Cisco Expert Network Consulting

Sending live voice and video over Internet Protocol (VoIP and Video over IP) has advanced from simply being being a savvy technique to save money on phone bills to being an indispensable technology for productive collaboration. Converged communications, once restricted to managing Internet-based voice and faxes on one network platform in order to take the place of traditional PBX equipment, today includes VoIP and video, mobile communications, instant messaging, presence, collaboration services, and much more all within a centralized environment that is easy to manage, scalable, highly secure, fault-tolerant, cost-effective, and user friendly.

Cisco is the leader in providing solutions for supporting the new model of unified communications (UC). Cisco's UC solution adds to the productivity of IT systems by cutting operating costs; integrating multiple collaboration features with popular software applications to increase user output; supporting teamwork among workers, partners, and suppliers to save effort and enhance business results; and streamlining the support of your communications environment.

Cisco's Unified Communications technology address these primary product categories:,

• Call Control Agents for controlling calls and sessions
• IP Endpoints to optimize worker productivity
• UC Applications for easy access to real-time, IM, voice and video, phone messages, desktop sharing, and voice/video conferencing
• Communications Gateways for providing connectivity with outside networks and telecommuters

Call and Session Control Agents - Unified Communications Manager/CallManager
Cisco's call-processing agent is the core of Cisco's IP Communications solution and provides the flexibility to implement a centralized call-processing design, a decentralized model, or a combination of the two. In a centralized deployment, Unified Communications Manager (UC Manager or CUCM) extends corporate telephony features to packet telephony products such as IP phones, media management products, Voice over IP gateways, and multimedia programs across the network. Unified Communications Manager supports additional voice, video, and data functions including unified messaging, multimedia conferencing, and collaborative customer interaction networks.

The latest release of Cisco Unified CM, formerly named CallManager, offers a wealth of enhancements that expedite your return on investment by cutting management and maintenance expenses, improving worker productivity, facilitating collaboration, accommodating the bring-your-own-device model of working, fortifying security, and making optimal use of network infrastructure. Headline new features include automatic dial-plan replication and batch provisioning, streamlined certificate management, expanded support for single sign-on (SSO) for managers and users, device-independent call recording, mobile access without the need for VPN, a new self-provisioning interface that makes it easy for workers to select their options for all endpoint devices, and support for Transport Layer Security and Secure Real-Time Transport Protocol for mobile clients.

In cases where you deploy a central Cisco Unified Communications Manager cluster to manage call processing for customers at remote locations, administrators can help achieve non-stop phone service through Cisco Survivable Remote Site Telephony (SRST), an IOS Software image for routers. If a Wide Area Network link breaks, Cisco SRST incorporated in the router offers basic Cisco Unified Communications Manager capabilities until the link is repaired. To learn about Progent's consulting support for Cisco ISR routers, refer to consulting services for Cisco routers.

For small businesses, branch offices, and retail environments that do not need the full functionality offered by Unified CM, Unified Communications Manager Express, formerly known as CallManager Express offers a cost-effective solution that meets the requirements of sites with as many as 450 workers. Since Cisco Unified Communications Manager Express Unified Communications Manager Express (Unified CCX) is embedded in the IOS Software running on a Cisco ISR router, smaller organizations can rapidly set up a unified voice and data solution.

Cisco's BE6000 is a line of one-stop platforms that provide fundamental unified communications features such as routing, IP gateway, premium voice/video, messaging, IM and presence, conferencing, and paging services, allowing any user to collaborate on any device from any place. All versions come preloaded with a virtualization hypervisor and UC applications software, making deployment quick and simple and cutting operating expenses for companies with from 25 to 1000 workers. All systems come packaged preconfigured with virtualization and collaboration applications. Organizations can simply enable UC applications when their needs grow.

