Cisco Expert Network Consulting

Sending real-time voice and video over IP (VoIP and Video over IP) has advanced from simply being being a savvy means to reduce phone carrier bills to a required technology for collaboration and worker productivity. Converged IP communications, at one time limited to combining Internet-based voice and faxes on a single platform in order to replace traditional PBX systems, today incorporates voice and video, mobile communications, instant messaging, real-time presence, collaboration services, and more within a cohesive environment that is manageable, extensible, secure, resilient, cost-effective, and user friendly.

Cisco is the leader in supplying the hardware and software infrastructure for supporting the current paradigm of unified communications (UC). Cisco's UC solution adds to the productivity of information systems by slashing operating expenses; combining rich media functions with popular software applications to improve worker output; facilitating teamwork among employees, partners, and suppliers to save effort and enhance business results; and streamlining the support of your converged voice and data infrastructure.

Cisco's UC solutions cover several primary product categories:,

• Call Control Platforms for managing calls and sessions
• Communications Phones and Softphones to enhance end-user productivity
• UC Applications for more productive access to real-time, IM, voice and video, phone messages, white boarding, and conferencing
• Communications Gateways for accessing outside networks and telecommuters

Call and Session Control Agents - Unified Communications Manager/CallManager
Cisco's call-processing agent is the core of the Cisco IP collaboration portfolio and provides the flexibility to implement a centralized call-processing model, a decentralized model, or a mix of the two. In a centralized deployment, Unified Communications Manager (UC Manager or CUCM) extends corporate telephony features to packet telephony devices such as VoIP handsets, media processing products, Voice over IP gateways, and mixed media programs across the network. Cisco Unified Communications Manager enables extra mixed media functions including unified messaging, multimedia conferencing, and group-based client interaction networks.

The latest version of Unified CM, previously named Cisco CallManager, includes a variety of improvements that speed up your return on investment by cutting administrative and support expenses, improving worker productivity, enhancing collaboration, supporting the bring-your-own-device (BYOD) model of working, fortifying security, and making optimal utilization of network resources. Top new features include automatic dial-plan replication and batch provisioning, simplified certificate control, expanded support for single sign-on (SSO) for managers and users, hardware-independent call recording, on-the-road connectivity without requiring VPN, a revamped self-provisioning interface that makes it easy for end users to manage their preferences for all devices, and support for Secure Real-Time Transport Protocol for mobile clients.

When you deploy a centralized Unified Communications Manager cluster to control voice processing for users at distributed sites, IT managers can help achieve continuous call availability through Cisco Survivable Remote Site Telephony (SRST), a Cisco IOS Software image for Cisco routers. If a Wide Area Network connection fails, Cisco Survivable Remote Site Telephony incorporated in the Cisco router provides core UC Manager functions until the connection is restored. For information about Progent's consulting support for Cisco ISR routers, refer to consulting support services for Cisco routers.

For small business networks, branch locations, and retail environments that do not need the complete feature set available from Unified CM, Cisco Unified Communications Manager Express, formerly known as CallManager Express provides an economical PBX alternative that meets the needs of locations with up to 450 users. Because Unified Communications Manager Express Unified Communications Manager Express (Unified CCX) is embedded in the Cisco IOS Software operating on a Cisco Integrated Services Router (ISR), smaller offices can rapidly deploy a unified voice and data solution.

Cisco's BE6000 is a family of turn-key solutions that offer essential unified communications features including routing, gateway, high definition voice and video, messaging, chat and presence, voice and video conferencing, and paging services, enabling any end user to collaborate on any device from any site. All Business Edition 6000 versions come packaged preinstalled with virtualization and collaboration applications software, making implementation quick and simple and cutting cost of ownership for companies with up to 1000 employees. All BE6000 versions come preloaded with virtualization and Unified Communications applications. You can instantly activate Unified Communications applications whenever their requirements evolve.

