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Sending live voice and video over Internet Protocol has evolved from simply being being a smart means to reduce phone bills to being a required tool for collaboration and worker productivity. Converged IP communications, once restricted to combining Internet-based voice calls and faxing on the same platform in order to replace expensive PBX systems, today incorporates VoIP and video, mobile communications, chat, real-time presence, services, and more in a single framework that is manageable, extensible, protected, resilient, economical, and intuitive.

Cisco is the leader in supplying the hardware and software infrastructure for supporting the modern model of unified communications (UC). Cisco's unified communications solution adds to the productivity of information networks by slashing operational expenses; integrating multiple collaboration features with popular software programs to increase worker output; facilitating collaboration among workers, partners, and vendors to save time and enhance business outcomes; and simplifying the administration of your communications infrastructure.

Cisco's UC solutions include several primary product areas:,

• Call Control Agents for managing rich media calls and sessions
• VoIP and Video Phones and Softphones to enhance end-user productivity
• UC Software Applications for integrated access to real-time, IM, voice and video, voice messages, white boarding, and voice/video conferencing
• IP Gateways for providing connectivity with public networks and telecommuters

Call Control Software - Unified Communications Manager/CallManager
Cisco's call-processing agent is the centerpiece of Cisco's IP telephony solution and gives you the flexibility to implement a centralized call-processing model, a decentralized design, or a mix of both. In a centralized deployment, Unified Communications Manager (UC Manager or CUCM) extends corporate phone capabilities to packet telephony products such as VoIP phones, media processing appliances, VoIP gateways, and multimedia programs across the IT environment. Cisco Unified Communications Manager supports extra voice, video, and data functions including unified messaging, video conferencing, and collaborative customer interaction networks.

The latest version of Cisco Unified Communications Manager, formerly branded Cisco CallManager, offers a wealth of improvements that accelerate ROI by cutting administrative and maintenance expenses, increasing user output, facilitating collaboration, supporting the bring-your-own-device style of working, strengthening data protection, and making efficient utilization of network infrastructure. Top innovations include Global Dial Plan Replication (GDPR), simplified certificate control, extended support for standards-based single sign-on (SSO) for administrators and end users, device-agnostic call recording, mobile access with no need for VPN, a revamped self-provisioning utility that makes it simple for workers to manage 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 Unified Communications Manager cluster to control voice processing for customers at distributed locations, IT managers can help achieve continuous call operation through Cisco SRST, a Cisco IOS Software image for routers. If a WAN connection breaks, Cisco Survivable Remote Site Telephony incorporated in the Cisco router provides core Unified Communications Manager functions until the connection is repaired. To learn about Progent's consulting support for Cisco routers, refer to consulting and troubleshooting support for Cisco Integrated Services routers.

For small business networks, branch offices, and retail environments that do not need the full feature set offered by Unified CM, Unified Communications Manager Express, previously known as CallManager Express provides a cost-effective PBX alternative that meets the needs of sites with as many as 450 workers. Because Cisco Unified Communications Manager Express Unified Communications Manager Express (Unified CCX) is embedded in the Cisco IOS Software running on a Cisco Integrated Services Router (ISR), smaller offices can quickly deploy a unified voice/data environment.

The Cisco Business Edition 6000 is a family of complete platforms that offer essential collaboration features such as routing, gateway, high definition voice and video, messaging, chat and presence, voice and video conferencing, and paging support, allowing any end user to collaborate on any device from any site. All Business Edition 6000 solutions come preinstalled with virtualization and UC applications, making deployment fast and simple and cutting operating expenses for companies with from 25 to 1000 employees. All solutions come preconfigured with virtualization and UC applications software. You can simply enable Unified Communications applications as their needs dictate.

The small-scale Business Edition 6000S supports five fixed unified communications software applications installed on one integrated router/gateway/virtualized E1600 M2 blade server platform and supports a maximum capacity of 150 users and 300 endpoint devices. The medium-scale Business Edition 6000M supports four unified communications application options activated on a single virtualized Cisco C220 M4 server and supports up to 1000 workers, 1200 endpoint devices, and 100 contact center agents. The high-end Business Edition 6000H includes eight collaboration software application options activated on a single virtualized C220 M4 server and supports as many as 1000 users, 2500 endpoint devices, and 100 contact center agents.

