Problem solve

Problem solve

Get help with specific problems with your technologies, process and projects.

• What's the difference between Web, audio and video conferencing?

  Understand the differences between Web, audio and video conferencing from our videoconferencing expert, Stephen K. Campbell. Continue Reading

• Are there still PSTN lines or have telecoms moved on?

  PSTN lines are still required by some organizations and 'killing' the PSTN is not a simple task, telecom expert Matt Brunk said. Continue Reading

• Are wearable PoV cameras vulnerable to privacy issues and misuse?

  PoV cameras have the potential to be mishandled, but the same is true for all technology, according to unified communications expert Matt Brunk. Continue Reading

• How to get a Wireshark VoIP packet capture

  To see what is going across your network, you can use packet sniffing tool Wireshark to detect VoIP traffic. Learn to sniff your network in this tip. Continue Reading

• Wireshark packet capture filtering: How to parse your VoIP traffic

  Learn how to filter your Wireshark packet capture for VoIP-specific data to properly analyze your voice traffic. Continue Reading

• What are the advantages of SIP trunks versus analog circuits?

  SIP trunking is not perfect, but it has more options and features compared to what traditional phone companies offer, says UC expert Matt Brunk.Continue Reading

• How do SIP providers handle E911 service calls?

  SIP providers approach E911 service calls in varying ways, according to VoIP expert, Matt Brunk.Continue Reading

• How to extend UC to the right mobile user

  Enterprises must choose appropriate mobile users and learn to manage them before embarking on a mobile UC deployment.Continue Reading

• UCaaS ROI formula calculations and methodology

  Before you deploy unified communications, whether the service is in the cloud or not, you must calculate the ROI of your project.Continue Reading

• The truth about mobile UC&C uptake

  As much as vendors tout their mobile UC&C clients, adoption is still very low. Find out why and what could make true solutions meaningful.Continue Reading

• Virtualized session border controllers: Are there drawbacks?

  As more virtualized session border controllers are announced, it's helpful to understand the strengths and weaknesses of this delivery model.Continue Reading

• Does WebRTC support IPv6?

  Will WebRTC support session enablement in IPv6 environments? This article explains how this real-time communication protocol functions in v4 and v6.Continue Reading

• What is a call park phone feature and how does it work?

  UC expert, Matt Brunk, explains a call park phone feature, how it works and how it compares to a visual call park feature in this expert response.Continue Reading

• What is voicemail and how does it work?

  Our unified communications expert explains what exactly voicemail is and how it works in this Ask the Expert response.Continue Reading

• Calculating TCO of hosted unified communications solutions

  Learn what elements to account for when calculating the total cost of ownership (TCO) of your hosted unified communications solutions.Continue Reading

• Wireless voice over IP: What 802.11ac will do for VoIP

  Learn what promises IEEE 802.11ac Gigabit Wi-Fi standard will have on wireless VoIP in the enterprise.Continue Reading

• SIP trunking services close cost gaps around mobility

  SIP trunking services can not only reduce costs around PSTNs but mobile networks as well. Find out how in this tip.Continue Reading

• Defining an enterprise strategy to reap social media benefits

  In order to reap social media benefits, enterprises must define a social media strategy, which includes revisiting technology and security policies.Continue Reading

• What are the different types of private branch exchange systems?

  The types of PBX systems available shifted after the advent of Internet Protocol, according to IP telephony expert Jon Arnold.Continue Reading

• Are there advantages to using the public switched telephone network?

  You may have to sacrifice some advantages of the public switched telephone network if you switch to VoIP, says telephony expert Jon Arnold.Continue Reading

• How can I easily switch between an external webcam and a built-in one?

  Video expert Steve Campbell answers a question about built-in and external webcams. Certain factors affect the quality of your experience, he says.Continue Reading

• Can I share my webcam with multiple programs simultaneously?

  There are a few ways you can share your webcam with multiple programs at once, but you have to beware of malware, says video expert Steve Campbell.Continue Reading

• How are softphones being used in the enterprise and beyond?

  Softphone bandwidth can be an issue while on the road, so how can network managers track softphone traffic and the user experience?Continue Reading

• Why is SIP trunking better than PRI and BRI?

