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NEC Supports Virtualized Environments With Business ConneCT 5.1
Going, going and soon gone are individual PBX (News - Alert)/ACDs at multiple sites, linked and networked by clumsy middleware applications, taking up real estate and requiring added wiring and air conditioning to maintain even temperatures. In its place is a single switch integrated with a virtualized server that connects the enterprise from one location.
NEC Unified Solutions is offering just that in its new Business ConneCT 5.1 contact center/unified communications (UC)-focused switch. This latest version says the firm offers organizations significantly enriched functionality. It supports virtual environments based on VMware vSphere and Marathon everRun MX that boosts system availability and permits more efficient IT resource use. It also improves UC capabilities for mobile staff.
Present day IT developments are driving virtualization, cloud computing and mobility, says NEC (News 
- Alert). Adopting virtualization is widespread across enterprises and has become the enabler for cloud computing by transforming data centers into private clouds. The new Business ConneCT 5.1 enables firms to link their contact centers and deploy UC for their staff in virtualized data centers or cloud based environments. This VMware- based solution, building on NEC’s thin client Virtual PC Center application, helps organization to reduce their total cost of ownership by utilizing their IT resources more efficiently and increasing availability. Ease of management and maintenance combined with server consolidation and lower power consumption reduces costs and a company’s CO2 footprint significantly.
NEC is improving connectivity with contact center staff in Business ConneCT 5.1 in another literally more visible way. The solution offers uniquely customizable “Soft Wallboards” that empower contact centers with real-time information. A new Soft Wallboard for BCT Contact Center and Operator Attendant makes key real-time statistics available for everyone in the contact center on any large LCD screen or tablet PC. It offers customers the unique ability to customize and adapt the design simply using Microsoft (News - Alert) PowerPoint.
Soft wallboards insure, says NEC that service levels are met and that supervisors and agents are well informed and staff is motivated. Every part of the wallboard can be completely customized. Color scheme, layout, font and font size can be adapted and graphs, charts and images can be added and dynamically displayed. Supervisors can send ad hoc messages to the wallboard to broadcast important information or to make announcements. Audible alarms and alerts will catch the attention of the supervisor or agent to view the wallboard. Customers can create any number of wallboards - even in multisite operations – and wallboards can be mounted anywhere in the building where there is access to the data network.
NEC has increased support for mobile staff by enhancing its BCT Mobile Client with presence management now including a clear indication of telephony, calendar and PC Presence. BCT Mobile Client supports the majority of mobile smart phones like iPhone and Android (News - Alert) devices, as well as tablet PCs. By combining UC and mobility, BCT Mobile Client, it says “takes business productivity to a next level”.
NEC has boosted UC in desktop environments with an enhanced Business ConneCT client on NEC’s DT750 touch screen phone and DT710/DT730 XML phones. There are also new privacy options support multi-tenant UC solutions.
Business ConneCT (BCT) is proven and appreciated in a multitude of deployments around the globe and is available as one fully integrated solution across the full range of NEC’s UNIVERGE SV8000 and iS3000/SIP@Net communication platforms.
“Business ConneCT 5.1 demonstrates NEC’s commitment to helping any size of business to focus on growth and profitability, taking full advantage of the benefits of latest Unified Communications and virtualization developments,” says the firm.
Brendan B. Read is TMCnet’s Senior Contributing Editor. To read more of Brendan’s articles, please visit his columnist page.
Edited by Chris DiMarco
