CISCO UC 8.X over MS OCS/Lync 2010 why?
If you were asked why choosing CUC 8.X over OCS/Lync 2010 when the costs of setup and licensing for the MIcrosoft solution are much cheaper?. Please take my word about being cheaper due to particular circumstances in our company.
What would your reply be? . I read this document:
http://www.cisco.com/en/US/solutions/collateral/ns151/C11-604516-00_Evaluating_UC_Solutions_WP.pdf
I need a more objective and unbiased resource. If you believe you can still take a "jab" on the cost aspect, elaborate on it. But I am looking more on the benefits and robustness of the solution. A Hybrid solution is not an option. Either all CISCO or all Microsoft.
Not even CISCO partners in my area have been able to provide solid answers to this question.
Thanks
John
What would your reply be? . I read this document:
http://www.cisco.com/en/US/solutions/collateral/ns151/C11-604516-00_Evaluating_UC_Solutions_WP.pdf
I need a more objective and unbiased resource. If you believe you can still take a "jab" on the cost aspect, elaborate on it. But I am looking more on the benefits and robustness of the solution. A Hybrid solution is not an option. Either all CISCO or all Microsoft.
Not even CISCO partners in my area have been able to provide solid answers to this question.
Thanks
John
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I think of it like this - a PBX is a phone system. Period. Phones are phones and nothing else.
A Cisco VOIP system is so much more. It is a total COMMUNICATION system. We communicate today in so many ways other than by simple telephone. We can fully integrate end-user productivity with the phones. The phone just becomes one of many communications methods within a fully integrated system.
It means I can have 1 phone number for "single number reach" that follows me everywhere I go. Whether it be to my cell phone, my beach house, or the local coffee shop. I can be on a cell phone, blackberry, iPhone, iPad even, laptop - anything and anywhere and I can fully collaborate with my peers/customers/whoever. I can call phone numbers, I can email, I can IM, I can video, WebeX desktop share, all with one integrated system and simple point/click intrface. It means I can use Extension mobility so if I'm working in another office, I log into the phone and my whole phone follows me. No moving hardware, no moving wires, no re-programming anything. It means I can keep track of my collegues with there Presence status. Bill's on the phone, so I'll fire off a quick IM and still get the answer I need without playing phone-tag. Bob's out with a client, so I'll leave him a voice mail. A fully integrated, automated in-out board without buying anything else.
I can integrate voice mail with email, so that if I do get a voice mail, it gets dropped as email in my inbox on my blackberry/smartphone and I never miss an important message.
I can integrate my phones with my utilites and access-control system so that when I badge in the front door, my phone turns on and is ready to use. I can integrate my video surveillance with the phone and the access control so when someone walks up to the front entrance, the image is immediately sent to the receptionist's phone and she can press #123 to open the door, or pres #224 to alert security. . . .
Let's see your old PBX do that! Let's see it do *anything* other than ring a number - a number that is hard-coded to a specific pair of real copper wires.
I had a customer with an old style phone system. They were attorneys, and if they were not in their office they would have to call their secretary, have her walk into the office and listen to the voice messages (old analog system from Wal-Mart), write them down, walk back to her desk and relay the message. Several secretaries had to cover for each other for lunch, etc. With a new Cisco VoIP system, the secretary is virtually obsolete. The attorneys get their voicemails automagically delivered right to their blackberry the instant someone leaves a message. Even in courtrooms, they can pull out the phone and fire off a quick text message to reply. At $400 an hour bill rates for attorneys, anything that saves even 30 minutes out of a day is money in the bank. With increased billings alone, the system paid for itself in less than 6 months.
A Cisco VOIP system is so much more. It is a total COMMUNICATION system. We communicate today in so many ways other than by simple telephone. We can fully integrate end-user productivity with the phones. The phone just becomes one of many communications methods within a fully integrated system.
It means I can have 1 phone number for "single number reach" that follows me everywhere I go. Whether it be to my cell phone, my beach house, or the local coffee shop. I can be on a cell phone, blackberry, iPhone, iPad even, laptop - anything and anywhere and I can fully collaborate with my peers/customers/whoever. I can call phone numbers, I can email, I can IM, I can video, WebeX desktop share, all with one integrated system and simple point/click intrface. It means I can use Extension mobility so if I'm working in another office, I log into the phone and my whole phone follows me. No moving hardware, no moving wires, no re-programming anything. It means I can keep track of my collegues with there Presence status. Bill's on the phone, so I'll fire off a quick IM and still get the answer I need without playing phone-tag. Bob's out with a client, so I'll leave him a voice mail. A fully integrated, automated in-out board without buying anything else.
I can integrate voice mail with email, so that if I do get a voice mail, it gets dropped as email in my inbox on my blackberry/smartphone and I never miss an important message.
I can integrate my phones with my utilites and access-control system so that when I badge in the front door, my phone turns on and is ready to use. I can integrate my video surveillance with the phone and the access control so when someone walks up to the front entrance, the image is immediately sent to the receptionist's phone and she can press #123 to open the door, or pres #224 to alert security. . . .
Let's see your old PBX do that! Let's see it do *anything* other than ring a number - a number that is hard-coded to a specific pair of real copper wires.
I had a customer with an old style phone system. They were attorneys, and if they were not in their office they would have to call their secretary, have her walk into the office and listen to the voice messages (old analog system from Wal-Mart), write them down, walk back to her desk and relay the message. Several secretaries had to cover for each other for lunch, etc. With a new Cisco VoIP system, the secretary is virtually obsolete. The attorneys get their voicemails automagically delivered right to their blackberry the instant someone leaves a message. Even in courtrooms, they can pull out the phone and fire off a quick text message to reply. At $400 an hour bill rates for attorneys, anything that saves even 30 minutes out of a day is money in the bank. With increased billings alone, the system paid for itself in less than 6 months.
ASKER
Thanks lrmoore..500 points does not compensate your time and good answer. Can you also provide me a link to a OCS configuration example where it details that there is not such thing as "full MICROSOFT" showing all the different pieces needed from other vendors.?
Thanks again!
Thanks again!
ASKER
More than satisfied. He knocked it out of the park!
Click on "Learn more about Telephony" link under Telephony section.
http://www.microsoft.com/uc/en/us/products.aspx
Page 11 has a picture of Polycom phone . .
Page 17 begins talk of "Partner Ecosystems" that talks about 3rd party integration products such as voice gateways, and "UC enabled PBX" systems
Nowhere in the document does it talk about anything infrastructure, things like PoE switches, network VLANs, network QoS, multicast control, desktop phone sets, etc..
VASTLY oversimplified in the graphics.
http://www.microsoft.com/uc/en/us/products.aspx
Page 11 has a picture of Polycom phone . .
Page 17 begins talk of "Partner Ecosystems" that talks about 3rd party integration products such as voice gateways, and "UC enabled PBX" systems
Nowhere in the document does it talk about anything infrastructure, things like PoE switches, network VLANs, network QoS, multicast control, desktop phone sets, etc..
VASTLY oversimplified in the graphics.
ASKER
thanks again!
ASKER
Man! man! you're so much in tune with technology that I believe you did not even have to think so hard to provide this reply. It just flows!. Very logical and helpful your reply. Great points you made and I agree with them all.
One more question, what does it justify replacing PBXs with a CISCO VOIP system? what are the greater benefits besides saving money on long distance calls between company sites?. If I could get another inspiring answer from you that would be awesome. If you want me to I could open another thread for this one.
Thanks
John