Posts Tagged ‘unified communications’

Polycom ready to take on competition head-on with Microsoft’s help

The big event that’s happening this week is Microsoft’s WPC, or Wordwide Partner Conference, going on in the nation’s capitol. So far the Redmond Giant has unveiled its cloud strategy (Azure) and mobile devices (Windows 7 tablets and smartphones), but there are more goodies to come (for instance, about its gaming tech Xbox and Kinect).

What we’re most interested in is updates on Communications Server “14,” the next generation OCS which made plenty of headlines earlier this year at VoiceCon Orlando.

Well, nothing new about “14″ has come out of WPC, but partner Polycom did release news about new IP phones made specific for Communications Server “14.” Polycom’s new CX IP phones and telepresence solutions will work with “14″ and the usual Microsoft productivity and collaboration software like Exchange and SharePoint.

I can see Microsoft gaining a slight edge against its competition in the UC space. First, partnerships with companies like Polycom are very important to maintain a thriving UC ecosystem, and Microsoft knows how to win partners. The company is able to focus on what it does best — software innovation — while partners come up with the nifty hardware and accessories. Cisco, on the other hand, favors manufacturing its own fancy phones, UC servers, and whatever software to make them all work.

Then there’s the whole interoperability debate. No matter which side of the debate you’re on, Microsoft can soundly say that it is committed to interoperability with being a founding member (Polycom, too) of the UCIF. Although Cisco has made numerous announcements about committing to interoperability, it shows no interest in joining this industry forum. So Microsoft may have won, for now, the interop publicity battle.

Recently Polycom CEO Andrew Miller went on the record to say that the company is not looking to be bought out. Having Microsoft as a close ally certainly doesn’t hurt…

Official press release from Polycom:

PLEASANTON, Calif. and Washington D.C. – Jul 12, 2010 : As technology leaders convene in Washington D.C. for the Microsoft Worldwide Partner Conference (WPC) 2010, Polycom, Inc. (Nasdaq: PLCM), a global leader in telepresence, video and voice communications, will profile for the first time several enhanced capabilities of its new CX IP phones before an audience of Microsoft partners. Via native integration with Microsoft Communications Server “14,” a business solution for presence, instant messaging, voice, video and web conferencing that connects people in new ways, anytime, anywhere, Polycom’s new CX IP phones deliver a more affordable, rich unified communications experience.

“The once clear lines between voice communications, video conferencing, telecom, and IT are disappearing, as these previously disparate technologies are unifying under groundbreaking platforms like Microsoft Communications Server ’14,’” said Garry Reichert, vice president of Strategic Partners at Polycom. “Microsoft is an important partner in the Polycom Open Collaboration Network, and with the CX series IP phones profiled at WPC 2010, we are offering real-world solutions for channel partners who are looking to break out of fast-disappearing niches and succeed in a world increasingly defined by end-to-end UC solutions that are complete, compelling and interoperable.”

Polycom Solutions Optimized for Microsoft Unified Communications
The Polycom CX series includes two new network-based IP desktop phones (CX500 and CX600) and the industry’s first and only IP conference phone (CX3000) designed for Communications Server “14.” The three new phones offer one of the most robust feature sets available for Microsoft Communications Server “14,” including Polycom HD Voice™ sound quality and the legendary ease of use of Polycom’s renowned hardware and ergonomic design.

Polycom will also demonstrate additional UC solutions that deliver a richer experience with Communications Server “14″ including the CX700 IP phone, CX5000 Unified Conference Station and Polycom HDX personal and room-based HD telepresence solutions. In addition, Polycom will show its integration with Microsoft in other areas including Microsoft Outlook, Microsoft Exchange Server and Microsoft SharePoint Server to simplify the scheduling, joining, recording, streaming and rich content sharing for voice and video meetings. Polycom offers a comprehensive portfolio of integrated solutions spanning voice, video and application integration for Microsoft unified communications.