For additional details about Progent's expertise with Unified Communications Manager, visit Unified Communications Manager (CUCM) and Cisco CallManager planning, configuration, migration and troubleshooting.

IP Phones: IP Voice and IP Video Endpoints
An IP communications endpoint is an end-user instrument, and can be a hardware phone or a soft phone application on a PC or handheld computer. In the Internet Protocol world, each VoIP phone is Ethernet connected. Voice over IP phones offer all of the functions that a conventional phone handset has, but VoIP phones can also provide extra features including the ability to access the web or host productivity-enhancing applications.

Unlike conventional PBX technology, in a Cisco IP phone environment you can implement virtually instantaneous relocations, additions, and changes. You merely take the IP handset to your new location, plug it into the Ethernet connection, and the IP phone registers itself with Cisco Unified Communications Manager. All user permissions and settings are programmatically re-established, eliminating the cost and delay of dispatching support personnel to wiring closets. Another helpful feature is extension mobility, which enables you to log into any Cisco IP device and get your personal phone ID and rights.

Cisco provides a broad range 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, easy installation and highly secure remote provisioning, zero-downtime software upgrades, and browser-based set up. The value-priced SPA301 is a single-line VoIP endpoint with no display or speakerphone function, a base dialer with a single Ethernet connector, and a wired handset with no a keypad. The SPA302D, intended solely for operation with Cisco's SPA232D DECT Analog Telephone Adapter, is a multiple-line wireless DECT handset that offers 10-lines, a TFT 176 x 220 pixel color display, and a dial pad with a speakerphone. The SPA303 is an economical 3-line IP phone with dual switched ports, a 128x64 monochrome screen and a speaker.

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

Cisco's IP Phones 3900 Series and IP Phones 6900 Series are specialty VoIP endpoints designed for infrequent-use settings like lobbies, hallways, and conference facilities. The Unified SIP Phone 3905 features VoIP phone features a 128 x 32 pixel monochrome non-backlit display, an integrated 10/100 Ethernet switch, a speakerphone, and PoE. The simple Cisco Unified IP Phone 6901 is a single-line device without a display and uses a hook switch for call transfer or joining a conference.

Cisco's 7800 family of economical IP phones are VoIP endpoints with backlit monochrome screens, four soft buttons, 11 fixed-feature keys, an integral Ethernet switch with Power over Ethernet (PoE), and a speakerphone. Cisco's 7800 Series VoIP phones support only the SIP call control protocol. All devices in the 7800 line feature the same advanced speakers and microphones as Cisco's 8800 Series IP phones to deliver a state-of-the-art audio solution. Cisco's EnergyWise power-save feature, available on the higher end 7800 models, reduces after-hours energy usage by up to 60 percent. The Cisco IP Phone 7811 is a single-line phone intended for shared locations as well as for employees with occasional-to-light voice communications requirements. The IP 7811 comes with a 3.28-inch 384 x 106 display plus a narrow-band speakerphone. Wideband audio is offered through an optional wideband handset. Cisco's IP Phone 7821 is a two-line endpoint with a 396 x 162 screen. The IP Phone 7841 is a four-line endpoint with a 396 x 162 screen and is the only unit in the 7800 family to support 1xGb Ethernet. The high-end IP Phone 7861 is a 16-line endpoint intended for administrators, contact center personnel, and supervisors who have heavy call needs.

The Cisco Unified IP Phone 7900 Series are SIP and SCCP IP voice and video endpoints with a 320 x 240 color display, an integral 10/100/1000 Ethernet switch, Class 3 Power over Ethernet, 10 dedicated buttons and a speakerphone. The Cisco Unified IP Phone 7945G is a dual-line unit and the Cisco Unified IP Phone 7965G supports four lines. Both VoIP phones include a 5-inch display and four programmable keys. 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 portfolio of SIP-based IP phones that features desktop devices, a conference phone, and mobile wireless IP Phones. The desktop models are five-line IP phones with a 5-inch 800 x 480 display, a Gigabit Ethernet switch, a speakerphone, four programmable keys and 12 dedicated keys. Cisco's IP Phone 8811 includes a backlit monochrome display and supports Class 2 Power over Ethernet. The Cisco 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, a tiltable camera, Bluetooth, Cisco Intelligent Proximity for Mobile Voice, and supports Class 2 Power over Ethernet. The Cisco IP Phone 8851 features a WVGA color display and a USB port 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, 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, an adjustable camera, Bluetooth, dual USB connections with charging capability, and supports Cisco Intelligent Proximity for Mobile Voice, 802.11ac Wi-Fi, and Class 4 PoE.

