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Exchanging real-time voice and video over IP has evolved from simply being being a smart technique to save money on phone bills to being a strategic technology for collaboration and worker productivity. Unified communications, once limited to managing Internet-based voice calls and faxing on one network platform in order to replace traditional PBX equipment, now includes voice and video, mobile communications, IM, real-time presence, collaboration services, and more all in a single framework that is easy to manage, extensible, protected, resilient, economical, and intuitive.

Cisco is the market leader in providing solutions for supporting the modern model of unified communications (UC). Cisco's unified communications product line adds to the efficiency of IT networks by slashing operational expenses; combining rich media features with familiar software programs to improve user output; facilitating teamwork among employees, associates, and suppliers to save effort and enhance business results; and simplifying the management of your communications environment.

Cisco's UC solutions address several important product categories:,

• Call Control Agents for controlling calls and sessions
• IP Endpoints to optimize worker engagement
• Unified Communications Software Applications for easy access to real-time, chat, voice and video, voice messages, white boarding, and conferencing
• Communications Gateways for accessing outside networks and teleworkers

Call and Session Control Agents - Unified Communications Manager/CallManager
The call-processing agent is the heart of Cisco's IP telephony solution and provides the versatility to implement a centralized call-processing design, a decentralized model, or a mix of both. In a centralized deployment, Cisco Unified Communications Manager (UC Manager or CUCM) expands enterprise phone features to packet devices such as IP phones, media management appliances, Voice over IP gateways, and mixed media applications across the network. Unified Communications Manager enables extra voice, video, and data services including unified messaging, multimedia conferencing, and group-based client interaction networks.

The latest version of Unified CM, previously named CallManager, offers a variety of enhancements that accelerate ROI by cutting administrative and maintenance costs, increasing user output, enhancing collaboration, accommodating the bring-your-own-device (BYOD) style of working, strengthening security, and allowing efficient use of IT resources. Top innovations include automatic dial-plan replication and batch provisioning, simplified certificate management, expanded support for standards-based single sign-on for administrators and users, device-agnostic call recording, on-the-road connectivity without the need for VPN, a new self-care utility that makes it simple for users to set their preferences for all endpoints, and support for Secure Real-Time Transport Protocol for mobile users.

When you implement a central Cisco Unified Communications Manager cluster to manage voice processing for users at distributed locations, IT managers can help ensure continuous call service using Cisco Survivable Remote Site Telephony (SRST), a Cisco IOS Software image for routers. If a Wide Area Network connection fails, Cisco SRST incorporated in the router provides basic UC Manager functions until the link is repaired. For a description of Progent's consulting support services for Cisco routers, refer to consulting and troubleshooting support for Cisco Integrated Services routers.

For small business networks, branch locations, and retail deployments that do not need the full feature set offered by Unified CM, Unified Communications Manager Express, formerly known as CallManager Express provides a budget-friendly PBX alternative that handles the requirements of sites with up to 450 users. Because Unified Communications Manager Express Unified Communications Manager Express (Unified CCX) is embedded in the IOS Software running on a Cisco router, smaller offices can rapidly deploy a converged voice/data environment.

The Cisco BE6000 is a line of complete platforms that offer essential collaboration features such as routing, gateway, premium voice and video, messaging, chat and real-time presence, teleconferencing, and paging support, enabling any end user to connect on any endpoint device from any location. All solutions come packaged preinstalled with virtualization and UC applications software, making deployment fast and easy and reducing cost of ownership for organizations with as many as 1000 employees. All systems come packaged preinstalled with virtualization and Unified Communications applications software. Organizations can instantly enable collaboration applications as their needs grow.

