UNLOCKING THE SECRETS OF VOIP

Transcription

1 UNLOCKING THE SECRETS OF VOIP THE AV INTEGRATOR S ESSENTIAL GUIDE FOR SELLING INTO IT Overview: A major challenge for AV integrators and IT managers is bridging the gap between IT network requirements and users expectations of quality. With VoIP poised to dominate corporate communications, it is a significant factor in room design and audio conferencing purchase decisions. To successfully introduce a VoIP-enabled audio conferencing solution and ensure customer satisfaction, it is important to understand the drivers behind VoIP adoption and the basic components of a VoIP system. This white paper provides a foundation for conversations between AV integrators and IT managers by exploring VoIP trends, defining terminology, examining how VoIP works, and describing VoIP solutions for conference rooms.

2 INTRODUCTION It s Wednesday morning and time for the weekly sales status meeting with the regional offices. After 30 minutes of crowding around the conference phone struggling to hear what your colleagues are saying and worrying you aren t being heard the stress levels start to rise. At the one-hour mark, it s surprising how tired everyone is. Trying to decipher clipped speech and ignore that constant echo is exhausting. This scenario plays out on a daily basis in the corporate workplace. Traditionally, it would fall to an audio visual (AV) expert to resolve these types of quality issues. However, as telephone systems move from analog phone lines to the IP network, these issues become the responsibility of corporate IT groups. IT managers are then pushed to not only find VoIP-enabled conferencing equipment but to enhance the user experience as well. As AV and IT converge, it creates a fundamental shift in the way purchase decisions are made for audio products. When audio conferencing equipment sits on the network, IT has to be involved. They control the decision and often the budget. When IT managers evaluate a VoIP conferencing solution, they will ask how it will interact with their network. This paper will help AV integrators provide the answers. Plan for VoIP Discovering you needed VoIPenabled equipment at the end of the job is a huge problem. That s exactly what happened to a large systems integrator. When they asked their client s IT group for analog phone lines in a new construction project, it was clear there had been a major disconnect. The client expected the equipment to be VoIPenabled and refused to manage a separate analog phone system. Avoid expensive surprises and damage to your reputation by asking about your clients VoIP strategy. THE EVOLUTION OF VOIP VoIP was introduced to the mass market in Early adopters, wowed by the concept and significant financial benefits, were willing to overlook obvious quality issues. Just as the convenience of cell phones meant users initially had to live with tinny audio and dropped calls, the advantages of adopting VoIP came with a similar trade off. While VoIP marked a technological leap forward for network management and cost savings, audio quality took several steps back. Technical problems such as network bandwidth issues, delay, and degradation of audio plagued early VoIP implementations. However, in the same way that network and technical advances have largely overcome cell phone problems and high definition has set a new standard for television, VoIP quality for home and business phones has improved considerably over what was initially offered. Advancements in VoIP networks, endpoint devices, and protocols as well as the drop in price for high-speed access have resulted in a mass migration to VoIP systems. According to recent research by In-Stat, VoIP penetration is expected to reach 79% by That means almost 8 out of every 10 companies will rely on VoIP for their communications. VoIP is a rapidly growing market if you haven t come across a VoIP project yet, you will soon. 2

