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Exchanging real-time voice and video over Internet Protocol (VoIP and Video over IP) has progressed from simply being being a savvy technique to save money on phone carrier bills to being an indispensable tool for collaboration and worker productivity. Unified communications, once limited to managing Internet-based voice calls and faxing on a single network platform in order to replace expensive PBX systems, now includes VoIP and video, mobile communications, instant messaging, real-time presence, services, and much more all within a cohesive framework that is manageable, scalable, highly secure, resilient, economical, and intuitive.

Cisco is the leader in providing the hardware and software infrastructure for supporting the modern model of unified communications (UC). Cisco's UC architecture adds to the efficiency of IT networks by cutting operating expenses; combining rich media features with popular software applications to improve user output; facilitating collaboration among workers, partners, and vendors to save effort and improve business results; and streamlining the management of your converged voice and data infrastructure.

Cisco's UC solutions include these primary product categories:,

• Call Control Platforms for controlling calls and sessions
• IP Endpoints to enhance worker engagement
• UC Software Applications for more productive access to presence, IM, voice and video, voice messages, white boarding, and voice/video conferencing
• Communications Gateways for interfacing with outside networks and remote users

Call and Session Control Agents - Unified Communications Manager (CallManager)
Cisco's call-processing agent is the heart of Cisco's IP telephony infrastructure and provides the versatility to implement a centralized call-processing design, a decentralized model, or a combination of the two. In a centralized deployment, Cisco Unified Communications Manager (UC Manager or CUCM) extends corporate phone capabilities to packet network devices such as VoIP handsets, media processing devices, VoIP gateways, and mixed media programs across the network. Cisco Unified Communications Manager supports additional voice, video, and data services including unified messaging, multimedia conferencing, and group-based customer interaction networks.

The most recent version of Unified CM, formerly branded CallManager, offers a variety of improvements that accelerate your return on investment by lowering administrative and maintenance costs, increasing user output, enhancing teamwork, accommodating the BYOD style of working, fortifying data protection, and making efficient utilization of network infrastructure. Headline innovations include Global Dial Plan Replication (GDPR), streamlined certificate control, extended support for single sign-on (SSO) for administrators and users, device-independent call recording, on-the-road connectivity without requiring VPN tunneling, a new self-care utility that makes it easy for workers to select their preferences for all endpoint devices, and support for Transport Layer Security and Secure Real-Time Transport Protocol for mobile clients.

In cases where you implement a centralized Cisco Unified Communications Manager cluster to control call processing for customers at remote locations, administrators can help ensure non-stop call operation using Cisco Survivable Remote Site Telephony, a Cisco IOS Software image for Cisco routers. If a Wide Area Network connection breaks, Cisco Survivable Remote Site Telephony in the Cisco router provides basic Cisco Unified Communications Manager functions until the link is restored. For a description of Progent's consulting support for Cisco ISR routers, see consulting support for Cisco ISR routers.

For small businesses, branch locations, and retail environments that do not require the full functionality offered by Unified CM, Cisco Unified Communications Manager Express, previously named CallManager Express provides an economical solution that meets the needs of locations with up to 450 workers. Since Cisco Unified Communications Manager Express Unified Communications Manager Express (Unified CCX) is embedded in the Cisco IOS Software operating on a Cisco router, smaller organizations can rapidly implement a unified voice/data environment.

Cisco's BE6000 is a family of end-to-end solutions that provide essential unified communications features such as routing, gateway, premium voice/video, messaging, IM and presence, conferencing, and paging support, enabling any end user to connect on any endpoint from any location. All Business Edition 6000 solutions are delivered preconfigured with virtualization and Unified Communications applications, making deployment quick and easy and reducing operating expenses for organizations with from 25 to 1000 employees. All solutions are delivered preconfigured with a virtualization hypervisor and collaboration applications software. Organizations can instantly activate UC applications as their needs grow.