  SIP trunking is preferable over PRI and BRI based on flexibility and cost benefits, says telephony expert Matt Brunk.Continue Reading

• When does it make sense to employ an external webcam?

  The decision of whether to use an external webcam depends on what you intend to use video conferencing for, says video expert Steve Campbell.Continue Reading

• What options do businesses have when choosing VoIP telephony systems?

  Businesses looking to use VoIP telephony technology have many options. Expert Jon Arnold outlines factors to consider when picking a VoIP system.Continue Reading

• What hurdles do enterprises face in adopting collaborative software?

  Enterprises looking to maximize productivity may need to adjust their way of looking at collaborative software, says networking expert Zeus Kerravala.Continue Reading

• Mobile device adoption alters UC strategies

  As the BYOD revolution unfurls, enterprises find that mobile device adoption requires an alteration to current unified communications (UC) strategies.Continue Reading

• Understanding unified communications components

  You must first understand unified communications components before selecting a UC product, service or determining an organization's needs.Continue Reading

• How does VoIP performance differ over LAN, WAN and other networks?

  Environment affects VoIP performance, so it's important to consider how VoIP best fits in your environment is important, our UC strategies expert explains.Continue Reading

• Session border control: The good, the bad, the ugly

  Session border controllers do well in securing VoIP connections, but enterprises should carefully analyze whether they should manage those borders.Continue Reading

• What is the SVC Codec and how is it used?

  The SVC codec is an extension to the H.264 standard for video encoding used by many equipment manufacturers, explains our video conferencing expert.Continue Reading

• Can keeping traffic on separate VLANs counter VoIP security risks?

  Although keeping data and VoIP traffic on separate VLANs can counter VoIP security risks, it can be a tough sell, says VoIP expert Matt Brunk.Continue Reading

• What does it mean when people refer to 'cloud UC?'

  Understanding "cloud UC" stems from having a solid understanding of each term individually before tackling them together, our telecom expert explains.Continue Reading

• 10 questions to ask your potential collaboration vendors

  Having a hard time deciding between collaboration vendors? Ask them these 10 questions to help you choose the right service for your business.Continue Reading

• SIP trunking service adoption growth driven by WAN strategy alignment

  As SIP trunking adoption increases, more enterprises want to align the technology with their WAN strategies. Learn about the benefits and challenges of that alignment.Continue Reading

• Adding up the real costs of so-called 'free' Microsoft Lync

  Using Microsoft Lync as a corporate UC system is cheap -- free, even, right? While Lync licenses are free, installing Lync may cost more than you’ve bargained for.Continue Reading

• What's the difference between social media and social networking?

  Many people view the terms social media and social networking as interchangeable. UC expert Paul McMillan offers his definitions of the two terms and advice on their proper use.Continue Reading

• Video conferencing security: Keeping private meetings private

  Common approaches to building a formidable video conferencing security architecture include encryption, presence and identity management and acceptable use policies.Continue Reading

• Robust WLAN infrastructure key to strategic mobile UC

  Having a robust WLAN infrastructure is no longer a convenience, it's a necessity. Modern WLAN deployments are costly, but there's a silver lining enterprises often overlook.Continue Reading

• Understanding the real meaning of pervasive video

  Pervasive video and ubiquitous video conferencing are not interchangeable terms. Knowing the real meaning of pervasive video may change the standard approach to video deployment.Continue Reading

• Federated identity management key to SaaS office and cloud-based UC

  Federated identity management addresses the security risks associated with identity management while providing users SSO to multiple cloud-based UC services and SaaS office apps.Continue Reading

• Top 5 trends in enterprise IP telephony

  What comes after full-scale IP telephony deployment? There are five important trends shaping the future of enterprise IP telephony.Continue Reading

• Pulling the plug on desk phones and PBX phone systems

  Desk phones and PBX phone systems have been the de facto standard for years. Not sure if you’re ready to let go? Ask yourself these questions and find out.Continue Reading

• The future of IP telephony still trapped in the PBX era

  The future of IP telephony and the IP PBX is still locked in the PBX era. Enterprises need to stop treating IP telephony systems like TDM systems.Continue Reading

