Integrate UC, revise IT

Unified communications (UC) services are being developed and deployed across a broad spectrum of devices, primarily driven by the consumerisation of IT.

This is according to Gavin Hill, global business development manager for unified communications at Dimension Data. Hill will speak at ITWeb's Unified Communications forumto be held on 15 March at The Forum in Bryanston.

He notes that end-users are selecting the devices they prefer and demanding they have access to UC technologies.

“From PCs to desk phones, video conferencing suites to home TVs, handheld devices such as smartphones and tablets are now capable of delivering HD video conferencing and application sharing services, with excellent battery life and portability,” he explains.

Communication and collaboration is nothing new, Hill says. “Man has been collaborating since we first got together to hunt down a woolly mammoth.”

The issue is that most forms of communication today are siloed and unaware of each other.

“Your IM application doesn't know you have a video conferencing unit on your desk and your video conferencing system doesn't know you've changed meeting rooms at the last minute.

“Because communications systems are unified, they present a more complete view of the individual's activity, so in that sense all of the information about a user's status, availability and location is brought to the fore,” he says.

“It is underpinned by presence: knowing the status and availability of the individual and their devices, and identity: knowing how to reliably and consistently contact and individual across multiple networks and devices.”

“The primary evolution in the UC space is around improving interoperability or 'federation' of systems to permit them to interact and improved quality to try and ensure the user experience is optimal no matter what device they use or what network they are on,” he says.

Hill maintains that organisations may be ill-equipped for the 'flood' of devices. The issue he points to is that IT departments are used to dictating the devices, applications and services that are delivered to users.

“The tables have turned and now it is the end-user that is demanding service and support from IT for a plethora of devices and applications,” Hill says.

“IT needs to revise how they deliver service to business, how they secure those services and how they build networks and connectivity to carry them.”

He advises that services embrace open standards, security be 'built-in' rather than 'wrapped around', networks be architected and managed to ensure coverage and quality and communication systems exposed for integration and federation.”

Many of these concepts are new and unfamiliar to traditional IT departments, he says.

Hill maintains, however, that SA is ready for UC. The preparation, he says, comes from a sound strategy, underpinned by a well-designed architecture, fulfilled by reliable, sustainable technology.

“Bandwidth used to be a concern but it's rapidly getting cheaper and faster. Infrastructure costs were high, but with a lot of UC technology based in software, cost is coming down and functionality increasing as the landscape becomes more competitive.”

The key words Hill points to are 'integrate' and 'educate'; integrate the diverse communication platforms that are already in place, then educate the user-base as to how their lives can be improved through the use of these technologies.

There are many elements to UC and a 'one size fits all' approach is often not suitable, he says. Divide users by function and needs, and apply the correct UC technologies to those needs to maximise the return and control the cost.

The costs vary based on existing infrastructure, UC needs and requirements, and size of organisation. Hill says implementation is usually IT's responsibility, in conjunction with a skilled partner, but this often impacts many departments or facets of IT.

Successful deployments are measured in many different ways, he says. However, he asserts that setting correct and realistic expectations up front is a significant contributor.

“Employing skilled engineers and consultants with multi-vendor knowledge is also important. Understanding the motivation for the project in the first place contributes to its success too.”

Hill says this begs the question: 'Is it being implemented solely to cut costs, or to gain strategic advantage for the business?'

One of the dangers is 'too much at once', says Hill. This affects how users communicate and drastic change can be overwhelming.

“The other pitfall is doing nothing at all. It will inhibit the business' ability to remain competitive and attract and retain talent.” He also notes it may prove to be more costly over time.

Overall, Hill asserts that UC increases efficiency and productivity, and helps eliminate the latency from transactions and processes. This offers employees more flexibility regarding where and how they work without compromising their ability to communicate and collaborate.

“They will spend more time communicating rather than trying to communicate.”