The small-scale BE6000S includes five standard UC software applications preloaded on a single integrated router/gateway/virtualized E1600 M2 server device and supports a maximum capacity of 150 users and 300 devices. The mid-market BE6000M includes four unified communications application options enabled on a single virtualized C220 M4 server platform and can handle up to 1000 workers, 1200 endpoint devices, and 100 contact center agents. The high-end BE6000S includes eight UC software application options activated on a virtualized C220 M4 server and supports up to 1000 users, 2500 endpoint devices, and 100 contact center agents.

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

Cisco IP Phones: IP Voice and IP Video Phones
An IP communications endpoint is a user device, either a hardware phone set or a software phone program that runs on a PC or handheld computer. In the IP environment, every VoIP endpoint has an Ethernet connection. Voice over IP phones offer all of the features that an ordinary telephone provides, but Voice over IP phones can also provide extra functions such as the ability to access websites or run collaboration applications.

In contrast to ordinary PBX systems, in a Cisco IP phone environment you can implement virtually instantaneous moves, adds, and changes. All you do is take the IP handset to its new spot, attach it to an Ethernet connection, and the device registers itself with Cisco Unified Communications Manager. All user rights and configurations are programmatically re-established, doing away with the cost and delay of dispatching support personnel to wiring closets. Another useful capability is extension mobility, which allows you to sign into any Cisco VoIP phone and receive your personal phone ID and privileges.

Cisco offers a wide selection of Unified CM handsets. The low-cost SPA 300 family are basic IP and Digital Enhanced Cordless Telecommunications (DECT) screenless or monochrome phones that feature high-quality audio, compatibility with hosted IP phone environments or an IP private branch exchange, simple installation and secure remote installation, in-service software upgrades, and web-based set up. The value-priced SPA301 is a single-line VoIP phone with no display or speakerphone, a base dialer with a single Ethernet connector, and a corded handset with no keys. The SPA302D, designed solely for use with Cisco's SPA232D DECT ATA, is a multiline wireless Digital Enhanced Cordless Telecommunications handset that offers 10-lines, a TFT 176 x 220 pixel color display, and a keypad with a speakerphone. The SPA303 is an economical 3-line SIP-based IP phone with two Ethernet ports, a 128x64 mono display and a speakerphone.

Cisco's SPA500 family VoIP phones are affordable endpoints that support SIP and SPCP call control protocols, two switch ports, speakerphones, Power over Ethernet, and voice conferencing support. Most versions have a 128 x 64 monochrome screen display, The SPA501G has eight lines and has eight soft keys 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 buttons. The SPA508G VoIP phone supports eight lines and eight soft keys. The SPA509G supports 12 lines and has 12 programmable keys. The SPA512G VoIP phone supports four lines, no soft keys and supports 1xGb Ethernet. The SPA514G VoIP phone supports four lines, has programmable keys, and supports 10/100/1000 Ethernet. The high-end SPA525G2 IP Phone has a 320 x 240 pixel color display, supports five lines, and features five soft buttons.

Cisco's Unified IP Phones 3900 Series and 6900 Series are specialty VoIP devices intended for infrequent-use environments like lobbies, elevators, and conference centers. Cisco's Unified SIP Phone 3905 IP Phone features a 128 x 32 monochrome screen, a Ethernet switch, a speakerphone, and Power over Ethernet. The simple Cisco Unified IP Phone 6901 is a single-line endpoint with no display and requires a hook switch for transferring a call or joining a conference.

Cisco's 7800 Series of value-priced IP phones are VoIP desktop devices with backlit monochrome screens, four soft buttons, 11 fixed-feature buttons, an integral Ethernet port with Class 1 PoE, and a speakerphone. The 7800 Series support only the SIP call control protocol. All devices in Cisco's 7800 line incorporate the same advanced speakers and microphones as Cisco's 8800 Series IP phones to deliver a state-of-the-art audio experience. Cisco's EnergyWise power-save technology, offered on the higher end 7800 units, reduces off-hours energy consumption by as much as 60 percent. The Cisco IP Phone 7811 is a single-line VoIP phone designed for common locations as well as for employees with infrequent voice communications needs. The IP 7811 comes with a 3.28-inch 384 x 106 screen plus a narrow-band speakerphone. Wideband audio is offered via an optional wideband handset. Cisco's IP Phone 7821 is a dual-line VoIP phone with a 396 x 162 screen. The IP Phone 7841 is a four-line VoIP endpoint with a 396 x 162 display and is the only unit in the 7800 family to support Gigabit Ethernet. The high-end IP Phone 7861 VoIP phone is a 16-line endpoint targeted for administrators, call center agents, and supervisors who have heavy call requirements.