• Configuring VoIP for an office using a VSAT Internet connection

  UC expert Matt Brunk offers recommendations for a reader considering VoIP over a VSAT Internet connection in his office. His first tip: Ask yourself why you really want to do it.Continue Reading

• Making sense of unified communications and collaboration tools

  Shopping unified communications and collaboration tools is demanding since collaboration tools and packages vary across vendors. This tip provides an overview of UC collaboration tools from top vendors, like Microsoft, IBM and Avaya, and will help ...Continue Reading

• How to handle softphones when keeping voice and data on separate VLANs

  Unified communications expert Matt Brunk answers a reader's follow-up question about handling softphones when you've decided to split voice and data traffic on two separate VLANs.Continue Reading

• The truth about five nines availability in unified communications networks

  Five nines availability is attainable with traditional telecommunications networks, but is it attainable with a unified communications network? This tip explains how to calculate availability and how it relates to unified communications software and...Continue Reading

• Integrating video conferencing with unified communications

  Integrating video conferencing with unified communications enables users to initiate video connections through presence, much like they do with instant messaging. This tip explains how to integrate video with unified communications with examples ...Continue Reading

• Video conferencing MCU location is important

  The location of video conferencing MCUs (multipoint conference units) makes a difference in your video conferencing deployment, affecting the number of users supported and ability to scale in the future. Learn why the WAN core is a good spot for the...Continue Reading

• Is it possible to connect the IP PBX to a wireless connection?

  IP telephony expert Jon Arnold uses an inquiry about IP PBXs and wireless networks to discuss the value of extending the LAN to mobile devices through fixed-mobile convergence.Continue Reading

• The value of toll bypass in the enterprise

  IP telephony expert Jon Arnold explains the value of toll bypass in an IP telephony setup, detailing why enterprises should consider it as an option while tempering cost-savings expectations.Continue Reading

• Secure video conferencing: Traversing the firewall

  Providing secure video conferencing means overcoming the inherent design differences between video conferencing and firewalls. Discover the pros and cons of using a direct Internet connection, configuring a DMZ, or deploying traversal servers and ...Continue Reading

• IP telephony QoS: VoIP traffic management and prioritization

  When conventional solutions don't improve IP telephony QoS issues, VoIP traffic management can help. Learn how to prioritize VoIP traffic, address voice delay and provide Class of Service-based routing.Continue Reading

• A step-by-step guide to identifying and resolving background noise and echo

  Matt Brunk provides a detailed, step-by-step strategy to accurately identify, address and resolve voice background noise and echo problemsContinue Reading

• How do I resolve a "presence unknown" display issue when trying to build an OCS Access Edge?

  Integration and collaboration expert Hugh Marlor explains how to avoid the Windows 2008 issue of encountering a "presence unknown" display when trying to build an OCS Access Edge.Continue Reading

• When SIP trunks fail: Disaster recovery for SIP trunking

  When your SIP trunks fail, do you have a disaster recovery plan for SIP trunking to support troubleshooting and resolution of SIP trunk failures, or are you solely dependent on what the carriers and/or ITSPs tell you?Continue Reading

• When SIP trunks fail: ITSP SIP trunking disaster recovery plans

  When SIP trunks fail, having a well-vetted ITSP with a strong SIP trunking disaster recovery plan is crucial.Continue Reading

• Challenges of SIP trunking for telecom managers and network admins

  The challenges of SIP trunking for network administrators include interoperability and compression issues, service availability, security, SIP trunking architectures, lack of fax services, E-911 support and SIP trunk monitoring tools.Continue Reading

• How to configure SIP trunks for the enterprise

  Configuring SIP trunks requires careful planning and pre-deployment network assessment and analysis. Learn how to configure SIP trunks properly, reliably and securely in this excerpt of a chapter from SIP Trunking.Continue Reading

• What are the benefits and limitations of IP phones and digital phones?