Cisco's wireless IP phones are industrial-grade Wi-Fi handsets intended for workers who are on the move within office, warehouse, health-care or other environments where management requires user endpoints that provide more control, security and durability than is possible with the BYOD style of workplace communications. Cisco's 8821 and 8812-EX wireless VoIP phones offer mobile onsite users the benefits of voice over wireless LAN (VoWLAN) technology in workplaces with 802.11a/b/g/n/ac Wi-Fi. The 8821 Wireless IP Phone includes a hi-res color screen, a durable case designed to withstand dropping and compliant with IP67 for dust and splash resistance, extended batteries, a full-duplex speakerphone, and an integrated Bluetooth radio for hands-free operation with wireless headsets. The 8821-EX Wireless IP Phone adds protection against sparking for use in hazardous environments. Cisco's 8821-EX also features a shell fabricated of industry-standard yellow plastics, which makes the 8821-EX easy to find in a crisis. Find out about Progent's Wireless IP Phone integration and troubleshooting consultants.

Cisco's legacy 9900 Series of advanced IP endpoints mix high-definition voice with hi-res color video to offer a productive multimedia unified communications solution for knowledge professionals and executives. The two IP phones in this family have a Standard Definition 24-bit color display, a Bluetooth 2.0 radio to support a wide choice of headsets, and an integrated 1 GE Ethernet port. The Cisco Power Save feature is offered as an option and can cut off-hour power draw by as much as 90 percent. The IP Phone 9951 features a 5-inch display and supports up to 2 IP Expansion Modules for expanding customizable line and feature keys. The Cisco IP Phone 9971 features a 5.6-inch screen, a built-in 802.11a/b/g Wi-Fi transceiver for connecting to Voice-over-WLAN environments, and 4 soft-label touchscreen keys to invoke Cisco UC functions. The 9971 allows up to 3 IP Expansion Modules for expanding customizable line and function keys.

Cisco Unified Communications Applications
Within Cisco's Unified Communications architecture, IP phone, video, and other converged applications are isolated from the call- and voice-processing mechanism, and they may be anywhere within the system. A cohesive network framework provides an open environment for powerful business applications and acts as a firm foundation for downstream convergence-based software. Cisco works with third-party technology vendors to provide a wide selection of IP phone and IP video applications and devices. Cisco also supports the ability to create and manage customized internal applications.

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

Cisco Jabber
Jabber is a converge media application that provides presence, IM, voice, HD video, voice messaging, screen sharing, and real-time conferencing capabilities for Windows PCs, Apple Macs, Apple and Android tablets plus iPhones, Android phones, and Blackberries. Cisco Jabber is an evolution and combination of the Unified Personal Communicator, Cisco Mobile, and Cisco WebEx Connect, with important improvements to video capabilities and desktop screen sharing, and extending the collaboration experience to more platforms and devices. Jabber works with Cisco Unified CM for call and session control, Cisco Unified Presence for IM and presence, Unity Connection for voice messaging and automated attendant, and Cisco WebEx Meeting for conferencing.

Because Cisco Jabber is built around key communication standards, it can communicate with a wide selection of non-Cisco products. For example, XMPP allows Jabber users to trade instant messaging and presence data with a variety of XMPP clients including as Adium for Mac, IBM Sametime, and Microsoft Lync and Office Communications Server. Cisco Jabber collaboration features can be accessed from Microsoft Office applications such as Microsoft Outlook and SharePoint. This extensive platform support maximizes productivity by providing a common user experience and fully enabling the BYOD model of computing. Progent offers the expertise of certified Exchange consultants and Microsoft SharePoint experts who can assist you to integrate Jabber with Microsoft's premier collaboration platforms. Progent also offers expertise with iPhone and iPad integration and Google Android phone and tablet integration to assist your organization to increase the business value of your BYOD ecosystem.