Cisco Unified IP Phone 7900 Series are dual-protocol (SIP/SCCP) media endpoints with a 320 x 240 pixel color display, an integral 1xGb Ethernet switch, Class 3 Power over Ethernet, 10 dedicated keys and a speakerphone. The Cisco Unified IP Phone 7945G is a dual-line device and the Cisco Unified IP Phone 7965G supports four lines. Both IP phones have a 5-inch screen and four soft buttons. The Cisco Unified IP Phone 7975G device is an eight-line media phone featuring a 5.6-inch touch screen and five soft keys.

Cisco's IP Phone 8800 Series is a family of SIP-based endpoints that includes desktop units, a conference IP 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 buttons and 12 dedicated keys. Cisco's IP Phone 8811 features a backlit mono display and supports Class 2 Power over Ethernet. The Cisco IP Phone 8841 has a WVGA color screen and supports Class 2 PoE. Cisco's IP Phone 8845 has a WVGA color display, 720p HD video, a tiltable camera, Bluetooth, Cisco Intelligent Proximity for Mobile Voice, and supports Class 2 Power over Ethernet. The Cisco IP Phone 8851 has a WVGA color screen and one USB connection with charging capability, supports Intelligent Proximity for Mobile Voice and Class 3 Power over Ethernet, and is available in Bluetooth and non-Bluetooth versions. The Cisco IP Phone 8861 includes a WVGA color display, Bluetooth, two USB connections with charging capability, and supports Cisco Intelligent Proximity for Mobile Voice, Wi-Fi, and Class 4 Power over Ethernet. The Cisco IP Phone 8865 includes a WVGA color display, 720p HD video, a tiltable camera, Bluetooth, dual USB connections with charging capability, and supports Cisco Intelligent Proximity for Mobile Voice, 802.11ac Wi-Fi, and Class 4 Power over Ethernet.

Cisco's wireless IP phones are industrial-grade wireless handsets designed for workers who are mobile within campus, hospitality, retail or other venues where management wants user endpoints that offer more control, security and ruggedness than is achievable with the BYOD (Bring-Your-Own-Device) mode of workplace communications. Cisco's 8821 and 8812-EX wireless IP phones provide on-the-move on-premises workers the benefits of voice over wireless LAN (VoWLAN) communications in workplaces with 802.11a/b/g/n/ac Wi-Fi. The 8821 Wireless IP Phone includes a hi-res color display, a durable shell designed for shock resistance and compliant with IP67 for dust and splash resistance, long-life batteries, a built-in speakerphone, and a Bluetooth transceiver for hands-free operation with cordless headsets. Cisco's 8821-EX Wireless IP Phone adds spark suppression for potentially combustible work sites. Cisco's 8821-EX also features a case fabricated out of yellow plastics, which makes it easy to find during a crisis. Find out about Progent's Cisco Wireless IP Phone integration consultants.

Cisco's discontinued 9900 line of powerful IP endpoints mix high-definition voice with business-grade color screens to provide a rich multimedia experience for knowledge professionals and executive management. The two models in the 9900 family have a Standard Definition 640x480 pixel color display, a Bluetooth radio to work with a wide range of headsets, and a built-in 10/100/1000 Ethernet port. Cisco's EnergyWise power-save function is optional and can reduce off-work power use by 90 percent. The IP Phone 9951 features a 5-inch display and supports up to 2 Cisco IP Color Key Expansion Modules for expanding customizable line and function keys. The Cisco IP Phone 9971 features a 5.6-inch screen, an integrated Wi-Fi radio for connecting to Voice-over-WLAN networks, and four soft-label programmable touchscreen keys to invoke Cisco Unified Communications features. The 9971 VoIP phone supports up to 3 Cisco IP Color Key Expansion Modules for adding customizable line and function keys.