The entry-level Business Edition 6000S includes five fixed UC applications preloaded on a single combination ISR router/gateway/virtualized E1600 M2 blade server platform and supports up to 150 users and 300 devices. The mid-market BE6000M includes 4 UC software application options activated on a single virtualized Cisco C220 M4 server platform and supports a maximum capacity of 1000 workers, 1200 endpoint devices, and 100 contact center agents. The high-end BE6000S includes eight collaboration application options activated on a single virtualized Cisco C220 M4 server platform and has the ability to support up to 1000 users, 2500 endpoint devices, and 100 contact center agents.

For more details about Progent's support for Unified Communications Manager, see Cisco Unified Communications Manager (Unified CM) and CallManager design, configuration, upgrades and technical support.

Cisco IP Phones: VoIP and IP Video Endpoints
An IP communications endpoint is an end-user device, either a physical phone or a software phone program that runs on a desktop or handheld computer. In the IP world, each VoIP phone has an Ethernet connection. Voice over IP phones have all of the capabilities that an ordinary phone handset has, but IP phones often have extra functions such as the ability to access the web or host business software.

In contrast to traditional PBX technology, in a Cisco IP phone environment you can perform virtually instant moves, additions, and changes. All you do is move the IP handset to its new spot, attach it to the Ethernet jack, and the device announces itself with Cisco Unified Communications Manager. All user rights and settings are programmatically replicated, doing away with the expense and delay of sending technicians to rewire connections. An additional efficient capability is extension mobility, which enables you to log into any Cisco IP phone and receive your own phone ID and rights.

Cisco offers a wide range of VoIP handsets. Cisco's low-cost SPA 300 family are basic IP and Digital Enhanced Cordless Telecommunications (DECT) screenless or monochrome phones that feature wide-band voice, support for hosted IP telephony systems or an IP PBX, easy deployment and secure online installation, zero-downtime software updates, and browser-based set up. The low-end SPA301 is a one-line IP phone with no screen or speakerphone function, a base dialer that has one Ethernet port, and a wired handset without a keypad. The SPA302D, intended exclusively for use with Cisco's SPA232D Multi-Line DECT ATA, is a multiple-line cordless Digital Enhanced Cordless Telecommunications (DECT) handset that offers 10-lines, a 176 x 220 color display, and a dial pad with a speakerphone. The SPA303 is an entry-level three-line IP phone with two switched ports, a 128x64 mono screen and a speakerphone.

Cisco's SPA500 line VoIP phones are low-cost endpoints with support for SIP and SPCP signaling protocols, two integral switch ports, speakerphones, built-in web servers, PoE, and conferencing support. Most versions have a 128 x 64 pixel monochrome screen display, The SPA501G IP Phone supports eight lines and has eight programmable buttons but no hi-res screen. The SPA502G has a single line and has no soft buttons. The SPA504G has four lines and has four programmable keys. The SPA508G has eight lines and eight programmable keys. The SPA509G IP Phone supports 12 lines and has 12 programmable keys. The SPA512G IP Phone supports four lines, no programmable keys and supports 10/100/1000 Ethernet. The SPA514G VoIP phone supports four lines, has soft buttons, and supports 1xGb Ethernet. The high-end SPA525G2 VoIP phone has a 320 x 240 color screen, supports five lines, and includes five soft keys.

Cisco's IP Phones 3900 Series and 6900 Series are specialty VoIP endpoints intended for infrequent-use settings like lobbies, hallways, and conference centers. The Unified SIP Phone 3905 IP Phone features a 128 x 32 monochrome non-backlit screen, a Ethernet switch, a speakerphone, and PoE. The simple Cisco Unified IP Phone 6901 is a single-line endpoint without a display and requires a hook switch for call transfer or conferencing.

