Unified Communications as a Managed Service

DIR Telecom Forum, October 7, 2014ROY ALBRECHT, Director, Sales and Marketing

Globalscope Communications

Unified Communications Managed Services

• What is Unified Communications

• Benefits of Unified Communications

• Things to consider

• Planning

• Designing

• Implementation

• Training

• On-going management

• How Managed Service can assist with Unified Communications

• Q&A

What is Unified Communications

instant messaging

chat

presence informationIP telephony

video conferencingdesktop sharing

voicemail

e-mailSMS

fax

IPTV

digital signage speech recognition

call control interactive whiteboards

application sharing CRM

What is Unified CommunicationsWikipedia:

A basic definition is "communications integrated to optimize business processes.“

Unified communications is an evolving set of technologies that automates and unifies human and device communications in a common context and experience.

Benefits of Unified Communications

• Save Time – Click to call, Single number, Presence, Call escalation, Content Sharing, Reduce Travel Time

• Reduce Cost – Faster Contact, First Call Resolution, Minimize Travel Expense

• Improve Customer/Employee Sat – First Call Resolution, Makes Time to complete work actions

• Greater Flexibility – Mobility, Information Sharing, Call Escalation, Conferencing

Things to consider…

• Planning

•Designing

• Implementation

• Training

•On-going management

Things to consider… Planning • Scope

• Understand all the components of UC

• Which organizations will be impacted?

• How many locations will be included?

• What current functionality can be migrated to our platforms?

•Application/Feature Requirements• What features are required today?

• What features will we need for the future?

• Who gets what functionality?

Things to consider… Planning

• Integration• Current communications systems?

• Existing business applications

• Provider series.

•Network Infrastructure• Servers, Server Rooms capacities

• Network Capacity, Quality of Service?

• Network access for expanded user applications?

•Network Infrastructure• Servers, Server Rooms capacities

• Network Capacity, Quality of Service?

• Network access for expanded user applications?

•Budget and Resources• Implementation

• On-going

• Time frame

Things to consider… Planning

Things to consider… Designing

•Capacity Requirements• “Right Sized” for current, future and unforeseen growth

• Hardware, Software and Network

• Integration• Identify technologies, software, and equipment required

to connect

• Document all interconnectivity points

• Validate “ideal design” against the “reality in the field”

Things to consider… Designing•Migration Plan• What parts move forward

• What parts are required…applications, access, capacity

• Time requirements

•Costs• Design cost versus Plan

• Resource requirements

• Recommend appropriate design based on cost versus functionality

Things to consider… Implementation

• Installation

• Hardware, Operating Systems and Application Licenses

• Network Services

• IP Addresses and Network Ports

• Implementation• Configure UC platform and supporting systems

• Configure integration with existing systems

• Migrate features and applications

Things to consider… Implementation

•Validation Testing• System integration and interoperability

• Network Access

• User Acceptance

•Deployment• Flash cut or migration?

• Required support staff during and after cut?

• Training plan in place?

Things to consider… Training

•Who needs to be trained and on what?

•What is training curriculum / format is required?

•What type of facilities are needed?

• How many do you train at a time?

•When do you role out the training?

• On-going training for new hires?

Things to consider… On-going management

• Proactive System Monitoring

• Capacity / License Management

• Moves, Adds, Changes

• Application and OS Upgrades and Patches

• Problem Isolation and Resolution

• Problem Escalation

• Hardware replacement

• On-going training for support staff

• Required Budget and Staff Resources

How Managed Service can assist with Unified Communications

• Identify the application and feature requirements

• Evaluate Network Capacities and QOS Levels

• Develop an integration plan with existing applications

• Project Manage the transition with an experienced team

• Provide and Maintain Servers

• Reduce the project delivery time frame

• Bottom Line…Fill the resource/knowledge gap

Question & Answer