Unified Communications Application Software
Under Cisco's Unified Communications architecture, IP phone, video, and other UC applications are separate from the call/voice processing infrastructure, and they may reside anywhere within the system. A single network framework provides a versatile platform for powerful business applications and acts as a solid basis for downstream convergence-based applications. Cisco works with third-party technology companies to offer a wide selection of IP telephony and video applications and products. Cisco also supports the capability to develop and administer specialized in-house applications.

Collaborative application software available from Cisco and supported by Progent's consultants include:

Jabber
Jabber is a UC application that supports presence, instant messaging, voice, HD video, voicemail, screen sharing, and real-time conferencing features for Windows PCs, Macs, tablets as well as smartphones. Cisco Jabber is a rebranding and combination of the Unified Personal Communicator soft phone, Cisco Mobile, and WebEx Connect, with significant enhancements to HD video capabilities and desktop sharing, and extending the team environment to more platforms and endpoint hardware. Jabber operates in conjunction with Unified Communications Manager for call control, Cisco Unified Presence for IM and presence, Cisco Unity Connection for voicemail and programmable attendant, and WebEX Meeting for conferencing and online meetings.

Since Jabber is based on key industry standards, it can interoperate with a wide selection of non-Cisco platforms. For instance, XMPP enables Jabber users to trade instant messaging and presence data with a variety of XMPP clients such as Adium, Sametime, and Microsoft Lync. Jabber collaboration features can be accessed from Microsoft Office programs such as Microsoft Outlook and SharePoint. This broad platform compatibility maximizes output by providing a consistent user environment and fully enabling the bring-your-own-device paradigm of computing. Progent can provide the assistance of Microsoft-certified Exchange consultants and Microsoft SharePoint application developers who can assist you to integrate Jabber with Microsoft's premier collaboration products. Progent also offers expertise with iPhone integration and Google Android smartphone integration to assist your organization to enhance the productivity of your BYOD ecosystem.

WebEX Meeting Center
Cisco WebEx Meeting Center enables web and video meetings for users with a web browser or almost any PC or mobile computer. WebEx Meeting Center is offered as software as a service through the Cisco WebEx Cloud. This makes it simple to roll out and scale, streamlines management, avoids major up-front expenditures, offers maximum uptime and enterprise-class security, and provides excellent performance. Key capabilities include support for sharing specific content or your whole screen with remote attendees in real time, the capability to incorporate multimedia into your presentations including Microsoft PowerPoint and Flash videos, network-based recording plus editing and playback for training, single sign-on and integration with Cisco collaboration products such as Jabber and Cisco TelePresence, plus strong data protection and encrypted connections with tight policy control.

Cisco WebEx Meeting Center runs on Microsoft Windows, Mac, and Linux desktops and notebooks and allows mobile workers to start, schedule, and attend conferences on Android smartphones and tablets, iPhones and iPads, BlackBerry handhelds, and Microsoft Windows Phone. Users can also launch web meetings instantly from Microsoft Office, Outlook, Lotus Notes, and a selection of IM applications.

Cisco TelePresence Products for In-house Teleconferencing Ecosystems
For medium-size businesses and enterprises who want to create an on-premises or hybrid in-house/cloud environment for teleconferencing, Cisco provides a selection of Cisco TelePresence software and equipment that deliver high-quality video conferencing for attendees with almost any endpoint device at any site. Cisco TelePresence Server is a scalable teleconferencing bridge that runs with Cisco Unified Communications Manager to provide multiparty video, audio and content sharing to unified communications environments and can extend conferences to support cloud-based WebEx Meeting Center participants. Cisco TelePresence Conductor software streamlines the control of the way conferencing resources should be rationed for every individual participant, enabling administrators to specify the exact service level and user experience required for each user. Cisco TelePresence Content Server records video and presentations for live distribution as well as on-demand playback.

