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Unified Communication:

The evolution of dynamic collaboration

Unified Communication:
The evolution of dynamic collaboration

ABSTRACT
Unified Communication refers to a very simple ideal, encapsulated in the following definition:

“Integration of real-time communication services such as instant messaging, presence,


telephony (all forms), video conferencing, call control and speech recognition with non real
time communication services such as unified messaging, (email, voicemail, SMS etc).” 1

Unified Communication is not a new concept; it was first mooted in 1996 when the first
Internet Phones (“iphone” – no less) and IP-TDM media gateways started to appear.
The common enabler for all of unified communications was the development of IP-based
signalling protocols; initially H.323 and then standardisation followed around SIP
(Session Initiation Protocol). The key benefit when using IP over TDM is separation of the
media (your voice/video etc) and the signalling. In simple terms the way you find the other
person’s communication device can be separated from how you send the content of your
call; this makes the ability for different devices to talk together a manageable problem.

The separation of service and transport is the underlying principle of all “Next Generation
Telecoms” and the corner stone of Interoute’s “Unified ICT” strategy. Unified Communication
creates a world where communication devices of any technology can communicate directly
with each other, thereby “unifying” your world of communications. The separation goes
further as it means that YOU are the person being called, not the device you rent, this
effectively overturns 100 years of tradition where the device (and it’s associated number)
is actually what gets called, not you the subscriber. You just happen to have it in your
pocket or on your desk. With Unified Communication it is the subscriber (the individual)
who is called and their preferred, default or only method of real-time communication gets
the call, much the same as it is with webmail. Just as with email, it is the address/number
itself that facilitates the abstraction layer between user and device.

The broad benefits of Unified Communication are obvious – complete user mobility,
optimal (low cost, high quality, or indeed the reverse) call routing, rationalisation of
technology, a more dynamic communication environment etc. Realising it, however;
for many corporate IT and Communication Managers, is, after 15 years of iteration,
www.inThe birth of the enterprise network
maturity and refinement of standards, still as illusive as ever.
as a dynamic ICT services platform

Unified Communication: The evolution of dynamic collaboration | 


Unified Communication:
The evolution of dynamic collaboration

In recent times the spectre of Unified Lofty Goals and Modest aims
Communication has been most realised in
The desire to evolve communication in
the consumer space; this has lead to “three
the work place leads to conflicting and
quarters of UK workers wanting to combine
sometimes confusing goals. On one side
email, voice, video and instant messaging”
users want to be able to communicate freely
(according to research company Redshift),
without constraint, but the IT manager and
73% said it would make the workplace more
probably the CFO want to be able to use
efficient and crucially expand the work
Unified Communication not only to improve
environment, enabling them to work outside
productivity, but directly and positively to
the “traditional work place”. This is coupled
impact cost.
with a steady increase in the number of
laptops connected to mobile data networks: The simple challenge for most IT directors is
from 26M in 2008 to a forecast 36M in 2009. where to start? The problem and challenges
The trend and the demand are for more and faced by the IT manager is three fold:
more integration, simplifying and unifying • Lack of standards – two very different
communication. worlds; the world of PBXs and Computing
This whitepaper outlines the challenges, • Regulation – what can you do in each of
solutions and most importantly the method your offices, what’s possible? what’s not?
by which an IT manager can get on the • Concerns over technology: VOIP and its
road to the communication nirvana, while readiness for corporate communications
still maintaining service and expanding
Standards
the communication capabilities of their
The world of corporate telephony has for
organisation in a risk-free manner. In doing
years existing in the twilight world of ITU
so they will cast off the shackles of years
standards; with copious vendor extensions
and years of restrictive practice.
(to add decreasingly valuable features),
It also introduces Interoute One, which is meaning in practical terms that if you want
Interoute’s unified communication platform. to realise any level of sophistication and
Interoute One can be thought of as the inter-working in your corporate telephony:
largest “communication cloud” service in you’d better buy from the same vendor. This
Europe delivering over 7Bn minutes a year for very simple sales approach for PBX vendors
carriers and enterprises alike. Interoute One that has served them well over the years.
rewrites the rule book when it comes to how However; few enterprises will find themselves
communication services should and can be in a position with a consistent single vendor
thought of by eliminating the technological environment: acquisitions, changes in
and commercial barriers that separate the management and varying economic cycles all
worlds of wholesale and retail voice services serve to complicate the life of an IT manager,
typically leaving them with a mix of vendors.
www.inThe birth of the enterprise network
This reduces most PBXs to simple Private
as a dynamic ICT services platform
Branch Exchanges (PBX) distributing DDIs
among a series of extensions.