WebEX Meeting Center
Cisco WebEx Meeting Center provides online meetings for participants using a browser or virtually any desktop or mobile computer. Cisco WebEx is delivered as software as a service via the Cisco WebEx Cloud. This makes it easy to roll out and scale, streamlines administration, avoids high initial expenditures, offers maximum uptime and enterprise-class security, and delivers consistently high throughput. Important features include support for sharing discrete content or your entire screen display with remote participants in real time, the ability to embed rich media into your presentations including Microsoft PowerPoint and Flash animations, session and content recording plus editing and playback for future reference and training, single sign-on (SSO) and integration with other Cisco collaboration products like Jabber and Cisco TelePresence, plus strong data protection and encrypted connections with tight policy control.

WebEX Meeting Center runs on Microsoft Windows, Apple Mac, and Linux desktops and notebooks and allows mobile workers to launch, schedule, and take part in meetings on Google Android smartphones and tablets, iPhones and iPads, BlackBerry handhelds, and Microsoft Windows Phone. You can also initiate web conferences with a few clicks from Microsoft Office, Microsoft Outlook, Lotus Notes, and a selection of IM solutions.

Cisco TelePresence Products for On-premises Video Conferencing Infrastructure
For medium-size organizations and larger enterprises who wish to create an in-house or hybrid local/cloud environment for video conferencing, Cisco provides a selection of Cisco TelePresence products that deliver high-quality and standards-based video conferencing for attendees with almost any endpoint device at any site. Cisco TelePresence Server is an expandable video conferencing bridge that works in conjunction with Cisco Unified Communications Manager to provide multiparty video, audio and content sharing to unified communications deployments and can extend conferences to support cloud-based Cisco WebEx Meeting Center users. Cisco TelePresence Conductor software simplifies management of how video conferencing bandwidth and features should be rationed for every individual attendee, allowing administrators to specify the precise service level and experience required for each user. Cisco TelePresence Content Server captures video conference presentations for live streaming as well as video on demand (VOD) playback.

Cisco's Unity Connection Platform and Unity Express for Unified Voicemail and Automated Attendant
The Cisco Unity Connection, an extension of Cisco Unified CM, is a unified voicemail platform that promotes teamwork by offering flexible set of options for retrieving calls and messages within a framework that is easy to deploy and administer. Cisco Unity Connection allows you to read and manage your voicemail messages from your email inbox, web browser, Cisco Jabber messaging integration platform, a Cisco Unified IP Phone, a smartphone, or an iPad or tablet. Cisco Unity Connection also provides advanced voice-recognition features for hands and eyes free management and powerful Automated Attendant capabilities that include smart routing for incoming phone calls and custom call-filtering and message-notification settings. The Unity Connection system runs as a fully virtualized system that can be hosted on a BE6000 server or a Cisco SRE 910 router service module and can support as many as 20,000 voice mailboxes per server.

Cisco Unity Express (CUE), offered in certain Cisco Integrated Services routers, provides affordable voicemail, unified messaging, IVR, and greeting services for small to medium businesses and enterprise branch locations with up to 500 users. Unity Express allows you to access and manage voicemail using a Cisco Unified IP Phone display, your web browser, or an email client. Cisco routers for which Cisco Unity Express is available as an advanced integration module include Cisco's 1861, 2900, 3800, and 3900 Series. Progent can provide comprehensive configuration and troubleshooting services for all Integrated Services Routers.

Unified Contact Center
Cisco Unified Contact Center Enterprise (UCCE) works with Unified CM and desktop agent applications such as Finesse to provide automatic call distribution (ACD) capabilities that allow an organization to connect customers with the proper sales or service agent. Unified CCE or UCCE features smart call routing, computer telephony integration (CTI), multichannel customer contact management, call queuing, interactive voice response (IVR) and consolidated enterprise-wide reporting to simplify the creation and administration of a modern customer contact center. Cisco platforms supporting Unified CCE's customer contact management solution include Cisco Unified IP Phones, Voice, and Cisco network infrastructure.

Cisco Unified Contact Center Express (Unified CCX) provides a packaged solution for building a customer contact center for mid-scale deployments that handle up to 400 agents. Multiple bundles are available, as well as a selection of optional enhancements. Cisco Unified Contact Center Express integrates with Unified Communications Manager and offers smart call routing, contact interaction management, reporting, IVR, and the ability to manage voice, email, chat, and social media requests. Unified CCX comes with Finesse, a web-based desktop agent that needs no client installation. Optional enhancements include conditional routing, projected-wait-time announcements, and workforce quality management.

