Collaboration means different things to different people, but increasingly enterprise collaboration involves video, document sharing, integration with back office systems, and mobile capabilities as well as stuff like voice, IM, and e-mail.
These capabilities are sometimes delivered as more siloed solutions, but some vendors try to bring many of the features together to deliver enterprise users with a seamless experience across various communications devices and modes. And many enterprise collaboration solutions are now offered in both on-premises and cloud-based options.
8x8 Inc.'s Virtual Contact Center is a cloud-based single point solution or an integrated component of the company’s Virtual Office telephony solution. Mid-size and distributed enterprises worldwide are increasingly adopting cloud-based alternatives to traditional PBX and call center systems and many, such as Merchant Warehouse and Replicon, are choosing to outsource both from a single vendor, deploying business VoIP phone service throughout the organization and call center services with local CRM integration in one or more departments. VCC 8.0 is now compatible with the latest versions of Chrome, Mozilla Firefox, and IE with no plugins or codes to download. New iPad, iPhone (News - Alert) or Android mobile system status and administration enables off-site call center administration. Virtual queuing allows customers to request callbacks, eliminating sit on hold time while assisting management of call load peaks and valleys. Tenant's outbound e-mail communications are routed via the pre-configured internal SMTP servers. 8x8 customers can use their own SMTP server for security and regulatory compliance. The Historical Report Wizard offers more than 40 pre-defined report templates, and enables customized report parameters for reuse or duplication.
Avaya (News 
- Alert) collaboration solutions enable a faster, more effective and unified way of doing business. Avaya Aura Collaboration Environment integrates communications capabilities into the application-supported processes companies use every day, making it easier for employees to find and distribute information, prioritize, and communicate both needs and decisions. Avaya Aura Collaboration Environment integrates existing or new applications with Avaya’s unified communications technology and contact center capabilities including voice, video, text, and e-mail. Essentially it helps companies develop unified communications and contact center applications based on communication flows and employee needs, unrestricted by technology silos. People don’t need a technical background to create and enable speedy delivery of communication applications. The Avaya Aura Collaboration Environment brings rich communication capabilities into social, mobile, and cloud applications, and no detailed or specialized knowledge of communications or protocols is required.
Imagine replacing multiple file transfer systems and consumer file-sharing tools with a single, secure solution for all your content storage and sharing needs. That's what Box is all about. Box reduces content silos, lowers costs and gives users the simplicity and functionality they want – with the security IT requires. As a fully cloud-based solution, Box eliminates the burden of provisioning new hardware, increasing storage, updating operating systems, implementing patches and maintaining network infrastructure. Box Business and Box Enterprise make it easy to store and collaborate on project documents in a single online location. As a result, it streamlines any workflow in a just a few clicks. No matter where employees are or what time it is, Box keeps them on the same page as the rest of your team – optimizing productivity and keeping business fast and nimble.
BroadSoft enables enterprise collaboration through a complete set of unified communications capabilities for service providers to deliver to their enterprise customers, including mobility, audio/videoconferencing, unified messaging, instant messaging and presence, web collaboration, applications, call control, call center and unified messaging.
These capabilities are enabled through the BroadWorks Telephony Application Server; BroadCloud, a hosted, cloud-based service delivery platform; and BroadTouch, which provides end users with intuitive user interfaces to access UC services across their preferred devices, including desktop computers, laptops, smartphones or tablets. BroadSoft accelerates and simplifies the delivery of UC solutions through UC One – a comprehensive, open UC platform that combines all of the critical elements a service provider requires for rapid delivery of its UC solutions, including a single end user interface, full mobility, open APIs and defined market offerings. A key differentiator of UC-One is My Room – a virtual and customizable, always-available personal meeting room that can be accessed by users with an UC-One account. Service providers also have the flexibility to utilize BroadSoft’s UC capabilities via BroadWorks server software that resides within the service provider’s network, or through the BroadCloud hosted cloud platform.
Clearvale enables businesses to connect and engage with employees, partners, and customers; share anytime, anywhere, and on any device; and track business processes, sources of knowledge, and network adoption. Clearvale social ecosystems and hybrid networks allow organizations to create several social networks for their employees, customers, suppliers, and partners but manage these together as a coherent whole, rather than a series of disjointed projects. Clearvale hybrid networks allow for private, semi-private, and public collaboration in the same network. Organizations gain the ability to invite participants from different companies to collaborate seamlessly and securely within a Clearvale network. Clearvale's mobile applications (i.e. iPhone, iPad, Android) connect users across geographic regions, time zones, and work shifts. Additionally, Clearvale has an API to allow social functionality to be embedded in other systems of record (i.e. finance, HR, CRM), and an external widget architecture for content display in a Clearvale page. Clearvale social analytics go beyond simple leaderboards, and provide network administrators with detailed data to not just identify key participants, but also formulate engagement strategies for further network adoption.