Source Wikipedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Unified_communications

Unified Communication: The evolution of dynamic collaboration | 


Unified Communication:
The evolution of dynamic collaboration

The lack of network and the cost and The challenge for the IT manager is: how
complexity of building a dedicated voice VPN do I eliminate the geographic constraints
means most never even realise the ability to on my organisation and normalise the
have free on-net calling amongst offices. communication environment? There are over
a billion fixed phones and a billion mobile
SIP is the IETF standard that underlines
phones in the world [The Yankee group]
Unified Communication and creates a world
so communication between all forms of
where the call control resides centrally.
technology is essential if the move to unified
It effectively has evolved to translate
communication is to be effective.
traditional TDM protocols, allowing for the
mixing of traditional TDM technologies and Concerns over technology VOIP: its
pure SIP-based communication. It allows for readiness for corporate communications
the creation of communication platforms Since 1994, when the first Internet phones
that are agnostic to the technology of the emerged, there have been concerns and
communication device, allowing traditional comments concerning the quality of VoIP-
black phones to talk to PCs and vice-versa. based communication versus the traditional
Unlike previous standards; SIP is resolutely Plain Old Telephone System (POTS). The
open in the grand tradition of TCP/IP, MPLS concern is referenced in the world of the
and Ethernet. For Unified Communication to Internet and is related to the variability of
ever work this was, and still is, a prerequisite. quality in the call and the ability to maintain
consistent call quality. 16 years on, and
Regulation
the world is considerably different. Billions
Unified communication is the confluence of and billions of everyday calls are transiting
two disparate worlds: the unregulated world IP networks, which are mostly privately
of applications and the Internet, and the controlled and managed using MPLS. The
tightly controlled and until recently state largest mobile network in the USA is SIP
owned world of telephony or PSTN (Public based [AT&T] and all the growth in minutes
Switched Telephone Network), or in the is on SIP based infrastructure [Interoute].
simplest term, phone numbers. For years Uncharacteristically it has been consumers
this has lead to confusion over when a VoIP that have led this development and it is now
application should be regulated and when time for Corporates to catch up.
it shouldn’t. Unfortunately there is no silver
The issues with extending this into the
bullet that addresses the issue. Whilst you
enterprise are often bound up with the way
can browse the Internet pretty much
in which many of the equipment and service
anywhere in world (with varying degrees of
vendors orientate their solutions. Many
constraint), the same theory does not apply
solutions sold to enterprises continue to place
to Unified Communication. Email addresses
the intelligence outside of the network, i.e.
are the domain of the enterprise but the
create more sophisticated PBX infrastructures
phone numbers are owned and regulated by
at the edge of the network. This approach is
the local incumbent or second operator. You www.inThe birth of the enterprise network
outdated and harks back to the days of closed
can make a VoIP to VoIP call anywhere in the as a dynamic ICT services platform
networks, where you had little choice but to
world (unless they block UDP – the requisite
place intelligence on the edge of a network.
protocol) but can you break out to the PSTN?
Sometimes yes, sometimes no.

Unified Communication: The evolution of dynamic collaboration | 


Unified Communication:
The evolution of dynamic collaboration

The rise in scalable and intelligent The Goal


MPLS-based cores, most notably recently Firstly, what are the goals that typically
with Interoute’s development of Unified motivate an IT manager to consider
Connectivity, create a service environment Unified Communication?
where enterprises can leverage carrier-grade
• Preserve existing PBX investment, but
networks and sophistication, directly creating
connect them all together to save money
a controlled, intelligent and access-agnostic
on inter-office calls - this could also be
platform for the development of services. After
preserved for as long as needed or until
that the only challenge for maintaining quality
people are comfortable with the new
for VoIP is exactly the same as for TDM: you
method(s) being introduced
need to have adequate network available to
• Preserve the company’s existing number
ensure call quality. The added advantage of
range, but allow those numbers to be
the SIP approach is that if you have existing
directed to other devices
TDM services they can be controlled through
your SIP-based infrastructure so preserving • Introduce Unified Communication in the
your investment. form of a product like Microsoft Office
Communicator, add connectivity to the
How to start PSTN, and include video conferencing
The simple and immediate challenge for • Introduce on-demand audio conferencing
most IT managers is their communications – reducing the cost of monthly outsourced
environment is complex and consists of bridge services
isolated pools of vendors and technologies. • Be fixed mobile convergence (FMC) ready
The following scenario is typical of most IT when the handsets and the technology
manager’s challenges. The extent to which mature to fully integrate the mobile and
you adopt the solution to its fullest extent fixed experiences
is largely a question of taste. Either way • Be “master of my own destiny” – control
we believe the common factors and the the pace of change and not end up down
base solution serve to set all enterprises any vendor specific technology cul-de-sac
up such that they take control of their own with hefty maintenance contracts
communication strategy and can leverage
• Moving way from the paralysis of: “My PBX
innovations as they come along without
estate is mixed vendor. I cannot combine
major investment. The assumption in this
them, I have no economies in support,
approach is that the IT manager wants to
unifying vendors will cost substantial
minimise the impact to their business,
money and won’t radically change the
whilst moving forward he aims to preserve
experience or cost base for my users“
and utilise existing investments to the fullest
extent. Of course if the asset maintenance
is too costly (for example the support costs
on most PBXs e.g. adds, moves and changes www.inThe birth of the enterprise network
can be hugely expensive) when compared as a dynamic ICT services platform
to the equivalent operation in an Active
Directory, we would always advise
eliminating unnecessary overhead.

