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VoIP QoS and Performance

• What are SBC configuration best practices?

  Proper SBC configuration requires partnering with providers and security teams to examine circuits and potential traffic. Learn the best practices for implementing an SBC on your network. Continue Reading

• Choosing SIP vs. PRI: What are the differences?

  SIP trunking and PRI both facilitate voice communications, but through very different capabilities. Learn the pros and cons of SIP vs. PRI, from costs to deployment models. Continue Reading

• How to manage hybrid cloud QoS in unified communications

  The two most common approaches to a hybrid UC configuration require different management techniques to maintain hybrid cloud QoS for voice, video and other real-time communications. Continue Reading

• How to monitor application performance in the cloud

  As you move real-time applications to the cloud, you might relinquish some network control. However, several mechanisms are available to monitor application performance. Continue Reading

• UC management tackles multivendor, hybrid UC challenges

  Multivendor and hybrid UC are creating complex management challenges for enterprises. Learn how UC performance management provides enterprises with the tools they need. Continue Reading

• Managed video conferencing services still play a key role

  Although video meetings have become more reliable and easier to use, managed video services still serve an important role, especially for large enterprises with complex networks.Continue Reading

• Before deploying Skype for Business, follow these key steps

  Microsoft's Skype for Business has seen increased adoption in the enterprise, but there are crucial steps IT should take before deploying Skype for Business voice service.Continue Reading

• Network pros troubleshoot VoIP quality, reliability

  As the telephone itself disappears from the voice communication process, engineering VoIP quality becomes more critical. Network managers assess what they're hearing now.Continue Reading

• Maintaining voice quality in Skype for Business telephony

  Managing and maintaining high call quality for Skype for Business telephony requires understanding the elements of PSTN quality requirements, including which metrics to watch and manage.Continue Reading

• How can organizations improve VoIP quality of service?

  While VoIP services are growing in popularity, issues with reliability and quality of calls remain. Learn what organizations can do to maintain and improve VoIP quality of service.Continue Reading

• Update session border controllers routinely for secure SIP trunking

  Enterprises need to ensure session border controllers are up to date to combat the changing landscape of voice attacks. Here are seven questions to ask about SBC security.Continue Reading

• Streamline cloud traffic by extending WAN connections to providers

  Enterprises looking to improve cloud traffic should evaluate emerging technologies, such as WAN-CX and SD-WAN, to help the performance of UCaaS applications.Continue Reading

• Bolster voice security with these five critical tips

  Proper voice security in the network requires voice gateway isolation, patch protection, next-generation firewalls, traffic encryption and limiting certain VoIP features.Continue Reading

• Improve UC management with SDN and other 21st-century tech

  With all the new unified communications (UC) applications and services on the market, enterprise IT has to make sure they don't crash the network. UC applications such as voice and video tax network performance. These demanding traffic streams test ...Continue Reading

• Proper UC monitoring combines these four network strategies

  Endpoint metrics, along with certain network probes and protocols, can provide IT teams with a comprehensive, multipoint approach to managing UC applications.Continue Reading

• Voice gateways provide powerful connectivity options

  Voice gateways connect VoIP networks to telecom providers and analog phones, while also providing backup call support. But these sensitive devices need proper security.Continue Reading

• How do you meet VoIP bandwidth requirements?

  Making sure VoIP bandwidth is sufficient can be difficult when the network is shared with non-mission critical apps. Expert Michael Brandenburg offers tips on how to support VoIP.Continue Reading

• Do enterprises need HD audio conferencing?

