Migration Solutions

The Cisco Unified Communications system of voice, video and IP Communications products and applications helps organizations communicate more effectively by helping them:

• Streamline business processes
• Reach the right resource the first time
• Increase profitability

Cisco Unified Communications Applications run within a Cisco Intelligent Information Network, enabling information sharing throughout the network. Intelligent networks are application-aware and automatically provide end devices with rights and priorities based on the needs of the device and the application in accordance with organizational policy. Embedded in the Cisco Intelligent Network, Cisco Unified Communications Applications are also network-aware; they seek out the network services they require. For example, an IP phone retrieves the proper settings for power or quality of service (QoS).

When the network and applications communicate in this way, IT and telephony administrators can use capabilities across platforms, providing the flexibility to quickly and cost-efficiently deploy, operate, and consolidate new communications services. They can easily add new features and functions, such as video or wireless voice, to this integrated fabric through software upgrades and incremental hardware that build upon existing investments. As a result, users get access to new, high-quality IP communications applications sooner, increasing their productivity and improving business processes.

From a financial standpoint, implementing a network with a single, primary vendor gives organizations a substantial opportunity to achieve a lower total cost of ownership (TCO) than does a network built with systems from multiple vendors, according to a study conducted by Sage Research. According to this study (commissioned by Cisco), the cost of ownership per endpoint in a primary-vendor network is 26% lower than that of a multivendor network, and organizations that use a single, primary vendor for IP telephony have a 43% lower network cost of ownership than those that use multiple vendors.

Organizations derive deployment, organizational, and consolidation benefits from combining Cisco Unified Communications Applications and a Cisco Intelligent Information Network:

Deployment Benefits

• Faster, more cost-efficient IP phone simplify moves, adds, and changes
• Cisco Catalyst switches automatically self-configure for voice
• Cisco Unified IP phones automatically self-configure and use power efficiently
• You can ensure optimum voice quality across the WAN
• You can secure IP communications everywhere across the network infrastructure
• Voice is always available

Simplified phone moves, adds, and changes and the resulting administrative cost savings is just one example of the power of Cisco Unified Communications integration. In large companies, about 25% of their personnel move each year (a common industry standard for moves, adds, and changes). The Yankee Group estimates that it costs companies up to US$150 per move, add, or change. This operational expense can be minimized with Cisco Unified Communications products and Cisco Catalyst switching solutions.

Operational Benefits

• With centralized troubleshooting, you can rapidly detect and fix voice anomalies
• Administrators get a common view of the network for both voice and data teams
• You can reduce 911 costs and dispatching errors
• Voice configuration changes are easier and more accurate

Given the business criticality of voice applications, it is important that the network infrastructure provide deep visibility into voice traffic so that any issues can be quickly identified and resolved. When the Cisco network infrastructure and management tools detect excessive voice packet loss, jitter, or latency, they can alert network administrators of these issues and then enable them to centrally troubleshoot real-time voice traffic in targeted areas without having to go on site. And because Cisco management software can provide a common view of the network for voice and data teams, they can communicate about concerns with much greater precision and understanding-leading to faster problem resolution.

Consolidation Benefits

• Cisco Unified Contact Center simplifies voice recording
• Wireless voice services are scalable
• You can integrate services for network simplification
• You can add video more easily
• You can offer integrated services and support

By adding voice-over-IP (VoIP) capability to their wireless networks, businesses can further improve collaboration and responsiveness, and realize new cost savings. The combination of Cisco Unified Communications and the Cisco Unified Wireless Network lets businesses and other organizations take immediate advantage of IP communications for a mobile workforce while minimizing total cost of ownership. Cisco has integrated important technologies into its switching, routing, and wireless offerings to provide optimal support for wireless voice that enables simplified wireless voice deployment and management, wireless voice call roaming, diverse wireless voice client support, and high-quality wireless voice communications.

Organizations must protect, optimize, and grow their network platforms using a lifecycle support model that creates business value and operational excellence. Cisco and its partners provide a full range of lifecycle services and support that are critical for today's networking technologies, including routing, switching, unified communications, wireless, security, storage, and optical solutions. Cisco and its partners have a proven record of high customer satisfaction and industry recognition of leadership for services and support.

In addition, with a fully integrated communications system from Cisco (where the IP phones, access switches, access points, routers, Cisco IOS Software, and other components are from Cisco), customers have one point of contact for implementation and problem resolution. Further, as new features are developed, especially those that are based on primary functions of the Cisco infrastructure, organizations can be confident that they will be among the first to deploy them and can do so with confidence of compatibility between the elements.

Ultimately, the many years of experience Cisco has with unified communications and IP networks means that customers can be confident that they have the strongest ally in their efforts to implement a successful, secure, and powerful unified communications solution.