Unified Communication: The evolution of dynamic collaboration | 


Unified Communication:
The evolution of dynamic collaboration

Cost and Productivity • Lower TCO through common


The twin and sometimes contradictory goals administration of all communication
of reduced cost and improved productivity are services. The unification of communication
the main drivers behind the shift. Normally greatly reduces the administration of your
the approach would be focus on one to communication capability. Key in this is
sacrifice in favour of the other. However; the the use of enterprise directory services
situation with Unified Communication has e.g. Microsoft Exchange
now matured to a point where the approach • Desktop and phone integration – converge
outlined intrinsically reduces cost and creates directory services between the phones
an environment for capability expansion and (mobile and fixed) and the desktop
productivity improvements. • The method by which you developed
Cost: your unified communications platform
allows you to test the environment
• Cost of calls - all office-to-office calls
with your users without a “big IT bang”.
are zero-rated regardless of geography
This means that your requirements
• Flexibility in how you route calls and
gathering for rolling out new services are
re-route calls; for example route all calls
based on experience, not on prediction
to a central call centre whilst providing
or “wishing sessions”. You can respond to
local numbers in country
specific well-articulated requirements.
• Reduced maintenance costs: the This is often referred to an “agile”
administration overhead on your Active approach or “iterative waterfall”, either
Directory when you add communications way it means you track the users with
to it is marginal and in most cases zero. many subtle innovations.
So those costly add, moves and changes
Migration Method
for a PBX are completely eliminated. An IT
manager with a PBX could spend €150k There are many suggested approaches to
per year on a PBX with 900 extensions achieving the goal of unified communications;
mainly in adds, moves and changes. The ironically most of them are less about
equivalent unified communication number unifying communications than they are
would be a fraction, probably less than focused on replacing one method with
10% [without a reference this is hearsay]. another, which is invariably as equally closed
as their present methods.
Productivity:
You will hear “rip and replace the PBX”, to all
• Common communication in any location
“new IP PBX” or “Skype only”; these phrases
on any device. Your workers armed with
generally advocate major upheaval in the
a laptop and mobile phone can take their
enterprise. This is largely because they are more
office with them and maintain a consistent
about preserving the business model of the
set of communication capabilities. You can
advocate than really addressing the problem.
adapt the communication set to meet with
Even the so-called
www.inThe birth of theindependent
enterprise networkconsultants
the needs of individuals. This also means
tend to make much
as a dynamic ICTof the “analysis
services platform of needs”
you can offer wider choice of device as the
when for most the problems are staring them in
underlying method becomes the same.
the face. But “USE CASE” analysis is a nice little
earner even if all you want is cheap phone calls.

Unified Communication: The evolution of dynamic collaboration | 


Unified Communication:
The evolution of dynamic collaboration

Unfortunately for most IT managers, the “24 The Migration Model has four steps
hour” switch is one most loathed as either side to achieving this
of the event is months of user adoption training • Integrate – connect your legacy and
and heartache as carefully laid plans are tripped new communication devices together
up by the inflexibility of traditional telephone
• Separate – the signalling and the media
service, incompatibility of vendors etc.
• Combine – the users identities – URI
Below is an outline with a far less dramatic and PSTN/Mobile
approach (not as news worthy either) to
• Migrate – migrate based on user adoption,
moving your communication forward; one
avoiding a technology big bang
thatcreates an environment where adoption
and choice is manageable and controlled Integrate – Communication Devices
by the IT manager. The Interoute approach The first step in getting toward a fully unified
is about creating the right environment communication environment is to connect
for migration. It then lays out how to build all the devices together. The immediate
a common environment that can then be advantage of this is that PBX-to-PBX calls
adapted at will. Crucially in this approach are subsequently zero-rated – delivering
it leaves open the question of how much immediate measurable savings. Practically;
control you want to manage yourself and Interoute will on a PBX-by-PBX and trunk-
how much you would want to give to a third by-trunk basis, test interoperability, ensuring
party. Interoute has made much of its success consistent signalling and call quality.
out of adopting adapted outsourcing models, Interoute One is an access agnostic platform
allowing for change as businesses trust us that caters for up to 8 different access
more, and decide specific infrastructure is scenarios from traditional E1 (PRI) to or
more or less important to them. This model Microsoft Office Communicator certified SIP
is based on the Interoute product Interoute trunks, as illustrated below. The immediate
One which is an access agnostic enterprise benefit of this is that call routing can be
communication services platform. optimised from a cost and quality perspective.
(See the appendices)