  Our IP telephony expert details the differences between IP phones and digital phones, identifying their unique capabilities and noting the tasks for which each are best suited.Continue Reading

• Protect your UC services against eavesdropping and security attacks

  With the right access, anyone can observe or adjust your unified communications services. Learn how to ward off unauthorized modification and eavesdropping attacks in this chapter from Seven Deadliest Unified Communications Attacks.Continue Reading

• Differences among cloud computing, virtualization, SaaS and SOA

  Cloud computing, software as a service (SaaS), virtualization and service-oriented architectures (SOAs) are technologies designed to reduce the IT costs of supporting business operations. Each technology addresses business challenges in a different ...Continue Reading

• When it comes to PBX systems, how would you compare IP EPABX to digital EPABX?

  Learn the differences between IP and digital PBX systems, as well as which type of system would make more sense for a small office of 30 employees in India.Continue Reading

• How can my company reduce telecom costs?

  Learn how analyzing service expenditures can not only help your company reduce telecom costs, but also significantly impact your bottom line.Continue Reading

• Legacy devices and analog telephone lines still useful, despite VoIP

  Supporting legacy devices and analog telephone lines will be part of your due diligence well into the foreseeable future despite the high rate of VoIP and IP telephony deployments. Find out which legacy interfaces you can expect to use in the future...Continue Reading

• What is the difference between E&M and junction lines, and do you have any advice on how to check fa

  Learn about E&M lines and how to check faults in them.Continue Reading

• How can MPLS help in VoIP implementation between a parent company and its branch offices?

  Find out how MPLS helps in VoIP implementation between a parent company and its branch offices.Continue Reading

• Mobile IP networks: An overview

  With more people in the workforce moving mobile, thanks to road warriors and telecommuters, the demand for mobile IP is growing. In this chapter excerpt from "Wireless Networking Complete," you'll learn about mobile IP networks, from protocols to ...Continue Reading

• Implementing a mobile unified communications (UC) solution

  Mobile unified communications (UC) can provide many major benefits to an organization. In this tip, you will learn about the major strategies available to implement a mobile UC solution and fixed mobile convergence (FMC).Continue Reading

• Transforming healthcare with video conferencing

  Video services like video conferencing have taken healthcare to a whole new level. With the ability to confer and train with doctors anywhere in the world, many hospitals and healthcare institutions have changed for the better. Learn about a few ...Continue Reading

• What is the relationship between SIP and unified communications?

  Learn about the relationship between Session Initiation Protocol (SIP) and unified communications (UC) in this expert response from Paul McMillan.Continue Reading

• Social networking and discussion forums for the enterprise

  Social networking for the enterprise is bringing new value to discussion forums, helping organizations keep customers and staff connected and informed.Continue Reading

• Fixed mobile convergence technology fundamentals

  Fixed mobile convergence (FMC) systems based on VoIP service build on convergence technology fundamentals to enable fully converged IP communications. This chapter will review FMC systems technology and discuss real-life deployments.Continue Reading

• Identifying issues in a multi-site Cisco UC deployment

  Deploying Cisco Unified Communications Manager between multiple sites requires an appropriate dial plan, appropriate bandwidth, a quality of service (QoS) implementation and a design that can survive IP WAN failures. This chapter will explain the ...Continue Reading

• The role of VoWLAN solutions

  Learn about voice over wireless LAN (VoWLAN) deployment from specific case study applications. This chapter excerpt details specific instances of VoWLAN deployment success.Continue Reading

• How do I choose between PBXs, hybrid VoIP systems and TDM?

  To determine the best telephone system for your company, expert Matt Brunk suggests devising a UC strategy.Continue Reading

• Are unified messaging and instant messaging the same thing? How are they distinguished from one anot

  Learn the differences between unified messaging (UM) and instant messaging (IM) from UC expert Tony Bradley.Continue Reading

• Streaming Cisco's IP Communicator to an HP thin client

  Find out how to stream Cisco's IP Communicator (VoIP client) to HP's XPe thin client (t5720) using Citrix Presentation Server Platinum Edition (now XenApp Platinum). Streaming VoIP to the end point offers many benefits over traditional solutions, ...Continue Reading

• Cisco Voice over IP: Routing calls over analog voice ports

  This chapter introduces basic configuration of analog and digital voice ports and demonstrates how to fine-tune voice ports with port-specific configurations. Upon completing this chapter, you will be able to configure voice interfaces on Cisco ...Continue Reading

• SIP network security measures

  Learn about specific security measures that can protect your oganization in the event of a SIP-based network attack. This chapter details the different types of SIP attacks and discusses various security measures and solutions to protect your ...Continue Reading

• Security in a SIP network: Identifying network attacks

  Learn about security in a SIP network and find out how an organization can protect itself from SIP-based VoIP and network attacks. This chapter details the different types of SIP attacks and discusses various security measures and solutions to ...Continue Reading

• What makes a UC system?

