Software-Based Solutions: Easing UC Deployments

My bank recently wanted to fax me a document. That got me thinking about the decline of fax machines and, for that matter, all box-based communications products. Whether a PBX (News - Alert), a voice mail system, or fax machine, the productivity gains from hardware-based products have always been appreciated by office workers. But a new era is here, an era resulting from IT budget reductions. This new era demands a software-based approach that truly unifies communications.

What makes software-based UC better than hardware-based UC? The answer is a combination of lower cost and less complexity. Proprietary hardware, like the PBX, is only available from a single vendor, which allows that company to dictate pricing. Secondly, by its very nature, hardware cannot be treated virtually, requiring expensive physical footprints. Furthermore, management complexity is much higher with hardware, where each product has its own administration, reporting and logic.

With software-based UC, commercial off-the-shelf (COTS) hardware holds prices down, since many competitors are all working to innovate and deliver the best cost. With software UC, this is now extended to the phone, which typically takes advantage of low-cost softphones. Complexity is significantly reduced, thanks to reliance on standards for integration of other software components. Moreover, software-based UC solutions can be virtually deployed across the globe.

Finally, with software-powered UC, applications can be more efficiently embedded into business processes. For instance, when a retail company’s product inventory falls below a certain level, an ERP software system can automatically look at the presence of company employees and initiate a call or IM to notify the appropriate person. Then, the system can automatically inform the appropriate salesperson to contact the customer with the change in status.

By bringing together email, instant messaging, conferencing, and contact center applications, all powered by presence, companies are overcoming challenges associated with siloed and hardware-intensive architectures.

Sure, my bank may still feel the need for the occasional fax, but that noisy box in the corner is going the way of the typewriter — all to the advantage of lower cost and more productivity. IT

Mike Sheridan is executive vice president of worldwide sales, Aspect (News - Alert). Visit Aspect at www.aspect.com and follow Mike on twitter.com/MikeOnUC.

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