4net Technologies | Active Communications Solution · PDF file4net Technologies – Active Communications ... voice, video and meetings. Lync 2013 supports multiparty HD ... Microsoft

4net TechnologiesActive Communications Solution

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4net Technologies – Active Communications

Microsoft Lync 2013Workplaces are changing. Teams are more distributed. People need productivity tools that enable them to work from virtually anywhere. Yet, despite organisations’ technology investments, users struggle to stay connected with colleagues and the business.

Slow innovation in traditional technologies, like telephony, forces users to choose other modes for collaboration and communication, making it challenging for IT professionals to deliver new capabilities in an integrated, cost-effective, and secure manner.

Microsoft Lync 2013 is an enterprise-ready unified communications platform that connects people everywhere, on Windows 8 and other devices, as part of their everyday productivity experience. Lync provides a consistent, single client experience for presence, instant messaging, voice, video and meetings. Lync 2013 supports multiparty HD video conferencing, modern “touch first” capabilities for fast and natural communications, and work anywhere scenarios that do not require a VPN for encryption. Lync 2013 users can connect to anyone on Skype, enabling rich communication with hundreds of millions of people around the world. The unified nature of the system helps reduce costs and facilitates rapid user adoption. And, because Lync is broadly interoperable, it fits into existing IT infrastructure for easier deployment and migration.

Access product information, case studies and more on the Microsoft Lync resource centre.

BUSINESS NEED SEE

Find and communicate with the right person Rich Presence, Skill Search

Create a more interactive work environment by building social connections Activity Feed

Communicate naturally, the way users work Office Integration, Enterprise Voice

Make every interaction a near face-to-face meeting Unified Conferencing

Communicate with context from Microsoft Office applications Office Integration

Stay connected from virtually anywhere Enterprise Voice

Connected end user experienceMicrosoft Lync Server 2013 ushers in a new connected user experience transforming every communication into an interaction that is more collaborative, engaging, and accessible from anywhere.

Users seek communications tools that make their work easier and are available anywhere, anytime - including within the context of other applications. Microsoft Lync 2013 is the rich client application that provides presence, IM, voice, and ad hoc collaboration and online meeting capabilities through a single interface. Lync 2013 is easy to use, works closely with familiar tools such as SharePoint and Office applications, and drives user adoption with powerful features and a streamlined communications experience. The client dashboard surfaces common functions such as dial pad, visual voicemail, contact list, and active conversations. Users get an experience that is consistent and familiar across PC, phone, and browser.

http://office.microsoft.com/en-us/microsoft-lync-video-conferencing-and-instant-messaging-FX102004552.aspx


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yuVPJHLNHuY&feature=youtu.be

http://www.youtube.com/watch%3Fv%3DyJCCZxa97Og



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Single unified platform For IT, the benefits are equally powerful, with a highly secure and reliable system that works with existing tools and systems for easier management, lower cost of ownership, smoother deployment and migration, and greater choice and flexibility. Lync Server 2013 is built from the ground up to be a single platform that works with, and can even replace traditional and IP PBX systems, third-party voicemail systems, and legacy audio, video and Web conferencing solutions.

BUSINESS NEED SEE

Augment or replace traditional PBX Enterprise Voice, Unified Platform

Suit various user device needs Choice of Endpoints

Reduce IT management challenges and cost Simplified Deployment

Create custom business solutions Extensibility

Leverage time and cost savings of moving to the cloud Support for On-premises, Cloud, and Hybrid Deployments

IM & presenceRich presece and instant messaging capabilities in Lync Server 2013 helps workers find and communicate with one another efficiently and effectively. Integration with familiar Microsoft Office productivity tools and Microsoft SharePoint makes IM and presence a natural part of everyday workflow, enhancing collaboration while making knowledge and expertise inside the organisation readily accessible to all users. Using features such as persistent chat, tabbed conversations, along with the capability to search message history provides for a rich quality of experience.

PresenceLync Server 2013 provides an immediate, visual representation of a user’s availability, or presence. By simply looking at the contact list, users can find everything they need at a glance. For example, a green icon means a contact is available, red means a contact is busy, and yellow indicates that a contact is Away from the computer. Picture and location is available with the presence “jellybean,” making a richer interface and allowing for better communications decision. Presence can be enhanced with physical locations relative to corporate network access points. Or, users can manually set their location information to let others know precise whereabouts when working from home, a coffee shop, or elsewhere.

Enterprise voiceLync provides enterprise voice capabilities that can enhance or replace traditional PBX systems. These capabilities include common calling features such as answer, forward, transfer, hold, divert, release, and park, support for analogue devices and a broad range of both IP and USB user devices from partners. Users can access these features over the Internet without using a VPN connection.

Lync 2013 enterprise voice supports a wide range of telephony features including: Visual Voicemail, Team Calling, Response Groups, Simultaneous Ringing...and more… With the capability to escalate voice calls within the Lync 2013 client to a full HD video conference provides for a very powerful communications tool for organisations.

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Lync 2013 Mobile ClientWith the Lync 2013 mobile client, Lync Server 2013 supports a range of Microsoft and third-party platforms, extending a rich communications experience to customers on their mobile devices of choice. Mobile clients compatible with Lync Server 2013 are made available by Microsoft.

Unified conferencingConferencing capabilities are historically evaluated and acquired by workload – voice, application sharing, web conferencing, and video conferencing – and limited to users within a department or division within the enterprise. Lync Server 2013 aspires to remove those boundaries, delivering efficiency and cost savings by delivering a unified solution with feature parity to multiple single-workload solutions. New features, a unified client, and simplified operation drive adoption to help users improve productivity without extensive training.

Scheduling, managing & joining online meetingsOnline meeting tools integrated intoOutlook 2013 enable organisers to schedule a meeting or start an impromptu conference with a single click and make it just as easy for attendees to join. Attendees can be placed in a “lobby,” helping the meeting organiser to control access. The meeting roster clearly displays titles and names of attendees. A Web client extends rich conference features to participants who do not have the desktop Lync 2013 client.

Scheduling, managing & joining online meetingsAudio conferencing is a fundamental need for many businesses and presents a great opportunity for cost savings when deployed on-premises. Lync Server 2013 provides a user experience that is familiar to users of traditional audio bridge services including PSTN dial-in services with touch-tone call control commands. At the same time, it incorporates powerful scheduling, joining, and management features available only with an integrated Unified Communications platform.

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VideoVideo conferencing is becoming increasingly important as organisations get more distributed and mobile because it provides a more personal experience that supports effective team-building. Complex interfaces, high cost, and limited features have reduced adoption of video conferencing across the broader workforce.

Lync Server 2013 simplifies the user experience by incorporating video into the unified client so that adding scheduling an online meeting with video or escalating to video

spontaneously is seamless and easy. In order to provide the most immersive communications experience possible, Lync Server 2013 supports a variety of video conferencing options. High-definition video (resolution 1270 x 720; aspect ratio 16:9) and VGA video (resolution 640 x 480; aspect ratio 4:3) are supported for peer-to-peer calls and among Lync Meeting participants.

With the new Gallery View feature, you automatically see everyone in the Lync Meeting via a continuous view of multiple HD video streams or photos. The video gallery scales to provide t

the best experience for a diverse set of scenarios including a peer-to-peer video call, showing the most relevant people in the meeting at all times by bringing the 5 dominant speakers’ videos “into focus”.

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Application & document sharingBy integrating traditional application and document sharing into the streamlined Lync 2013 client, Lync Server 2013 delivers a highly accessible and reliable tool that virtually everyone can use.

Combined with audio or video conferencing, the result is a highly immersive and collaborative session that is simple to facilitate.Microsoft Lync delivers a wide range of user benefits that enable enterprises to improve productivity and efficiency and their employees to work smarter.