Cisco's Unity Connection Platform and Unity Express for Unified Voicemail and Automated Attendant
Cisco's Unity Connection, an integrated extension of Unified CM, is a converged voicemail system that facilitates collaboration by providing flexible set of options for accessing voice messages within an environment that is easy to implement and administer. Unity Connection allows you to read and manage voice messages from your Exchange inbox, web browser, Cisco Jabber messaging integration platform, a Cisco Unified IP Phone, a smartphone, or a tablet. Unity Connection also provides sophisticated voice-recognition capabilities for hands-free operation and powerful Automated Attendant features such as smart routing for incoming phone calls and custom call-filtering and message-notification options. The Cisco Unity Connection platform runs as a virtual machine that can reside on a BE6000 server or a Cisco SRE 910 router blade and can accommodate up to 20,000 voice mailboxes on each server.

Cisco Unity Express (CUE), available in certain Cisco ISR routers, provides affordable voicemail, unified messaging, interactive voice response, and greeting functions for small to medium businesses (SMBs) and enterprise branch offices with up to 500 users. Cisco Unity Express allows you to manage voicemail messages via a Cisco IP Phone screen, your web browser, or an email system. Cisco routers for which Unity Express is available as a network module or advanced integration module include Cisco's 1861, 2800, 2900, 3800, and 3900 Series. Progent can provide certified consulting and troubleshooting services for all Cisco routers.

Cisco Unified Contact Center
Cisco Unified Contact Center Enterprise (Unified CCE or UCCE) works with CUCM and agent desktop applications such as Finesse to provide automatic call distribution (ACD) features that allow an organization to connect customers with the right sales or support person. Unified CCE or UCCE offers intelligent call distribution, computer telephony integration, support for multichannel contact management, network call queuing, IVR and advanced company-wide reporting to simplify the creation and administration of a large-scale contact center. Cisco products incorporated in Unified CCE's client interaction management solution include Unified IP Phones, Voice, and Cisco network infrastructure.

Unified Contact Center Express (Unified CCX) offers a packaged solution for creating a customer interaction management center for mid-scale systems that handle up to 400 agents. Multiple bundles are offered, plus a selection of optional enhancements. Cisco Unified Contact Center Express works with CUCM and offers intelligent call routing, contact interaction management, reporting, IVR, and the ability to manage voice, email, web chat, and social media requests. Cisco Unified Contact Center Express includes Cisco Finesse, a web-based customizable desktop agent that needs no client-side 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 referred to as Single Number Reach, allows users to be reached via a single phone number that rings simultaneously on their desktop VoIP Phone and their cell phone. Users can transfer live conversations between their Cisco VoIP phone and their smartphone seamlessly. Unanswered calls can be redirected to a Unity or Unity Connection voicemail account. Users can create their own access lists that specify which calls get extended to different phones.

Prime Collaboration Provisioning
Prime Collaboration Provisioning offers an automated process for first-time deployments and for follow-on moves, additions, changes, and deletions. An intuitive interface provides a single view of a subscriber and the subscriber's services. Prime Collaboration Provisioning significantly speeds up company-wide rollouts and reduces the effort needed to implement future updates. Prime Collaboration in addition provides management analytics that show application adoption and usage trends, allowing organizations to optimize IT resources and further reduce TCO.

Cisco Communications Gateways
Cisco's collaboration gateways permit Cisco Unified Communications environments to communicate with other systems and with users operating outside the corporate firewall. Cisco's line of communication gateways deliver UC services for a wide variety of gateway and session-border-control deployments.