3 WHY VOIP IS HERE TO STAY IP has the potential to take voice communication to the next level. While there are significant cost savings and plenty of features that come with VoIP systems, the real advantage is the voice quality. Not only has VoIP call quality matched Public-Switched Telephone Network (PSTN) quality, it gives companies the opportunity to far surpass PSTN with wideband audio. Voice is the most critical component of any communication system because it creates a personal connection between people. The ability to enhance voice clarity and ensure every nuance is heard and understood can make the difference between a successful sales pitch to an international customer or a frustrating exchange that ends in misunderstanding. For IT managers tasked with enhancing user experiences, this level of clarity where every word is heard and conversations flow naturally is the desired outcome that VoIP can help make a reality. VoIP Quality A 2008 study by Minacom showed that enterprise and residential VoIP quality surpassed PSTN voice quality, with an average Mean Opinion Score (MOS) of 4.2, compared to 3.9 for the PSTN. 2 The emphasis on voice clarity does not minimize other benefits IT can deliver by switching to a VoIP system. VoIP helps IT achieve business objectives such as agility, cost control, and scalability. IT managers can easily add users, change extensions, move phones, and save on long-distance charges and phone lines. For these reasons, analysts agree that VoIP will continue to see tremendous growth and new technologies will emerge for IP-based communication systems. However, realizing the promise of VoIP is contingent on a number of factors including equipment, protocols, and network bandwidth. To address the factors that impact VoIP call quality, it s important to have a basic understanding of VoIP system components and how VoIP calls are made. A LOOK AT THE BASICS Voice over Internet Protocol is a technology that allows phone calls to travel across the Internet. Where traditional telephone calls use dedicated lines to transmit calls from one phone to another, VoIP leverages the same data networks used for and the Internet to transport phone conversations. Because traditional telephone service was designed to allow for very simple equipment on the end of each line, it required a great deal of computational power in the heart of the system. VoIP follows a similar model and uses a proxy server to direct and manage the communication between endpoints such as VoIP telephones. 3

4 UNLOCKING THE SECRETS OF VOIP: THE ESSENTIAL GUIDE FOR AV INTEGRATORS VOIP SYSTEM COMPONENTS A VoIP system is often referred to as IP PBX. Although the specifics of each system differ, there are some basic elements in each VoIP network: Endpoint. Used to send and receive calls. Examples of endpoints include VoIP phones, soft phones, and the AudiaVOIP. Proxy Server. Basically the operator of the communication system. It controls VoIP connections through endpoint registration, authentication, and call setup and tear down. Message protocols. The language, or more technically, the messaging protocol used to communicate with the proxy server. It is used for registration, call setup and tear down, and also helps determine which CODEC is used for the call. SIP, H.323, SCCP, and MGCP are all message protocols. RTP. A transmission protocol used to carry audio packets when a call is in progress. VoIP Network AudiaVOIP DHCP/DNS Server VoiP Phone Traditional Phone Network Network Media Gateway PTSN Phone Endpoints Softphone VoIP Proxy Server (Call Manager) VoIP-to-VoIP - Proxy Server VoIP-to-PTSN - Media Gateway Figure 1. VoIP System Components 4

5 CODEC. A device or program used to encode and decode the audio into RTP packets. The CODEC has a big impact on audio quality because it specifies the audio bandwidth. For example, the G.722 CODEC enables wideband audio calls, which have a bandwidth of 7kHZ. Narrowband audio is 3.3kHZ. Session border controller (SBC). Controls traffic at the transport and signaling layers as it crosses network borders. Media gateway. Provides translation between VoIP phones and phones not on the network such as external landlines, PTSN, and cell phones. IP Network. Carries network and VoIP data. Includes both the corporate intranet and the public Internet. Additional components may come into play, such as a DHCP server to assign an IP address and a DNS server to assign and manage domain names. REGISTERING ENDPOINTS Before an endpoint such as a VoIP phone or a VoIP conferencing system can be used for VoIP calls, it must be registered with the proxy server. This process uses a message protocol such as SIP, H.323, or SCCP. Registration enables the proxy server to recognize the device as part of the VoIP network. It also provides additional security by requesting that the endpoint supply a user name and password (Digest Authentication). VOIP CALL FLOW 1. A call is initiated with a VoIP-enabled endpoint such as a VoIP phone. The endpoint sends a request to the proxy server over the IP network with an INVITE message using a message protocol such as SIP. 2. The proxy server responds back through SIP with a TRYING message to provide status to the phone. 3. The proxy server signals the party being called with a SIP INVITE message to the far endpoint. 4. The far endpoint responds to the proxy server with its current status. 5. The voice is digitized and placed into RTP packets using the CODECs negotiated in the call setup process. 6. The RTP packets travel over the IP Network. 5

