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Learn to apply best practices and optimize your operations.
Manage
Learn to apply best practices and optimize your operations.
Should team collaboration apps be stand-alone or integrated?
Team collaboration can be deployed as part of an integrated offering or as a separate app. Our expert explains why IT may not have much control over collaborative environment decisions. Continue Reading
Huddle rooms create new meeting room management requirements
New video conferencing tools don't require high-level support from IT and AV teams, which allows them to take a more strategic approach to management. Continue Reading
What WAN configuration best supports UCaaS platform deployments?
Preparing for a UCaaS deployment means having the right WAN circuit configuration, with enough bandwidth to support all of your data and prioritize voice and video traffic with real-time delivery needs. Continue Reading
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UCaaS market for next-generation features APIs, AI, more
The market for unified communications as a service is getting crowded. To stand out, vendors must now offer next-gen features, such as AI and contact center integration. Continue Reading
How do you train an AI service for collaboration?
Organizations looking to improve communication efficiency can train AI to automate collaboration workflows, launch meetings and transcribe conversations. Continue Reading
Conference rooms of the future need IT control, expertise
As organizations evaluate their conference rooms of the future, IT groups need to lead these projects to create a consistent meeting room experience for end users.Continue Reading
What are the security threats when working with CPaaS vendors?
Four security vulnerabilities should be top of mind as you move into real-time communication with APIs. Expert Tsahi Levent-Levi explains how to approach real-time communication security.Continue Reading
Six tips to deploy a quality unified communications system
In order to troubleshoot a unified communications system, IT leaders should have a written list of common problems and a description of how to resolve those issues.Continue Reading
How do you monitor performance of communication APIs?
Measuring API performance depends on whether the API is provided by a vendor or developed in-house. API expert Tsahi Levent-Levi offers steps to monitor APIs.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
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How should enterprises deploy group collaboration software?
Multiple communication platforms will make collaboration management difficult for IT. Overall efficiency will be reduced with too many different apps in one enterprise.Continue Reading
How do you manage enterprise video communications performance?
Enterprise video performance is vulnerable to latency and packet loss. Organizations must address three key areas in video communications to prevent issues that could impede performance.Continue Reading
Room-based video conference software aids workflows, management
Huddle rooms, or small meeting rooms, can benefit from room-specific video conferencing software that enhances collaboration workflows and IT management.Continue Reading
How do you measure collaboration ROI?
Measuring collaboration return on investment in a unified communications setting involves benchmarking employee application usage before and after deployment.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
How are virtualization trends affecting enterprise SBCs?
Virtualizing enterprise session border controllers can help reduce business expenses. Networking expert Carrie Higbie Goetz explains how to deploy virtual SBCs successfully.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
Integrating apps helps spur digital workplace projects
Building a digital workplace starts by integrating apps and customizing information, so workers can be more productive and efficient across locations and devices.Continue Reading
How do you build a cloud adoption strategy for UC?
Several factors are involved when adopting cloud-based UC. Networking expert Carrie Higbie Goetz breaks down what organizations must include in their cloud adoption strategy.Continue Reading
How do you prepare if your UC provider is acquired?
The UC market is abuzz with mergers and acquisitions, but this activity creates uncertainty for organizations. Analyst Jon Arnold offers advice on how to handle vendor consolidation.Continue Reading
IT staffs see changing roles amid cloud UC
IT roles are shifting, as more companies adopt cloud services. IT staffs must now ensure they are leading the adoption of new capabilities that deliver business value.Continue Reading
Addressing three cloud-based collaboration security threats
Cloud-based collaboration software offers productivity benefits, but carries security risks. Learn about three collaboration security threats facing organizations and how to address them.Continue Reading
How can organizations add mobile communications components with CPaaS?
Embedding mobile communications into an app isn't as straightforward as deploying CPaaS. When enterprises integrate communications, two scenarios can affect their strategies.Continue Reading
Team chat applications face interoperability woes
Team collaboration apps are booming among businesses. But a lack of interoperability is creating headaches for users who rely on multiple apps for internal and external collaboration.Continue Reading
How do you prepare to manage a hybrid UC environment?
Managing hybrid unified communications can be tricky. Follow these steps to prepare your organization and IT team for the challenges of managing a hybrid environment.Continue Reading
What tools are necessary for UC network diagnostics?
When UC apps -- such as voice and video -- create network disruptions, organizations should know what network diagnostic tools are needed to resolve issues.Continue Reading
Do organizations need to manage communication APIs?
While organizations are not heavily involved in managing APIs, they should note three important roles that emerge when deploying communication APIs across the enterprise.Continue Reading
Do Skype for Business features and benefits outweigh its drawbacks?
Skype for Business issues and drawbacks remain, but with a few expert tips and the proper deployment strategy the popular product can work in your company.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
How to consolidate unified communications platforms
Unified communications providers now offer several features across their platforms. Organizations that align with a single vendor could cut costs and simplify deployments.Continue Reading
Unified communications platforms lack security scrutiny
As UC platforms become more open to the outside world, IT leaders need to heed newer threats, including guest-access features, federation capabilities and cloud services.Continue Reading
Messaging platforms flout traditional real-time telephony
Business messaging defies traditional telephony-centric, real-time communications. The persistence and efficiency of web-based messaging offers a new way to collaborate.Continue Reading
What effect does an API ecosystem have on the network?