“At WPC, Microsoft partners from around the world will see how Polycom solutions maximize the reach of Communications Server ’14,’ while offering one of the highest-quality voice communications experiences delivered from Polycom HD Voice technology,” said Kirk Gregersen, senior director of Unified Communications at Microsoft Corp. “Microsoft has worked with Polycom to deliver exceptional voice and video experiences within a unified Microsoft environment. As our partners are learning this week, the CX series is an important part of that portfolio.”

CX IP Phones Features
All three new CX IP phones seamlessly integrate with Microsoft Communications Server “14,” independent of a PC, to provide enhanced unified communications to a broader set of use cases and environments. Some of the new enhancements include:

• Photo-enabled contact information for easier recognition
• Visual voicemail enables users to easily select only the voicemails they want to hear
• Viewable calendar information on phone and join meetings easily with one-click
• Automatic synchronization of call logs between both the phone and the Communicator “14″ PC client, saving users time by reducing the number of look-ups
• Simplified pin authentication for easy sign-in on any device
• “Better together” USB connectivity (CX600 and CX3000) to an associated PC, enabling single sign-in, click-to-dial from a PC and audio coordination between phone and PC.

Partner Opportunities
For WPC 2010 attendees, Polycom will spotlight how its CX series phones enable information workers to access the productivity-enhancing features of Communications Server “14,” delivering a personalized phone experience that makes telephony a more effective part of business communications. Polycom also plans to outline the opportunities the CX series offers to Microsoft and Polycom channel partners. For Microsoft partners new to Polycom, the CX line and Polycom’s video conferencing and telepresence solutions offer an opportunity to enhance the revenue potential of Microsoft UC sales through a comprehensive hardware, software and services solution. For Polycom partners, the CX series offers a way to solve customers’ UC application needs with a unique Polycom solution and benefit from the momentum and new user capabilities surrounding Microsoft Communications Server “14.”

Pricing and Availability
Polycom CX series phones are affordably priced from MSRP U.S. $199 for the CX500 IP phone, designed for use in public areas; $299 for the CX600 IP desktop phone; and $849 for the CX3000 IP conference phone. The new phones will be available in the fourth quarter of 2010. To see a demo of the new phones, visit Polycom at WPC booth no. 339.

About Polycom
Polycom, Inc. (Nasdaq: PLCM) is a global leader in telepresence, video, and voice solutions and a visionary in communications that empower people to connect and collaborate everywhere. Visit www.polycom.com for more information and follow us on Twitter @AllAboutPolycom.

© 2010 Polycom, Inc. All rights reserved. POLYCOM®, the Polycom “Triangles” logo and the names and marks associated with Polycom’s products are trademarks and/or service marks of Polycom, Inc. and are registered and/or common law marks in the United States and various other countries. All other trademarks are property of their respective owners.

Contacts

• Kevin Young
  Polycom, Inc.
  +1.303.408.9711
  kyoung@polycom.com

UC’s impact mostly hype?

If your organization isn’t thinking about unified communications, you may get that nagging feeling of being left behind in the latest communications technology promised to delivery positive business impact.

Well, don’t feel too bad now. InformationWeek surveyed a few hundred business technology professionals about UC’s impact, and the results are enough to rain on any UC parade:

The buzz around enterprise unified communications is loud, and getting more so as IT spending loosens. The problem is, in our experience and confirmed by our InformationWeek Analytics 2010 Unified Communications Survey of 406 business technology professionals, enterprise-wide UC programs that have a truly transformative impact on business processes are all too rare.

For example, videoconferencing has lately hogged the spotlight. But too often we see IT groups set up expensive video systems and walk away, with nary an hour of training or any plan to track whether employees even use the tool. From the CFO’s perspective, consumer-class applications, such as Skype and Yahoo Messenger, seem to provide much the same benefit as enterprise-class systems, without all the hassle and expense. No wonder we’re faced with frustration, misunderstandings, and elusive ROI.

Does this remind you of anything? Say, back in the days when CRM was taking off and was the buzzword in almost all business technology articles?

