AST achieves Cisco certification

AST Networks, a business unit of the AST Group, has received Cisco CallManager Express certification, specialising in IP Communication Express.

AST Networks is currently the only Cisco partner to have completed the CallManager Express certification in SA.

Cisco CallManager Express is a solution embedded in Cisco IOS Software, providing call processing for Cisco IP phones. The solution enables the large portfolio of Cisco access routers to deliver a robust set of features commonly used by business users, thereby enabling deployment of a cost-effective, highly reliable, IP Communications solution for the small office.

"As Cisco Silver partners specialising in VPN security and wireless LAN, the move to IP Communications for AST Networks was a natural step as both wireless and security play an important part in communications," explains Debbie Lane of AST Networks.

Customers can now scale IP telephony to a small site or branch office with a solution that is very simple to deploy, administer and maintain. The Cisco CallManager Express solution provides customers with a low-cost, reliable, feature-rich solution for a deployment of up to 100 users.

"The ability for AST to deploy data and voice capabilities in a single, integrated routing platform to our clients will allow us to increase their productivity, decrease costs and lower their total cost of ownership," concludes Lane.