A consistent unified platform and approach delivers feature rich extensibility to both desk based and mobile workers.

Communications-enabled business processes automate, speed up, or otherwise improve business processes by adding unified communications capabilities including telephony, conferencing, enterprise messaging, and presence.

Access product information, case studies and more on the Microsoft Lync resource centre.

http://www.youtube.com/watch%3Fv%3DRVQApxN3Tu4



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Active Communications SolutionProduct overview

The Active Communications Server (ACS) solution is 110% Microsoft Lync 2013 and has been developed with three solutions: Express, Appliance and Enterprise solutions, all using Microsoft’s advanced virtualisation and security techniques. The ACS Express product supports up to a maximum of 100 users whilst a single ACS appliance has a maximum capacity of 2,500 users and can accommodate up to 250 simultaneous voice /video sessions. This can be expanded easily by adding additional appliances and server roles such as Mediation and/or Edge Servers in the enterprise network infrastructure. The ACS solution is designed to facilitate straightforward Microsoft Lync 2013 deployments with limited impact to the existing IT environment.

Additional functionality can be added quickly and cost effectively. The ACS solution has a specially designed Active Directory Connector and its own Management Console for daily administrative tasks. The Management Console does not replace the Microsoft Lync management interfaces, but serves as an additional management application for an administrator. For advanced settings such as Response Groups, IVR, etc. the network administrator can (or in collaboration with Active Communications) manage these through the Lync Control Panel and Powershell.

There are 3 solutions available from Active Communications

Active Communications Express - “Lync in a Box”The Active Communications Expresssolution consists of a hardwareappliance that is pre-installed withMicrosoft Lync 2013 but also offersa range of telephony functionality.This enables organisations to deploy asingle appliance solution for their Lync2013 solution. This offers a very costeffective way to enable organisationsrunning Office 365 with full EnterpriseVoice.

– Out-of-the-box voice gateway running with ACS Lync 2013

– 1x E1/T1 and 4x FXS (SIP Trunking also available) – 4x BRI and 4x FXS

(SIP Trunking also available)

– Unique AD Connector scalable for connecting to two Active Directories)

– Up to 100 users

– Rapid deployment of Microsoft Lync 2013

Active Communications ApplianceSupporting up to 2,500 users, theActive Communications Appliancedelivers Microsoft Lync Server 2013on a single rack server with all Lyncserver roles already pre-installed for ahighly scalable unified communicationsSolution.

– Out-of-the-box running Microsoft Lync 2013 deployment – Full deployment on one rack server – Unique AD Connector – Up to 2500 users – Virtualised on Hyper-V

Active Communications EnterpriseThe Active Communications Enterpriseoffering is a software only solution.This allows organisations to select thehardware platform of their choice anddeploy a highly scalable solution.

– Runs on virtual environment of customer – Unique installer incl. unique AD

Connector – Full deployment of all roles – Less than 3 hours – Number of users as needed

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OFFICE 365Small-Medium BusinessRemote Office

UP TO 100 USERS

MID-RANGEMedium-Large EnterpriseBranch Office

100-2500 USERS

HIGH-CAPACITYLarge EnterpriseCentral Office

1K - 80K USERS

US

ER

S

25-1

0010

0-2

000

1K-8

0K

ACS upgrade path from ACS Light to ACS EnterpriseFor the ACS Appliance and the ACS Enterprise solutions, there is a ‘Light’ option available that supports IM and Presence allowing Microsoft Lync 2013 to be deployed as a cost effective messaging application. Organisations are able to upgrade fromthe Light version of ACS to the Enterprise version of ACS at a later stage enabling the many other features of Lync 2013 such as Video Conferencing, Enterprise Voice, Web Conferencing and Content Sharing

ACS Light (ACSL):For organisations that do not initially require the full suite of collaboration features, such as voice and video capability, then the ACS Light solution is a perfect fit. ACS Light enables users with Presence and Instant Messaging capability and scales up to 750 users enabling organisations to embark on a phased deployment of Microsoft Lync.

– Rapid deployment of Unified Messaging solution – Improved efficiency and availability of employees – Minimal impact to existing IT infrastructure – Improved customer response times

ACS upgrade optionFor organisations that initially purchase an ACS Light solution, this can be upgraded at a later stage to the Enterprise solution in order to take advantage of Lync Enterprise Voice telephony and video features.

ACS Enterprise (ACSE):Organisations may wish to deploy a completeUnified Communications and Collaboration (UCC)solution from the outset. The ACSE solutionenables organisations to deploy the completeMicrosoft Lync solution suite allowing them togain immediate benefit from features such as:

– Enterprise Voice – Presence – Audio Conferencing – Video Conferencing – Instant Messaging

The ACSE solution scales to 2,500 users per server (multiple servers supported) and enables Microsoft Lync to be deployed into an organisation quickly and without impact to the existing IT and server infrastructure.

Active care services - 1 year – Updates and Upgrades to ACS

– Server Software

– Technical Support 8 hr response

– Yearly Public Certificate

– Update support for qualified Microsoft software updates

– Software Assurance Lync server components

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What is the active communications server solution?Multiple server applications and roles are required in order to deploy a Microsoft Lync UC solution. The ACS solution cancomprise of a single hardware server platform (Express or Appliance solution) or as a software solution (Enterprise) that ispre-built as a Microsoft Lync Solution with all relevant server applications and roles pre-installed. This significantly reduces the deployment time for a Microsoft Lync solution.

WHAT IS THE ACTIVE COMMUNICATIONS SERVER SOLUTION?Multiple server applications and roles are required in order to deploy a Microsoft Lync UC solution. The ACS solution can comprise of a single hardware server platform (Express or Appliance solution) or as a software solution (Enterprise) that is pre-built as a Microsoft Lync Solution with all relevant server applications and roles pre-installed. This significantly reduces the deployment time for a Microsoft Lync solution.

ACS SERVER SOFTWARE V5

The ACS server software is a powerful management tool that simplifies user administration and management. Through the ACS Active Directory Connector, users are added to the ACS Lync environment without schema extensions to the enterprise Active Directory. A “two-way trust” is established between ACS and the Active Directory for a completely transparent environment.

LYNC SERVER 2013 MEDIATION SERVER

Mediation server is implemented in order to support voice connectivity and conferencing as well as managing VoIP Codecs. Typically SIP trunks will be terminated by the SBC (Session Border Controller) and this will in turn be connected to the mediation server.

LYNC SERVER 2013 FRONT END SERVER

The Lync Front End (FE) server is the main server that supports user registration, features and signalling between telephony devices such as SIP handsets, Lync Clients and Mobile Lync Clients. The FE Server can be compared to the call processor in an IP PBX.

• Front End server functions include:

• Client registration and authentication

• Presence availability, DL expansion and address book services

• IM services including IM conferences (chat rooms)

• Web conferencing and app sharing

DELL POWEREDGE RACKSERVER

The Active Communications Server is preloaded with the Windows Server 2012 operating system and the full suite of Lync applications and server roles.

WINDOWS SERVER 2012

The underlying operating system for the Lync solution is Windows server 2012. This forms the basis of the user and domain management.

LYNC SERVER 2013 EDGE SERVER

The role of the Edge Server (ES) is essential to provide connectivity between internal and external parties that may be outside of the corporate firewall. For example if one organisation wishes to federate services or IM to another external organisation, it is the role of the ES to support this.

LYNC A/V CONFERENCING SERVER

The A/V Conferencing server provides both audio and video conferencing facilities to internal and external parties.