The office-in-a-box BE6000S includes five fixed unified communications software applications preloaded on one combination router/gateway/virtualized blade server platform and can handle a maximum capacity of 150 workers and 300 endpoint devices. The mid-market BE6000M includes four UC software application options activated on a virtualized Cisco UCS C220 M4 server and supports a maximum capacity of 1000 workers, 1200 endpoint devices, and 100 contact center agents. The top-of-the-line BE6000S includes 8 collaboration application options enabled on a single virtualized Cisco C220 M4 server platform and supports up to 1000 workers, 2500 endpoint devices, and 100 contact center agents.

For more details about Progent's support for Unified Communications Manager (CallManager), visit Cisco Unified Communications Manager (Unified CM) and CallManager planning, configuration, migration and troubleshooting.

Cisco IP Phones: IP Voice and IP Video Phones
A collaboration endpoint is a user instrument, and can be a physical handset or a software phone program that runs on a PC or handheld computer. In the IP world, every VoIP phone is Ethernet connected. Voice over IP phones have all of the functions that an analog telephone has, but IP phones can also provide extra functions such as being able to access websites or host productivity-enhancing applications.

In contrast to ordinary PBX systems, in a Cisco IP telephony environment you can implement virtually instant moves, adds, and changes. You simply take the VoIP handset to your new spot, attach it to the Ethernet jack, and the device announces itself with Cisco Unified Communications Manager (formerly CallManager). All user permissions and settings are automatically replicated, eliminating the expense and hassle of sending support personnel to rewire connections. An additional useful feature is location independence, which enables you to log into any Cisco IP device and receive your personal phone ID and rights.

Cisco offers a wide range of collaboration hardware endpoints. Cisco's entry-level SPA 300 family are basic IP and Digital Enhanced Cordless Telecommunications devices that feature wide-band audio, support for hosted IP telephony systems or an IP PBX, simple deployment and highly secure online provisioning, in-service software updates, and web-based set up. The value-priced SPA301 is a single-line VoIP endpoint with no display or speakerphone, a base dialer that has one Ethernet connector, and a corded handset with no a keypad. The SPA302D, intended exclusively for use with the Cisco SPA232D Multi-Line DECT Analog Telephone Adapter, is a multiple-line cordless Digital Enhanced Cordless Telecommunications (DECT) handset that supports 10-lines, a 176 x 220 pixel color screen, and a keypad with a speakerphone. Cisco's SPA303 is an economical three-line IP phone with dual switched Ethernet ports, a 128x64 mono graphical display and a speakerphone.

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

Cisco's IP Phones 3900 Series and IP Phones 6900 Series are specialty IP voice endpoints designed for infrequent-use settings like cafeterias, elevators, and conference facilities. Cisco's Unified SIP Phone 3905 IP Phone features a 128 x 32 monochrome screen, an integrated 10/100 Ethernet switch, a speakerphone, and PoE. The simple Cisco Unified IP Phone 6901 is a one-line device without a screen and requires a hook switch for transferring a call and joining a conference.

Cisco's 7800 Series of value-priced IP phones are VoIP desktop endpoints with backlit monochrome screens, four soft buttons, 11 dedicated buttons, an integral Ethernet switch with PoE, and a speakerphone. The 7800 Series support only the SIP signaling protocol. All devices in the 7800 Series feature the same advanced speakers and microphones as Cisco's 8800 Series IP phones to provide a best-in-class audio solution. Cisco's EnergyWise power-save feature, offered on the advanced 7800 units, cuts after-hours energy usage by as much as 60 percent. The Cisco IP Phone 7811 is a single-line VoIP phone designed for common areas as well as for workers with occasional-to-light voice communications needs. 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 handset. Cisco's IP Phone 7821 is a two-line VoIP phone 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 model in the 7800 family that provides 1xGb Ethernet. The top-of-the-line IP Phone 7861 is a 16-line device intended for administrative staff, contact center personnel, and managers who have significant voice communications needs.