Cisco's 7800 family of budget-priced IP phones are VoIP desktop devices with backlit mono displays, four soft buttons, 11 dedicated keys, an Ethernet port with Class 1 PoE, and an integral speakerphone. The 7800 Series IP Phones support only the SIP call control protocol. All models in the 7800 family incorporate the same high-fidelity speakers and microphones as Cisco's 8800 Series IP phones to deliver a best-in-class audio experience. Cisco's EnergyWise power-save technology, offered on the advanced 7800 models, cuts after-hours energy consumption by up to 60 percent. The Cisco IP Phone 7811 is a one-line phone designed for shared areas as well as for employees with infrequent call requirements. The IP 7811 comes with a 3.28-inch 384 x 106 screen and a narrow-band speakerphone. Wideband audio is available via an optional wideband handset. Cisco's IP Phone 7821 is a dual-line endpoint with a 396 x 162 display. The IP Phone 7841 is a four-line endpoint with a 396 x 162 display and is the only device in the 7800 line that provides Gigabit Ethernet. The high-end IP Phone 7861 VoIP phone is a 16-line device intended for administrative staff, contact center personnel, and supervisors who have significant voice communications needs.

The Cisco Unified IP Phone 7900 Series are SIP and SCCP IP voice and video endpoints with a 320 x 240 pixel color screen, an integral 10/100/1000 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 VoIP 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 buttons.

Cisco's IP Phone 8800 Series is a family of SIP-based IP phones that includes desktop units, a conference phone, and wireless IP Phones. The desktop units are five-line IP phones featuring a 5-inch 800 x 480 display, a Gigabit Ethernet switch, a speakerphone, four soft buttons and 12 dedicated keys. Cisco's IP Phone 8811 features a monochrome screen and supports Class 2 PoE. Cisco's IP Phone 8841 has a WVGA color display and supports Class 2 PoE. Cisco's IP Phone 8845 features a WVGA color display, 720p HD video, an adjustable camera, Bluetooth, Cisco Intelligent Proximity for Mobile Voice, and supports Class 2 PoE. The Cisco IP Phone 8851 features 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 models. The Cisco IP Phone 8861 has a WVGA color display, Bluetooth, two USB connections with charging capability, and supports Cisco Intelligent Proximity for Mobile Voice, Wi-Fi, and Class 4 PoE. The Cisco IP Phone 8865 has a WVGA color screen, 720p HD video, an adjustable camera, Bluetooth, two USB connections with charging capability, and supports Cisco Intelligent Proximity for Mobile Voice, Wi-Fi, and Class 4 Power over Ethernet.

Cisco's wireless IP phones are industrial-grade Wi-Fi devices designed for workers who are on the move within campus, hospitality, health-care or other environments where management requires portable phones that provide more administrative control, data security and ruggedness than is achievable with the BYOD mode of mobile communications. Cisco's 8821 and 8812-EX wireless VoIP phones provide on-the-move on-premises users the advantages of voice over wireless LAN technology in environments with 802.11x Wi-Fi infrastructure. Cisco's 8821 Wireless IP Phone includes a 2.4 inch color screen, a rugged case rated Mil-SPEC 810G for shock resistance and compliant with IP67 for dust and splash resistance, long-life batteries, a speakerphone, and an integrated Bluetooth radio to support wireless headsets. Cisco's 8821-EX Wireless VoIP Phone adds anti-sparking protection for use in hazardous environments. The 8821-EX also has a case composed out of industry-standard yellow plastics, which makes the device easier to find during an emergency. Learn about Progent's Cisco Wireless VoIP Phone integration consulting.

Cisco's discontinued 9900 Series of high-performance IP endpoints combine high-quality voice with high-resolution color screens to offer a productive collaborative UC experience for knowledge professionals, managers, and executives. Both models in the 9900 family feature an SD 24-bit color screen, a Bluetooth 2.0 radio to work with a wide selection of headsets, and a built-in 1 GE Ethernet switch. Cisco's EnergyWise power-save function is offered as an option and can cut off-work energy draw by 90 percent. The IP Phone 9951 features a 5-inch screen and supports up to 2 Cisco IP Expansion Modules for adding scalability to programmable line and feature keys. The Cisco IP Phone 9971 features a 5.6-inch display, an integrated Wi-Fi radio for deployment with wireless environments, and 4 soft-label programmable touchscreen keys to access Cisco UC features. The 9971 VoIP phone allows up to 3 IP Color Key Expansion Modules for adding customizable line and function keys.