MONITORING AND ARCHIVING SERVER

Monitoring and Archiving server roles are required for deployment

of a Microsoft Lync deployment, enabling: CDR reports, call reliability

reporting and numerous call quality metrics as well as archiving Instant Messages and Web Conferencing content.

TELL ME ABOUT... UC SOLUTIONS ACT I V E COMMU N ICAT IONS SOLU T ION 12

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The Active Communications advantageDeployment of a Microsoft Lync solution requires specialist skills and understanding of the underlying IT infrastructure. The very nature and complexity of enterprise client/server networks means that user moves, adds and changes can be very time consuming even without including deployment of new applications.

A Microsoft Lync architecture is complex and relies upon multiple server roles as well as physical elements of server hardware.

THE ACTIVE COMMUNICATIONS ADVANTAGEDeployment of a Microsoft Lync solution requires specialist skills and understanding of the underlying IT infrastructure. The very nature and complexity of enterprise client/server networks means that user moves, adds and changes can be very time consuming even without including deployment of new applications.

A Microsoft Lync architecture is complex and relies upon multiple server roles as well as physical elements of server hardware.

BEFORE DEPLOYMENT OF ACS

Active Directory

QOE MonitoringArchivingCDRFi

rew

all

PBX

Public IMClouds

SIP Trunks

Fire

wal

l

Exchange Server

Voicemail

UC Endpoints

PRIPSTN

(SIP-PSTN-GW)

RemoteUsers

FederatedBusinesses

MediationServer

Data, Audio/Video, SIP

Edge Server

DMZ

Front-End Server(IM, Presence)

BackendSQL Server

• Inbound Routing

• Outboung Routing

• Voicemail Routing


However, the ACS solution significantly decreases the time to deploy a Microsoft Lync solution with minimal impact to theunderlying network infrastructure. By virtualising multiple applications and co-locating server roles the Active Communications server enables rapid deployment of a Microsoft Lync solution.

– Reduced complexity

– Simplified management via the ACS management dashboard

– No impact to customer Active Directory configuration

– Preloaded hardware with Microsoft Lync and associated servers and roles

Before deployment of ACS

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How are users enabled with Lync features using the Active Communications Server?Lync functionality is delivered to users by way of licencing. Each user requires a client access licence (CAL) in order for features to be enabled. Licences are installed on the desktop/laptop.

There are three types of licence:

– Standard

– Enterprise

– Plus

Any combination of these licences can be deployed per user but the Standard CAL is mandatory and is required as a ‘base’licence. This approach allows for full feature flexibility and the ability to activate specific feature groups on a per user basis.

However, the ACS solution significantly decreases the time to deploy a Microsoft Lync solution with minimal impact to the underlying network infrastructure. By virtualising multiple applications and co-locating server roles the Active Communications server enables rapid deployment of a Microsoft Lync solution.

• Reduced complexity

• Simplified management via the ACS management dashboard

• No impact to customer Active Directory configuration

• Preloaded hardware with Microsoft Lync and associated servers and roles

AFTER DEPLOYMENT OF THE ACS APPLIANCE OR ENTERPRISE SOLUTION

Active Directory

Firewall

PBX

Public IMClouds

SIP TrunksExchange Server

Voicemail

UC Endpoints

ACS Server

PRIPSTN

(SIP-PSTN-GW)

RemoteUsers

FederatedBusinesses

HOW ARE USERS ENABLED WITH LYNC FEATURES USING THE ACTIVE COMMUNICATIONS SERVER?

Lync functionality is delivered to users by way of licencing. Each user requires a client access licence (CAL) in order for features to be enabled. Licences are installed on the desktop/laptop. There are three types of licence:

• Standard

• Enterprise

• Plus

Any combination of these licences can be deployed per user but the Standard CAL is mandatory and is required as a ‘base’ licence. This approach allows for full feature flexibility and the ability to activate specific feature groups on a per user basis.

TELL ME ABOUT... UC SOLUTIONS ACT I V E COMMU N ICAT IONS SOLU T I O N 14

After deployment of the ACS Appliance or Enterprise solution

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ACS server licenseIn addition to each client licence, a per user licence must be enabled on the Active Communications Server running Microsoft Lync 2013. This allows users to be registered to the Lync server to enable internal and external IM, Voice and Audio and Video Conferencing communications.

ACS SERVER LICENCE

In addition to each client licence, a per user licence must be enabled on the Active Communications Server running Microsoft Lync 2013. This allows users to be registered to the Lync server to enable internal and external IM, Voice and Audio and Video Conferencing communications.

• Lync Server 2013 Standard CAL: The Lync Server 2013 Standard CAL offers instant messaging and rich presence (IM/P) features. It provides users with real-time presence and enhanced IM along with PC-to-PC audio and video communications, as well as authenticated attendee experience for internally hosted conferences.

• Lync Server 2013 Enterprise CAL: The Lync Server 2013 Enterprise CAL offers Audio, Video, and Web conferencing features. It provides users the ability to create, moderate, and join conferences for collaboration with both internal and external users.

• Lync Server 2013 Plus CAL: The Lync Server 2013 Plus CAL offers enterprise voice telephony features. It provides high-quality voice and other related features to users anywhere with an Internet connection across IP phones, PCs, and desktop applications.

STANDARD CAL:

IM & PRESENCE

PLUS CAL:

ENTERPRISE VOICE

ENTERPRISE CAL:

CONFERENCINGWeb ConferencingConference

Attendee

Call Routing & User Call Management

Conference Organiser

Branch Office Survivability

Video Conferencing

Office Backstage Integration

Response Groups

Meeting Lobby

Enhanced 911 Capability

Call Park and PBX features

Audio ConferencingWindows Live Messenger AV

Federation

Team Call and Delegation

Conference Recording

Call Admission Control

Desktop Sharing

SharePoint Based Skill Search

Click to Call on PBX Phone (RCC)

Join From Experience

Visual Access to V-Mail

Ad hoc Audio Conferencing

Suites: ECAL

Suites: ECAL

Suites: None

LYNC LICENCE TYPES


Lync license types

– Lync Server 2013 Standard CAL: The Lync Server 2013 Standard CAL offers instant messaging and rich presence (IM/P) features. It provides users with real-time presence and enhanced IM along with PC-to- PC audio and video communications, as well as authenticated attendee experience for internally hosted conferences.

– Lync Server 2013 Enterprise CAL: The Lync Server 2013 Enterprise CAL offers Audio, Video, and Web conferencing features. It provides users the ability to create, moderate, and join conferences for collaboration with both internal and external users.

– Lync Server 2013 Plus CAL: The Lync Server 2013 Plus CAL offers enterprise voice telephony features. It provides high-quality voice and other related features to users anywhere with an Internet connection across IP phones, PCs, and desktop applications

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Enterprise Voice features – Dial/Hold/Transfer/DND/

Mute/Transfer

– DDI/CLI/Call coverage/Divert

– Click to call/Call by name

– User presence displayed to the handset

– CTI integration

– Hunt groups

– Automatic Call Distributor

– Caller Name Display

– Call Attendant/Voicemail

– Single number reach

– Inbound Private line

– Softphone

– Speed Dial

– Call forward

– Call logging – CDR

– Multi-tenant

– Multiple codecs – RTA, G.711,G.722 and G.723.1

– Security - SRTP/TLS

– Call Park and retrieve

– Malicious call trace

– FMC with mobile devices

– Presence based call routing

– Conference Call voice and video – internal/external/ drag and drop

– PSTN dial-in/out

– Call Admission Control bandwidth management

– Call authorisation

– Skill search call routing

– E911 (US location service for emergency calling)

– Corporate Directory search

– Federated Voice/IM/Video calls

– Remote worker (no VPN)