In the glory days of PeopleSoft and Siebel, there seemed no end to their high-flying potential. They hired almost anyone out of college who could be molded into a business/technical consultant. They signed on customer upon customer whose CTO drank the Kool-Aid and was sold on CRM’s transformative powers. The promise of cost savings, business processes re-engineered, and happy executives. Seemed like a no-brainer!

But as we all know, many of these CRM implementations failed miserably. Over time and over budget. Litigations ensued. In fact, there’s been stories of how failed CRM projects broke companies.

UC adopters: may past CRM projects serve as lessons for you. Like CRM vendors, UC vendors will promise the moon. It’s best for you to stay grounded in evaluating UC’s benefits for the organization. Executives are especially vulnerable these days because of the economic downturn, and vendors will certainly exploit that.

If you follow closely the developments in UC, you need to read the whole article.

Esnatech announces UC app for iPad

Face it, corporate IT folks: the Apple iPad will invade the office, whether you like it or not. And some UC app developers are giving the iPad very good reasons to be in the office, too.

For example, Esnatech demonstrates why the iPad can be a companion in the office with the release of its UC Client software which works with all the major PBXs.

Here’s the press release:

Richmond Hill, ON, Canada – June 10, 2010 — Esna Technologies Inc. (Esnatech), a market leader in enterprise Unified Communications, has launched a version of its market leading Mobile Unified Communications software for the newly released Apple iPad device. The mobile UC software, UC Client delivers fixed-to-mobile convergence for a wide range of wireless devices with enterprise PBX systems such as Cisco, Avaya, Mitel, Nortel, Iwatsu, AASTRA, Toshiba, eON, Shortel, Asterisk, etc. UC Client provides a complete communications and collaboration solution for mobile users, integrating enterprise presence, mobility, unified messaging, and enterprise voice to mobile devices. The integration of unified communications on wireless devices such as the Apple iPad will dramatically increase the ability of mobile and roaming users to connect to their office and communicate as if they were at their desk. Esnatech has released a version specifically for Apple iPad users so they can link their iPad device to their enterprise voice network/PBX and leverage their iPad as their office communication device.

“With the release of our newest Mobile UC Client software for Apple’s iPad, we provide iPad users with the opportunity to experience full, rich, and live enterprise communications directly on their iPad,” said Davide Petramala, Vice President, Business Development at Esnatech. “Integrated with the Esnatech UC server platform, Telephony Office-Linx, iPad users can manage all of their office communications such as find me/follow me, presence, and instant messaging directly from their device. This once again demonstrates Esnatech’s market leadership in interoperability as we extend our UC services to any telephone system, any business application, and now to any mobile and wireless device including Apple’s iPhone, the iPod touch and now the iPad.”

With the new Mobile UC Client software, users of Esnatech’s Unified Communications platform will have access to the following features directly from their Apple iPad:

• Users can manage their office presence and integrate with enterprise presence solutions such as Microsoft® Live Communications Server and Google® Talk
• Users can define their presence and availability even while on their Apple iPad
• Users are able to view the presence and availability of colleagues in their office
• Initiate and/or participate in enterprise instant messaging sessions with full logging and security
• View complete call history, including real-time view of inbound, outbound and missed calls to/from the office
• Initiate and manage live office calls directly from the Apple iPad, acting as a remote control for their office PBX
• Unified messaging integrated natively in the iPad email application where users can view, manage, and respond to voice and fax messages

The new mobile application installs the Apple iPad and connects through IP to the Telephony Office-LinX™ platform, that is connected to both the enterprise PBX/email platform and business applications. Users will have the ability to view their workgroups and see who is online and available. With access to real-time status, users can then choose the best way to communicate with co-workers. This will dramatically improve the connectivity of wireless users to their office environment and improve productivity by delivering anywhere, anytime access to critical resources.

The new Mobile UC Client software for the iPad is available as a FREE download for a limited time from the Apple Apps Store. It can be accessed directly from any user’s device or from iTunes. Simply search for Esna or UC Client.