Cisco Unified IP Phone 7900 Series are SIP and SCCP media endpoints with a 320 x 240 color display, an integral 1xGb Ethernet switch, Class 3 Power over Ethernet (PoE), 10 fixed-feature keys and a speakerphone. The Cisco Unified IP Phone 7945G is a two-line device and the Cisco Unified IP Phone 7965G features four lines. Both IP phones include a 5-inch screen and four programmable buttons. 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 programmable buttons.

Cisco's IP Phone 8800 Series is a family of SIP-only IP phones that features desktop units, 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 programmable buttons and 12 dedicated keys. The Cisco IP Phone 8811 includes a monochrome screen and supports Class 2 Power over Ethernet (PoE). Cisco's IP Phone 8841 features a WVGA color display and supports Class 2 PoE. Cisco's IP Phone 8845 features a WVGA color display, 720p HD video, a tiltable camera, Bluetooth, Cisco Intelligent Proximity for Mobile Voice, and supports Class 2 PoE. The Cisco IP Phone 8851 features a WVGA color screen and a USB port with charging capability, supports Intelligent Proximity for Mobile Voice and Class 3 PoE, and is available in Bluetooth and non-Bluetooth models. Cisco's IP Phone 8861 includes a WVGA color display, Bluetooth, dual USB connections with charging capability, and supports Cisco Intelligent Proximity for Mobile Voice, Wi-Fi, and Class 4 Power over Ethernet. The Cisco IP Phone 8865 has a WVGA color screen, 720p HD video, a tiltable camera, Bluetooth, two USB ports with charging capability, and supports Cisco Intelligent Proximity for Mobile Voice, Wi-Fi, and Class 4 Power over Ethernet.

Cisco's wireless IP phones are industrial-grade Wi-Fi devices intended for professionals who are on the move within campus, warehouse, retail or other venues where management requires portable phones that provide more administrative control, data security and ruggedness than is possible with the BYOD mode of mobile collaboration. Cisco's 8821 and 8812-EX wireless VoIP phones offer on-the-move on-premises users the advantages of voice over wireless LAN communications in workplaces that support 802.11a/b/g/n/ac Wi-Fi. The 8821 Wireless VoIP Phone features a 2.4 inch color display, a durable case rated Mil-SPEC 810G for shock resistance and compliant with IP67 for particulate and moisture resistance, long-life batteries, a built-in full-duplex speakerphone, and an integrated Bluetooth 4.0 transceiver for hands-free operation with wireless headsets. The 8821-EX Wireless VoIP Phone adds spark suppression for hazardous work sites. Cisco's 8821-EX also features a case fabricated of industry-standard yellow plastics, which makes the 8821-EX easier to find the event of an emergency. Find out about Progent's Cisco Wireless IP Phone integration consultants.

Cisco's legacy 9900 Series of advanced VoIP endpoints mix high-quality voice with high-resolution color screens to offer a rich multimedia unified communications solution for knowledge professionals, managers, and executives. The two IP phones in this line feature an SD 640x480 pixel color display, a Bluetooth 2.0 radio to work with a broad choice of headsets, and an integrated 10/100/1000 Ethernet switch. The Cisco EnergyWise power-save feature is optional and can lower off-work energy consumption by up to 90 percent. The IP Phone 9951 features a 5-inch display and allows up to 2 IP Expansion Modules for expanding programmable line and function keys. The IP Phone 9971 features a 5.6-inch screen, an integrated 802.11a/b/g Wi-Fi transceiver for deployment with wireless environments, and 4 soft-label touchscreen keys to access Cisco Unified Communications functions. The 9971 allows up to 3 IP Color Key Expansion Modules for adding programmable line and feature keys.

Unified Communications Application Software
Within Cisco's Unified Communications architecture, IP phone, video, and other UC applications are isolated from the call- and voice-processing infrastructure, and they may reside at any location within the network. A single network framework provides a versatile platform for feature-rich applications and provides a firm basis for future convergence-based applications. Cisco cooperates with third-party technology companies to provide a wide selection of IP voice and video software applications and devices. Cisco also supports the capability to create and manage customized internal applications.