ENTERPRISE VOICE FEATURES

• Dial/Hold/Transfer/DND/Mute/Transfer

• DDI/CLI/Call coverage/Divert • Click to call/Call by name • User presence displayed to the handset

• CTI integration • Hunt groups • Automatic Call Distributor • Caller Name Display • Call Attendant/Voicemail • Single number reach • Inbound Private line • Softphone • Speed Dial • Call forward • Call logging – CDR • Multi-tenant • Multiple codecs – RTA, G.711, G.722 and G.723.1

• Security - SRTP/TLS • Call Park and retrieve • Malicious call trace • FMC with mobile devices • Presence based call routing • Conference Call voice and video – internal/external/drag and drop

• PSTN dial-in/out • Call Admission Control – bandwidth management

• Call authorisation • Skill search call routing • E911 (US location service for emergency calling)

• Corporate Directory search • Federated Voice/IM/Video calls

• Remote worker (no VPN) • Bridged calls

PLUS CAL:

ENTERPRISE VOICECall Routing & User Call Management


Response Groups








Suites: None

UNIFIED CONFERENCING (ENTERPRISE CAL)

• Audio, Video and Web • Single click scheduling • Ad-hoc / Scheduled • Mute / Unmute / Dial in/ Dial out

• Mobile users (Lync) – single click access

• Open / Closed /Anonymous access

• Dial-in access – PIN code access

• HD or VGA support • Lobby / Roster /

Announcements • Conference attendant for multi-language prompt support

• Single click to add video to voice conference

• Active speaker support • Document / application /desktop sharing

• Whiteboarding • Support for 250 user conference (can be more)

• Conference recording

VOICEMAIL & MESSAGING FEATURES

• Auto Attendant • Mailbox login • Play messages – oldest /newest • TTS / STT – 26 languages • Multiple Exchange servers supported • Speech Recognition • Find me follow me • Mailbox search • 2nd dialplan per user

• Message Waiting Indicator (MWI) • Voicemail ó Email • Call announcements and greetings • Missed call and voicemail notification via SMS

• Send a voice message to a person. • Change their PIN, spoken name, or greetings.

• Visual voicemail

• Calendar scheduling: – Listen to new and saved e-mail and

voice mail messages.

– Forward, reply to, save, and delete e-mail and voice mail messages.

– Interact with their calendar.

– Locate a person in the global address list or their personal Contacts.

ENTERPRISE CAL:

CONFERENCINGWeb Conferencing


Video Conferencing

Meeting Lobby

Audio Conferencing


Desktop Sharing


Suites: ECAL

TELEPHONY FEATURES MATRIXMicrosoft Lync supports an extensive range of enterprise telephony features. All features are determined by the licence that has been applied to the laptop/desktop device. The following matrices provide a ‘snapshot’ of the overall feature set.


ENTERPRISE VOICE FEATURES

• Dial/Hold/Transfer/DND/Mute/Transfer

• DDI/CLI/Call coverage/Divert • Click to call/Call by name • User presence displayed to the handset

• CTI integration • Hunt groups • Automatic Call Distributor • Caller Name Display • Call Attendant/Voicemail • Single number reach • Inbound Private line • Softphone • Speed Dial • Call forward • Call logging – CDR • Multi-tenant • Multiple codecs – RTA, G.711, G.722 and G.723.1

• Security - SRTP/TLS • Call Park and retrieve • Malicious call trace • FMC with mobile devices • Presence based call routing • Conference Call voice and video – internal/external/drag and drop

• PSTN dial-in/out • Call Admission Control – bandwidth management

• Call authorisation • Skill search call routing • E911 (US location service for emergency calling)

• Corporate Directory search • Federated Voice/IM/Video calls

• Remote worker (no VPN) • Bridged calls

PLUS CAL:

ENTERPRISE VOICECall Routing & User Call Management


Response Groups








Suites: None

UNIFIED CONFERENCING (ENTERPRISE CAL)

• Audio, Video and Web • Single click scheduling • Ad-hoc / Scheduled • Mute / Unmute / Dial in/ Dial out

• Mobile users (Lync) – single click access

• Open / Closed /Anonymous access

• Dial-in access – PIN code access

• HD or VGA support • Lobby / Roster /

Announcements • Conference attendant for multi-language prompt support

• Single click to add video to voice conference

• Active speaker support • Document / application /desktop sharing

• Whiteboarding • Support for 250 user conference (can be more)

• Conference recording

VOICEMAIL & MESSAGING FEATURES

• Auto Attendant • Mailbox login • Play messages – oldest /newest • TTS / STT – 26 languages • Multiple Exchange servers supported • Speech Recognition • Find me follow me • Mailbox search • 2nd dialplan per user

• Message Waiting Indicator (MWI) • Voicemail ó Email • Call announcements and greetings • Missed call and voicemail notification via SMS

• Send a voice message to a person. • Change their PIN, spoken name, or greetings.

• Visual voicemail

• Calendar scheduling: – Listen to new and saved e-mail and

voice mail messages.

– Forward, reply to, save, and delete e-mail and voice mail messages.

– Interact with their calendar.

– Locate a person in the global address list or their personal Contacts.

ENTERPRISE CAL:

CONFERENCINGWeb Conferencing


Video Conferencing

Meeting Lobby

Audio Conferencing


Desktop Sharing


Suites: ECAL

TELEPHONY FEATURES MATRIXMicrosoft Lync supports an extensive range of enterprise telephony features. All features are determined by the licence that has been applied to the laptop/desktop device. The following matrices provide a ‘snapshot’ of the overall feature set.


Telephony features matrixMicrosoft Lync supports an extensive range of enterprise telephony features. All features are determined by the licence that has been applied to the laptop/desktop device. The following matrices provide a ‘snapshot’ of the overall feature set.

Voicemail & messaging features – Auto Attendant – Mailbox login – Play messages – oldest /newest – TTS / STT – 26 languages – Multiple Exchange servers supported – Speech Recognition – Find me follow me – Mailbox search – 2nd dialplan per user

– Message Waiting Indicator (MWI) – Voicemail ó Email – Call announcements and greetings – Missed call and voicemail notification

via SMS – Send a voice message to a person. – Change their PIN, spoken name, or

greetings. – Visual voicemail

– Calendar scheduling: - Listen to new and saved e-mail and voice mail messages.

- Forward, reply to, save, and delete e-mail and voice mail messages.

- Interact with their calendar. - Locate a person in the global address list or their personal Contacts.

– Audio, Video and Web

– Single click scheduling

– Ad-hoc / Scheduled

– Mute/Unmute/Dial in/Dial out

– Mobile users (Lync) – single click access

– Open/Closed/Anonymous access

– Dial-in access – PIN code access

– HD or VGA support

– Lobby/Roster/Announcements

– Conference attendant for multi-language prompt support

– Single click to add video to voice conference

– Active speaker support

– Document/application/ desktop sharing

– Whiteboarding

– Support for 250 user conference (can be more)

– Conference recording calls

– Remote worker (no VPN)

Unified conferencing (Enterprise CAL)

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Mobility with Lync 2013New with the Lync 2013 mobile client comes a wide range of enterprise features across multiple platform types enabling both feature and device / hardware platform flexibility.

