendant, and Cisco WebEx Meeting for online meetings.

Since Jabber is based on popular industry protocols, it can communicate with a broad range of non-Cisco platforms. For instance, XMPP enables Cisco Jabber to exchange instant messaging and presence data with a variety of XMPP clients such as Adium for Mac, Sametime, and Microsoft Lync and Office Communications Server. Jabber collaboration features can be accessed from Microsoft Office applications including Outlook and Microsoft SharePoint. This broad platform support optimizes productivity by delivering a common end-user environment and accommodating the BYOD model of networking. Progent can provide the services of certified Exchange consultants and Microsoft SharePoint experts who can assist you to use Jabber with Microsoft's powerful collaboration platforms. Progent also offers help with Apple iPhone integration and management and Google Android phone integration to assist your organization to increase the business value of your BYOD ecosystem.

WebEX Meeting Center
WebEX Meeting Center enables online meetings for participants using a web browser or virtually any desktop or mobile computer. Cisco WebEx is offered as software as a service via the Cisco WebEx Cloud. This makes it simple to deploy and expand, streamlines management, avoids high up-front investment, offers high availability and enterprise-grade security, and delivers consistently high throughput. Key features include the ability to share specific content or your entire screen with remote participants in real time, the capability to embed multimedia into presentations including Microsoft PowerPoint and Flash videos, session recording plus playback for future reference and training, single sign-on (SSO) and integration with other Cisco collaboration applications such as Jabber and TelePresence, plus stringent data protection and encrypted connections with strict policy management.

WebEX Meeting Center works with Microsoft Windows, Apple Mac, and Linux-powered desktops and notebooks and permits mobile users to launch, calendarize, and attend conferences on Android smartphones and tablets, Apple iPhones and iPads, BlackBerry phones, and Microsoft Windows Phone. You can also initiate web meetings with a few clicks from Microsoft Office, Microsoft Outlook, Lotus Notes, and a variety of IM solutions.

Cisco TelePresence Products for In-house Teleconferencing Infrastructure
For medium-size businesses and larger enterprises who want to create an on-premises or hybrid local/cloud environment for video conferencing, Cisco provides a portfolio of Cisco TelePresence products that enable high-quality and standards-based video conferencing for participants with almost any endpoint device at any site. Cisco TelePresence Server is a scalable teleconferencing bridge that runs with Cisco Unified Communications Manager to provide multiparty telepresence to unified communications environments and can expand meetings to incorporate cloud-connected WebEx Meeting Center users. Cisco TelePresence Conductor software simplifies management of the way conferencing bandwidth and features should be allotted for every individual attendee, 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 on-demand playback.

Cisco Unity Connection and Unity Express for Converged Voicemail and Automated Attendant
The Cisco Unity Connection, an extension of Unified CM, is a unified voicemail solution that facilitates productive collaboration by offering a variety of options for accessing voice messages within a framework that is easy to deploy and maintain. Cisco Unity Connection allows you to read and manage voicemail messages from your email inbox, browser, Cisco Jabber messaging integration platform, a Cisco Unified VoIP endpoint, an iPhone or other smartphone, or a tablet. Unity Connection also offers advanced speech-recognition features for hands and eyes free operation and extensive Automated Attendant capabilities that include smart routing for inbound phone calls and easily customizable call-filtering and message-alert options. The Unity Connection platform operates as a fully virtualized system that can reside on a BE6000 server or a Cisco Services Ready Engine 910 router blade service module and can support up to 20,000 mailboxes on each server.

Unity Express (CUE), available in select Cisco ISR routers, provides affordable voicemail, unified messaging, interactive voice response, and automated-attendant services for small to medium businesses (SMBs) and enterprise branch locations with as many as 500 workers. Cisco Unity Express permits users to access and manage voicemail via a Cisco Unified IP Phone screen, a browser, or an email client. Cisco routers for which Unity Express is offered as an advanced integration module include Cisco's 1861, 2800, 2900, 3800, and 3900 Series. Progent can provide certified deployment and troubleshooting services for all ISR routers.

Cisco Unified Contact Center
Unified Contact Center Enterprise (Unified CCE) integrates closely with Cisco Unified CM and agent desktop applications such as Cisco Finesse to provide automatic call distribution capabilities that allow an organization to connect customers with the appropriate salesperson or service representative. Unified CCE provides intelligent call routing, computer telephony integration (CTI), multichannel customer contact management, call queuing, IVR and consolidated enterprise-wide reporting to streamline the creation and management of a large-scale customer contact center. Cisco platforms supporting UCCE's customer interaction management solution include Cisco Unified IP Phones, Voice, and Cisco LAN/WAN technology.