The entry-level BE6000S includes five preselected UC applications installed on one integrated router/IP gateway/virtualized E1600 M2 server platform and can handle as many as 150 users and 300 endpoint devices. The medium-scale Business Edition 6000M includes 4 UC application options enabled on a virtualized Cisco UCS C220 M4 server and supports as many as 1000 workers, 1200 endpoint devices, and 100 contact center agents. The high-end BE6000S includes 8 UC application options enabled on a single virtualized Cisco UCS C220 M4 server platform and supports up to 1000 workers, 2500 devices, and 100 contact center agents.

For additional details about Progent's support for Unified Communications Manager, see Cisco Unified Communications Manager and CallManager planning, configuration, migration and technical support.

Cisco IP Phones: IP Voice and IP Media Phones
A collaboration endpoint is a user instrument, and can be a physical handset or a soft phone application that runs on a desktop or mobile computer. In the IP world, each VoIP phone has an Ethernet connection. Voice over IP phones offer all of the functions that an analog phone handset provides, but IP phones often have additional features including being able to connect to websites or run productivity-enhancing applications.

Unlike conventional Private Branch Exchange systems, in a Cisco IP communications network you can perform almost instant relocations, additions, and modifications. You simply move the VoIP phone to your new location, attach it to the Ethernet jack, and the IP phone registers itself with Cisco Unified Communications Manager (formerly CallManager). All user privileges and settings are programmatically re-established, doing away with the cost and hassle of sending technicians to wiring closets. Another efficient feature is extension mobility, which allows you to log into any Cisco VoIP device and receive your own phone ID and privileges.

Cisco provides a broad selection of collaboration hardware endpoints. Cisco's low-cost SPA 300 Series are no-frills IP and DECT screenless or monochrome phones offering high-quality audio, compatibility with hosted Internet Protocol telephony systems or an IP PBX, easy deployment and secure remote provisioning, transparent software upgrades, and browser-based configuration. The value-priced SPA301 is a one-line IP endpoint with no screen or speakerphone function, a base dialer with a single Ethernet connector, and a wired handset without a keypad. The SPA302D, designed solely for operation with Cisco's SPA232D 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 display, and a dial pad with speakerphone capability. Cisco's SPA303 is an affordable 3-line SIP-based IP phone with dual switched ports, a 128x64 monochrome screen and a speaker.

The SPA500 family VoIP phones are low-cost devices with support for SIP and SPCP signaling protocols, two Ethernet switch ports, speakerphones, Power over Ethernet, and conferencing support. 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 hi-res display. The SPA502G has a single line and has no soft keys. The SPA504G has four lines and has four soft buttons. The SPA508G IP Phone supports eight lines and eight soft keys. The SPA509G supports 12 lines and features 12 programmable buttons. The SPA512G VoIP phone supports four lines, no soft buttons and supports Gigabit Ethernet. The SPA514G supports four lines, has soft buttons, and supports 10/100/1000 Ethernet. The top-of-the-line SPA525G2 includes a 320 x 240 pixel color screen, supports five lines, and includes five programmable keys.

Cisco's Unified IP Phones 3900 Series and 6900 Series are specialty IP voice devices designed for occasional-use environments such as lobbies, elevators, and conference facilities. The Unified SIP Phone 3905 IP Phone features a 128 x 32 monochrome display, an integrated Ethernet switch, a speakerphone, and Power over Ethernet (PoE). The bare-bones Cisco Unified IP Phone 6901 is a single-line endpoint without a screen and requires a hook switch for transferring a call or conferencing.

The 7800 family of budget-priced IP phones are VoIP desktop devices with backlit monochrome screens, four programmable buttons, 11 dedicated buttons, an Ethernet port with Class 1 Power over Ethernet (PoE), and an integral speakerphone. Cisco's 7800 Series support only the SIP call control protocol. All models in Cisco's 7800 family incorporate the same advanced speakers and microphones as Cisco's 8800 Series IP phones to deliver a best-in-class audio solution. Cisco's EnergyWise power-save feature, available on the higher end 7800 models, cuts off-hours energy usage by up to 60 percent. The Cisco IP Phone 7811 is a one-line VoIP phone intended for common locations and for employees with infrequent voice communications requirements. The IP 7811 comes with a 3.28-inch 384 x 106 screen plus a narrow-band speakerphone. Wideband audio is available via an extra-cost 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 VoIP phone with a 396 x 162 screen and is the only device in the 7800 line to support Gigabit Ethernet. The high-end IP Phone 7861 VoIP phone is a 16-line device targeted for administrators, call center agents, and managers who have heavy voice communications requirements.