PRESENCE AND IMWINDOWS 8

AND WINDOWS RT

WINDOWS PHONE

ANDROID IPHONE IPAD

Lync and Lync online connectivity • • • • •New UI, photo, status, presence • • • • •View Lync contact list • • • • •View contact card • • • • •IM multiparty conversations • • • • •Distribution list expansion • • • • •

LYNC MEETINGSWINDOWS 8

AND WINDOWS RT

WINDOWS PHONE

ANDROID IPHONE IPAD

Join Lync Meetings with a single touch • • • • •

Voice and Video over IP(3G / 4G & WiFi) • • • • •

Simultaneous Multi-Party Video • • • • •Call-via-work • • • • •IM multiparty conversations • •Distribution list expansion • •

ENTERPRISE VOICEWINDOWS 8

AND WINDOWS RT

WINDOWS PHONE

ANDROID IPHONE IPAD

Single reach number • • • • •Voice and Video over IP(3G / 4G & WiFi) • • • • •

Call-via-work • • •

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Unprecedented reliabilityFive-nines reliability – it’s the standard often quoted for traditional telephony services, a goal for new competitors, and a selling point for equipment vendors. But what does it really mean?

What the labs sayMicrosoft Lync has been subjected to rigorous performance and security testing. The Miercom Group subjected a Microsoft Lync infrastructure to a number of ‘stress’ tests with the following results:

CALL HANDLING AND THROUGHPUT

– 4m calls in 13 days, 100% success

– Over 13,000 calls per hour

– 100% call completion

SECURITY

– TLS/SSL protocol mutation • Over 16,000 protocol mutations of SSLv3 and TLSv1 messages • No residual vulnerability

– TCP attack • Over 3,000 protocol mutations from 91 variants • No vulnerabilities

RESILIENCY

– Remote branch survivability with PSTN failover • Remote clients still connected in the event of WAN failure

– Branch client survivability • In the event of Lync server unavailability Lync clients still maintained connectivity to branch appliance and were able to establish basic calls through the SBA locally and via the PSTN.

UNPRECEDENTED RELIABILITYFive-nines reliability – it’s the standard often quoted for traditional telephony services, a goal for new competitors, and a selling point for equipment vendors. But what does it really mean?

WHAT THE LABS SAY...

Microsoft Lync has been subjected to rigorous performance and security testing. The Miercom Group subjected a Microsoft Lync infrastructure to a number of ‘stress’ tests with the following results..


• 4m calls in 13 days, 100% success

• Over 13,000 calls per hour

• 100% call completion

SECURITY

• TLS/SSL protocol mutation

– Over 16,000 protocol mutations of SSLv3 and TLSv1 messages

– No residual vulnerability

• TCP attack

– Over 3,000 protocol mutations from 91 variants

– No vulnerabilities

RESILIENCY

• Remote branch survivability with PSTN failover

– Remote clients still connected in the event of WAN failure

• Branch client survivability

– In the event of Lync server unavailability Lync clients still maintained connectivity to branch appliance and were able to establish basic calls through the SBA locally and via the PSTN.

The complete report can be accessed here

99.999% RELIABILITY

4,000,000 CALLS 100% SUCCESS

19,000 ATTACKS NO VULNERABILITIES

REMOTE CLIENTS STILL CONNECTED IN EVENT OF WAN FAILURE


UNPRECEDENTED RELIABILITYFive-nines reliability – it’s the standard often quoted for traditional telephony services, a goal for new competitors, and a selling point for equipment vendors. But what does it really mean?

WHAT THE LABS SAY...

Microsoft Lync has been subjected to rigorous performance and security testing. The Miercom Group subjected a Microsoft Lync infrastructure to a number of ‘stress’ tests with the following results..


• 4m calls in 13 days, 100% success

• Over 13,000 calls per hour

• 100% call completion

SECURITY

• TLS/SSL protocol mutation

– Over 16,000 protocol mutations of SSLv3 and TLSv1 messages

– No residual vulnerability

• TCP attack

– Over 3,000 protocol mutations from 91 variants

– No vulnerabilities

RESILIENCY

• Remote branch survivability with PSTN failover

– Remote clients still connected in the event of WAN failure

• Branch client survivability

– In the event of Lync server unavailability Lync clients still maintained connectivity to branch appliance and were able to establish basic calls through the SBA locally and via the PSTN.

The complete report can be accessed here

99.999% RELIABILITY

4,000,000 CALLS 100% SUCCESS

19,000 ATTACKS NO VULNERABILITIES

REMOTE CLIENTS STILL CONNECTED IN EVENT OF WAN FAILURE


16


Relative positioning – Lync vs. traditional VOIP infrastructuresIn an ACS Microsoft Lync environment, a range of additional products are deployed in order to support a complete Microsoft Lync unified communications solution.

In a typical IP PBX or legacy TDM PBX environment, (excluding the main call processor or switching fabric for call signalling and handling), PSTN line cards or modules would be required in order to support voice connectivity to the outside world. This might, for example, involve the use of an ISDN 30 (PRI) module for 30 concurrent telephone calls. A Microsoft Lync solution has the same needs but instead of using internal line-side or trunk-side cards or modules, external appliances are deployed.

The following matrix maps existing IP PBX solutions to an ACS Microsoft Lync deployment and identifies the appliances that are used in order to support specific functionality.

PRESENCE AND IM ACTIVE COMMUNICATIONS AVAYA IP OFFICE MITEL SHORETEL

PBX ModelACS Solution runningMicrosoft Lync 2013

IP Office 500 v23300 MXe III Expanded

Voice Switch 220 E1

Capacity (Users)ACS Express 100 usersACS Appliance 2,500 UsersACS Enterprise 80,000 Users

384 / 1,000 1,500Scales with ‘Switch’ models deployed

Media Cards / Gateways for PSTN/SIP Trunk Access

AudioCodes:MediaPack Gateway: 1xx rangeMediant Gateway:800/1000 / 2000Sonus: Tenor Gateway, SBC 1000 / 2000Acme Packet: Net-Net ESD-SE, Net-Net 3820, Net-Net 4500

Integral Modules:240 Trunks MaxPRI 30 ModulePRI 60 Module4x Analogue Module4x BRI Module8x BRI Module

Integral Modules:240 Trunks (can be expanded)2x E1 Module4x BRI Module4x Analogue Module6x Analogue Module

External Units:1x E12x BRI8x BRI8x Analogue4x Analogue2x Analogue

Media Cards for Analogue devices such as Telephones/FAX

AudioCodes:MediaPack Gateway 1xx rangeMediant Gateway:800/1000 / 2000Sonus: Tenor Gateway, SBC 1000 / 2000

2 port, 8 port,16 port, 30 port external modules

24 port external unit12 port external unit

24 port external unit

VoicemailEmbedded and routed into Microsoft Exchange

Further Edition - External Server

Embedded Embedded

Unified Messaging and Conferencing

Embedded and routed into Microsoft Exchange

A/V – 2x64 partiesVideo softphone and Lifesize integration

Embedded Embedded

Handsets

Polycom: CX seriesSnom: 3xx, 6xx and 8xx seriesAastra: 67xxi seriesAudioCodes: 4xx HD series

IP 16xxIP 96xx

53xx55xx

6xx5xx2xx1xx

Softphone Microsoft Lync 2013 ClientIP Office Video Softphone

Unified Communicator Express / Advanced Softphone (UCE/A)

Shoretel Communicator

Attendant Console Microsoft Lync 2010 AttendantIP Office Receptionist

5550 IP Console BB24 Console

HeadsetsPlantronicsJabra

PlantronicsJabra

PlantronicsJabra

PlantronicsJabra

Presence / IM / Chat / VoiceACS Light Presence / IMACS Enterprise fully featured Voice / IM / Presence

oneX portal server – External server

Via UCA applicationShoretel Communicator

Integration with Microsoft Lync

ACS is running 100% Lync TBA

Live Business Gateway (or external appliance available from 4net)

Via open APIs

Fixed Mobile ConvergenceLync 2013 Client Windows Phone / iOS / Android

Mobile client – Android / iOS

Mitel Unified Communicator Mobile

RoamAnywhere clientTELL

17


Deployment of active communications server & Microsoft LyncScenarios for Microsoft Lync solutions: – Integrate with legacy telephony infrastructures

– Enhance functionality of existing telephony platform

– Replace end of life PBX

– Deployment of a new Unified Communications and Collaboration telephony solution

– Stand alone configuration

– High Availability configuration

– Hosted cloud based Microsoft Lync and support for Microsoft Office 365

Integrating Microsoft Lync 2013 with legacy telephony infrastructures:

Integrating Microsoft Lync solutions with disparate telephony infrastructures introduces a number of design challenges and questions:

– How is the PBX integrating with the Microsoft server infrastructure?