While an API deployment may seem like a small task, it can have a major effect on the network. IT groups should work with business units to monitor network traffic.Continue Reading
What lesser-known WebRTC use cases can organizations leverage?
While many organizations use WebRTC for voice and video calls, enterprises can take advantage of the technology in other ways. Learn about some lesser-known WebRTC use cases.Continue Reading
Embedding video into apps streamlines communications
By embedding video communications into business applications, CPaaS technology can help enterprises untangle collaboration complexities and boost user engagement.Continue Reading
How UC channel partners can capitalize on communication APIs
IT teams often lack developer resources to integrate communication APIs. But UC channel partners can step in to help customers embed communications into their workflows.Continue Reading
How should enterprises conduct an API assessment?
Before deploying a communications API, organizations must carefully assess their options. Learn about two red flags that could indicate poor API design.Continue Reading
Enterprise mobile video calls fill collaboration gaps
Mobile video conferencing can promote better meeting engagement. But enterprise users need to take steps to maintain an effective video collaboration session.Continue Reading
Team messaging apps go mainstream, could have ripple effect
As team messaging applications such as Slack and Cisco Spark grow in popularity, they could decrease reliance on email, 1-800 customer service numbers and even LinkedIn.Continue Reading
Does your unified communications platform need an upgrade?
When a unified communications platform lacks up-to-date functionalities or reaches its end of life, enterprises need to research other vendors and products to upgrade UC systems.Continue Reading
Do SIP trunking services need disaster recovery planning?
Don't forget about SIP trunking services during your disaster recovery planning process. Networking expert Michael Brandenburg explains SIP trunking setups for disaster recovery.Continue Reading
How do you choose between public and private cloud video conferencing?
Organizations looking to move video conferencing to the cloud should evaluate deployment options carefully. Learn the pros and cons of public and private cloud video.Continue Reading
API planning for enterprises requires ample due diligence
When integrating APIs into your business applications, be sure to forecast your communications traffic, rank your business performance metrics and try out potential vendors.Continue Reading
How do you evaluate vendor API offerings?
Evaluating the offerings of API vendors goes beyond the technology. Tsahi Levent-Levi offers some tips on taking a holistic approach toward vendor APIs.Continue Reading
What's the best way to approach a hybrid UC rollout?
Before launching hybrid services for UC, make sure your organization is prepared. Learn how to evaluate your organization's needs and potential providers.Continue Reading
How to calculate video conferencing bandwidth requirements
Image motion, frame rates and screen resolution often dictate video conferencing bandwidth requirements. The number of endpoints and concurrent calls are also key factors.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
What collaboration features are essential for my organization?
When evaluating team collaboration apps, organizations must determine which features are required for their users. Expert Jon Arnold offers advice on evaluating collaboration features.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
How do I buy bandwidth for my organization?
Learn about the various bandwidth services organizations can purchase to support their business apps and how they can effectively manage their bandwidth.Continue Reading
How should mobile-first apps fit in our UC strategy?
Mobile-first collaboration is a vital part of a UC strategy. Industry expert Jon Arnold explains why organizations must prioritize mobile collaboration for their employees.Continue Reading
What are best practices for managing WebRTC services?
Keep your WebRTC voice and video deployment up to date to make sure employees don't experience service disruptions. Tsahi Levent-Levi offers best practices to manage WebRTC.Continue Reading
Three key questions for a successful hybrid deployment of UC
Managing on-premises and cloud-based apps is quite the balancing act. Enterprises need to determine how important each application is to their overall UC vision.Continue Reading
How can you support current and future video infrastructure needs?
Organizations must ensure their networks can support employees' current and future video collaboration needs. Learn how to evaluate your network's ability to support video traffic.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
Land and expand: Collaboration apps gain ground, with or without IT's OK
Workers unhappy with available collaboration platforms increasingly bypass IT and download apps such as Slack and Unify Circuit, then convert their colleagues into users too.Continue Reading
Should our video strategy be built by lines of business?
When enterprises make technology buying decisions, employees now wield more power. Learn how lines of business can play a central role in developing an enterprise video conferencing strategy.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
Office 365 enterprise users need to juggle features with costs
When evaluating Microsoft Office 365 enterprise plans, companies need to consider various prices and applications before committing to a migration.Continue Reading
Which network monitoring software manages real-time UC traffic?
Network monitoring software helps organizations manage the demanding real-time traffic of UC apps. Networking expert Carrie Higbie explains how to select the right software.Continue Reading
Medical center deploys video integration in virtual doctor visits
The Medical University of South Carolina expands its telehealth program with a video integration that allows doctors to connect with patients directly from health records.Continue Reading
Immersive group collaboration breaks down conference room walls
Meeting rooms are getting a makeover as visual workspace systems aim to enhance collaboration among distributed teams. But enterprises need to 'try before you buy.'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
Is Skype for Business telephony compatible with my desk phones?