www.inThe birth of the enterprise network

as a dynamic ICT services platform

Unified Communication: The evolution of dynamic collaboration | 


Unified Communication:
The evolution of dynamic collaboration

Figure 1
The Interoute One
agnostic platform

Integrate – Inbound Numbers • Take over the existing contract and


The thorniest issue with Unified number range from the incumbent
Communications is numbers; meaning supplier – initially this may require a CPE
inbound geographic numbers. As mentioned gateway on site to redirect the numbers
before there is no silver bullet for this. to Interoute, with a future migration on
No-one offers a simple global solution so the network side between Interoute and
each case tends to require a series of the other carrier. Either way the problem
approaches not just one. For example in some is out of the IT manager’s hands
countries it is not legal to port an inbound • Port the numbers – Interoute simply
number, so the operator has to get a new ports on the network side. In essence
number, or the incumbent regulator does this means that all calls destined for the
not numbers to be owned by anyone other customer are routed through Interoute
www.inThe birth of the enterprise network
than the actual customer (rather than a as the carrier “holding” the numbers on
as a dynamic ICT services platform
service provider). Interoute currently offers behalf of the customer
inbound numbers in 47 countries and has • New numbers – if there are new devices
porting agreements in many. Our approach being deployed then Interoute can provide
is to take the problem of the IT manager and a new set of inbound numbers
solve it in a variety of ways including:

Unified Communication: The evolution of dynamic collaboration | 


Unified Communication:
The evolution of dynamic collaboration

Separate Migrate – introducing new technologies


The next two steps may seem illogical coming Let’s just review what has been created
so soon after integration but they are crucial • Common communication network for
in creating an environment where the IT all connected enterprise assets, typically
manager has control. When we say separate the PBXs. You have connected your
we mean specifically the separation of the PBXs to a communication network so
signalling and media. This will typically mean the intelligence is now in the network,
(within the context of the PBX) removing any meaning “local breakout on PBXs’” is
routing intelligence from the PBX. This does an unnecessary approach when a simple
not mean that the expensive Auto Attendant soft routing change can achieve the
you just trained your receptionists on is same optimisation of routing.
redundant, rather it refers to the removal of
Benefits:
the directory control in the PBX so that you
• Free on-net calls
only have one control point for services, not
• Simplified supply chain management
many. The PBXs are now render relatively
dumb and will simply route calls. In many • Reduced maintenance costs – instead of
cases if there is a mixed vendor PBX estate maintaining two directory services and
it’s probably all that can be done. two sets of technologies you now have
absorbed the maintenance of subscribers
Combine
into one directory service
Having rendered the PBXs dumb you now
• Ability to pick and choose how you add
need to centralise the intelligence. This is
new technologies and services. The ability
achieved through your directory services
to retire or preserve – at will - PBX assets,
environment e.g. Active Directory. The
or replace with a whole new SIP trunk
simple goal is one directory service for your
infrastructure. The users can be given
enterprise environment. Given the Active
everything or selectively one method at a
Directory for your mail and messaging will
time etc. Control of this is soft and can be
be more sophisticated and control profiling
moved, added and changed at will as part
etc, it makes most sense to consolidate here
of normal IT processes.
and not preserve two separate services which
makes policy maintenance problematic. In Migration and introduction of new services
many cases the Active Directory environment now becomes a series of small incremental
for most enterprises is already populated with projects. The key aspect of this approach is
the various mobile, desk and other phone that you can go as fast or as slow as you like
numbers. Also, when considering the typical – you have control. You are not beholden to
maintenance cost of an outsourced PBX, an operator to port numbers, or supplier to
it reduces costs considerably to unify your install network etc.
subscriber management in this way.

