WHITE PAPER SIP Solutions, Determining What is Right for You. By Peter Bernstein, Senior Editor TMCnet.com

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1 WHITE PAPER SIP Slutins, Determining What is Right fr Yu By Peter Bernstein, Senir Editr TMCnet.cm Technlgy Marketing Crpratin: 800 Cnnecticut Ave, 1 st Flr East, Nrwalk, CT USA

2 As the decisin-maker in charge f yur rganizatin s cmmunicatins and IT infrastructure, yu are likely already aware f and understand the advantages f SIP (Sessin Initiatin Prtcl) at a high level. In fact, yu may have already lked int implementing sme type f SIP-based slutin. In a previus white paper, I explained the basics. Hpefully, it cnvinced fence sitters abut SIP that the benefits f using SIP as the enabler fr such things as vice ver IP (VIP), unified cmmunicati ns and cllabratin all f which can make yur peple prductive and yur business prcesses mre efficient and effective are s cmpelling it is clear nw is the time t act. This white paper is designed t assist yu in yur cnsideratin f what type f SIP is best f r yu, and get yu further dwn the rad tward deplyment. It will address: The types f SIP slutins available Determining which slutin is best fr yu Creatin f a radmap t get frm cnsideratin t implementatin Backgrund: The types f SIP slutins available It is imprtant t start with a quick review f the available SIP slutins and the benefits yur rganizatin can and shuld derive frm implementing them. They fall int tw camps: Premises-based slutin via an IP PBX frm a vendr, r using an pen surce slutin On a hsted basis via a private, public r hybrid clud Architecture As in the previus white paper, pictures tell the stry and Panasnic, a leader in prviding SIP endpints, has tw graphics that are invaluable fr understanding SIP architecture. Figure 1: View frm the Clud Hw des it wrk? OR 1

3 Figure 2: On premises view f Open Surce slutin Hw des it wrk? Open Surce Architecture.. BOTH are prven and reliable methds f SIP cmmunicatins Which ne yu chse is like Nelsn Mandela s famus remark that, Where yu stand depends n where yu sit. In ther wrds, as described in mre detail belw, it is a questin f examining verall business plans fr ptimizing the prductivit y f yur peple, the efficiency f yur business prcesses, and the ability t engage new custmers and retain and extract value frm ld nes, and t d s in the cntext f the state f yur technlgies capabilities t supprt such ptimizatin. Wh ere SIP fits in is that SIP-enabled devices when attached t SIP-enabled infrastructure f sme variety are clearly the path t btaining maximum perfrmance and value f yur cmmunicatins capabilities in supprt f yur business needs. SIP endpints, as part f an verall SIP-enabled slutin, mve intelligence t the edge f yur netwrk putting smarts directly in the cntrl f yu and yur users. It makes yur infrastructure mre user-centric, cntrlled and friendly. SIP endpints are als the gateways t business ptimizatin thrugh their ability t access and execute multiple media applicatins. SIP endpints literally put yu and yur users in psitin t deliver demnstrable value tday n an adaptable platfrm that is future ready. 2

4 Feature/Benefits As a quick reminder, SIP-enabled infrastructure prvides critical feature/functinality and the benefits. Features Mbility cell phne integratin State f the art DECT 6.0 Wireless ptins fr in-ffice mbility Unlimited netwrking ptential Full camera integratin High Definitin (HD) Vice, based n the G.722 specificatin which is nw the standard Applicatin richness (built in!) Call Accunting ACD Presence management Mnitring UC (Unified Cmmunicatins) Vice Vide Data Sftware-centricity means migratin t SIP-based endpints can be cmpleted with: n additinal hardware; a pay-as-yu-grw needs-based implementatin; and, ease f upgrading t state-f-the art functinality accrding t yur rganizatin s plicies and rules. Cmpatible with legacy systems, plug in a SIP phne int yur SIP-enabled netwrk and yur end users can enjy access t all f their authrized features immediately based n authenticatin and activatin f their use prfiles. By hav ing all cmmunicatins treated as an IP data stream, SIP puts the entire wrld f multimedia cmmunicatins at the user s fingertips, all in a reliable and secure manner. Benefits The benefits, as backed by a grwing number f use cases, can be summarized as fllws: Reduces csts because f the pay-as-yu-grw/need flexibility. Cuts csts because f built-in redundancy fr Clud and hsted implementatins n need fr n-premises servers and strage and assciated perating csts. Increases prfits by increased emplyee efficiency due t utilizatin f UC, cllabratin, presence (cutting call backs and the need t reschedule meetings), and vide cnferencing. 3