The Cisco Unified IP Phone 7900 Series are dual-protocol (SIP/SCCP) IP voice and video endpoints with a 320 x 240 pixel color display, a 1xGb Ethernet switch, Class 3 Power over Ethernet (PoE), 10 fixed-feature buttons and a speakerphone. The Cisco Unified IP Phone 7945G is a dual-line unit and the Cisco Unified IP Phone 7965G includes four lines. Both VoIP phones include a 5-inch screen and four soft buttons. The Cisco Unified IP Phone 7975G unit is an eight-line media phone with a 5.6-inch touch screen and five programmable keys.

Cisco's IP Phone 8800 Series is a family of SIP-based endpoints 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 screen, a Gigabit Ethernet switch, a speakerphone, four programmable keys and 12 dedicated buttons. The Cisco IP Phone 8811 includes a backlit monochrome screen and supports Class 2 Power over Ethernet. Cisco's IP Phone 8841 features a WVGA color display and supports Class 2 Power over Ethernet. Cisco's IP Phone 8845 has 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 has a WVGA color screen and one USB connection with charging capability, supports Intelligent Proximity for Mobile Voice and Class 3 Power over Ethernet, and is available in Bluetooth and non-Bluetooth versions. The Cisco IP Phone 8861 includes a WVGA color screen, 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, an adjustable camera, Bluetooth, dual USB connections with charging capability, and supports Cisco Intelligent Proximity for Mobile Voice, Wi-Fi, and Class 4 PoE.

Cisco's wireless VoIP phones are hardened wireless devices designed for professionals who are mobile within office, warehouse, retail or other venues where management wants portable phones that offer more control, data security and durability than is possible with the Bring-Your-Own-Device style of workplace communications. Cisco's 8821 and 8812-EX wireless IP phones offer on-the-move on-premises users the benefits of voice over wireless LAN (VoWLAN) communications in workplaces with 802.11x Wi-Fi. The 8821 Wireless IP Phone features a hi-res color display, a rugged shell rated Mil-SPEC 810G to withstand dropping and IP67 for particulate and moisture resistance, extended batteries, a built-in speakerphone, and an integrated Bluetooth 4.0 transceiver to support cordless headsets. The 8821-EX Wireless IP Phone adds anti-sparking protection for use in hazardous environments. The 8821-EX also has a shell composed out of industry-standard yellow plastics, which makes the 8821-EX easy to find in a crisis. Find out about Progent's Cisco Wireless VoIP Phone integration consulting.

Cisco's discontinued 9900 Series of advanced IP endpoints combine high-quality voice with hi-res color screens to offer a rich collaborative unified communications solution for knowledge professionals and executives. The two IP phones in the 9900 family incorporate an SD 24-bit color display, a Bluetooth transceiver to work with a wide choice of headsets, and a built-in Gigabit Ethernet port. The Cisco EnergyWise power-save feature is offered as an option and can cut off-work energy use by up to 90 percent. The IP Phone 9951 features a 5-inch display and supports up to 2 IP Expansion Modules for adding customizable line and feature keys. The IP Phone 9971 features a 5.6-inch display, an integrated Wi-Fi radio for connecting to Voice-over-WLAN environments, and 4 programmable touchscreen keys to invoke Cisco UC features. The 9971 VoIP phone supports up to 3 IP Color Key Expansion Modules for adding scalability to programmable line and function keys.