Collaborative applications available from Cisco and supported by Progent include:

Cisco Jabber
Cisco Jabber is a unified communications application that supports presence, instant messaging, business-quality voice, HD video, voice messaging, screen sharing, and real-time conferencing functions for Windows PCs, Apple Macs, tablets as well as iPhones, Android phones, and Blackberries. Cisco Jabber is an evolution and integration of the Cisco Unified Personal Communicator soft phone, Cisco Mobile, and Cisco WebEx Connect, with significant enhancements to HD video capabilities and desktop sharing, and extending the team experience to additional operating systems and endpoint hardware. Cisco Jabber works in conjunction with Unified Communications Manager for call control, Cisco Unified Presence for instant messaging and presence, Unity Connection for voice messaging and programmable attendant, and Cisco WebEx Meeting for online meetings.

Since Cisco Jabber is based on key communication protocols, it can communicate with a wide selection of third-party products. For example, Extensible Messaging and Presence Protocol enables Jabber users to trade IM and presence data with various XMPP clients such as Adium, Sametime, and Microsoft Lync and Office Communications Server. Cisco Jabber features are available from Microsoft Office programs including Outlook and SharePoint. This broad platform compatibility optimizes output by providing a consistent user experience and fully enabling the bring-your-own-device paradigm of computing. Progent offers the assistance of Microsoft-certified Exchange consultants and Microsoft SharePoint programmers who can help you to integrate Jabber with Microsoft's premier collaboration products. Progent also offers help with iPhone integration as well as Android smartphone integration and management to assist you to enhance the business value of your BYOD ecosystem.

Cisco WebEx Meeting Center
Cisco WebEx Meeting Center provides online conferencing for participants using a browser or almost any desktop or handheld device. Cisco WebEx Meeting Center is delivered as software as a service via Cisco's WebEx Cloud. This makes it simple to deploy and expand, streamlines management, eliminates heavy up-front investment, offers high availability and enterprise-class security, and provides consistently high performance. Important features include the ability to share specific content or your whole screen with remote attendees in real time, the capability to embed rich media into your presentations including Microsoft PowerPoint and Flash animations, recording plus editing and playback for training and demonstrations, single sign-on (SSO) and integration with other Cisco collaboration products like Jabber and Cisco TelePresence, plus stringent data privacy and encrypted access with tight policy control.

WebEX Meeting Center runs on Microsoft Windows, Mac, and Linux desktops and notebooks and allows mobile users to start, schedule, and take part in conferences on Google Android devices, Apple iPhones and iPads, BlackBerry phones, and Windows Phone. You can also initiate web conferences with a few clicks from Microsoft Office, Outlook, Notes, and a selection of instant messaging applications.

Cisco TelePresence Products for On-premises Teleconferencing Environments
For midsize organizations and enterprises who wish to create an on-premises or hybrid in-house/cloud solution for teleconferencing, Cisco offers a selection of Cisco TelePresence software and equipment that enable high-definition video conferencing for users with almost any IP endpoint at any site. Cisco TelePresence Server is a scalable video conferencing bridge that runs with Cisco Unified CM to deliver multiparty video, audio and content sharing to UC deployments and can expand conferences to incorporate cloud-based WebEx Meeting Center users. Cisco TelePresence Conductor software streamlines management of how teleconferencing resources are allocated for each attendee, enabling managers to specify the exact service level and user experience required for each user. Cisco TelePresence Content Server captures video conference presentations for live streaming and video on demand (VOD) playback.