5 Determining what is best fr yu The easiest way t think abut even starting a discussin abut what is best fr yu is understanding where yu sit. This starts frm answering a few simple questins: 1. Hw big is yur rganizatin? 2. Are yu satisfied with what yu have, and is it ding what yu need it t d? 3. Hw ld is yur cmmunicatins infrastructure? 4. Type f call management system, i.e., telephne switching system and its assciated netwrk trunking premises-based TDM system versus IP 5. Types f attached devices what they are, wh has them and why, relatinship f device type t jb functin, etc. 6. Hw ld and what is the status f yur IT infrastructure including, strage, servers, stages f virtualizatin if any, and activatin f licenses fr things like unified cmmunicatins? 7. Where are yu in terms f depreciable life n legacy cmmunicatins and IT investments? 8. Hw technlgically sphisticated are yu and yur supprt peple nt just in cmmunicatins technlgy but in IT infrastructure, applicatins develpment, systems integratin and interperability. First the gd news. N matter which SIP slutin architecture yu chse, all f the features and all f the benefits, putting aside cst flexibility frm being hsted, will flw thrugh. In additin, a quick review f prf cases with yur SIP vendr can reveal hw the generic benefits cited abve have already enabled leading-edge users in similar circumstances t get returns n investment (ROI) and attractive ttal cst f wnership (TCO) that translate int SIP slutins, in many cases paying fr themselves bth in the shrt and lng terms. As t what yur answers t the abve indicate, questins #1 and #6 are the nes that can tilt yu in the directin f serius evaluatin f a premises-based SIP slutin. If yu have the sphisticatin, time and peple t d it yurself, an pen surce apprach shuld be well within yur cmfrt zne. The answers t the numbers 2, 3, 4, and 5 shuld create a sense f urgency arund actin nw. The reasn is that the installed base f legacy cmmunicatins infrastructure has never been lder than it is currently. This means there is a high prbability that yu are perating n a cstly t maintain and perate infrastructure that was ptimize d fr vice cmmunicatins and nt the Internet age, and that has technlgic deficiencies that d nt and cannt allw yu t perate at the pace and price f yur cmpetitin. This is als why in sme measure the answers t the abve will dictate th e 4

6 the issue f pen surce versus hsted based n a review f the business case fr the implementatin f each with a trusted supplier like Panasnic and its service prvider partners. Need, urgency, alignment with business bjectives and ecnmic realities all play a part althugh their weight is unique t each custmer. In fact, this is a gd segue int three ther critical technlgy related questins yu shuld cnsider: In what pririty wuld I place the imprtance f imprving the prductivity f peple against impr ving the efficiency f business prcesses? Based n the strategic and pssibly incremental deplyment f SIP phnes, given they cme with varius business features and price pints, wh shuld get what, when and where? With SIP endpints deplyed, what is the best way t leverage the value f the licenses I already have frm my vice, enterprise sftware ( , fax, cnferencing, etc. and applicatins vendrs? Why are these imprtant? Again, by having knwledge f where yu sit is the nly way t knw where the best place t stand will be. Depending n whether yu wish t migrate tward the big SIP-enabled applicatins like presence-enabled unified cmmunicatins, cllabratin and VIP what is best fr yu may be t expand n yur vice platfrm, desktp sftware platfrm r business applicatins platfrm. Where yur sunk csts exist and can be best leveraged, in the cntext f what y u wish t accmplish fr the upgrade path f peple versus prcesses will ensure yu are directinally crrect. Creatin f a radmap t get frm cnsideratin t implementatin At the end f the day, nce yu knw where yu sit frm a technlgy standpint, yu must engage the rest f the rganizatin as t what they need. While it may be a demnstratin f a keen grasp f the bvius in these challenging ecnmic times, technlgy in search f a prblem t slve is technlgy that n lnger gets apprved. My gd friends at UniCmm Cnsulting LLC during a recent TMCnet.cm webinar prvided a great radmap fr the prcess f getting t the best unified cmmunicatins implementatin that actually wrks fr thinking abut SIP slutins. Just replace UC with SIP in the next page. 5

7 UC Strategy & Radmap Prcess UniCmm Cnsulting LLC 2011 It is actually mre a check list than a radmap, but it speaks t the realities f why SIP, why nw, and hw d yu get frm cnsideratin t implementatin. It pints t the fact that mapping business pririties t technlgy deliverables is hw y u and yur rganizatin can stand in the place that is ptimal. In the previus white paper, I presented a list f the universal reasns why any business f any size lks t upgrade it technlgy. It is wrth reiterating. Businesses purchase new technlgy based n the need t: Imprve peratinal perfrmance business prcesses and practices enhance the speed f decisin-making expedite the disseminatin f prducts and services Create sustainable and differentiated cmpetitive advantage Delight and retain existing custmers Allw cmpanies t be fast t the market and fast in the market Serve as a platfrm fr generating new value-added capabilities SIP-enabled slutins, starting with finding the path that enables SIP endpints t empwer peple and prcesses t be mre efficient and effective, is the way t meet all f the abve. Hw yu get there is by having a great radmap, and the help f a SIP slutins prvider like Panasnic. 6 2