BTG Private Cloud Solutions combine its Private Cloud services, AppsAnyplace VDI platform, and SaaSAnyplace services to create a single, customized deployment that brings the benefits of the cloud to small, medium and large companies without sacrificing privacy, security, or choice. As BTG solutions are built with privacy in mind, customers receive their own private virtual environment or have it built on their own private blade environment. BTG Private Cloud marries portability, mobility and efficiency across all devices in a dynamic, scalable, private, and secure architecture. BTG’s DataAnyplace, powered by Citrix ShareFile, is an enterprise-class, file-sharing and storage service that provides a secure and robust follow-me data solution that syncs across Windows, Mac, and virtual desktops. DataAnyplace seamlessly integrates with the IT environment to meet mobility requirements for a rich experience on any device. DataAnyplace allows IT to easily retain control and security of all users, and provide users instant access to their files, in sync across all of their devices. Users can sync files on all of their devices, including PC, Mac, tablets, and mobile phones. Also, DataAnyplace allows users to access data whenever and wherever, and works with popular tools such as MS Outlook. Changes are synced across all devices so users always know they’re working with the most updated version.
BurstPoint Networks provides a scalable and flexible video content creation and delivery platform, offering everything needed to take full advantage of high-definition live or recorded video. From video creation and capture, to editing and publishing, to distribution and delivery, users can drive all video communications activities from a single browser-based platform. VCP I-STREAM, the latest generation of BurstPoint’s Video Communications Platform architecture, offers a single-box solution for delivering live video streaming, recording, publishing and content management. Through BurstPoint’s patented technology, I-STREAM supports more than 1,000 high-definition unicast/multicast video streams and 8HD or 24SD simultaneous all from a single, 1U box. The VCP I-GLOBAL product provides a video management and distribution solution that allows companies to capture video and centrally authorize, manage and deliver content to be consumed anywhere, anytime. Users can choose how they want to communicate and connect with others – video on-demand, digital signage, live streaming, or all three. Whether the video content resides on premises or in the cloud, is delivered to five people or five million, or is displayed on tablets, smartphones, or digital signs, the results are always the same: high quality, high-definition video accessed by key audiences when and where needed.
Cbeyond’s (News - Alert) Hosted Microsoft Exchange service provides a hosted e-mail solution that enables customers to conduct business effectively and successfully, independent of the employee’s location. With Cbeyond’s Hosted Microsoft Exchange, employees retain full access to e-mail from any web-enabled desktop, laptop, or mobile device. Cbeyond’s Hosted Microsoft Exchange service provides businesses with business e-mail functionality including features that help employees collaborate and communicate more efficiently. The management of e-mail is convenient and feasible – adding, upgrading, and changing account mailboxes through one easy-to-use web portal, for instance – without the traditional hardware, license, time, and support costs associated with e-mail systems. With Cbeyond’s Hosted Microsoft Exchange, business e-mail is hosted in Cbeyond’s data center, which eliminates the costs associated with the administration, maintenance, and support of an on-premises e-mail system.
Cisco’s Collaboration portfolio of hardware and software endpoints and infrastructure solutions simplify the user experience, and enable users to work efficiently from virtually anywhere. Cisco offers video collaboration with new options from dedicated video endpoints to software applications through the browser. Cisco Jabber and Cisco Jabber Guest provide users with tools such as IM, voice, video and conferencing, and integrating TelePresence with Cisco Jabber and Cisco WebEx Meetings extends video collaboration even further. The next generation MX300 endpoint, added to the TelePresence portfolio, offers 15-minute installation and H.264 SVC for third-party interoperability. Integrated voice, video, desktop sharing and chat are also offered through the cloud with Cisco’s Hosted Collaboration Solution. The recently announced Cisco DX650 Smart Desk Phone combines the security of a deskphone with an Android-based smartphone interface for mobile-minded users and will utilize Cisco’s new Intelligent Proximity capability to integrate mobile devices with the DX650 desktop phone. To provide collaboration across organizations of any size, Cisco is also delivering a packaged collaboration solution built for the midmarket. Cisco’s Business Edition 6000 provides a full range of collaboration capabilities to scale from 25 to 1,000 users, from a single platform.