Cisco's Unity Connection Platform and Unity Express for Unified Voicemail and Automated Attendant
Cisco's Unity Connection, an extension of Unified Communications Manager, is a unified voicemail system that promotes teamwork by offering a variety of options for accessing calls and messages within a framework that is easy to deploy and maintain. Unity Connection allows you to access and manage voice messages from your email inbox, web browser, Cisco Jabber, a Cisco Unified IP endpoint, a smartphone, or an iPad or tablet. Unity Connection also offers sophisticated speech-recognition capabilities for hands and eyes free operation and powerful Automated Attendant features such as intelligent routing for inbound calls and custom call-screening and message-alert settings. The Cisco Unity Connection system runs as a VM that can be hosted on a Business Edition 6000 server or a Cisco Services Ready Engine 910 router service module and can support up to 20,000 voice mailboxes on each server.

Unity Express (CUE), available in select Cisco ISR routers, provides cost-effective voicemail, unified messaging, interactive voice response, and greeting functions for small to mid-size businesses (SMBs) and enterprise branch locations with as many as 500 voice mailboxes. Cisco Unity Express permits you to manage voicemail using a Cisco IP Phone screen, a browser, or your email system. ISR Routers for which Cisco Unity Express is available as a network module or advanced integration module include Cisco's 2800, 2900, and 3900 families. Progent offers comprehensive configuration and troubleshooting services for all Cisco routers.

Unified Contact Center
Cisco Unified Contact Center Enterprise (Unified CCE) integrates with Unified CM and agent desktop apps like Finesse to provide automatic call distribution features that allow an organization to match customers with the proper salesperson or service representative. Unified CCE features smart call distribution, computer telephony integration, support for multichannel customer contact management, call queuing, interactive voice response and advanced enterprise-wide reporting to simplify the creation and management of a large-scale contact center. Cisco products incorporated in UCCE's customer contact management solution include 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 contact center for mid-scale systems that support as many as 400 agents. Multiple packages are available, plus a variety of optional enhancements. Cisco Unified Contact Center Express integrates closely with CUCM and offers intelligent call routing, client interaction management, reporting, IVR, and the ability to manage voice, email, chat, and social media requests. Unified CCX includes Cisco Finesse, a browser-based desktop agent that needs no client software setup. Optional advanced features include call-in-queue, projected-wait-time announcements, and productivity optimization with workforce and quality management.

Cisco Mobile Connect and Single Number Reach (SNR)
Mobile Connect, commonly referred to as Single Number Reach, allows users to be called from a single number that rings simultaneously on their Cisco desktop VoIP Phone and their mobile phone. Users can switch active conversations between their Cisco VoIP phone and their mobile phone without disruption. Calls that are not answered 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 alternate phones.

Cisco Prime Collaboration
Cisco Prime Collaboration provides an automated platform for first-time installs and for follow-on moves, additions, changes, and deletions. An intuitive console provides a unified look at a user and the subscriber's services. Cisco Prime Collaboration substantially accelerates company-wide rollouts and reduces the time required to implement future updates. Prime Collaboration also offers advanced analytics including application adoption and consumption trends, allowing organizations to optimize resources and further reduce total cost of ownership.

Cisco Communications Gateways
Cisco's collaboration gateways allow Cisco Unified Communications networks to communicate with public systems and with clients working outside the firewall. Cisco's portfolio of communication gateways deliver UC services for all types of gateway and session-border-control deployments.

Communications gateways available from Cisco and supported by Progent include:

Expressway Collaboration Gateway
Cisco's Expressway is a powerful collaboration gatekeeper that enables companies to allow team members, suppliers, customers and prospects, or business partners who are using different network environments, collaboration applications, or endpoint devices to connect to Cisco Unified Communication functions. Cisco's Expressway works in conjunction with a Cisco Communications Manager system or Cisco Business Edition, or can be accessed via the cloud with Cisco Hosted Collaboration Solution (HCS) to make collaboration more pervasive. Key capabilities of Cisco Expressway include:

• Mobile and Remote Access: Off-site users with any Jabber-supported client or telecommuters with Cisco TelePresence endpoints get the benefit of one-time sign-on as well as TLS security and are able to access all their collaboration workloads (video, high-quality voice, rich content instant messaging, and realtime presence) without requiring the inconvenience establishing a VPN. In addition, teleworkers have the ability to utilize their Cisco TelePresence endpoints without the need for a VPN, delivering a user experience at home the same as the office.
• Cisco Jabber Guest Support: Expressway is required for enabling the Cisco Jabber Guest, which makes it possible for “guests” to interact with your organization simply and safely using lightweight web-browser and mobile multimedia phone calls.
• Cisco Cloud Connectivity: Expressway can function as a gateway that connects between on-premises Cisco or non-Cisco collaboration solutions and Cisco's WebEx cloud. By supporting Cisco Collaboration Meeting Rooms (CMRs), Cisco Expressway deliver a world-class, extensible conferencing environment that transparently combines high-quality voice, video, and data sharing to anyone, at any location, on any device.
• Interoperability: In case your company already has non-Cisco video systems, Cisco Expressway can help you to move easily to a Cisco solution whenever you choose. Cisco Expressway offers video interoperability with standards-based H.323, H.264 Scalable Video Coding, or Session Initiation Protocol environments. Interoperability standards allowed by Cisco Expressway include IPv4 to IPv6, H.323 to Session Initiation Protocol (SIP), and Microsoft Lync H.264 SVC to H.264/MPEG-4 AVC.

• Cisco WebEx Cloud Connected Audio for high-capacity SIP-media-connected audio conferencing
• Voice/Video recording
• SIP-based Call-center and IVR applications
• Policy-led evaluation of phone calls
• B2B telepresence over SIP

Cisco's Legacy UC520, UC540 and UC560 VoIP Phone Systems
The legacy Cisco Unified Communications 500 (UC500) product line is an early VoIP and unified communications appliance and software package for small businesses. UC500 models deliver voice, data, voicemail, automated attendant, video, security, and wireless functionality, run with older generation Cisco VoIP phones, and support public switched telephone network interfaces.

All of UC500 packages include a compact switch with 8 Power-over-Ethernet (PoE) interfaces plus additional FXS and foreign exchange office (FXO) ports, a firewall, and VPN support. Integrated WiFi is optional. User capacity can be increased by attaching Cisco Catalyst Express switches. Each UC500 model also includes software licenses for Cisco Unified Communications Manager for VoIP call processing and Cisco Unity Express for voice messaging and automated attendant. The Cisco UC520 system supports 8 to 16 VoIP users and incorporate 4 FXS and 4 FXO interfaces. The Cisco UC540 package supports 24 to 32 clients and has 8 FXO interfaces. The Cisco UC560 package supports 48 users and 12 foreign exchange office ports.

Progent's seasoned VoIP experts can help you to support your legacy UC500 VoIP gateway or design and implement an efficient migration to a modern VoIP system such as the Cisco cloud-managed Business Edition 4000.

How Progent Can Assist You with Cisco IP Voice and IP Media Phones, Cisco Unified CM, and Telepresence
Progent can provide online or on-premises help from a certified CCIE Collaboration expert to help you to design, install, administer and repair converged communications environments supported by Cisco Unified Communication technology in a centralized, cloud-based, or hybrid deployment. Progent's Cisco-certified consultants have extensive backgrounds supporting Cisco Unified Communications Manager and Cisco CallManager, IP voice and video phones and other endpoints, UC applications like Cisco Jabber and Unity Connection, Cisco's immersive telepresence products, communication gateways, tools incorporated into Cisco Catalyst switches and routers. Progent can also provide support for related technologies such as Cisco Survivable Remote Site Telephony, CUBE, H.323 and SIP gateways, Call Admission Control, IP voice trunks, various signaling protocols, and AVVID. Progent's SIP integration consultants can also assist you to create SIP infrastructure solutions that incorporate SIP-based VoIP phones and video endpoints, SIP-based CUBE trunks, and SIP administration tools via Cisco Unified Communications Manager.