Cisco Unified Communications Application Software
Under Cisco's Unified Communications architecture, IP phone, video, and other converged applications are isolated from the call-processing and voice-processing infrastructure, and they may reside anywhere within the network. A single connectivity framework offers a versatile platform for feature-rich business applications and provides a firm foundation for downstream convergence-based applications. Cisco cooperates with leading technology partners to offer a broad range of IP voice and IP video software applications and devices. Cisco also enables the ability to create and manage customized internal programs.

Collaborative applications available from Cisco and supported by Progent include:

Jabber
Jabber is a converge media client application that supports presence, IM, voice, HD video, voice messaging, desktop sharing, and real-time conferencing functions for Windows PCs, Apple Macs, Apple and Android tablets plus iPhones, Android phones, and Blackberries. Cisco Jabber is a rebranding and integration of the Cisco Unified Personal Communicator soft phone, Cisco Mobile, and WebEx Connect, with significant improvements in the areas of video features and desktop sharing, and expanding the team environment to additional platforms and devices. Cisco Jabber works with Unified Communications Manager for call and session management, Cisco Unified Presence for instant messaging and presence, Unity Connection for voicemail and programmable attendant, and WebEX Meeting for conferencing.

Because Jabber is based on popular communication standards, it can communicate with a broad selection of non-Cisco platforms. For instance, Extensible Messaging and Presence Protocol enables Jabber users to trade IM and presence information with a variety of XMPP clients including as Adium, IBM Sametime, and Microsoft Lync. Jabber features are available from Microsoft Office programs including Microsoft Outlook and Microsoft SharePoint. This broad platform compatibility optimizes productivity by providing a common end-user environment and fully enabling the bring-your-own-device model of computing. Progent offers the expertise of Microsoft-certified Exchange and Outlook consultants and SharePoint application developers who can assist you to take advantage of Jabber with Microsoft's popular collaboration products. Progent also offers expertise with iPhone integration and management and Android smartphone integration and management to help you to increase the business value of your BYOD ecosystem.

Cisco WebEx Meeting Center
Cisco WebEx Meeting Center provides web and video meetings for users with a browser or almost any PC or mobile computer. Cisco WebEx is offered as SaaS via the Cisco WebEx Cloud. This makes it easy to deploy and scale, streamlines administration, avoids heavy up-front investment, offers high availability and enterprise-grade data protection, and delivers consistently high throughput. Important capabilities include the ability to share discrete content or your whole screen display with remote attendees in real time, the capability to incorporate multimedia into presentations including PowerPoint and Flash videos, network-based recording plus playback for training, single sign-on and integration with other Cisco collaboration applications such as Cisco Jabber and Cisco TelePresence, plus strong data privacy and encrypted access with tight policy management.

WebEX Meeting Center works with Microsoft Windows, Mac, and Linux desktops and notebooks and allows mobile workers to initiate, calendarize, and attend conferences on Google Android devices, Apple iPhones and iPads, BlackBerry handhelds, and Microsoft Windows Phone. You can also launch online conferences instantly from Microsoft Office, Outlook, Lotus Notes, and a selection of instant messaging applications.