Unified Contact Center Express (Unified CCX) provides a packaged bundle for creating a customer interaction management center for branch or midmarket deployments that support as many as 400 agents. Multiple bundles are offered, plus a selection of optional enhancements. Unified Contact Center Express works with Cisco Unified CM and provides intelligent call routing, client management, integrated reporting, IVR, and management of voice, email, chat, and social media requests. Unified CCX includes Cisco Finesse, a browser-based desktop agent that needs no client installation. Optional enhancements include call-in-queue, estimated-wait-time messages, and workforce quality management.

Cisco Mobile Connect for Single Number Reach
Mobile Connect, popularly referred to as Single Number Reach, allows users to be reached from a single phone number that rings at the same time on their Cisco IP Phone and their smartphone. Users can transfer active conversations between their desktop IP phone and their cell phone without disruption. Unanswered calls can be redirected to a Cisco Unity or Cisco Unity Connection account. Users can create personal access lists that determine which calls get directed to different phones.

Cisco Prime Collaboration
Prime Collaboration offers an automated platform for first-time deployments as well as for “day 2” moves, additions, changes, and deletions. A user-friendly interface delivers a single look at a subscriber and the user's services. Prime Collaboration significantly accelerates site rollouts and minimizes the effort needed to implement future changes. Prime Collaboration in addition provides management analytics that show application adoption and consumption trends, enabling administrators to make more efficient use of IT resources and further lower total cost of ownership.

Cisco Communications Gateways
Cisco's communications gateways allow Cisco Unified Communications networks to communicate with other networks and with users operating beyond the corporate firewall. Cisco's line of communication gateways provide unified communications support for all types of gateway as well as session-border-control applications.

Communications gateways available from Cisco and supported by Progent include:

Cisco Expressway Collaboration Gateway
Cisco's Expressway is an advanced collaboration gatekeeper that enables companies to provide colleagues, suppliers, consumers, or partners who are working on different network environments, collaboration platforms, or endpoint equipment to connect to Cisco Unified Communication features. The Expressway gateway integrates with an enterprise Cisco CM system or Cisco Business Edition 6000, or can be accessed through the cloud with Cisco Hosted Collaboration Solution to make collaboration more universal. Important capabilities of Expressway are are:

• Mobile and Off-site Connectivity: Off-site workers with any Jabber-supported device or teleworkers with Cisco TelePresence endpoints get the convenience of single-sign-on (SSO) and of Transport Layer Security (TLS) and are able to access all their collaboration applications (high-definition video, voice, data IM, and realtime presence) without requiring the inconvenience establishing a VPN. In addition, teleworkers have the ability to use their Cisco TelePresence endpoints without the need for a VPN tunnel, delivering a user environment at home the same as the office.
• Jabber Guest Support: Cisco Expressway is critical for supporting the Cisco Jabber Guest, which permits “guests” to communicate with your organization easily and securely through lightweight browser and mobile multimedia phone calls.
• Cisco Cloud Connectivity: Expressway can act as a gateway that creates a path between onsite Cisco or non-Cisco systems and the WebEx cloud. By offering support for Cisco Collaboration Meeting Rooms, Expressway deliver a world-class, extensible conferencing experience that seamlessly combines high-quality voice, high-definition video, and data sharing to anyone, at any location, using any device.
• Interoperability: In case your organization already has third-party video technology, Expressway can help you to migrate easily to Cisco products whenever you choose. Cisco Expressway provides video compatibility with industry standard H.323, H.264 Scalable Video Coding, or Session Initiation Protocol environments. Interoperability capabilities allowed by Cisco Expressway include IPv4 to IPv6, H.323 to SIP, and Microsoft Lync 2013 H.264 SVC to H.264/MPEG-4 AVC.

• WebEx Cloud Connected Audio for high-capacity SIP-media-connected conferencing
• Voice/Video recording
• SIP-based Call-center and interactive-voice-response (IVR) solutions
• Policy-led evaluation of phone calls
• Business-to-business teleconferencing over SIP

Cisco's End-of-Life UC520, UC540 and UC560 VoIP Gateways
The legacy Cisco Unified Communications 500 (UC500) product line is an early VoIP and unified communications solution for small organizations. UC500 packages provide voice, data, voicemail, auto attendant, IP video, firewall, and WiFi capabilities, run with older generation Cisco VoIP endpoints, and support 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) interfaces, a firewall, and VPN support. Built-in WiFi is optional. VoIP user capacity can be expanded by connecting with Cisco Catalyst Express companion switches. Every 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 package supports 8 to 16 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 allows 48 users and 12 FXO interfaces.