– How is the voice access being delivered – SIP?

– What endpoints are being used – handsets, softphones and headsets?

– How is the unified communications infrastructure being secured?

– Is this a single or multi-site configuration?

Solutions from the 4net Lync vendor eco-system are able to address all of these deployment scenarios delivering a fullyintegrated Microsoft Lync solution:

Adding functionality to existing telephony infrastructures

For organisations wanting to add and integrate functionality such as audio and video conferencing to their existing PBXwithout necessitating a forklift upgrade, Microsoft Lync delivers a cost effective upgrade path.

Lync deployed in parallel with existing PBX

– Add Audio and Video Conferencing to an existing telephony platform

– Audio, Video and Web Conferencing

– “Join From” calls from the existing handset, retains PBX investment and reduces complexity

– Enables future path for full UC adoption

DEPLOYMENT OF ACTIVE COMMUNICATIONS SERVER & MICROSOFT LYNC

SCENARIOS FOR MICROSOFT LYNC SOLUTIONS:

• Integrate with legacy telephony infrastructures

• Enhance functionality of existing telephony platform

• Replace end of life PBX

• Deployment of a new Unified Communications and Collaboration telephony solution

• Stand alone configuration

• High Availability configuration

• Hosted cloud based Microsoft Lync and support for Microsoft Office 365

INTEGRATING MICROSOFT LYNC 2013 WITH LEGACY TELEPHONY INFRASTRUCTURES:

Integrating Microsoft Lync solutions with disparate telephony infrastructures introduces a number of design challenges and questions:

• How is the PBX integrating with the Microsoft server infrastructure?

• How is the voice access being delivered – SIP?

• What endpoints are being used – handsets, softphones and headsets?

• How is the unified communications infrastructure being secured?

• Is this a single or multi-site configuration?

Solutions from the Westcon Lync vendor eco-system are able to address all of these deployment scenarios delivering a fully integrated Microsoft Lync solution:

ADDING FUNCTIONALITY TO EXISTING TELEPHONY INFRASTRUCTURES

For organisations wanting to add and integrate functionality such as audio and video conferencing to their existing PBX without necessitating a forklift upgrade, Microsoft Lync delivers a cost effective upgrade path.


– Add Audio and Video Conferencing to an existing telephony platform

– Audio, Video and Web Conferencing

– “Join From” calls from the existing handset, retains PBX investment and reduces complexity

– Enables future path for full UC adoption

Westcon product solutions available:

Active Communications - Microsoft Lync 2013 deploymentAcme Packet - H.323 – SIP interworking between PBX and Video infrastructureAudioCodes - Integration with existing telephony infrastructureSonus - Integration with existing telephony infrastructurePolycom - Video and Voice EndpointsPlantronics - Audio DevicesJabra - Audio DevicesAdvatel - Call routing, management and agent display panel

Enterprise Network Service Provider Network

Existing TelephonyEnvironment

Lync ServerEnvironment

PSTNSIP TrunkIP-PBX

Lync Endpoints FEServers

MediationServer

E-SBC E-SBC GW


4net product solutions available:

Active Communications - Microsoft Lync 2013 deployment

Acme Packet - H.323 – SIP interworking between PBX and Video infrastructure

AudioCodes - Integration with existing telephony infrastructure

Sonus - Integration with existing telephony infrastructure

Polycom - Video and Voice Endpoints

Plantronics - Audio Devices

Jabra - Audio Devices

Advatel - Call routing, management and agent display panel

18


Enhance existing telephony platformDeploying additional Unified Communications features with an existing PBX and enhance it with new functionality such asmobile integration, click to call functionality or SIP trunks can be achieved using Lync.


– Lync deployed to give soft client functionality for IM and Presence

– Click to call support

– Instant Messaging and Presence

– Messaging platform with Exchange



Acme Packet - Integration with existing telephony infrastructure, SIP Trunks

AudioCodes - Integration with existing telephony infrastructure, SIP Trunks

Sonus - Integration with existing telephony infrastructure, SIP Trunks





Replacement of end of life legacy PBX or new ‘Green Field’ deploymentsOrganisations may be looking to replace their existing telephony architecture for a number of reasons:

– Fully depreciated and/or high maintenance cost

– End of life PBX with no ongoing support offered

– Reduce OPEX of existing solution

Deployment of a Microsoft Lync solution as the primary voice platform becomes the Day 1 platform for delivering a unifiedcommunications and collaboration solution.

Lync deployed as the PBX replacement solution from Day 1



Acme Packet - IP Trunks, Security and video endpoint and PBX integration

AudioCodes - SIP Trunks, Security

Sonus - SIP Trunks, Security





– SIP Trunking

– Mobile voice

– Full UC security

– Enterprise Federation

– Audio, Video and Web conferencing

– Presence and IM


REPLACEMENT OF END OF LIFE LEGACY PBX OR NEW ‘GREEN FIELD’ DEPLOYMENTS

Organisations may be looking to replace their existing telephony architecture for a number of reasons:

– Fully depreciated and/or high maintenance cost

– End of life PBX with no ongoing support offered

– Reduce OPEX of existing solution

Deployment of a Microsoft Lync solution as the primary voice platform becomes the Day 1 platform for delivering a unified communications and collaboration solution.

Lync deployed as the PBX replacement solution from Day 1

– SIP Trunking

– Mobile voice

– Full UC security

– Enterprise Federation

– Audio, Video and Web conferencing

– Presence and IM



Active Communications - Microsoft Lync 2013 deployment Acme Packet - IP Trunks, Security and video endpoint and PBX integrationAudioCodes - SIP Trunks, SecuritySonus - SIP Trunks, SecurityPolycom - Video and Voice EndpointsPlantronics - Audio DevicesJabra - Audio DevicesAdvatel - Call routing, management and agent display panel

ENHANCE EXISTING TELEPHONY PLATFORM

Deploying additional Unified Communications features with an existing PBX and enhance it with new functionality such as mobile integration, click to call functionality or SIP trunks can be achieved using Lync.


– Lync deployed to give soft client functionality for IM and Presence

– Click to call support

– Instant Messaging and Presence



Active Communications - Microsoft Lync 2013 deployment Acme Packet - Integration with existing telephony infrastructure, SIP TrunksAudioCodes - Integration with existing telephony infrastructure, SIP TrunksSonus - Integration with existing telephony infrastructure, SIP TrunksPolycom - Video and Voice EndpointsPlantronics - Audio DevicesJabra - Audio DevicesAdvatel - Call routing, management and agent display panel

Service Provider NetworkEnterprise Network

PSTNSIP Trunk

Lync Endpoints FEServers

MediationServer

E-SBC E-SBC GW


19


STANDALONE CONFIGURATION

In a standalone configuration, a single ACS appliance is deployed. Redundancy in this configuration is delivered by a server platform supporting N+1 power supplies and RAID 5 mirrored hard drives. When Microsoft Lync is deployed in this format, the capacity is 2,500 users running on Microsoft Lync Server 2013.

HIGH AVAILABILITY CONFIGURATION

Enterprises wishing to exceed 2,500 users or deploy a highly resilient solution can ‘stack’ additional ACS appliances. In this scenario, the ACS appliances are running Microsoft Lync Server 2013.