Communications gateways offered by Cisco and supported by Progent's certified consultants include:

Cisco Expressway Communication Gateway
Cisco's Expressway is an advanced unified communications and collaboration gateway that allows organizations to allow employees, vendors, consumers, or business partners who are working on various outside networks, collaboration platforms, or endpoint equipment to access to Unified Communication features. Cisco's Expressway gateway works in conjunction with a Cisco CM system or Cisco Business Edition 6000, or can be accessed via the cloud with Cisco HCS to help make productive collaboration more pervasive. Key features of Expressway are are:

• Mobile and Remote Access: Off-site workers who have any Jabber-supported desktop or handheld computer or teleworkers with Cisco TelePresence endpoints get the convenience of single-sign-on as well as Transport Layer Security (TLS) and are able to access all their collaboration applications (high-definition video, high-quality voice, rich content IM, and presence) without the extra step of establishing a VPN. Also, teleworkers have the ability to utilize their Cisco TelePresence endpoints without the need for a VPN, delivering a user experience at home that is the same as the office.
• Cisco Jabber Guest Support: Cisco Expressway is critical for enabling Cisco's Jabber Guest, which makes it possible for “guests” to communicate with your business simply and safely through streamlined browser and mobile multimedia phone calls.
• Cisco Cloud Connectivity: Expressway can act as a gateway that connects between onsite Cisco or non-Cisco collaboration solutions and the WebEx cloud. By offering support for Cisco Collaboration Meeting Rooms, Expressway deliver an advanced, scalable conferencing environment that seamlessly combines high-quality voice, high-definition video, and data sharing to anyone, at any location, on any device.
• Interoperability: In case your organization currently has third-party video technology, Expressway can help you to move efficiently to a Cisco solution when it makes business sense. Cisco Expressway offers video compatibility with standards-based H.323, H.264 SVC, or Session Initiation Protocol (SIP) systems. Gateway capabilities allowed by Cisco Expressway include IPv4 to IPv6, H.323 to SIP, and Microsoft Lync H.264 SVC to H.264/MPEG-4 AVC.

• WebEx Cloud Connected Audio for high-capacity SIP-based conferencing
• Voice and Video recording
• Enterprise Call-center and interactive-voice-response applications
• Policy-based security evaluation of phone calls
• Business-to-business teleconferencing over SIP

Cisco's Legacy UC520, UC540 and UC560 VoIP Phone Systems
The legacy Cisco Unified Communications 500 (UC500) Series is a VoIP gateway solution for small organizations. UC500 models deliver voice, data, voicemail, auto attendant, video, firewall, and wireless functionality, run with older Cisco VoIP phones, and support various public switched telephone network (PSTN) connections.

All UC500 packages include a desktop switch appliance with 8 PoE interfaces plus additional foreign exchange stations (FXS) and foreign exchange office (FXO) interfaces, a firewall, and VPN support. Integrated WiFi is an option. VoIP user capacity can be increased by connecting with Cisco Catalyst Express companion switches. Every UC500 offering also includes software licenses for Cisco Unified Communications Manager for VoIP call processing and Cisco Unity Express software for voice messaging and automated attendant. The Cisco UC520 system supports 8 to 16 VoIP users and incorporate 4 foreign exchange stations and 4 FXO ports. The Cisco UC540 system allows 24 to 32 clients and has 8 foreign exchange office interfaces. The Cisco UC560 package allows 48 VoIP clients and 12 FXO interfaces.

Progent's Cisco-certified VoIP experts can help you to maintain your legacy UC500 VoIP system or design and implement an efficient migration to a modern VoIP solution 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 Video Conferencing
Progent offers online or onsite help from a certified CCIE Collaboration specialist to assist your business to design, implement, administer and repair unified communications networks based on Cisco Unified Communication products in a centralized, distributed, or hybrid environment. Progent's Cisco engineers have in-depth backgrounds integrating Cisco Unified Communications Manager and Cisco CallManager, IP voice and video phones and other endpoints, Unified Communications applications such as Jabber and WebEx Meeting Center, Cisco's immersive telepresence technologies, communication gateways, tools incorporated into Cisco Catalyst switches and routers. Progent can also offer expertise with technologies such as Cisco Survivable Remote Site Telephony, CUBE, H.323 and H.264 gateways, Call Admission Control, VoIP trunks, PSTN, and Cisco's architecture for voice, video and integrated data. Progent's SIP infrastructure consultants can also help you to build SIP infrastructure environments that incorporate SIP IP voice phones and media phones, SIP trunks, and SIP administration tools via CUCM.