About Telephony Office-LinX™

The Esnatech Telephony Office-LinX platform is already tightly integrated with Google Apps and Android, Microsoft Exchange and Windows Mobile devices, IBM Lotus Domino, Novell GroupWise, Apple Mac OS, iPhone, iPod, iPad, Research in Motion BlackBerry and Nokia Symbian devices. The gateway server can be administered directly from an organization’s Microsoft Management Console or through Terminal Services over the web. Users can be managed through Active Directory and Group Policy.

About Esnatech

Founded in 1989, Esnatech’s mission is to provide communication solutions that are simply the best way to communicate! Esnatech’s solutions empower organizations by giving them the flexibility to conduct business at anytime, from anywhere so they can manage the information they need, when they need it! Esnatech markets and distributes its products through OEM and VAR partners in 28 countries worldwide.

Follow ESNATECH:

TWITTER: http://twitter.com/poweredbyesnauc

YOUTUBE: http://youtube.ca/ucommunicate

ESNA UC BLOGS: http://esnatechuc.blogspot.com | http://unified-comm.blogspot.com

FACEBOOK: esnatech link

PRESS ONLY INFORMATION:
Davide Petramala | VP Sales & Marketing, Esna Technologies Inc.
Tel: 905-762-5914
Email: davidep@esna.com

Is Microsoft playing both sides of the interoperability game?

Jamie Stark, Senior Technical Product Manager at Microsoft, posted some updates on the UC Group Team Blog, starting off by addressing recent developments in interoperability:

First off – on Wednesday, May 19^th, industry leaders including HP, Juniper Networks, Logitech / LifeSize, Polycom, and Microsoft announced the Unified Communications Interoperability Forum (UCIF). UCIF is a non-profit, open alliance of worldwide technology companies that will develop interoperability profiles, certification, and testing programs in order to enable UC interoperability scenarios. The UCIF’s vision is to enable interoperability of UC hardware and software across enterprises, service providers, and consumer clouds, as a means of protecting customer’s existing investments, simplifying their transition to more extended UC networks, and generating incremental business opportunity for all stakeholders in the ecosystem. To learn more about UCIF, including the growing list of companies who have joined the forum, check out the website at www.ucif.org

Of course, Microsoft has been delivering practical interoperability solutions to our unified communications customers since the launch of the UC Open Interoperability Program, or UCOIP, in 2007.   The UCOIP is a qualification program for gateways, IP-PBXs, and SIP trunks services that is intended to ensure that customers have seamless experiences with the setup, support, and use of qualified telephony infrastructure with Communications Server.  Any IP-PBX, SIP/PSTN gateway, or SIP Trunking vendor that meets the qualification requirements, conforms to the specifications, and successfully completes the third party testing performed byTekVizion labs will have their solution published on the UCOIP web site.

The establishment of the UCIF has been welcomed news — for the most part — by vendors and industry analysts. Still missing in its membership are biggies like Cisco and Avaya, and the former doesn’t seem to have any intention of becoming an UCIF member anytime soon. Microsoft gladly signed up to be a founding member, and the company historically actively participates in any sort of industry forum because it knows it has a lot of influence being the top software company in the world.

But as Stark stated, Microsoft launched UCOIP in 2007. Don’t let the name fool you, however. Even though the “O” stands for “Open,” it really only pertains to interoperability with Microsoft’s own communications software. The official overview of the program:

The qualification program for SIP/PSTN Gateways, IP-PBXs and SIP Trunking Services ensures that customers have seamless experiences with setup, support, and use of qualified telephony infrastructure and services with Microsoft’s unified communications software and Microsoft Office Communications Online (BPOS-Dedicated).

So on the one hand Microsoft wants in on UCIF, but continues to spread the Interoperability Gospel According to Microsoft.

One has to wonder: How committed is Microsoft in making its UC products interoperable in the general sense?

Hitler Not Happy meme applied to UC interoperability

Well, I supposed this was bound to happen sooner or later…