Cisco TelePresence Products for On-premises Video Conferencing Environments
For medium-size organizations and larger enterprises who want to create an in-house or hybrid in-house/cloud solution for teleconferencing, Cisco offers a portfolio of Cisco TelePresence platforms that deliver high-quality and standards-based teleconferencing for attendees with almost any IP endpoint at any site. Cisco TelePresence Server is an expandable teleconferencing bridge that works with Cisco Unified Communications Manager to provide multiparty video, audio and content sharing to UC environments and can expand conferences to incorporate cloud-connected WebEx Meeting Center participants. Cisco TelePresence Conductor software simplifies the control of the way video conferencing bandwidth and features should be allotted for every individual attendee, enabling administrators to specify the precise service level and experience required for every user. Cisco TelePresence Content Server captures video and presentations for live 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 Communications Manager, is a unified voice messaging system that accelerates productive collaboration by offering a variety of alternatives for retrieving voice messages within a framework that is simple to implement and maintain. Unity Connection lets you access and manage voicemail from your email inbox, web browser, Cisco Jabber messaging integration platform, a Cisco Unified IP Phone, a smartphone, or a tablet. Cisco Unity Connection also offers sophisticated voice-recognition capabilities for hands-free management and extensive Automated Attendant functions such as intelligent routing for inbound phone calls and custom call-screening and message-notification settings. The Cisco 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 and can support as many as 20,000 mailboxes per server.

Cisco Unity Express (CUE), available in select Cisco Integrated Services routers, provides cost-effective voicemail, integrated messaging, IVR, and automated-attendant functions for small to mid-size businesses and enterprise satellite locations with as many as 500 workers. Unity Express permits you to manage voicemail using a Cisco IP Phone screen, a browser, or an email client. Cisco routers for which Cisco Unity Express is offered as a network module or advanced integration module include Cisco's 2800, 2900, 3800, and 3900 Series. Progent offers certified configuration and support services for Integrated Services Routers.

Unified Contact Center
Cisco Unified Contact Center Enterprise (Unified CCE) integrates closely with CUCM and desktop agent apps such as Cisco Finesse to offer automatic call distribution features that allow an organization to connect customers with the right salesperson or service representative. UCCE offers intelligent call distribution, computer telephony integration (CTI), multichannel customer contact management, network call queuing, interactive voice response and advanced enterprise-wide reporting to simplify the deployment and management of a large-scale customer contact center. Cisco products incorporated in UCCE's client contact management ecosystem include Cisco Unified IP Phones, Cisco Voice Gateways, and Cisco LAN/WAN technology.

Unified Contact Center Express (CCX) provides an out-of-the-box solution for building a customer interaction management center for branch or midmarket deployments that support up to 400 agents. Several packages are offered, as well as a variety of optional enhancements. Unified CCX integrates with Cisco Unified Communications Manager and provides intelligent call distribution, contact interaction management, reporting, interactive voice response, and the ability to manage voice, email, chat, and social media requests. Cisco Unified CCX comes with Finesse, a browser-based desktop agent that requires no client-side software setup. Advanced options include conditional routing, expected-wait-time announcements, and workforce quality management.

Cisco Mobile Connect and Single Number Reach
Mobile Connect, popularly known as Single Number Reach, allows users to be called from one number that rings at the same time on their Cisco desktop IP Phone and their cell phone. Users can transfer live conversations between their Cisco VoIP phone and their cell phone seamlessly. Unanswered calls can be redirected to a Cisco Unity or Cisco Unity Connection voicemail account. Users can create personal access lists that specify which calls get directed to different phones.

Cisco Prime Collaboration
Cisco Prime Collaboration Provisioning provides an automated platform for first-time deployments as well as for follow-on moves, additions, changes, and deletions. An intuitive interface delivers a unified look at a user and the user's services. Prime Collaboration significantly speeds up site installations and minimizes the effort required for ongoing updates. Prime Collaboration in addition offers management analytics including application adoption and usage trends, enabling organizations to optimize resources and further lower total cost of ownership.

Cisco Communications Gateways
Cisco's collaboration gateways allow Cisco Unified Communications networks to connect with other systems and with clients working beyond the firewall. Cisco's line of gateways provide unified communications support for all types of gateway and session-border-control deployments.