Cisco Unified Communications Application Software
Under Cisco's Unified Communications platform, IP voice, IP video, and other UC applications are isolated from the call- and voice-processing infrastructure, and they may reside anywhere within the network. A single network infrastructure offers a versatile environment for feature-rich business applications and provides a solid basis for downstream convergence-based software. Cisco cooperates with leading technology companies to provide a wide selection of IP telephony and IP video applications and products. Cisco also enables the capability to create and administer customized internal programs.

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

Cisco Jabber
Cisco Jabber is a converge media client application that provides presence, IM, business-quality voice, HD video, voice messaging, screen sharing, and online conferencing functions for PCs, Apple Macs, iPads and Android tablets plus 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 improvements to HD video features and screen sharing, and expanding the team experience to additional platforms and endpoint hardware. Cisco Jabber works with Cisco Unified Communications Manager for call and session management, Cisco Unified Presence for IM and presence, Cisco Unity Connection for voicemail and programmable attendant, and Cisco WebEx Meeting for online meetings.

Since Cisco Jabber is based on key communication standards, it can interoperate with a broad range of non-Cisco platforms. For instance, XMPP allows Jabber users to trade IM and presence information with other XMPP clients including as Adium, IBM Sametime, and Microsoft Lync. Cisco Jabber collaboration features are available from Microsoft Office applications such as Outlook and SharePoint. This extensive platform compatibility maximizes output by delivering a common user experience and accommodating the BYOD paradigm of computing. Progent offers the services of Microsoft-certified Exchange and Outlook consultants and Microsoft SharePoint application developers who can show you how to integrate Jabber with Microsoft's powerful collaboration products. Progent also can provide help with iPhone integration and management and Google Android phone integration to help you to increase the business value of your BYOD ecosystem.

Cisco WebEx Meeting Center
WebEX Meeting Center provides web meetings for participants using a browser or virtually any PC or mobile computer. Cisco WebEx Meeting Center is delivered as SaaS via the Cisco WebEx Cloud. This makes it easy to deploy and scale, reduces the cost of management, avoids major up-front expenditures, offers high availability and enterprise-grade data protection, and provides fast throughput. Key capabilities include support for sharing specific content or an whole screen with remote attendees in real time, the ability to incorporate rich media into presentations including PowerPoint and Flash videos, recording plus editing and playback for future reference and training, single sign-on (SSO) and support for other Cisco collaboration applications like Jabber and TelePresence, plus strong data privacy and encrypted connections with strict policy management.

Cisco WebEx Meeting Center works with Windows, Apple Mac, and Linux desktops and notebooks and allows mobile workers to launch, schedule, and participate in conferences on Google Android devices, iPhones and iPads, BlackBerry phones, and Microsoft Windows Phone. Users can also launch web conferences with a few clicks from Microsoft Office, Microsoft Outlook, Lotus Notes, and a selection of instant messaging applications.

Cisco TelePresence Portfolio for In-house Teleconferencing Infrastructure
For medium-size organizations and enterprises who wish to build an on-premises or hybrid on-premises/cloud environment for teleconferencing, Cisco provides a selection of Cisco TelePresence software and equipment that enable high-quality video conferencing for participants with almost any endpoint device at any location. Cisco TelePresence Server is a scalable teleconferencing bridge that works with Cisco Unified CM to bring multiparty video, audio and content sharing to UC deployments and can extend meetings to support cloud-based Cisco WebEx Meeting Center users. Cisco TelePresence Conductor software streamlines the control of the way conferencing resources are rationed for every individual participant, allowing administrators to define the precise service level and user experience required for each user. Cisco TelePresence Content Server captures video and presentations for live distribution and video on demand viewing.

