Enterprise Communications Featured Article

Communications have evolved over the last few years. Companies need access to the latest technologies, yet they also need to know that the innovations they select will meet with the expectations of the user base. Likewise, these solutions have to deliver quality and support the overall enterprise communications strategy.

One trend that seems to be getting a lot of attention in the market overall is that of the bring your own device (BYOD) approach. Employees want to access the network regardless of location and they want to do so while on their own device. This device also often serves as their personal device, which changes the game in enterprise communications.

This is especially true in environments where Session Initiation Protocol (News - Alert) (SIP) is at play. A signaling communications protocol, SIP is widely used to control multimedia communication sessions such as video and voice over IP networks. The protocol works by defining the messages that are sent between endpoints that govern the connection, termination and any other essential elements involved in the call.

Such a protocol is essential for environments where BYOD will be implemented. Tadiran (News - Alert) is a company that supports enterprise communications. One of the key differentiators for the provider in this space is that they do not change the SIP protocol. This ensures that customers can easily integrate standard SIP devices into their network. This is essential to BYOD, ensuring that approved devices can perform as needed when employees are on the go.

Companies need to know that other vendors have modified the SIP standard and will exclude devices that don’t conform to their proprietary implementation. As a result, the customer has to purchase all peripheral devices, such as phones and headsets, to fit within the protocol and operate correctly on the network. If this sounds easy enough, let’s break down how BYOD should actually work.

The point of allowing employees to bring their own devices is to encourage an environment of collaboration and support regardless of location. It shifts the burden of managing mobile devices away from the IT department, although mobile device management solutions should be in place to protect the network. If only some mobile devices will actually work on the network, it negates the benefits the company was seeking with the BYOD strategy in the first place.

One of the benefits of SIP is to streamline communications and allow for seamless integration with current processes and applications. If proprietary platforms are used, seamless integration only happens within that platform. Tadiran promotes a different concept, one that supports the enterprise communications strategies of today that meet needs now and in the future.