6 Figure 2. VoIP Call Flow 7. Upon reaching the party called, the RTP packets convert back to voice using the far endpoint CODEC. If the party being called is outside the VoIP network, the proxy server routes the call through the session border controller to manage security or into the media gateway to manage translation from VoIP to PSTN or cellular. EXTENDING VOIP TO THE CONFERENCE ROOM As shown in the illustration of a VoIP system (Figure 1), an audio conferencing system is thought of as just another endpoint. Extending VoIP to the conference room can be achieved in a few different ways. However, these options do not provide equal results and not all will meet the demands for an enhanced user experience, a consideration that should be paramount. As younger people enter the workforce, their expectations for ease of use and quality are naturally high. They are, after all, native users of technology and want their devices at work to at least measure up to their devices at home. VoIP gives IT managers the opportunity to meet heightened expectations by bringing higher quality, more natural conversations to the conference room along with wideband audio capability. And that s where the conferencing system matters. No matter how great VoIP could make someone sound, it can only be as good as that user s equipment. If the equipment only supports narrowband audio or can t adjust for room acoustics and ambient noise, the call quality is impacted. What s more, to achieve a wideband quality, a wideband CODEC must be used on the other end of the call. The right audio conferencing system delivers on the promises of VoIP and ultimately results in more productive meetings, accommodates more participants, and enhances the company s images. Simply put, you ll sound better to the people you call. Next are the options for IT managers who want to bring VoIP to the conference room. While there are valid reasons for selecting each, their limitations must still be considered. 6

7 IP CONFERENCE PHONES Plug-and-play devices are always appealing because they are so easy to set up. IP conference phones are typically provided by the IP experts who consulted on the VoIP desktop phones. But here is where the gap between IT and AV comes into play. While these phones meet IT requirements by being an easy addition to the network, they cannot provide the highest quality audio and meetings are limited to very few participants. Without audio expertise, these types of phones appear to be a good solution. However, when you consider room acoustics, room size, other multimedia components in the room, and management and control, IP conference phones don t measure up. That s not to say they don t have their place; they can be suitable for small rooms that are used solely for conference calls. VOIP Opportunities As companies move to VoIP and new construction increasingly includes only IP-based communication systems, companies are looking for ways to extend VoIP to all communication end-points including conference rooms. ANALOG TELEPHONE ADAPTERS Another option, particularly for companies that have existing audio conferencing equipment, is an analog telephone adapter (ATA). While the adapter meets the basic requirement of allowing analog devices to connect to a VoIP network, it is not an optimal solution. In addition to losing VoIP call quality, it creates added cost both in hardware and programming. PROFESSIONAL VOIP-ENABLED AUDIO CONFERENCING SYSTEMS Just as installed audio systems are superior to tabletop units when using analog lines, the same is true in a VoIP system and for many of the same reasons. Professional audio conferencing systems help companies achieve superior voice clarity by compensating for challenging room acoustics and applying digital signal processing to all audio signals. Installed systems tie together all room components that handle audio, such as DVRs, video conferencing units, and computers. It can also be linked to the room controller for ease of use. Quality is just one of the many advantages of an installed audio conferencing solution versus using a regular, VoIP speakerphone. Additional benefits include: Provides full-duplex speech transmission Improves sound in large and acoustically challenging rooms Eliminates echoes and ambient noise Accommodates large numbers of meeting participants Integrates the VoIP conference call with other AV devices in the room, including video codecs 7

