It's been an exciting year for unified communications (UC). From the emphasis on presence to the increasing migration to VoIP, we at SearchUnifiedCommunications.com have tried to keep up with our readers' thirst for UC knowledge with informative tips on the topics of most interest. We've compiled a list of the top 10 tips from the past year, as chosen by our readers. Reread one of your favorite tips from 2008, or read a tip you haven't seen and learn about hot enterprise UC topics, among them Microsoft Office Communications Server (OCS), video conferencing, and UC strategy.
Using the iPhone in the enterprise? -- Zeus Kerravala examines whether the enterprise is ready for the iPhone and whether the iPhone is ready for the enterprise.
Consider IBM Lotus Sametime for UC, not just Microsoft OCS -- When thinking about the future of UC, most people consider only Microsoft OCS. But they would be remiss if they didn't also consider IBM Lotus Sametime. Learn how IBM Lotus Sametime can be comparable to Microsoft OCS for UC.
Social connectivity as part of your unified communications strategy -- UC allows users to work from home in their pajamas, but make sure they don't feel disconnected from the enterprise. In this tip, Zeus Kerravala provides advice on how to maintain social connectivity in a UC system.
Four factors driving video conferencing -- Video conferencing wasn't always a valid form of communications, but times have changed. Learn about the four factors that drive video conferencing as part of a UC strategy.
Streaming Cisco's IP Communicator to an HP thin client -- In this tip, virtualization expert Glenda Canfield explains why she advocates streaming VoIP to a thin client rather than publishing, and provides a strategy to do so with Cisco's IP Communicator and an HP thin client, using Citrix technology.
Selecting the right UC consultant -- The word "consultant" can be vague and misleading. Learn how to make sure a UC consultant has the know-how to provide the services you really need.
Integrate Exchange 2007 Unified Messaging and Asterisk -- With the useful unified messaging features included in Microsoft Exchange 2007 and the low cost of the IP telephony platform Asterisk, it's a no-brainer for companies to combine the two. This tip will guide you through the process of making the two systems coexist.
VoIP service selection: MPLS, VPLS or Metro Ethernet? -- With three types of VoIP available, it may be difficult to decide which service is best for your company. This tip outlines MPLS, VPLS and Metro Ethernet to help you choose the right VoIP service.
UC in the enterprise: Who benefits the most? -- While it is understood that UC benefits enterprises by increasing efficiency, sometimes it's not clear who benefits the most. Learn who stands to gain the most from UC -- trainers, sales and marketing, or IT staff.
Presence: SIMPLE versus XMPP -- SIMPLE and XMPP are the two main presence-associated standards. In this tip, you'll learn about these standards and how to leverage them to your advantage.