Cisco Mobile Connect for Single Number Reach (SNR)
Mobile Connect, popularly referred to as Single Number Reach, allows users to be reached via a single number that rings at the same time on their Cisco desktop VoIP Phone and their smartphone. Users can transfer live calls between their Cisco IP phone and their mobile phone seamlessly. Unanswered calls can be redirected to a Cisco Unity or Cisco Unity Connection voicemail account. Users can create their own access lists that determine which calls are extended to different endpoints.

Cisco Prime Collaboration Provisioning
Cisco Prime Collaboration Provisioning provides an automated platform for first-time installs as well as for follow-on moves, additions, changes, and deletions. A user-friendly interface delivers a unified view of a user and the user's services. Cisco Prime Collaboration substantially speeds up company-wide rollouts and minimizes the time needed to implement future updates. Prime Collaboration in addition provides management analytics that show application adoption and consumption trends, allowing organizations to optimize resources and further lower total cost of ownership.

Cisco Collaboration Gateways
Cisco's collaboration gateways permit Cisco Unified Communications environments to connect with public systems and with users operating beyond the firewall. Cisco's line of gateways deliver unified communications services for all types of gateway and session-border-control deployments.

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

Expressway Communication Gateway
Cisco's Expressway is an advanced collaboration gateway that allows companies to allow employees, suppliers, customers and prospects, or business partners who are working on different networks, collaboration platforms, or endpoint equipment to access to Cisco Unified Communication services. Cisco's Expressway works in conjunction with a Cisco Communications Manager system or Cisco Business Edition 6000, or can be accessed through the cloud with Cisco Hosted Collaboration Solution to help make productive collaboration more pervasive. Key capabilities of Cisco Expressway are:

• Mobile and Off-site Connectivity: Remote workers who have any Jabber-supported device or teleworkers with Cisco TelePresence endpoints get the benefit of single-sign-on (SSO) plus Transport Layer Security (TLS) and are able to access all their collaboration applications (high-definition video, high-quality voice, content instant messaging, and realtime presence) without the extra step of starting a VPN connection. In addition, telecommuters have the ability to utilize their Cisco TelePresence endpoints without the need for a VPN tunnel, providing a user environment at home the same as the corporate office.
• Cisco Jabber Guest Support: Expressway is critical for supporting Cisco's Jabber Guest, which permits “guests” to interact with your business simply and securely via streamlined web-browser and mobile multimedia calls.
• Cisco Cloud Connectivity: Expressway can function as a gateway that creates a path between on-premises Cisco or third-party systems and Cisco's WebEx cloud. By supporting Cisco Collaboration Meeting Rooms (CMRs), Cisco Expressway offers an advanced, extensible conferencing experience that seamlessly combines voice, video, and content sharing to any client, anywhere, using any endpoint.
• Interoperability: If your organization already has third-party video products, Cisco Expressway can assist you to move efficiently to Cisco products when you choose. Cisco Expressway offers video compatibility with industry standard H.323, H.264 Scalable Video Coding (SVC), or Session Initiation Protocol environments. Interoperability capabilities supported by Expressway include IPv4 to IPv6, H.323 to Session Initiation Protocol (SIP), and Microsoft Lync 2013 H.264 Scalable Video Coding to MPEG-4/H.264 AVC.

• WebEx Cloud Connected Audio (CCA) for high-capacity SIP-based audio conferencing
• Voice/Video recording
• SIP-based Call-center and IVR solutions
• Policy-based security evaluation of phone calls
• B2B telepresence over SIP

Cisco's Legacy UC520, UC540 and UC560 VoIP Gateways
The end-of-life Cisco Unified Communications 500 Series is an all-in-one VoIP gateway solution for small organizations. UC500 models provide voice, data, voicemail, auto attendant, IP video, security, and wireless capabilities, run with older Cisco VoIP endpoints, and support various PSTN connections.

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

Progent's seasoned VoIP experts can help you to maintain your legacy UC500 VoIP system or design and implement an efficient migration to a current VoIP system such as Cisco's Business Edition 4000.

