911 Services

When it comes to simplifying management, reducing costs, and meeting state and local E911 legislation, many organizations turn to 911 Enable (News - Alert). The 911 services company is known for meeting the E911 needs of organizations with the most demanding deployments, including those using Microsoft Lync.

911 Enable’s solutions have sparked quite an interest among Microsoft (News - Alert) personnel, partners and customers around the world, and generated much buzz within the communications industry. In turn, 911 Enable has released an informative white paper that outlines customers’ most frequently asked questions about 911 Enable’s Lync-compatible solutions, to help end-users better understand 911 Enable’s solutions and grasp the unparalleled value organizations can achieve through deployment.

While Lync already provides specific native E911 functionality, such as the ability to provision locations in civic address format, automatically trace user locations via layer 3 discovery, and inform security of 911 calls via IM, organizations must ensure emergency calls are delivered to the appropriate Public Safety Answering Point (PSAP) with a user’s accurate location data. Many organizations also require additional E911 management capabilities, such as the ability to track soft phones using layer 2 discovery, centralize E911 management in their multi-vendor communications environments, and route calls from specific locations via local trunks with PS-ALI accounts.

911 Enable’s solutions are designed to meet the needs of today’s organizations. Depending on your E911 requirements, 911 Enable’s solutions for Microsoft Lync consist of one or more of these components: the Emergency Routing Service (ERS), the Emergency Gateway (EGW) and the Phone (News - Alert) Discovery Manager (PDM). Working together with Microsoft, 911 Enable has developed, tested and certified its Lync E911 solutions, to ensure seamless interoperability and E911 support for Lync deployments. 911 Enable’s steadfast team of knowledgeable individuals is trained to determine the optimal solution based on various factors, including state E911 laws, your telephony environment, number of users and locations, and security notification requirements.

911 Enable’s ERS ensures that a user’s accurate location information is sent to the appropriate PSAP anywhere in the U.S. or Canada. It pre-validates the locations contained in the Microsoft Lync Server 2010 LIS, and automatically returns any incorrect locations to the customer in real-time, along with suggested alternatives. Because 911 Enable’s ERS allows organizations to break down user locations by building, floor, wing, and/or room level, organizations can meet even the strictest E911 legislation in place. The ERS also includes a comprehensive suite of on-site security notification tools to help organizations effectively coordinate amongst rescue groups and decrease response times during emergencies.

An on-site appliance, the EGW centralizes E911 management in multi-vendor communications environments, seamlessly integrates with the ERS, and also acts as a gateway between Lync Server 2010 and the PSTN to permit 911 call routing via local trunks (if required). It includes a number of additional features such as misdial protection, e-mail crisis alerts, security desk call routing and screen pop notifications, and call recording.

911 Enable’s PDM solution is perfect for organizations unable to identify user locations via subnets. Deployed in conjunction with the ERS, it is an on-site appliance that tracks endpoints, including soft phone clients, using layer 2 discovery. The PDM interoperates with the Lync Server 2010 LIS to identify a client’s location based on the switch and port to which the client device is connected, instead of by the subnet.

911 Enable’s ERS, EGW and PDM are available for Lync deployments in the U.S., and Canada, with certain limitations in Canada.

To read the complete white paper, visit http://www.911enable.com/resource_center/document_registration.php?id=27

Tammy Wolf is a TMCnet web editor. She covers a wide range of topics, including IP communications and information technology. To read more of her articles, please visit her columnist page.

Edited by Chris DiMarco