Progent's seasoned VoIP consultants can assist you to maintain your legacy UC500 VoIP gateway or plan and implement an efficient migration to a current IP telephony and voicemail solution such as 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 remote or on-premises access to a Cisco Certified Internetwork Expert (CCIE) Collaboration expert to assist your business to design, install, administer and repair unified communications networks built on Cisco Unified Communication technology in a centralized, cloud-based, or hybrid environment. Progent's Cisco-certified engineers have in-depth experience supporting Cisco Unified Communications Manager and Cisco CallManager, Voice over IP and video phones and soft phones, UC applications such as Cisco Jabber and Unity Connection, Cisco's video conferencing technologies, collaboration gatekeepers, tools built into Cisco Catalyst switches and routers. Progent can also provide support for technologies like Cisco SRST, CUBE, H.323 and H.264 gateways, Call Admission Control, IP voice trunks, various signaling protocols, and Cisco's AVVID architecture. Progent's SIP integration consultants can in addition help you to create SIP connectivity solutions that incorporate SIP IP voice phones and video phones, SIP-based CUBE trunks, and SIP management tools via CUCM.

Progent's custom application developers can create specialized unified communications software that will enable your company to incorporate the telephony capabilities of Cisco Unified Communications Manager into your business operations for enhanced productivity. Progent can analyze your existing network and Internet access infrastructure to determine whether your system is optimized to accommodate high-quality IP voice and HD video, help you to choose and deploy Cisco hardware and software appropriate for your current needs and future expansion objectives, and interface your Cisco collaborative communications products with products from other vendors. Progent's CISSP-ISSAP certified network security and compliance consultants can assist you to create, deploy, and test a comprehensive security and compliance strategy for your converged communications solution. Also, Progent can help your organization to deploy Cisco high-availability mechanisms like Cisco Unified SRST to provide cost-effective call control backup in branch office and teleworker sites, and Progent's disaster recovery planning experts can help you develop a sensible disaster recovery strategy to ensure the availability of your business-critical unified communications environment.

Unified Communications Manager/CallManager Migration Services
Releases of Unified CM lower than 8.6 and every release of its predecessor CallManager have reached end-of-life. Therefore Cisco will cease to enhance, fix, or validate the product software. Security patches for this business-critical application will stop, which in some circumstances could create regulatory compliance or even potential liability issues.

Progent continues to offer expert consulting and troubleshooting support for end-of-life versions of Unified CM and Cisco CallManager, but if you are still using an out-of-dated version of this critical application your organization should start now to plan your upgrade. Progent's Cisco-certified consultants can help you to migrate efficiently to the current edition of Cisco Unified CM and can typically save clients as much as 50% off consulting expense compared to competing computer service firms because of Progent's documented process and experience in this area. By adhering to best practices, Progent can make sure your organization sees a quick return on your IT investment by helping you take full advantage of the enhanced feature set, reduced administrative and maintenance costs, more engaging collaboration, and tighter data protection provided by the newest release of Cisco Unified Communications Manager.

Progent's migration consulting services include return-on-investment assessment, project management or co-management, pilot testing, Cloud connectivity, configuring collaboration endpoints from Cisco and other providers, mobile connectivity, data protection services, management automation, business continuity planning, network infrastructure design, training, and continuing consulting services and technical support. Progent also has put together fixed-priced upgrade packages to make sure your costs are predictable and affordable.

To learn additional details about Progent's engineering support for Cisco networking products, pick a subject:

• Overview of Cisco Engineering Services
• Fast and Affordable Remote Access to a CCIE Consultant
• Cisco Firepower Series Firewalls: Integration and Management Expertise
• Cisco ASA 5500-X Firewall with Firepower Services: Consulting and Management Expertise
• ASA 5500 Series Firewall Troubleshooting Expertise
• PIX 500 Firewall Engineering Services
• Cisco Routers Consulting Services
• Cisco Wireless Network Design Expertise
• Aironet Access Points Engineering Help
• Cisco Small Business WiFi Access Points Deployment Support
• Cisco Catalyst 802.11ax Wi-Fi 6/6E APs Planning, Configuration and Debugging Consulting
• Cisco Wireless Controllers Consultants
• Cisco Meraki Access Points Deployment Help
• Cisco Unified Communications Manager (CUCM or Unified CM) and CallManager Configuration and Technical Support
• Cisco Jabber Integration Services
• Cisco Catalyst Switches Consulting and Support Expertise
• Cisco Nexus Switches Configuration and Maintenance Expertise
• Meraki MS Switches Configuration and Maintenance Expertise
• Cisco Security and VPN Setup and Troubleshooting Services
• SIP and CUBE Infrastructure Solutions: SIP PSTN Trunks and CUBE Integration Expertise
• Cisco Duo MFA two-factor authentication services for remote workers
• Infrastructure Design for Cisco-powered Datacenters
• Data Center Optimization Services for Service Providers
• Streamlined Network Management Strategies for Cisco Infrastructure