Communications gateways offered by Cisco and supported by Progent include:

Cisco Expressway Communication Gateway
Cisco's Expressway is an advanced collaboration gateway that enables organizations to allow team members, suppliers, customers and prospects, or business partners who are working on different network environments, collaboration applications, or endpoint devices to connect to Cisco Unified Communication features. Cisco's Expressway works in conjunction with an enterprise Cisco Communications Manager system or Cisco Business Edition 6000, or can be run via the cloud with Cisco Hosted Collaboration Solution to make collaboration more universal. Key features of Cisco Expressway include:

• Mobile and Off-site Access: Off-site workers with any Jabber-compatible device or teleworkers with Cisco TelePresence endpoints have the benefit of single-sign-on as well as Transport Layer Security (TLS) and are able to connect to all their Jabber applications (high-definition video, high-quality voice, data IM, and realtime presence) without the inconvenience establishing a VPN connection. In addition, teleworkers have the ability to utilize their Cisco TelePresence endpoints without the need for a VPN tunnel, delivering a user environment at home that is the same as the office.
• Cisco Jabber Guest Support: Expressway is critical for supporting Jabber Guest, which makes it possible for “guests” to communicate with your organization simply and securely via streamlined web-browser and mobile multimedia calls.
• Cisco Cloud Access: Cisco Expressway can function as a gateway that connects between on-premises Cisco or third-party systems and Cisco's WebEx cloud. By supporting Cisco Collaboration Meeting Rooms, Cisco Expressway offers an advanced, extensible teleconferencing experience that transparently integrates high-quality voice, high-definition video, and content sharing to anyone, anywhere, using any device.
• Interoperability: If your organization currently has third-party video products, Cisco Expressway can help you to move efficiently to a Cisco solution whenever you choose. Cisco Expressway provides video compatibility with standards-based H.323, H.264 Scalable Video Coding, or Session Initiation Protocol (SIP) environments. Interoperability standards supported by Cisco Expressway include IPv4 to IPv6, H.323 to Session Initiation Protocol, and Microsoft Lync H.264 SVC to MPEG-4/H.264 AVC.

• WebEx Cloud Connected Audio for SIP-media-connected conferencing
• Voice and Video recording
• Enterprise Call-center and interactive-voice-response applications
• Policy-led evaluation of voice calls
• Business-to-business telepresence 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 all-in-one VoIP gateway solution for small organizations. UC500 packages deliver voice, data, voicemail, auto attendant, video, security, and WiFi capabilities, work with older generation Cisco IP Voice phones, and support various public switched telephone network (PSTN) interfaces.

All of Cisco's UC500 packages include a compact switch with 8 Power-over-Ethernet ports and additional foreign exchange stations (FXS) and foreign exchange office (FXO) interfaces, a firewall, and VPN. Integrated WiFi is an option. User capacity can be expanded by attaching Cisco Catalyst Express companion switches. Every UC500 offering 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 VoIP users and incorporate 4 FXS and 4 FXO interfaces. The Cisco UC540 system supports 24 to 32 clients and provides 8 FXO ports. The Cisco UC560 system supports 48 users and 12 FXO ports.

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

How Progent Can Help You with Cisco VoIP and IP Media Phones, Cisco Unified CM, and Video Conferencing
Progent offers online or on-premises help from a certified CCIE Collaboration expert to assist your business to plan, install, administer and repair unified communications networks that incorporate 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 CallManager, VoIP phones and soft phones, Unified Communications applications such as Cisco Jabber and WebEx Meeting Center, Cisco's teleconferencing technologies, communication gateways, tools built into Cisco Catalyst switches and routers. Progent can also offer expertise with technologies such as Cisco SRST, CUBE, SIP gateways, Call Admission Control, VoIP trunks, various signaling protocols, and AVVID. Progent's SIP infrastructure consultants can also assist you to create SIP connectivity environments that include SIP IP voice phones and media endpoints, SIP trunks, SIP conferencing and SIP administration tools with CUCM.