  Expert Jon Arnold explains the significance of high-definition audio conferencing services and the types of meetings that would benefit from high-quality audio.Continue Reading

• SD-WAN boosts aggregate bandwidth for UC functions

  Software-defined WAN controllers can send data streams over multiple links, which helps boost aggregate bandwidth and network reliability, while also streamlining UC traffic.Continue Reading

• Enterprises taking control of SIP trunking services

  Self-service Web portals and APIs are empowering enterprises to reap the benefits of SIP trunking and take greater control of their IP-based voice services.Continue Reading

• Layered security approach can thwart VoIP attacks

  A strategically placed firewall within your network infrastructure can help mitigate VoIP attacks. But encryption and proxy services add enhanced security.Continue Reading

• VoIP encryption urged outside and inside your network

  To maximize VoIP encryption methods, use Transport Layer Security in conjunction with Secure Real-Time Transport Protocol on all VoIP equipment.Continue Reading

• Five techniques for getting a robust VoIP infrastructure

  A VoIP expert stresses the importance of a separate voice VLAN setup, quality-of-service enablement and edge routers for a robust VoIP infrastructure.Continue Reading

• DiffServ QoS model works wonders for VoIP networks

  Properly configured QoS models help VoIP networks run smoothly. The DiffServ model, in particular, is cost-effective and scalable.Continue Reading

• What are VoIP over Wi-Fi best practices?

  What are some best practices for running VoIP over Wi-Fi? UC expert Zeus Kerravala explains the steps enterprises can take for a smooth deployment.Continue Reading

• Calculating VoIP bandwidth needs for SIP trunk services

  Part three of our series, SIP Trunking Explained, looks at the amount of VoIP bandwidth you'll need to avoid latency for SIP trunk services via a dedicated line or an Internet connection.Continue Reading

• Why should you implement QoS for VoIP?

  Why should enterprises implement QoS for VoIP? Telephony expert Jon Arnold explains why QoS is vital to measure the performance of voice services.Continue Reading

• What is a jitter buffer used for?

  Telecom expert Matt Brunk explains the uses for a jitter buffer on a VoIP network and the importance of configuring it properly.Continue Reading

• Monitor real-time communications or they will fail

  Supporting real-time communications is an ongoing process. Vendors and providers are offering voice and video testing, monitoring tools and services.Continue Reading

• Can VoIP softphones replace desk phones? Six ways to make it work

  Enterprises looking at VoIP softphones for employees with laptops and mobile devices should follow six guidelines to boost user adoption.Continue Reading

• Three use cases for Wireshark VoIP and UC network forensics

  Find out how to use Wireshark VoIP and UC packet capture, and learn from three main use cases why they are valuable to VoIP administrators.Continue Reading

• How does bursty traffic affect quality of service on a VoIP network?

  UC expert Matt Brunk explains what 'bursty traffic' is and how it affects quality of service on a VoIP network.Continue Reading

• Enterprises need Microsoft Lync monitoring to ensure UC performance

  Lync environments need combined UC, network performance monitoring tools. NetSout's nGenius gains certification for Lync UC environments.Continue Reading

• Advances in integrating UC apps into VDI environments

  Unified communications in virtual desktop infrastructure causes network performance problems. Find out how to integrate UC apps into VDI environments.Continue Reading

• Emerging unified communications management tools immature, demand light

  VoIP monitoring vendors aren't ready to fully support unified communications management tools, and many enterprise UC deployments are still too immature to need them.Continue Reading

• IP telephony QoS: Capacity planning and management

  Poor or irregular IP telephony QoS levels should alert voice managers to review network traffic, capacity, and traffic management measures before problems spread to all applications on the network.Continue Reading

• With the launch of unified communications, managing complexity and information is key

  Careful preparation, and outsourcing when appropriate, can ease unified communications push.Continue Reading

• Managed VoIP keeps regatta's communications afloat

  The world's largest rowing regatta utilizes managed VoIP to ease its year-round communications needs -- and for a temporary system during its celebrated two-day event.Continue Reading

• End-to-end network management enables reliable VoIP, unified communications

  Clarus Systems last week announced the addition of a voice-monitoring module to an enhanced version of its IP telephony management package, ClarusIPC, at the Internet Telephony Expo West 2007 in Los Angeles. The new ClarusIPC Plus+ includes a Voice ...Continue Reading