How Progent Can Assist You with Cisco VoIP and IP Media Phones, CUCM, and Video Conferencing
Progent offers online or on-premises help from a Cisco Certified Internetwork Expert (CCIE) Collaboration specialist to help your business to plan, deploy, administer and troubleshoot converged communications environments that incorporate Cisco Unified Communication products in a centralized, distributed, or hybrid environment. Progent's Cisco-certified engineers have in-depth backgrounds integrating Cisco Unified Communications Manager and Cisco CallManager, Voice over IP and video phones and other endpoints, Unified Communications applications such as Cisco Jabber and Unity Connection, Cisco's video conferencing products, communication gatekeepers, utilities built into Cisco Catalyst switches and routers. Progent can also offer support for technologies like Cisco Survivable Remote Site Telephony, CUBE, SIP gateways, CAC, 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 IP voice phones and media phones, SIP trunks, and SIP administration tools via Cisco Unified Communications Manager.

Progent's custom application developers can build specialized IP telephony software that will enable your business to incorporate the telephony capabilities of Cisco Unified Communications Manager into your company operations for increased productivity. Progent can audit your existing network and Internet access architecture to determine whether your system is optimized to support high-quality Voice over IP and high-definition video, help you to choose and deploy Cisco products appropriate for your current situation and future growth objectives, and integrate your Cisco collaborative communications products with products from other vendors. Progent's CISSP-ISSAP certified data security consultants can show you how to develop, deploy, and validate an enterprise-wide security and compliance strategy for your unified communications ecosystem. Also, Progent can assist you to deploy Cisco high-availability technologies such as Cisco Unified Survivable Remote Site Telephony for cost-effective call control backup in remote-branch and home-office sites, and Progent's disaster recovery and business continuity planning experts can help you create a sensible disaster recovery strategy to ensure the availability of your business-critical communications system.

Cisco Unified Communications Manager/CallManager Upgrade Consulting
Versions of Cisco Unified CM earlier than 8.6 and every version of its predecessor CallManager have reached end-of-life. Therefore Cisco Engineering will cease to enhance, repair, or test the product software. Security updates for this pivotal product will end, which in some circumstances could cause regulatory compliance or legal liability problems.

Progent will continue to provide comprehensive consulting and support for end-of-life editions of Unified CM and CallManager, but if your company is now using a legacy edition of this essential software your organization should begin immediately to prepare for your migration. Progent's Cisco-certified consulting professionals can help you to upgrade efficiently to the current release of Unified Communications Manager and can often save clients up to 50% off consulting costs versus most IT service companies thanks to Progent's documented procedures and experience in this practice area. By adhering to best practices, Progent can make sure your business sees a quick payback on your investment by showing you how to benefit fully from the new and improved features, lower management and maintenance costs, more engaging collaboration capabilities, and tighter security offered by the current edition of Cisco Unified Communications Manager.

Progent's upgrade consulting services include ROI analysis, project management, pilot testing and validation, Cloud connectivity, setting up endpoint devices from Cisco and other suppliers, mobile integration, data protection consulting, streamlined management, disaster recovery planning, network architecture design, training, and continuing consulting and technical support. Progent also offers fixed-priced upgrade packages to keep your costs visible and under control.

For more details about Progent's professional expertise for Cisco technology, pick a topic:

• Overview of Progent's Cisco Engineering Services
• Timely Remote Support from a CCIE Consultant
• Cisco Firepower NGFW Series Firewalls: Configuration and Management Support
• Cisco ASA 5500-X Firewall with Firepower Services: Consulting and Management Expertise
• ASA 5500 Series Firewall Upgrade. Migration Help
• PIX 500 Firewall Management Expertise
• Cisco Routers Engineering Expertise
• Cisco Wireless Network Design Support
• Cisco Aironet Wireless APs Deployment Expertise
• Cisco Small Business Wireless APs System Design Help
• Cisco Catalyst 802.11ax Access Points Planning, Deployment and Troubleshooting Consulting
• Cisco Wireless Controllers Consultants
• Cisco Meraki Wireless APs Engineering Support
• Cisco Unified Communications Manager (CUCM or Unified CM) and CallManager Consulting and Troubleshooting
• Cisco Jabber Migration and Support Expertise
• Catalyst Switches Engineering Services
• Nexus Switches Consulting and Support Services
• Meraki Switches Support and Troubleshooting Services
• Cisco VPN and Network Security Integration Help
• SIP and CUBE Integration Solutions: SIP PSTN Trunks and Cisco CUBE Integration Consulting
• Design Expertise for Cisco-based Datacenters and Colocation Centers
• Data Center Optimization Services for Internet Service Providers
• Remote Network Management Strategies for Cisco Infrastructure