If you were looking for Windows-based client software to log users into their Cisco (News - Alert) phone automatically as they log in to Windows, then the deployment and management solution EM Single Sign On (EM-SSO) from VoIP Integration may be just what you need.

VoIP Integration representative John Franklin says, "EM-SSO, is designed to save time! Let EM-SSO sign in to the phone quickly without user interaction, allowing your employees to be productive more rapidly.”

As those with experience know, the Extension Mobility login process can be cumbersome at best, especially when your Cisco Unified Communications (News - Alert) Manager infrastructure is integrated with Microsoft’s Active Directory, but it’s still an extremely useful technology. As Cisco’s Rich Gore says, “There are a lot of new services being developed for Unified Communications including integration with applications like Webex and MeetingPlace, Internet B2B video calling with Cisco IME, HD video with new phones, and a lot more, but the one feature that has changed more lives at Cisco – and saved more money for Cisco – is an old classic: Extension Mobility.”

What is it exactly? As Gore explains, Extension Mobility is a Cisco Unified Communications Manager feature that lets you go to any Cisco IP phone, enter your user name and password to then “temporarily make it your own phone.”

As Gore explains it, “At Cisco, we can use Extension Mobility on any phone served by the same Unified Communications Manager cluster. My home office is in Bedfont Lakes, England, and all 70 of Cisco’s European offices are served by one cluster. Not only can I go to any IP phone in Bedfont Lakes and work from there, I can go to any Cisco office on the continent and log into any Cisco phone, and it becomes my own.”

John Franklin of VoIP Integration explains that while Extension Mobility provides great benefits in an Active Directory environment, logging in can be difficult. "Users must key in their username on the phone using the phone keypad one letter at a time -- john.smith would require 24 key strokes on the phone keypad," says John. Clearly, this is undesirable and time consuming; smart companies will look for ways to speed up this process and recover that lost productivity. EM-SSO can eliminate the time consuming process of logging in by automating the login process.

There is much more functionality allowed for with the EM-SSO, though, as it’s not just a one-trick pony. The deployment and management solution can be configured to lock the phone when the computer is locked or when the screen saver is active, taking away one more security concern.

Extension Mobility has proven itself as a valuable feature in modern Unified Communications systems. “Extension Mobility is enabling Cisco to migrate our traditional cube office space to the Cisco Connected Workplace,” Gore says, noting that it’s saving Cisco quite a bit of money in the process. “Not only does this move improve productivity, it also saves more money per employee for Cisco than any other IT program I can think of.”

If your company hasn’t already implemented Extension Mobility with EM Single Sign On, now is the time!

Want to learn more about the latest in communications and technology? Then be sure to attend ITEXPO East 2012, taking place Jan. 31-Feb. 3 2012, in Miami, FL. ITEXPO (News - Alert) offers an educational program to help corporate decision makers select the right IP-based voice, video, fax and unified communications solutions to improve their operations. It's also where service providers learn how to profitably roll out the services their subscribers are clamoring for – and where resellers can learn about new growth opportunities. For more information on registering for ITEXPO registration click here.

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