www.inThe birth of the enterprise network

as a dynamic ICT services platform

Unified Communication: The evolution of dynamic collaboration | 


Unified Communication:
The evolution of dynamic collaboration

Case Study International IUCN’s work is supported by more than 1,000


professional staff in 60 offices and hundreds
Union for the Conservation
of partners in public, NGO and private sectors
of Nature (IUCN) around the world. The Union’s headquarters
This case study details a recent customer are located in Gland, near Geneva, Switzerland.
of Interoute, who approached us with a
challenge: Unified communications for The challenge
its entire staff. IUCN, by the very nature of their endeavours,
are widely distributed globally, and mobile
What is IUCN?
in terms of their workforce. If they were
IUCN, the International Union for to introduce improvements to their
Conservation of Nature, helps the world find communication capability, they wanted it
pragmatic solutions to our most pressing to meet the demands of their mobile and
environment and development challenges. distributed organisation and not constrain
It supports scientific research, manages capability through the technology. The sheer
field projects all over the world and brings level of distribution means that economically
governments, non-government organizations, PBXs are increasingly expensive simply
United Nations agencies, companies and to distribute calls, and also tie the IUCN
local communities together to develop and employee to the desk. The introduction of
implement policy, laws and best practice. Microsoft
www.inTheOffice Communicator
birth of the enterprise network means that

IUCN is the world’s oldest and largest global wherever the user is services
as a dynamic ICT connected
platformis where the

environmental network - a democratic office is then. This flexibility and complete


membership union with more than 1,000 shift in paradigm would achieve a reduction
government and NGO member organizations, in cost, and productivity gain.
and almost 11,000 volunteer scientists in
more than 160 countries.

Unified Communication: The evolution of dynamic collaboration | 


Unified Communication:
The evolution of dynamic collaboration

The IUCN Unified Communications Method


Challenge Interoute’s first step in creating the
The gain is compelling but OCS is new and environment to allow for a user lead migration
for many, a complete departure in the steady was to integrate the IUCN PBX infrastructure
and staid world of office communications. into the Interoute platform. In the case of
So rather than embark on a brave and radical their head office in Geneva this required
overhaul of their communication environment Interoute to take over the existing local PRI
which would have a real effect on all their interconnect with their previous operator.
users, they wisely laid down a simple yet To avoid delays normally incurred when two
seemingly illusive requirement - IUCN wanted operators migrate assets between them (you
to control the roll out: at their own speed. can imagine it’s never a high priority for the
They did not want to “rip and replace” the PBX carrier losing the business to speed up things
in one go (no matter how cathartic it would for the new entrant), Interoute placed a CPE
be for the IT manager to skip it) they wanted on site to redirect the pre-existing number
to migrate users gently over to the new world, range so that Interoute effectively became
with the option to swing them back if it all the carrier. Interoute then post-connection
started to go wrong. manages the ultimate migration from the
previous carrier to Interoute. But critically
At this point we have to recognise that
IUCN are insulated from this.
changing user behaviour and their preferences
are not always bound up in the pragmatism IUCN then connected their Microsoft
of making technology choices. We have seen OCS Mediation Server via a Microsoft
users reject soft phones simply because they Certified SIP trunk from Interoute. This
don’t like headsets – welcome to the world element of the migration really illustrates
of the end user. The point is you can never the shift in capability from the old world
be sure that users will adopt as you predict, of fixed PRIs to the capability available
therefore retaining the option to simply roll through SIP trunks. Anyone with access
back is always very useful. The simple rule of to the Internet can connect by going to
thumb with most communication technology http://www.interouteone.com/.
adoption is that users are drawn toward speed
IUCN now had the ability to give all their
and convenience, fewer clicks, less movement
users both PBX and Microsoft OCS capability.
etc and they will adopt in time. In the case of
To effect a user-friendly migration, they
communication, the critical user feature is the
redirected the existing inbound PBX number
integration of the directory into the device.
to the users’ OCS accounts. This meant they
The success of products like Microsoft Office
could “swing” over each user department-by-
Communicator is 90% convenience. You see a
department, safe in the knowledge that any
contact either in a document, email, or contacts
issues could be managed and users can be
directory and you can call them on any device
rolled back.
as a result of the tight directory integration.
www.inThe birth of the enterprise network

as a dynamic ICT services platform

Unified Communication: The evolution of dynamic collaboration | 10


Unified Communication:
The evolution of dynamic collaboration

Figure 2
The IUCN solution

The Outcome – The Future The idea of federation is a secure exchange of


Thankfully the outcome has been everything directory information so that you can extend
the IUCN team hoped it would be. They are the same benefits that you have with your
progressively migrating their users over to the own community to your associated partners.
new world of Microsoft OCS and so far they Taking this to its logical conclusion, your
have no one yearn for their black phone to “on-net” community therefore will expand
replace the mobility and intuitive nature of progressively. Imagine if all the organisations
OCS. One of the key opportunities once this globally who use Exchange, integrated
initial migration is complete is the opportunity OCS and repeated the IUCN experience.
to expand beyond the initial 1000 employees You then create a secure and controlled global
and seek out “federation” with other members community of users who can collaborate
of the IUCN expanded community. freely without watching the clock (minutes
www.inThe birth of the enterprise network
means money).
as a dynamic ICT services platform