HOSTED MICROSOFT LYNC, OFFICE 365 – LYNC ONLINE

With the emergence of the cloud and associated XaaS services, organisations are reviewing their IT deployment and operating expense models and in a growing number of cases, are opting for a cloud based service for applications delivery. For office productivity applications, Microsoft Office 365 has proved to be a popular deployment choice to deliver applications such as Microsoft Office, Exchange, SharePoint and Lync.

In a hosted Microsoft Lync deployment via Office 365, there are distinct limitations in functionality as opposed to on premises deployment of Lync. Whilst Lync features such as instant messaging, presence and video conferencing within Office 365 work very well, current voice functionality is limited with features such as response groups unavailable in ‘the cloud’.

Deployment of an on-premise Active Communications Server enables organisations to deploy and/or maintain Office 365 productivity solutions and enable enterprise voice features and functions not currently available in the cloud. Active Communications Server integrates with all cloud based active directory services ensuring that Office 365 users are fully enabled for voice.

FULL CLOUD DEPLOYMENT – NO VOICE INTEGRATION

In an environment where Microsoft Office 365 cloud applications (including Lync), have been deployed, the existing telephony solution has no enterprise voice integration with Lync and becomes a communications island with limited integration capability with the cloud-based applications and collaborative tools.

UC Endpoints

Physical Site

E-SBC

E-SBCIP PBX

Office 365 CloudActive Directory Server

SIP TrunkProvider / PSTN

Fire

wal

l

Active Directory Federation Server

AD ServerDirSync Server

AD Federation Server

CLOUD INFRASTRUCTURE (WITHOUT ACS)

• All applications hosted

• No Enterprise Voice functionality

• Only basic Lync features available: – IM – Presence – Video Conferencing

• Disparate autonomous telephony infrastructure

< 2,500

< 100,000


STANDALONE CONFIGURATION

In a standalone configuration, a single ACS appliance is deployed. Redundancy in this configuration is delivered by a server platform supporting N+1 power supplies and RAID 5 mirrored hard drives. When Microsoft Lync is deployed in this format, the capacity is 2,500 users running on Microsoft Lync Server 2013.

HIGH AVAILABILITY CONFIGURATION

Enterprises wishing to exceed 2,500 users or deploy a highly resilient solution can ‘stack’ additional ACS appliances. In this scenario, the ACS appliances are running Microsoft Lync Server 2013.

HOSTED MICROSOFT LYNC, OFFICE 365 – LYNC ONLINE

With the emergence of the cloud and associated XaaS services, organisations are reviewing their IT deployment and operating expense models and in a growing number of cases, are opting for a cloud based service for applications delivery. For office productivity applications, Microsoft Office 365 has proved to be a popular deployment choice to deliver applications such as Microsoft Office, Exchange, SharePoint and Lync.


Deployment of an on-premise Active Communications Server enables organisations to deploy and/or maintain Office 365 productivity solutions and enable enterprise voice features and functions not currently available in the cloud. Active Communications Server integrates with all cloud based active directory services ensuring that Office 365 users are fully enabled for voice.

FULL CLOUD DEPLOYMENT – NO VOICE INTEGRATION

In an environment where Microsoft Office 365 cloud applications (including Lync), have been deployed, the existing telephony solution has no enterprise voice integration with Lync and becomes a communications island with limited integration capability with the cloud-based applications and collaborative tools.

UC Endpoints

Physical Site

E-SBC

E-SBCIP PBX



Fire

wal

l



AD Federation Server

CLOUD INFRASTRUCTURE (WITHOUT ACS)


• No Enterprise Voice functionality

• Only basic Lync features available: – IM – Presence – Video Conferencing

• Disparate autonomous telephony infrastructure

< 2,500

< 100,000


Hosted Microsoft Lync, Office 365 - Lync onlineWith the emergence of the cloud and associated XaaS services, organisations are reviewing their IT deployment and operating expense models and in a growing number of cases, are opting for a cloud based service for applications delivery.

For office productivity applications, Microsoft Office 365 has proved to be a popular deployment choice to deliver applications such as Microsoft Office, Exchange, SharePoint and Lync.


Deployment of an on-premise Active Communications Server enables organisations to deploy and/or maintain Office365 productivity solutions and enable enterprise voice features and functions not currently available in the cloud. ActiveCommunications Server integrates with all cloud based active directory services ensuring that Office 365 users are fully enabled for voice.

Full cloud deployment - No voice intergrationWith the emergence of the cloud and associated XaaS services, organisations are reviewing their IT deployment and operating expense models and in a growing number of cases, are opting for a cloud based service for applications delivery.

Standalone configurationIn a standalone configuration, a single ACS appliance is deployed. Redundancy in this configuration is delivered by a server platform supporting N+1 power supplies and RAID 5 mirrored hard drives. When Microsoft Lync is deployed in this format, the capacity is 2,500 users running on Microsoft Lync Server 2013.

High availability configurationEnterprises wishing to exceed 2,500 users or deploy a highly resilient solution can ‘stack’ additional ACS appliances. In this scenario, the ACS appliances are running Microsoft Lync Server 2013.

20


Voice enabling cloud users within Office 365Deployment of the Active Communications Server enables full enterprise voice integration with the cloud-based elements ofOffice 365 applications. The organisation can now benefit from a fully integrated Unified Communications and Collaboration(UC&C) solution. This includes enterprise voice functionality in addition to audio and video multipoint conferencing, and more.

The legacy telephony solution (TDM or IP PBX) can now be retired – with significant reductions in associated operating andmaintenance costs – and replaced by Microsoft Lync in its entirety. The diagram below depicts the changed network topology in this scenario.

VOICE ENABLING CLOUD USERS WITHIN OFFICE 365

Deployment of the Active Communications Server enables full enterprise voice integration with the cloud-based elements of Office 365 applications. The organisation can now benefit from a fully integrated Unified Communications and Collaboration (UC&C) solution. This includes enterprise voice functionality in addition to audio and video multipoint conferencing, and more. The legacy telephony solution (TDM or IP PBX) can now be retired – with significant reductions in associated operating and maintenance costs – and replaced by Microsoft Lync in its entirety. The diagram below depicts the changed network topology in this scenario.


AD Federation ServerACS Server

ACS - AD connector

UC Endpoints

Physical Site

E-SBC E-SBC


Fire

wal

l



CLOUD INFRASTRUCTURE (WITH ACS)


• Full Enterprise Voice enablement

• Full UC enablement – Voice – Unified Messaging – IM & Presence – Voice/Video

Conferencing

• Integrated Microsoft telephony infrastructure

ACTIVE COMMUNICATIONS SERVER SUMMARY

• Streamlined Communications: The Lync 2013 client is available for Windows, Mac OS, iOS, WP8 and Android, unifying the user experience across these devices and increasing employee productivity

• User Controlled Communications: Users immediately find the right person and communicate with them using the preferred medium: voice, video, IM. Truly integrated communication enhances effectiveness.

• Reduced Cost of Ownership: With one system management interface, user moves, adds and changes (MACs) can be made quickly without affecting the corporate network topology. User and system MACs can be made either locally on-site or remotely, enabling a quick response to changing environments. Enhanced functionality can be added and integrated with an existing telephony solution without the need for costly forklift upgrades to the existing telephony network.

• Reduced Implementation Time: The ACS appliance simplifies management and reduces deployment cost, without consuming IT support time. Deploying ACS doesn’t require complex changes to the existing solution, enabling deployment during business hours without necessitating downtime to the corporate network.

• Scalability: The ACS appliance has a ‘day 1’ capacity of a maximum of 2,500 users and can accommodate up to 250 simultaneous voice / video sessions. This can be expanded further through the addition of additional server hardware and roles. Standalone and high availability options available for improved resiliency.