Cisco Unity Connection Platform and Unity Express for Unified Voicemail
Cisco's Unity Connection, an integrated extension of Unified Communications Manager, is a unified voice messaging platform that facilitates collaboration by providing a variety of alternatives for accessing calls and messages within a framework that is easy to deploy and administer. Cisco Unity Connection lets you access and manage your voice messages from your Exchange inbox, web browser, Cisco Jabber messaging integration platform, a Cisco Unified VoIP Phone, a smartphone, or a tablet. Cisco Unity Connection also offers advanced voice-recognition features for hands-free management and extensive Automated Attendant functions such as intelligent routing for inbound phone calls and easily customizable call-filtering and message-alert settings. The Cisco Unity Connection platform operates as a fully virtualized system that can be hosted on a Business Edition 6000 server or a Cisco Services Ready Engine 910 router blade and can accommodate as many as 20,000 mailboxes on each server.

Cisco Unity Express (CUE), available in certain Cisco ISR routers, offers cost-effective voicemail, unified messaging, IVR, and automated-attendant functions for small to medium businesses (SMBs) and enterprise branch offices with as many as 500 workers. Unity Express allows you to access and manage voicemail using a Cisco Unified IP Phone screen, your web browser, or an email system. Integrated Services Routers for which Cisco Unity Express is offered as a network module or advanced integration module include Cisco's 2800, 2900, and 3900 families. Progent offers certified configuration and support services for all Cisco routers.

Cisco Unified Contact Center
Unified Contact Center Enterprise (Unified CCE or UCCE) works with Cisco CUCM and desktop agent applications like Finesse to provide automatic call distribution (ACD) capabilities that allow an organization to match customers with the right salesperson or service representative. UCCE features smart call distribution, computer telephony integration (CTI), multichannel customer contact management, call queuing, interactive voice response and advanced company-wide reporting to simplify the creation and management of a modern customer contact center. Cisco platforms supporting UCCE's customer contact management ecosystem include Unified IP Phones, Cisco Voice Gateways, and Cisco network infrastructure.

Cisco Unified Contact Center Express (CCX) provides an out-of-the-box solution for creating a customer interaction management center for mid-scale deployments that support as many as 400 agents. Several bundles are available, as well as a variety of special options. Cisco Unified Contact Center Express integrates with Cisco Unified Communications Manager and provides intelligent call distribution, client management, reporting, interactive voice response, and management of voice, email, web chat, and social media requests. Unified CCX comes with Cisco Finesse, a web-based desktop agent that requires no client software setup. Advanced options include conditional routing, expected-wait-time announcements, and productivity optimization with workforce and quality management.

Cisco Mobile Connect and Single Number Reach (SNR)
Mobile Connect, commonly known as Single Number Reach, makes it possible for users to be called from a single phone number that rings simultaneously on their desktop IP Phone and their smartphone. Users can transfer live calls between their Cisco IP phone and their smartphone without disruption. Unanswered calls can be redirected to a Unity or Unity Connection voicemail account. Users can create their own access lists that determine which calls are extended to alternate endpoints.

Cisco Prime Collaboration Provisioning
Prime Collaboration offers an automated process for first-time deployments as well as for follow-on moves, additions, changes, and deletions. An intuitive interface provides a unified view of a user and the subscriber's services. Prime Collaboration substantially speeds up site installations and minimizes the time required to implement future changes. Prime Collaboration also provides advanced analytics that show technology adoption and consumption trends, allowing organizations to make more efficient use of resources and further reduce total cost of ownership.

Cisco Communications Gateways
Cisco's communications gateways allow Cisco Unified Communications deployments to communicate with public networks and with users operating outside the firewall. Cisco's portfolio of communication gateways deliver UC services for a wide variety of gateway as well as session-border-control applications.