Unified Communication: The evolution of dynamic collaboration | 11


Unified Communication:
The evolution of dynamic collaboration

Conclusion Interoute has developed its platform over that


last 7 years and now manages 7Bn minutes
Unified Communications should not be
a year of “other peoples” traffic and realises
thought of as a product or a single program,
that there are no greenfields and perfect
but a way of thinking about communication.
storms into which we are slot our capability.
It assumes that: there will be no boundaries to
Corporate communications is like a short
what and where you can communicate, users
history of technology evolution, so you have
will “customise” their user experience around
to be able to move from disparate closed
their preferences, if I have invested once in
worlds to one simple and easy-to-manage
managing my subscribers I can reuse that
unified one. This approach – we believe can
investment, and that I can get as sophisticated
– achieve this. It is only the starting point,
or simple as I prefer and change my mind in
so doesn’t address the breadth and depth
the process.
of the opportunity once you have unified
The change in the past 15 years means that communications, but like all good
the traditional ways of thinking about how destinations getting there is half the fun.
to implement communications are limited
Rather than take our word for it – try out
not by the imagination of the IT manager,
Interoute One today and see how it can
but mainly by the business models of the
help your Enterprise communications,
traditional suppliers who have been
http://www.interouteone.com
reluctant to change given that intuitively
unifying your communications immediately
rationalises your cost base.

www.inThe birth of the enterprise network

as a dynamic ICT services platform

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Unified Communication:
The evolution of dynamic collaboration

Figure 3
Interoute One
customer solution

Appendix One Interoute One a carrier or simply buy a SIP trunk where you
give Interoute the job of routing the call.
Interoute’s Interoute One product is an access
The diagram below illustrates the relationship
agnostic (any form of access or device) SIP
between Interoute One, Interoute’s Virtual
based communication platform. It leverages
Voice Network and the customer environment.
Interoute’s Virtual Voice Network platform
that supports over 250 global carriers Product Summary
worldwide and manages over 7Bn minutes Interoute One covers a range of
per annum. Interoute One unlike most other capability designed to serve the corporate
offerings is best thought of as an intelligent communications market, providing A-Z
real-time communications network. In termination, inbound numbers (DDIs)
simple terms you can plug old and new and voice VPN’s. In order to access the
communication technology PBXs (any vendor), features Interoute One also supports a wide
IP PBXs or Microsoft Office Communicator range of access methods to enable an IT
into it and they will communicate between manager to “unify” their communication.
devices in the office, at a home or anywhere.
You can take as much or as little control of
the routing as you require, you can become
www.inThe birth of the enterprise network

as a dynamic ICT services platform

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Unified Communication:
The evolution of dynamic collaboration

The access methods can be mixed and Interoute One Access Methods
matched as required to meet the needs Interoute One is split between the access
of the customer. methods and the features and capability
The diagram below displays the Interoute of the services. Simply put the first step in
One access types and features supported, creating a uniform communication platform is
in a format similar to that of the layered normalising all the disparate access methods
OSI stack: and devices. Interoute One supports a broad
range of access methods illustrated below.

Figure 4
Interoute One OPTION DDI
Access Types and
Features Matrix FEATURES Worldwide Termination Free OnNet Interoute Hub
Calls

NETWORK Interoute Network


Direct
ACCESS TYPE Public Internet IP VPN TDM Access

PROTOCOL IP TDM

CONNECTIVITY
SIP Q.931
OCS Trunking H.323 Trunking VOIP Gateway
CUSTOMER Legacy PBX
TELEPHONY SYSTEM Microsoft OCS IP PBX

www.inThe birth of the enterprise network

as a dynamic ICT services platform

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Unified Communication:
The evolution of dynamic collaboration

Figure 5
Access Scenarios

Legacy PBX (SVC-IONE-T) IP PBX Access (SVC-IONE-I)


1. This is a traditional TDM trunk supporting 1. SIP/H.323 VoIP trunking. The customer has
E1 using Q.931 (Primary Rate ISDN - PRI) a PBX that supports SIP/H.323 and that can
protocol. The customer will have a PBX that access the Internet or wants to converge
supports E1 with Q.931 ISDN. their voice over their MPLS VPN (orderable
separately).
2. Secondary to this the customer may
have a traditional PBX but want to a PBX Microsoft OCS R1/R2 Access
supporting E1 with Q.931, but wants to 1. SVC-IONE-M – SIP trunking for Microsoft
aggregate their data traffic and voice traffic Office Communications Server (OCS)
over an IP connection then in addition to 2007 R2 and R1. The customer must have
www.inThe birth of the enterprise network
the service the customer would also need a an existing OCS R1 or R2 installation and
as a dynamic ICT services platform
local CPE to convert the Q.931 into SIP. a mediation server with access to the
Internet or an Interoute IPVPN.