Telephony expert Jon Arnold explains how large and small organizations can evaluate the compatibility of their desk phones with a Skype for Business telephony deployment.Continue Reading
Employee consultation needed before deploying new UC tools
Organizations that don't seek an employee consultation before deploying communications tools may struggle with adoption. Learn how to deploy tools that employees want to use.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
What is a WebRTC server and how does it connect calls?
A WebRTC server usually refers to a few different types of back-end servers, like signaling and media servers, that help connect browser-based communications.Continue Reading
CPaaS fuses communications apps with business workflows
Communications platform as a service, or CPaaS, can fortify business processes. But IT leaders need to educate internal developers on the availability of these emerging tools.Continue Reading
Are Microsoft collaboration tools starting to join forces?
Microsoft's cross-suite strategy, or lack thereof, for Office 365 collaboration tools has felt disjointed. But after the vendor's recent moves, users should see more cohesion.Continue Reading
Unified communications management before and after deployment
Organizations can minimize operational costs and maximize user satisfaction with proactive unified communications management and testing before and after deployment.Continue Reading
How can I use an online whiteboard in my business?
Online whiteboards can be used for much more than basic note taking. UC expert Jon Arnold explains why whiteboard collaboration is vital to virtual meetings.Continue Reading
UC management provides enterprises with cloud controls
When migrating a unified communications system to the cloud, investigate providers' security practices, ensure redundant Internet connections and consider using proxy servers.Continue Reading
Video conferencing systems help NATO keep the peace
An extensive video conferencing deployment helps employees and partners at the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) collaborate responding to world conflicts.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
Using APIs to integrate communication into business workflows
APIs can help enterprises integrate communications into business workflows. This type of emerging UC integration is now more widely available and features rich capabilities.Continue Reading
Preparing your organization to deploy Skype for Business
To ensure a successful Skype for Business deployment, organizations must consider their end-user needs, infrastructure demands and the proper deployment model.Continue Reading
How can organizations leverage WebRTC support for mobility?
WebRTC support can help organizations push mobility initiatives beyond smartphones and tablets. Expert Tsahi Levent-Levi explains how WebRTC can make employees truly mobile.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
What 'hidden' BYOD costs should organizations consider?
While a BYOD program may, at first, seem like an easy cost-savings initiative, an organization that hasn't set usage policies and prepared its network may face unexpected costs.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
ROI template helps calculate UCaaS costs, benefits
When plotting an ROI template for UCaaS, companies need to go beyond measuring costs and consider the positive impact to business processes, such as faster application upgrades.Continue Reading
How vital is VoIP training for users during a migration?
When migrating to VoIP training must extend beyond the IT department. End users will need training on features such as voicemail and conference calls to avoid migration setbacks.Continue Reading
Four technologies impacting enterprise communication
Smartphones, video, messaging and freemium services are shaking up enterprise communications. Enterprises must prepare for the impact of these trends on employee communication and workflows.Continue Reading
How SDN benefits real-time management of UC apps
Software-defined networking, considered a significant improvement over current static networking models, could help mitigate real-time UC network challenges.Continue Reading
Five video conferencing tools you didn't know you had
Users may not realize they can do more with video conferencing tools than recording and document sharing. Learn about some video conferencing features that users may not know they have.Continue Reading
How do you choose your SIP service deployment model?
There is no one-size-fits-all approach to SIP. Networking expert Michael Brandenburg explains how to choose between a decentralized and centralized SIP trunking deployment.Continue Reading
Enterprise networks need to address mobility trends
In order to accommodate employees' mobility needs, network engineers need to tackle three key considerations: bandwidth capacity, data security and privacy protection.Continue Reading
Measuring the business benefits of unified communications
Workflow analytics, such as finding correlations between collaboration capabilities and product development efficiency, can pinpoint the business benefits of unified communications.Continue Reading
UC vendors must focus on deliverance, not dominance
In a shared economy, unified communications vendors need to embrace an open ecosystem of integrated services for long-term success. But with these changes, some challenges lurk.Continue Reading
Game of Phones: Desk handsets still rule office phones
The demise of desk phones has been predicted for years, but they stubbornly stick around. Why haven't alternatives to traditional office phones caught on?Continue Reading
Mobile video conferencing enhances business processes
Improved bandwidth, networks and mobile devices enhance companies' mobile video conferencing efforts as tablets and smartphones become commonplace.Continue Reading
How should a single pane of glass for collaboration be approached?
Experts weigh in on how enterprises should go about building single-pane-of-glass platforms based on collaboration tools.Continue Reading
As iPads multiply, enterprises look to take UC mobile
In UC, mobile features have always been one step behind -- and when BlackBerrys dominated, that was OK. But times, and requirements, have changed.Continue Reading
UC blogs: Enterprise tablet market growing
In UC blogs this week, analysts discuss the factors driving the enterprise tablet market, and how vendors are approaching WebRTC testing.Continue Reading
What BYOD security policies should be set to protect UC apps?
BYOD security policies enterprises should consider to keep their UC apps secure.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