• Unified Communications Enablement: The ACS appliance can be deployed within the existing environment to deliver added UC features and functionality not available from the existing telephony platform. Equally the ACS solution can replace the entire telephony infrastructure delivering a cost effective approach to delivering a feature rich telephony UC solution.

• Flexibility: Suitable for soft-phones, headsets or desk phones. Employees can work from home as if they are in the office and collaborate from different locations.

• Advanced Security: The ACS uses Advanced Security and Virtualisation technology and is based on a single redundant server with dual power supply and RAID 5. The unique Active Directory connector removes the need for schema extensions in the enterprise active directory, without compromising functionality. The ACS management suite allows for regular maintenance, online reporting and proactive monitoring of the Lync 2013 environment through the online user interface either on-site or remotely.


Active Communications server summary

– Streamlined Communications: The Lync 2013 client is available for Windows, Mac OS, iOS, WP8 and Android, unifying the user experience across these devices and increasing employee productivity

– User Controlled Communications: Users immediately find the right person and communicate with them using the preferred medium: voice, video, IM. Truly integrated communication enhance effectiveness.

– Reduced Cost of Ownership: With one system management interface, user moves, adds and changes (MACs) can be made quickly without affecting the corporate network topology. User and system MACs can be made either locally on-site or remotely, enablinga quick response to changing environments. Enhanced functionality can be added and integrated with an existing telephony solution without the need for costly forklift upgrades to the existing telephony network.

– Reduced Implementation Time: The ACS appliance simplifies management and reduces deployment cost, without consuming IT support time. Deploying ACS doesn’t require complex changes to the existing solution, enabling deployment during business hours without necessitating downtime to the corporate network.

– Scalability: The ACS appliance has a ‘day 1’ capacity of a maximum of 2,500 users and can accommodate up to 250 simultaneous voice / video sessions. This can be expanded further through the addition of additional server hardware and roles. Standalone and high availability options available for improved resiliency.

– Unified Communications Enablement: The ACS appliance can be deployed within the existing environment to deliver added UC features and functionality not available from the existing telephony platform. Equally the ACS solution can replace the entire telephony infrastructure delivering a cost effective approach to delivering a feature rich telephony UC solution.

– Flexibility: Suitable for soft-phones, headsets or desk phones. Employees can work from home as if they are in the office and collaborate from different locations.

– Advanced Security: The ACS uses Advanced Security and Virtualisation technology and is based on a single redundant server with dual power supply and RAID 5. The unique Active Directory connector removes the need for schema extensions in the enterprise active directory, without compromising functionality. The ACS management suite allows for regular maintenance, online reporting and proactive monitoring of the Lync 2013 environment through the online user interface either on-site or remotely.

21


Lync Enabling Vendor Eco-systemTo successfully deploy a Lync solution, a number of complementary products are necessary in order to exploit the full range of Lync features, functionality and integration.

E-SBCS (Enterprise Session Border Controllers)

E-SBCs have multiple roles in a Lync environment. They are predominantly used for deploying SIP trunks to a Lync solution or integrating Lync with an existing IP PBX and/or IP telephony applications. Security of the voice infrastructure, codec management and voice quality are also key roles of the E-SBC.

ENTERPRISE SESSION BORDER CONTROLLER VENDORS:

AUDIOCODES

– Mediant 800

– Mediant 1000

– Mediant 2000

– Mediant 3000

SONUS

– SBC 1000

– SBC 2000

– SBC 5100

– SBC 5200

ACME PACKET

– Net-Net Enterprise Session Director: Server Edition

– Net-Net 3820

– Net-Net 4500

Media gateways

Media Gateways are used for integrating legacy TDM PBXs and IP PBXs with Lync in a phased approach. This facilitates connectivity and integration of the existing telephony infrastructure with a Lync solution eliminating the need for a ‘rip and replace’ approach to deployment. They also deliver both SIP trunks and traditional PSTN voice trunks such as ISDN 2 (BRI), ISDN 30 (PRI) and analogue ports. Additionally, media gateways bring analogue connectivity (where required) to a Lync solution. A typical example of this would be connecting existing FAX machines to the voice network or adding devices such as credit card swipe terminals.

MEDIA GATEWAY VENDORS

AUDIOCODES

– MediaPack product range

– Mediant product range

SONUS

– Tenor product range

– SBC 1000

– SBC 2000

Video conferencing

Video conferencing is becoming increasingly important as organisations become more distributed and mobile and provides a more personal experience that supports effective team building, collaboration and user interaction. Complex interfaces, high cost and limited features can prevent wide-spread adoption of video conferencing across the broader workforce. Lync Server 2013 simplifies the user experience by incorporating video into the unified client so adding or scheduling an online meeting with video or spontaneously escalating IM or telephone sessions to video is seamless and easy.

VIDEO CONFERENCING VENDORS

POLYCOM

– HDX Video Conferencing Platforms

– RPX, OTX and ATX Telepresence appliances

– DMA Distributed Media Application Server

– RMX Real time Media Conference PlatformTELL

22


UC audio devices: IP endpoints

High quality ‘Lync optimised’ audio devices should be deployed for voice connectivity to Microsoft Lync in order to maximise the quality of the user experience. Microsoft Lync optimised handsets from the vendors listed below not only deliver exceptional wideband audio and HD voice quality but also support specialist features such as presence, replicating a user’s call status and contact card dialling capabilities.

– Polycom: CX series

– Aastra: 67xxi series

– AudioCodes: 4xx HD series

– Snom: 3xx, 6xx and 8xx series

UC audio devices: Headsets

Organisations often utilise different methods for voice connectivity to the telephony infrastructure, whether through a desk based handset, DECT wireless, WLAN wireless, softphones or smart mobile devices. As a result, different types of UC audio devices – headsets – are required in order to ensure the best possible audio experience.

A recent study showed that headsets can increase productivity in the office alone by up to 43%. Tasks such as note taking or checking documents during telephone calls are achieved more comfortably and faster through the ‘hands-free’ experience when using a headset. Microsoft Lync optimised headsets from the following vendors enable a consistent and high-quality audio experience;

– Plantronics: Voyager, Calisto, Savi and Blackwire series

– Jabra: PRO, GO, BIZ, GN and Speak series

Contact Centre Solutions

For organisations that are deploying ACD (automatic call distribution) and contact centre solutions it is important to understand information relating to the performance of the contact centre as well as the agents that are supporting it. Providing real-time queuing information such as: number of incoming calls, calls in queue, busy agents, available agents, longest queuing call and average queue time are all key indicators to the performance of a contact centre.

Powerful call routing features within Microsoft Lync can be reported back to agents and supervisors alike ensuring that contact centre performance is optimised and delivering improved customer service and business outcomes.

– Zeacom: ZCC for Lync

– 4net: Agent Workplace

4net Technologies Ltd, 3 Scholar Green Road, Cobra Court, Manchester M32 0TR

4net’s powerful combination of service excellence and technical expertise makes us the partner of choice for organisations who want to transform the way they communicate with customers, staff and stakeholders, reduce costs and gain competitive advantage.

Our Contact Centre, unified communications, managed services and telephony solutions are designed to address today’s complex business challenges, helping you to respond to your customer and staff requirements.

From simple IP Telephony Solutions to Virtual Contact Centres, from Unified Communications to Cloud Services, we partner with best in class vendors such as Avaya, Cisco and Shoretel to deliver a solutions portfolio that will address today’s changing workplace and build tomorrow’s future, making 4net the preferred communications partner for many businesses across the globe.

0333 323 0700 | www.4net-technologies.co.uk

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