  Confused about what makes up a unified communications (UC) system? You're not alone! The answer can depend on whom you ask. It's universally accepted that presence is the cornerstone of UC. But understanding the difference between UC and the ...Continue Reading

• VoIP service selection: MPLS, VPLS or Metro Ethernet?

  Creating secure, reliable VoIP connections over a multi-site enterprise network requires knowledge of your specific infrastructure. Multi-Protocol Label Switching (MPLS), Virtual Private LAN Service (VPLS) and Metropolitan Ethernet (Metro Ethernet) ...Continue Reading

• Can I keep my PBX while migrating to VoIP?

  Learn how you can keep your traditional PBX while you upgrade to VoIP gradually.Continue Reading

• Presence: SIMPLE versus XMPP

  SIMPLE and XMPP are the two main presence-associated standards. Learn about these standards and how to leverage them to your advantage.Continue Reading

• Cisco Unified Communications Manager Architecture

  Understanding the role that Cisco Unified Communications Manager (CUCM) plays in a converged network from various IT perspectives is necessary for a successful installation and configuration. This chapter describes the architecture, hardware and ...Continue Reading

• Is there a difference between VoIP and IP telephony?

  VoIP and IP telephony are two terms used sometimes interchangeably -- but are they really the same thing?Continue Reading

• Intro to SIP packet routing: Using the SIP route header and via header

  In the last of a series of three tips introducing the basics of the Session Initiation Protocol (SIP), Brien Posey discusses the four types of headers SIP employs to ensure that information packets travel the correct path when communicating between ...Continue Reading

• An introduction to SIP verbs: Register, subscribe, invite

  Part 2 of a three part series on the Session Initiation Protocol, this article discusses commonly used SIP codes and response verbs, and explains basic SIP operation.Continue Reading

• An introduction to SIP and SIP functions

  The Session Initiation Protocol (SIP) is the primary protocol that's used by most VoIP and unified communications (UC) products. This is part 1 of a three-part series that will explain how SIP works.Continue Reading

• What's the difference between collaboration and web conferencing?

  Although the terms "collaboration" and "web conferencing" are similar, there are subtle differences in their meanings that can better help you understand what they are and what they do.Continue Reading

• How should we go about creating a plan for unified communications within our organization?

  Once you understand the needs of your customer, selecting the right unified communications platform for your business will be easier and less risky.Continue Reading

• Voice and Video Conferencing Fundamentals

  As audio and video conferencing move rapidly into the mainstream, customers and end users are demanding unprecedented performance, reliability, scalability, and security. In Voice and Video Conferencing Fundamentals, three leading experts ...Continue Reading

• What's the value of unified communications?

  Implementing unified communications within an organization requires careful planning and strategy. The processes of every group within your company are involved, and you should ask yourself key questions to determine whether UC is right for you and,...Continue Reading

• Unified communications security risks and countermeasures

  Unified communications introduces specific security risks. Learn about them and the countermeasures you can take to prevent vulnerabilities.Continue Reading

• Instant messaging security essentials

  Instant messaging (IM) has many benefits for the workplace, but introduces security risks. This tip outlines security essentials for organizations using IM.Continue Reading

• Understanding presence technology

  Presence technology is an integral part of unified communications, making it possible to locate and identify a device or user wherever it might be. Learn why presence is important.Continue Reading

• Push-to-talk implementation using SIP protocol

  How can you implement push-to-talk using SIP protocol without using a push-to-talk server? Read Carrie Higbie's suggestions for our readers in this expert response.Continue Reading