Progent's application programmers can build specialized IP telephony software that will enable your business to integrate the telephony capabilities of Cisco Unified Communications Manager into your company processes for increased productivity. Progent can evaluate your current network and Internet connectivity architecture to determine whether your environment is optimized to support high-quality IP voice and HD video, assist you to choose and integrate Cisco products appropriate for your current needs and downstream growth plans, and interface your Cisco Unified Communications products with products from other suppliers. Progent's CISSP-ISSAP certified network security consultants can show you how to create, implement, and validate an enterprise-wide security and compliance plan for your converged communications solution. In addition, Progent can help your organization to configure Cisco high-availability technologies like Cisco Unified SRST for affordable call control backup in remote-branch and telecommuter environments, and Progent's disaster recovery and business continuity preparedness experts can help you create a viable DR/BC strategy to ensure the availability of your business-critical unified communications system.

Unified Communications Manager/CallManager Upgrade Consulting
Releases of Cisco Unified Communications Manager 8.6 before 8.6 and all versions of CallManager have reached end-of-life. This means Cisco will cease to develop, repair, or validate this older software. Security patches for this business-critical application will stop, which in certain situations may cause regulatory compliance or even legal liability issues.

Progent will continue to provide comprehensive consulting and troubleshooting support for end-of-life versions of Unified Communications Manager and Cisco CallManager, but in case your business is now running an out-of-dated version of this essential application you should begin now to plan your migration. Progent's Cisco-certified consultants can help you to migrate smoothly to the latest version of Unified Communications Manager and can often save customers as much as 50% off consulting expense versus competing IT service firms thanks to Progent's documented process and experience in this practice area. By following best practices, Progent can ensure that your organization realizes a quick return on your IT investment by showing you how to benefit fully from the enhanced features, lower administrative and support expense, more productive collaboration, and tighter security offered by the current edition of Unified Communications Manager.

Progent's migration services include return-on-investment assessment, project management or co-management, pilot testing, Cloud connectivity, setting up endpoint devices from Cisco and third-party providers, mobile integration, security and compliance consulting, streamlined management, disaster recovery planning, network infrastructure design, training for IT staff and end users, and continuing consulting and technical support. Progent also offers fixed-priced upgrade service bundles to keep your costs predictable and affordable.

To learn more information about Progent's consulting help for Cisco networking products, pick a subject:

• Overview of Cisco Support
• Fast and Affordable Remote Support from a Cisco CCIE Network Engineer
• Cisco Firepower Firewalls: Integration and Troubleshooting Services
• Cisco ASA 5500-X Firewall with Firepower: Setup and Management Services
• Cisco ASA 5500 Firewall Consulting Help
• PIX Series Firewall Consulting Assistance
• Cisco Routers Configuration and Troubleshooting Expertise
• Cisco Wireless Engineering Expertise
• Aironet Access Points Design Expertise
• Cisco Small Business 100, 300 and 500 Wireless APs Consulting Support
• Cisco Catalyst 802.11ax Access Points Solution Design, Deployment and Debugging Consulting
• Cisco Wireless Controllers Consulting
• Meraki APs Deployment Support
• Cisco Unified Communications Manager (CUCM or Unified CM) and CallManager Configuration and Technical Support
• Cisco Jabber Configuration and Troubleshooting Services
• Cisco Catalyst Switches Engineering Expertise
• Nexus Switches Support and Troubleshooting Expertise
• Meraki Switches Support and Troubleshooting Services
• Cisco VPN and Security Integration Services
• SIP and CUBE Integration Solutions: SIP Trunks and CUBE Integration Consulting
• Infrastructure Design for Cisco-powered Datacenters
• Data Center Design Consulting for ISPs
• Remote Management Solutions for Cisco Infrastructure