Collaboration gateways offered by Cisco and supported by Progent include:

Expressway Communication Gateway
Cisco's Expressway is a powerful collaboration gatekeeper that allows organizations to allow team members, vendors, consumers, or business partners who are working on various outside networks, workgroup applications, or endpoint devices to connect to Cisco Unified Communication functions. Cisco's Expressway works with a Cisco CM system or Cisco Business Edition, or can be accessed via the cloud with Cisco Hosted Collaboration Solution to make collaboration more universal. Key capabilities of Cisco Expressway include:

• Mobile and Off-site Connectivity: Remote workers with any Jabber-compatible device or telecommuters with Cisco TelePresence endpoints have the convenience of single-sign-on as well as TLS security and can access all their Jabber workloads (high-definition video, business-quality voice, data IM, and presence) without requiring the extra step of establishing a VPN. Also, telecommuters can use their Cisco TelePresence endpoints without a VPN tunnel, delivering a user experience at home the same as the office.
• Jabber Guest Support: Expressway is integral for enabling Cisco's Jabber Guest, which permits “guests” to communicate with your organization easily and securely using streamlined browser and mobile video phone calls.
• Cisco Cloud Connectivity: Cisco Expressway can function as a gateway that connects between onsite Cisco or non-Cisco systems and Cisco's WebEx cloud. By offering support for Cisco Collaboration Meeting Rooms, Expressway deliver an advanced, scalable meeting environment that seamlessly combines high-quality voice, video, and content sharing to anyone, at any location, on any device.
• Interoperability: If your company already has non-Cisco video systems, Expressway can assist you to migrate easily to Cisco products when it makes business sense. Cisco Expressway offers video compatibility with standards-based H.323, H.264 SVC, or Session Initiation Protocol systems. Gateway capabilities supported by Expressway include IPv4 to IPv6, H.323 to SIP, and Microsoft Lync H.264 SVC to H.264/MPEG-4 AVC.

• Cisco WebEx Cloud Connected Audio (CCA) for high-capacity SIP-based conferencing
• Voice and Video recording
• SIP-based Call-center and interactive-voice-response solutions
• Policy-led security evaluation of phone calls
• B2B teleconferencing over SIP

Cisco's Legacy UC520, UC540 and UC560 VoIP Gateways
The end-of-life Cisco Unified Communications 500 (UC500) product line is an all-in-one VoIP and unified communications appliance and software package for small organizations. UC500 models deliver voice, data, voicemail, auto attendant, video, security, and wireless capabilities, work with older generation Cisco IP Voice phones, and support PSTN connections.

All of Cisco's UC500 packages include a compact switch with 8 PoE ports plus additional FXS and FXO interfaces, a firewall, and VPN support. Built-in WiFi is an option. User capacity can be expanded by attaching Cisco Catalyst Express companion switches. Every UC500 offering also includes software licenses for Cisco Unified Communications Manager for VoIP call processing as well as Cisco Unity Express software for voice messaging and automated attendant. The Cisco UC520 system supports 8 to 16 VoIP users and include 4 foreign exchange stations and 4 FXO ports. The Cisco UC540 package allows 24 to 32 users and has 8 foreign exchange office ports. The Cisco UC560 package supports 48 users and 12 FXO ports.

Progent's Cisco-certified VoIP consultants can help you to support your legacy UC500 VoIP system or plan and carry out a smooth upgrade to a current VoIP solution like Cisco's cloud-managed Business Edition 4000.

How Progent Can Help You with Cisco IP Voice and IP Media Phones, Cisco Unified CM, and Video Conferencing
Progent offers remote or on-premises access to a Cisco Certified Internetwork Expert (CCIE) Collaboration expert to help you to design, implement, manage and troubleshoot converged communications networks based on Cisco Unified Communication products in a centralized, distributed, or hybrid environment. Progent's Cisco-certified engineers have extensive backgrounds with Cisco Unified Communications Manager and Cisco CallManager, VoIP phones and soft phones, UC applications like Jabber and Unity Connection, Cisco's immersive telepresence technologies, communication gatekeepers, utilities incorporated into Cisco switches and routers. Progent can also provide support for related technologies such as Cisco Survivable Remote Site Telephony, Cisco Unified Border Element, H.323 and H.264 gateways, Call Admission Control, VoIP trunks, various signaling protocols, and Cisco's architecture for voice, video and integrated data. Progent's SIP integration experts can also help you to build SIP infrastructure environments that incorporate SIP-based IP voice phones and media endpoints, SIP trunks, SIP conferencing and SIP administration tools with CUCM.