Unified Communication: The evolution of dynamic collaboration | 15


Unified Communication:
The evolution of dynamic collaboration

Conferencing Free On-Net Calls


1. SVC-IONE-C – Outsourced Conferencing All calls between customers connected
service provides customers with access to Interoute are free if the call stays on
to a personalised conference bridge the Interoute network. This is true for:
managed by Interoute. They may have • Intra-organisation calls
as many conferences as they want, (within the same organisation).
have their own announcements, music,
• Inter-organisation calls
PSTN access numbers and manage users
(between organisations).
and conferences via the http://www.
interouteone.com portal, accessible via Whether or not these calls happen to be:
the Internet. In effect the customer can • International calls
treat the service as if they have their own • National calls
conferencing platform. Customers need not
• Local calls
have any other service from Interoute in
order to subscribe to this service. All calls to an Interoute One conferencing
service are also free if the call originates on
Call Features the Interoute network.
The Feature Stack below shows the features By keeping calls on-net Interoute can
available. Interoute has created on its own maintain control of the call from start to
virtual voice network a managed partition finish with no third-party involvement,
that is a fully managed set of optimised therefore meaning the customer can take
call routing, termination and management advantage of short code dialling prefixes
features. Customers are however free to between locations (termed a voice VPN) as
create their own voice network by taking well as ensuring a high level of call quality and
their own partition and building a dial plan high call completion figures between sites.
and bespoke routing.

Figure 6
Feature Stack OPTION DDI
Free OnNet
FEATURES Worldwide Termination
Calls
Interoute Hub

NETWORK Interoute Network

www.inThe birth of the enterprise network

as a dynamic ICT services platform

Unified Communication: The evolution of dynamic collaboration | 16


Unified Communication:
The evolution of dynamic collaboration

Figure 7
Voice VPN

Worldwide Termination Management and Control


Customers can make use of the standard The Hub portal (http://hub.interoute.com)
Interoute A-Z dial plan allowing them to provides customers with a central point
reach all destinations worldwide at preferable of contact for all of Interoute’s services.
calling rates. The services available for customer of
Inbound numbers (DDIs) Interoute One are:
Optionally customers can purchase DDIs 1. Raising and monitoring trouble tickets
from or port DDIs to Interoute in order to
2. Additional voice services ordering
support inbound calls. DDIs are available in
many countries and there are no limits on 3. Traffic statistics
how many DDIs each customer may have. Interoute provide, through the hub, a number
Given the nature of DDI’s please refer to of key customer statistics to enable the
http://www.Interoute.com for the most customer to monitor their voice traffic across
up to date list. the network. Current statistics are:
• Destination
• Minutes
• Successful calls
• ASR (Answer Seizure Ratio)
www.inThe birth of the enterprise network
• PDD (Post Dial Delay)
as a dynamic ICT services platform

Unified Communication: The evolution of dynamic collaboration | 17


Unified Communication:
The evolution of dynamic collaboration

Figure 8
Traffic Statistics
(HUB)

A screenshot of the typical information 1. Currency


available is above. 2. Cost
3. Calling number
4. Download of invoices
4. Called number
All customer invoices are made available for 5. Date and time
download via the Interoute Hub. 6. Duration
5. Download of CDRs 7. Source Trunk Group
8. Destination
CDRs are available to download. These are
provided to customers for the main purpose An example csv output reformatted
of reseller billing but they are also proved to is shown overleaf:
help customers identify hotspots within their
organisation. This information is provided
once a month when Interoute produces the
customer invoice. The file is a flat csv (comma
separated variable) file giving each call and its
associated cost broken into 7 fields:

www.inThe birth of the enterprise network

as a dynamic ICT services platform

Unified Communication: The evolution of dynamic collaboration | 18


Unified Communication:
The evolution of dynamic collaboration

Figure 9
Customer CDR
Format

Figure 10
CDR Download
via the Hub

www.inThe birth of the enterprise network

as a dynamic ICT services platform

Unified Communication: The evolution of dynamic collaboration | 19


Unified Communication:
The evolution of dynamic collaboration

Figure 11
Voice product
catalogue codes

Example Ordering 5 Customer has a TDM PBX and wants


to connect via an IPVPN.
The following describes which Voice product
a. Order code: SVC-IONE-I
catalogue codes would be ordered for the
And
services 1-8. Codes for IP and Transmission
b. Order code: CON-VGxxxx
products are excluded:
6 Customer has an IP PBX and wants to
1 Customer has Microsoft OCS with a
connect via an IPVPN
mediation server and wants to connect
a. Order code: SVC-IONE-I
via the public Internet.
a. Order code: SVC-IONE-M 7 Customer has a TDM PBX and wants to
connect via a TDM link (Primary Rate ISDN)
2 Customer has a TDM PBX and wants
a. Order code: SVC-IONE-T
to connect via the public Internet.
a. Order code: SVC-IONE-I For any of the above services the following
And additional features are optional:
b. Order code: CON-VGxxxx
8 DDI (Direct Dial Inwards/Inbound) numbers
3 Customer has an IP PBX and wants a. Orderbirth
www.inThe Code: SVC-IONE-D
of the enterprise network

to connect via the public Internet. as a dynamic ICT services platform

a. Order code: SVC-IONE-I


4 Customer has Microsoft OCS with a
mediation server and wants to connect
via an IPVPN.
a. Order code: SVC-IONE-M

Unified Communication: The evolution of dynamic collaboration | 20


Unified Communication:
The evolution of dynamic collaboration

Figure 12
Interoute One
Portal

Trial Portal For SVC-IONE-M and SVC-IONE-I trials;


customers can sign-up online, this is then
Overview
approved by the Interoute One Trial Approvers
Interoute offers customers the
and a credit of €10 is applied to the account
possibility of a trial to test the features
(or equivalent value in local currency).
and functions of Interoute One without
This enables customers the ability to make
committing to purchase. Trials are available
calls with no expiry timescale on the credit.
through the Interoute One micro-site
(http://www.interouteone.com) For SVC-IONE-C trials; customers sign-up
online, this is then approved by the Interoute
The trials currently available over the
One Trial Approvers and the customer is
public Internet are:
provided one conference bridge for a limited
• SVC-IONE-M – Interoute One for time (typically 1 month). This conference bridge
Microsoft OCS R1 and R2 uses the Interoute bridge access numbers.
• SVC-IONE-I – Interoute One for SIP/H.323
To convert from the trial version to paid service,
• SVC-IONE-C – Interoute One Outsourced with additional functionality, customers can
Conferencing go to http://www.interouteone.com, select
www.inThe birth of the enterprise network
“Help”, then select “Contact us”
as a dynamic ICT services platform
http://www.interouteone.com/contactus.aspx),
and complete the form.

Unified Communication: The evolution of dynamic collaboration | 21


Unified Communication:
The evolution of dynamic collaboration

For SVC-IONE-I and SVC-IONE-M: Additional functionality with migration


• Access from the public Internet to post-paid product:
• Outbound calling (PSTN termination) For SVC-IONE-I and SVC-IONE-M:
• Microsoft OCS (R1 and R2) Interworking • Inbound numbers (DDIs) available in
(for SVC-IONE-M only) many countries (see SVC-IONE-D for
a list of supported countries)
• Prepaid credit (typically €10 or equivalent)
but this can be defined by sales authorisation • Reporting via Interoute Hub
• Limited support available through a • CDRs
certified third party organisation • Enhanced support and trouble ticketing
(for SVC-IONE-M only)
For SVC-IONE-C:
For SVC-IONE-C: • Dedicated conference bridge
• One conference bridge that may be reused number(s) available in many countries
as many times as the customer wishes (see SVC-IONE-D)
within the trial period. • Customisable announcements
• Accessible via calling Interoute’s bridge • Customisable music
access numbers (below):
• On-line conference reservation via
+43-720880090 (Austria) http://www.interouteone.com
+32-28-08-0630 (Belgium) • Unlimited number of user accounts
• Unlimited number of conferences
+35-924-927-070 (Bulgaria)
• Management via
+42-02-4601-9234 (Czech Republic)
http://www.interouteone.com
+45 6991 8742 (Denmark) • Enhanced support
+358942419013 (Finland)
Unsupported Trial Functionality
+33-1-766-07190 (France) • TLS
+49 69257385886 (Germany) • SRTP
+30 211 176 8419 (Greece) • Emergency Services for all countries other
than UK
+39-06-995-89020 (Italy)
• Dialling premium numbers
+31-20-8908820 (Netherlands)
• Refilling prepaid balance
+4721547848 (Norway) • SIP softphone support
+34-9177-18161 (Spain)
+46846501000 (Sweden)
www.inThe birth of the enterprise network
+41-43-502-0200 (Switzerland)
as a dynamic ICT services platform
+44-2084325900 (UK)
+1 202 292 4146 (USA)

Unified Communication: The evolution of dynamic collaboration | 22

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