8 MAXIMIZING VOIP WITH BIAMP SYSTEMS Through the Audia series of professional audio conferencing solutions, Biamp Systems takes audio quality far beyond what s common for IP conference phones or analog telephone adapters. AudiaVOIP, the all-in-one preconfigured VoIP teleconferencing solution that s designed to be easy to set up and use. AudiaVOIP is a fixed-configuration processor with a preloaded DAP file that saves you time on installation. A dedicated davinci software control panel is also available to simplify the integration of control for the end user. AudiaVOIP comes preconfigured with 12 AEC inputs, 4 standard inputs, 4 line outputs, 2 amplified outputs and 2 VoIP lines. VoIP-2 Cards for AudiaVOIP enable conferencing over VoIP directly from AudiaVOIP, with two channels of VoIP interface per card. VoIP-2 cards allow AudiaVOIP to connect directly to IP-based phone systems and eliminate the need for VoIP adapters. Used in conjunction with AEC-2HD Dual-Channel Wideband Acoustic Echo Cancellation Input Cards, the VoIP-2 Card makes AudiaVOIP the most powerful, flexible, and affordable telephone conferencing product available. With AEC, built-in VoIP and amplified outputs, AudiaVOIP is a preconfigured, cost-effective VoIP-based conferencing solution from the company who knows VoIP like no other. THE BIAMP ADVANTAGE FOR IT Using an Audia system makes it easy for IT managers to take on the VoIP challenge for conference rooms and create an enhanced user experience. It provides: Digital signal processing for all audio sources. Ensures audio is clean and clear before transmission. AudiaVOIP allows all AV components to interface with the VoIP conference. Sona AEC. This acoustic echo cancellation algorithm improves voice quality in any conference room for real, full sound. Networking control. Facilitates deployment, maintenance, and management, and can be controlled remotely. IT administrators can quickly change settings or simply unmute a line from any location. 8

9 WHAT IT MANAGERS NEED TO KNOW While IT managers are skilled at desktop VoIP deployments, many don t understand how to choose an audio conferencing system that meets both their network requirements and their voice quality requirements. AV integrators can help bridge the gap by bringing years of experience in audio system design as well as an understanding of the top questions IT managers need answered. Together, you can create a professional audio conferencing solution that delivers the VoIP voice clarity and ease of use that users expect. When discussing the AudiaVOIP IT managers need to know about the following: SIP compliance. The IP PBX needs to be SIP compliant or have a third-party SIP converter. SIP is a common, industry-accepted message protocol that is supported by most major VoIP systems manufacturers. Proxy server. There must be a proxy server in the VoIP system, such as Cisco s Call Manager. Licensing. An endpoint user license may be required for the audio conferencing system, just as for any third-party endpoint or telephone. Quality of Service. QoS settings determine which packets have priority on the network. These settings must be provided to the AV integrator and configured in the VoIP-2 card. CONCLUSION VoIP will soon be the standard in corporate communication, with a nearly 80% adoption rate expected in just the next couple of years. Because VoIP can support wideband audio that is more than double that of PSTN, users have the potential of achieving a more natural sound and increased intelligibility. The benefits of VoIP naturally extend into the conference room. Users have come to expect high-level sound quality, without clipping or frustrating ambient noise something regular VoIP speakerphones can t provide. As an AV integrator, it s important to reach out to IT managers and educate them on the benefits of a professional audio conferencing solution. With the AudiaVOIP solution from Biamp Systems, IT managers can eliminate frustration and fatigue caused by muffled audio on conference calls. Your teams will sound great in their high-profile customer meetings and weekly status updates. And that dreaded Wednesday call? Well, it s likely to be a lot shorter without the constant interruptions to ask What did you say? 9

10 TALK ABOUT YOUR VOIP PROJECTS VoIP creates tremendous opportunity for AV integrators. With years of VoIP experience, we continue to deliver innovative, quality conferencing solutions for the enterprise. Our experts can help you bring better VoIP conferencing solutions to your IT customers and take advantage of new sales opportunities. To learn more or discuss a project, contact: SOURCES 1 VoIP Penetration Forecast to Reach 79% of US Businesses by 2013, In-Stat, asp?id=2720&sku=in ct 2 VoIP Quality Claimed to Beat PSTN Worldwide, ITWire, technology/5430-voip-quality-claimed-to-beat-pstn-worldwide 10