Progent's application programmers can create specialized IP telephony applications that will help your business to incorporate the capabilities of Cisco Unified Communications Manager into your company processes for enhanced productivity. Progent can revue your current network and Internet access infrastructure to determine whether your system is configured to support high-quality Voice over IP and high-definition video, help you to select and install Cisco products that make sense for your current situation and downstream expansion strategy, and interface your Cisco collaborative communications products with technology from other vendors. Progent's CISSP-ISSAP certified data security consultants can show you how to create, implement, and validate a comprehensive security plan for your unified communications ecosystem. In addition, Progent can help your organization to configure Cisco fault-tolerant technologies such as Cisco Unified Survivable Remote Site Telephony (SRST) to provide cost-effective call control redundancy in remote-branch and home-office environments, and Progent's disaster recovery preparedness consultants can help you create a viable disaster recovery plan to protect your crucial unified communications system.

Cisco Unified Communications Manager/CallManager Upgrade Services
Versions of Unified Communications Manager 8.6 earlier than 8.6 and every version of its predecessor CallManager have reached end-of-life. Therefore Cisco Engineering will no longer enhance, repair, or validate the product software. Security updates for this pivotal application will stop, which in some circumstances may create compliance or even potential liability issues.

Progent will continue to offer world-class consulting and troubleshooting support for outdated releases of Unified Communications Manager and CallManager, but if your company is still running an out-of-dated release of this critical software your organization should start now to plan your migration. Progent's collaboration consultants can assist your company to migrate non-disruptively to the latest release of Unified Communications Manager and can often save customers as much as 50% off consulting expense versus most IT service companies because of Progent's documented process and experience in this area. By adhering to best practices, Progent can ensure that your company gets a fast payback on your investment by helping you take full advantage of the enhanced feature set, reduced management and maintenance costs, more productive collaboration capabilities, and tighter data protection provided by the current version of Cisco Unified Communications Manager.

Progent's migration services include ROI analysis, project management, system testing, Cloud connectivity, configuring collaboration endpoints from Cisco and third-party providers, smartphone and tablet integration, security and compliance services, streamlined management, business continuity planning, network infrastructure design, training, and continuing consulting services and troubleshooting. Progent also offers fixed-priced migration service bundles to keep your costs visible and affordable.

To find out additional information concerning Progent's professional expertise for Cisco technology, choose a topic:

• Overview of Cisco Support
• Fast Remote Access to a Cisco Certified Internetwork Expert (CCIE) Engineer
• Cisco Firepower Firewalls: Configuration and Troubleshooting Expertise
• Cisco ASA 5500-X Firewall with Firepower Services: Configuration and Management Expertise
• ASA 5500 Series Firewall Troubleshooting Services
• PIX Firewall Consulting Assistance
• Cisco Routers Engineering Support
• Cisco Wireless Consulting Help
• Cisco Aironet Wireless APs Consulting Support
• Cisco Small Business WiFi APs Deployment Services
• Catalyst 802.11ax Wireless Access Points Solution Design, Deployment and Debugging Services
• Cisco WiFi Controllers Integration Consulting
• Cisco Meraki Wireless Access Points Engineering Services
• Cisco Unified Communications Manager (CUCM or Unified CM) and CallManager Configuration and Troubleshooting
• Cisco Jabber Migration and Support Services
• Cisco Catalyst Switches Engineering Services
• Nexus Switches Support and Troubleshooting Services
• Cisco Meraki MS Switches Consulting and Support Services
• Cisco VPN and Security Consulting Help
• SIP and CUBE Integration Solutions: SIP Trunks and Cisco CUBE Integration Expertise
• Design and Support for Cisco-powered Datacenters and Colocation Centers
• Infrastructure Optimization Consulting for Service Providers
• Streamlined Management Techniques for Cisco Infrastructure