Progent's custom application programmers can create specialized unified communications applications that will help your organization to incorporate the telephony capabilities of Cisco Unified Communications Manager into your business processes for enhanced productivity. Progent can evaluate your current network and Internet connectivity infrastructure to make sure your system is configured to accommodate high-quality VoIP and HD video, assist you to select and deploy Cisco hardware and software that make sense for your present needs and future expansion objectives, and interface your Cisco collaborative communications products with technology from other vendors. Progent's CISSP-ISSAP certified data security and compliance consultants can show you how to develop, deploy, and validate an enterprise-wide security and compliance strategy for your converged communications solution. Also, Progent can assist your organization to configure Cisco fault-tolerant mechanisms like Cisco Unified Survivable Remote Site Telephony (SRST) to provide cost-effective call control redundancy in branch office and telecommuter sites, and Progent's disaster recovery and business continuity preparedness experts can help you develop a sensible disaster recovery plan to protect your crucial unified communications environment.

Unified Communications Manager/CallManager Upgrade Services
Versions of Cisco Unified CM before 8.6 and all releases of CallManager have arrived at end-of-life. Therefore Cisco Engineering will cease to develop, fix, or test the product software. Security patches for this pivotal product will end, which in certain situations could cause compliance or legal liability problems.

Progent will continue to offer premier support services for outdated versions of Cisco Unified Communications Manager and Cisco CallManager, but if your company is now using an out-of-dated edition of this pivotal application you should begin immediately to prepare for your migration. Progent's collaboration consulting professionals can help you to migrate smoothly to the latest version of Cisco Unified CM and can typically save clients up to 50% off consulting costs compared to most IT service firms because of Progent's documented procedures and hands-on experience in this practice area. By adhering to best practices, Progent can ensure that your business sees a fast return on your IT investment by helping you take full advantage of the new and improved features, lower management and support expense, more engaging collaboration capabilities, and tighter security offered by the latest release of Unified Communications Manager.

Progent's migration services include ROI assessment, project management or co-management, pilot testing, Cloud integration, configuring endpoint devices from Cisco and other vendors, mobile connectivity, data protection consulting, streamlined management, business continuity planning, network topology design, staff and user training, and ongoing consulting services and technical support. Progent also has put together ultra-affordable migration packages to make sure your costs are predictable and affordable.

To learn more details concerning Progent's consulting expertise for Cisco products, pick a topic:

• Introduction to Cisco Engineering Services
• Fast and Affordable Online Help from a Cisco CCIE Network Engineer
• Cisco Firepower NGFW Firewalls: Integration and Troubleshooting Expertise
• Cisco ASA 5500-X Firewalls with Firepower: Setup and Management Support
• Cisco ASA 5500 Series Firewall Troubleshooting Expertise
• PIX 500 Series Firewall Maintenance Help
• Cisco Routers Configuration and Troubleshooting Services
• Cisco Wireless Deployment Help
• Aironet Wireless APs Engineering Services
• Cisco Small Business WiFi APs System Design Services
• Cisco Catalyst 802.11ax Wi-Fi 6/6E Wireless APs Planning, Deployment and Debugging Consulting
• Cisco WiFi Controllers Support Services
• Cisco Meraki Access Points Engineering Expertise
• Cisco Unified Communications Manager (CUCM or Unified CM) and CallManager Consulting and Troubleshooting
• Cisco Jabber and Management Expertise
• Cisco Catalyst Switches Consulting and Support Expertise
• Nexus Switches Support and Troubleshooting Services
• Meraki MS Switches Support and Troubleshooting Services
• Cisco VPN Consulting Assistance
• SIP and CUBE Infrastructure Solutions: SIP PSTN Trunks and CUBE Integration Expertise
• Cisco Duo MFA Two-factor Authentication Services for Telecommuters
• Infrastructure Design for Cisco-based Data Centers
• Data Center Optimization Services for ISPs
• Centralized Cloud-based and Hybrid Network Management Solutions for Cisco-based Infrastructure