• VoIP performance management abounds at VoiceCon

  VoIP performance management tools were announced at VoiceCon, signaling a shift in focus from infrastructure to end-user experience.Continue Reading

• Updating a QoS strategy for VoIP traffic

  Learn how to update your QoS strategy for VoIP traffic in this tip from Tom Lancaster.Continue Reading

• QoS -- What voice managers need to know

  Quality of Service (QoS) technologies can be quite confusing between technical complexities and marketing jargon. In this tip, find out what voice managers need to know about QoS as it relates to VoIP.Continue Reading

• RSVP ready to manage VoIP, video traffic

  Though its 10 year past was riddled with failures, RSVP is fast returning as one of the best tools for managing QoS for VoIP and video.Continue Reading

• Network configuration management key to VoIP success

  While companies spend millions on upgrading infrastructure for VoIP, little attention is given to solving the largest source of downtime – configuration-related outages due to human error. A well-defined change management process built around ...Continue Reading

• Checklist: Getting the management dollars for VoIP

  Tools for managing VoIP are important to a successful implementation, but investing in management tools outside the ones your VoIP vendor provides may be a tough sell. In this tip, Gary Audin provides a checklist for analyzing the investment to help...Continue Reading

• How can VoIP be integrated into an existing PBX system?

  Find out if a small business can integrate incoming calls into both landlines and VoIP lines.Continue Reading

• VoIP management tools: Buy now or pay later

  Managing your VoIP systems is essential, yet the tools for doing so have not yet evolved to the point where any one vendor's product can satisfy your needs on its own. In this tip from IP communications guru Gary Audin, find out what your management...Continue Reading

• Planning VoIP deployment

  Barrie Dempster discusses management of the VoIP PBX and proposes that it be treated as another service managed by network administrators. He also documents how voice connectivity relates to data networks and how to effectively and securely ...Continue Reading

• Briefs: VoIP management; mobile E911; and Windows 2003 support

  This week Qovia released its new VoIP management system; 911 Enable made E911 mobile and Codima announced support for Windows 2003 server.Continue Reading

• How can we run D-link DPH-140S phones on Cisco CallManager Express?

  I help run a Cisco network. Normally we use Cisco series IP phones 7912, 7940 etc. But we are trying to put a D-link DPH-140S phone onto the network. It is currently not working. We can get the phone to register and get a dial tone when we pick up ...Continue Reading

• What is a good benchmark number for IP router management?

  What is a good benchmark number for IP router management?Continue Reading

• How do I set up a DHCP server and deploy IP numbers to networked machines?

  How do I set up a DHCP server and deploy IP numbers to networked machines?Continue Reading

• Has anyone used Packeteer for managing QoS?

  Has anyone used Packeteer for managing QoS? Is this necessary if your network understands Diffserve and CoS?Continue Reading

• Managing network bandwidth for voice and data

  In terms of bandwidth, is it more efficient to move voice and data separately within a network or through a converged voice and data network?Continue Reading

• Working with the Layer 2 data link layer in an IP telephony deployment

  This IP telephony deployment article provides solutions to performance issues in Layer 2, the data link layer.Continue Reading

• Troubleshooting the OSI network layers in an IPT deployment

  This article provides solutions to performance issues in the OSI network layers, Layers 3 - 7, when performing an IP telephony deployment.Continue Reading

• Using Category 3 cabling, IP phone power in IP telephony deployment

  This article provides solutions to performance issues in Layer 1: the physical layer, such as CAT 3 cabling and IP phone power, when performing an IP telephony deployment.Continue Reading

• Best Practices for Securing IP Telephony

  In this session, Irwin Lazar, Practice Manager, Burton Group, explored the risk factors in IP telephony and provided best practices and strategies for risk mitigation.Continue Reading

• VoIP congestion management: Part II - Hybrid queuing methods

  A look at hybrid queuing methods to prevent VoIP congestion.Continue Reading

• Manage traffic with NBAR

  Why, and what to look out for.Continue Reading