As VoIP architectures continue to mature, the opportunities for small and midsized enterprises to make the switch from traditional phone systems are widening. Yet regardless of the business size, VoIP brings with it a host of concerns that must be addressed to ensure an effective implementation. Even those highly experienced in IP-based technologies can find themselves struggling with architecture issues if they’re not in tune with the VoIP’s various complexities, but we’ve tapped experts to help sort out the pertinent implementation issues.
Vendor Venture According to Scott Kinka, senior vice president of network services for Evolve IP (www.evolveip.net), vendor selection is a critical component of the VoIP implementation process. He recommends that managers do their research and consider a potential VoIP vendor as a long-term communications partner rather than a simple vendor.
Part of that research requires finding answers to several questions: Is the vendor’s platform secure, reliable, and scalable? Is the company financially secure with solid leadership? Does it bring any value to the table other than the VoIP service?
“Don’t be afraid to ask for references,” Kinka says. “Test the responsiveness of their customer support by calling to see how long it takes them to answer the phone or respond to email. This can be a valuable indicator of how quickly issues will be addressed and resolved.”
Devil’s In The Details When it comes to implementing VoIP, failing to pay attention to details can lead to trouble, particularly at SMEs, where resource availability and expertise are at a premium. Michael Voellinger, telecommunications analyst for Telwares (www.telwares.com), says that successful implementation can be a mission-critical requirement for the business as a whole and can impact revenue if not correctly performed.
“The first tip I would suggest would be to check--and double-check--the network architecture and infrastructure you intend to use in terms of capacity and integrity,” Voellinger says. “Along the same lines, I would certainly urge the deployment team to make sure quality of service is configured correctly--things as basic as packet prioritization and as complex as the security mechanism you intend to use moving forward.”
In regards to network configuration, he recommends evaluating power requirements, particularly in terms of disaster recovery and outage situations, because the VoIP system is reliant on both Internet access and power access. In addition, robust testing should be included as part of the implementation process, possibly using a pilot location within the organization to determine the “real-world” ability of the deployment. However, Voellinger warns that one successful location does not determine success as a whole, so it’s wise to make several stops along the testing phase to regroup and evaluate the deployment’s integrity.
“When performed correctly, [evaluation and testing] are going to greatly reduce the complexity and opportunity for error as the deployment progresses. You’re likely tapping IT resources that are already handling many complex issues, and eliminating as many obstacles ahead of time as possible will help reduce the burden and opportunity for failure,” Voellinger says.
Four Sides To Every VoIP Story To the uninitiated, VoIP architectures might seem simple from the outside, but they entail a wealth of components that work together toward a common goal. To understand what those components are and the roles they play, organizations should look at VoIP implementation from four angles, says Pierre Kerbage, president of Network Logistic (www.networklogistic.com), a value-added reseller of Zultys (www.zultys.com) equipment.
These angles include WAN (dial-tone requirements, SIP, T1/PRI, and connectivity to other locations, such as MPLS, point-to-point, VPN, etc.); LAN (wiring survey, switching survey, and QoS); instrument endpoint (phone and softphone choices); and applications (presence, chat, fax server ACD, find me/follow me, call record, etc.).
Don’t Forget Security According to Bob Bradley, product line manager for security solutions at Sonus Networks (www.sonusnet.com), many security best practices for protecting general-purpose servers and desktops are applicable for IP-based voice products.
“IP PBX, voicemail systems, and soft clients that run on commercial operating systems, such as Windows, Linux, and Solaris, require the same hardening process as if they were systems being used for Web access, database, and email,” Bradley says. “Given SMEs are most likely limited in resources and personnel, the same IT personnel that maintain these other classes of systems can apply the same security practices to VoIP systems.”
To ensure the VoIP environment is secure upon implementation, Bradley recommends protecting the system from internal and external threats through a combination of security tools such as antivirus, NAC, and host intrusion detection on all internal systems. Additionally, a firewall should be used at the front end of the IP PBX external interface.
by Christian Perry
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