Progent's custom application developers can create specialized IP telephony software that will help your organization to integrate the capabilities of Cisco Unified Communications Manager into your company operations for increased productivity. Progent can evaluate your existing network and Internet connectivity infrastructure to make sure your system is optimized to support high-quality VoIP and HD video, assist you to choose and install Cisco hardware and software appropriate for your current needs and downstream growth strategy, and integrate your Cisco Unified Communications products with technology from other suppliers. Progent's CISSP-ISSAP certified data security and compliance consultants can show you how to develop, deploy, and test a comprehensive security and compliance plan for your unified communications ecosystem. Also, Progent can help your organization to deploy Cisco fault-tolerant technologies such as Cisco Unified Survivable Remote Site Telephony to provide cost-effective call control backup in branch office and home-office sites, and Progent's disaster recovery and business continuity preparedness consultants can help you develop a sensible disaster recovery plan to protect your crucial communications system.

Unified Communications Manager/CallManager Migration Services
Releases of Unified Communications Manager 8.6 earlier than 8.6 and all releases of CallManager have arrived at end-of-life. This means Cisco Engineering will no longer develop, repair, or test this older software. Security updates for this business-critical application will end, which in certain circumstances may cause regulatory compliance or potential liability problems.

Progent continues to provide premier support for end-of-life editions of Cisco Unified CM and CallManager, but if your business is now running a legacy release of this critical application your organization should begin now to plan your upgrade. Progent's collaboration consultants can help you to upgrade efficiently to the current version of Unified Communications Manager and can typically save clients as much as 50% off consulting costs compared to competing IT service companies because of Progent's documented process and hands-on experience in this practice area. By following leading practices, Progent can ensure that your company realizes a quick payback on your investment by helping you take full advantage of the enhanced feature set, reduced administrative and maintenance expense, more engaging collaboration, and tighter data protection provided by the latest edition of Unified CM.

Progent's migration services include ROI analysis, project management, system testing, Cloud integration, configuring endpoint devices from Cisco and other vendors, mobile connectivity, data protection services, streamlined management, disaster recovery/business continuity planning, network architecture design, training for IT staff and end users, and ongoing consulting and troubleshooting. Progent also has put together fixed-priced upgrade packages to keep your costs predictable and under control.

For more information concerning Progent's consulting expertise for Cisco technology, select a topic:

• Introduction to Progent's Cisco Network Support
• Fast Remote Help from a Cisco Certified Internetwork Expert (CCIE) Network Engineer
• Cisco Firepower Series Firewalls: Integration and Management Services
• Cisco ASA 5500-X Firewalls with Firepower: Consulting and Management Services
• Cisco ASA 5500 Firewall Engineering Expertise
• PIX 500 Series Firewall Engineering Assistance
• Cisco Routers Consulting Expertise
• Cisco Wireless Consulting Services
• Aironet Access Points Design Support
• Cisco Small Business 100, 300 and 500 WiFi Access Points Consulting Expertise
• Cisco Catalyst Wi-Fi 6 Wireless APs Solution Design, Configuration and Troubleshooting Expertise
• Cisco WiFi Controllers Experts
• Cisco Meraki Wireless Access Points Consulting Services
• Cisco Unified Communications Manager (CUCM or Unified CM) and Cisco CallManager Integration and Technical Support
• Cisco Jabber Deployment Services
• Catalyst Switches Deployment Expertise
• Cisco Nexus Switches Configuration and Maintenance Services
• Cisco Meraki Switches Support and Troubleshooting Services
• Cisco VPN and Security Engineering Assistance
• SIP and CUBE Infrastructure Solutions: SIP PSTN Trunks and CUBE Integration Expertise
• Design and Support for Cisco-based Data Centers
• Infrastructure Optimization Services for Service Providers
• Streamlined Management Strategies for Cisco-based Environments