Kona Business is the premium version of Deltek’s cloud-based social collaboration and productivity platform. It addresses project/task management and internal social communication in one easy-to-implement solution, offering both internal and external collaborators an environment to securely work together. This solution organizes everything in the context of the projects and groups they are connected to – spurring more effective collaboration. It offers an easy place to capture group discussions around specific topics of interest, shared task lists and calendars, templates for guiding teams on delivering repeatable projects within the company, has APIs and Deltek product integrations, polling, file-sharing integrations with Box, Dropbox, Google Drive, and Google Docs, and mobile access for Android and iOS devices.
InterCall, a subsidiary of West Corp., offers a collaboration product called Unified Meeting 5. It’s an all-in-one solution for audio, video and web conferencing for meetings with up to 125 connections. With its simplified scheduling, streamlined management and seamless integration into common business tools, there is little room for user error. Meeting attendees don’t even have to download a separate application, like with many other conferencing tools. Instead, users just go online and join with one click. Unified Meeting 5 also lets users enter a meeting without fumbling for a conference bridge or passcode from computers, mobile devices or tablets – making the process of joining a meeting much easier no matter where a person is located.
LifeSize, a division of Logitech
Suited for any meeting room environment, the LifeSize Icon system can be used to launch in seconds a videoconference with the single push of a button. Features such as consolidated meeting schedules and pop-up reminders ensure users won’t miss a meeting. Integrated meeting listings let users quickly search for and join meetings on demand. And name-based directories and enhanced search functionality provide quick and easy access to the person you want to connect with. The LifeSize Icon videoconferencing system is simple, intuitive and easy-to-use. Access robust LifeSize UVC core applications to stream and record video calls and presentations or host multiparty video calls with multiple locations on any device. The most powerful feature of the LifeSize Icon videoconferencing system is that all of these applications can be accessed with a simple click of a button, so less time is spent worrying about the technology behind how the conference works and more time is focused on the bigger picture.
Mitel (News - Alert) is a global provider of unified communications and collaboration software, contact center solutions and services that enable organizations to connect employees, partners and customers to streamline business anywhere, over any medium with the device of their choice. This includes MiVoice business phones and unified communications platforms; MiCollab solutions that combine collaboration, mobility and messaging; and MiContact Center solutions to empower immersive customer service. Mitel offers both on-premises and cloud solutions with an easy path to private, public and hybrid cloud. Through a single cloud-ready software stream, Mitel's Freedom architecture provides customers the flexibility and simplicity needed to support today's dynamic work environment. The solutions fit companies across the spectrum – from single-location businesses to multinationals.
Redbooth is a collaboration and communication platform that provides a single place for teams to collaborate and get work done. The solution eliminates the need for e-mail by creating tasks within the platform, offers chat and HD video capabilities, as well as a variety of other project management tools to keep teams focused and organized. The latest version of the product has the ability to add subtasks and detailed descriptions to better manage complex projects. Projects often have multiple facets and activities, so the addition of subtasks allows for multiple task owners within each master task. Redbooth has capacity for 100 HD videoconference participants, iPhone and iPad support for screen sharing with annotation, and real-time whiteboard collaboration on iPad. The solution also includes executive dashboard and reporting capabilities and integration with additional external storage and workflow tools, including Box, Dropbox, and Google Drive.
snom develops and manufactures SIP desktop phones and related equipment for enterprise and small business voice communications. snom features three families of IP phones: snom 8xx, 7xx and 3xx series that are fully interoperable with leading IP PBX and hosted VoIP platforms and services and deliver seamless integration and compatibility for fast and simplified deployment and management. Featuring a simple and intuitive user interface, rich features and a highly functional, utilitarian design, snom's IP desktop phones deliver crystal clear voice quality and powerful calling capabilities with the highest reliability and performance. snom also offers a complete line of IP business phones qualified and compatible with Microsoft Lync - the snom UC Edition. These standards-based phones have been tested and certified by Microsoft to work with its unified communications and collaboration platform Lync. snom also offers two Lync Optimized phones, HP 4110 and 4120, which are pre-installed with Microsoft's Lync software.
Sprint Complete Collaboration is a fully managed and hosted unified communications solution. Businesses can not only be more agile and enjoy a lower total cost of ownership but also improve collaboration among employees, no matter where they are located or what device they are using, thus boosting productivity and decision-making. Sprint’s approach is comprehensive with SIP trunking and enhanced mobility included in the core product offering. SIP trunking provides more efficient trunking options through aggregation and bursting, as well as an end-to-end UC platform with a consistent experience across all collaboration tools, operating systems and endpoints. Extending cloud-based collaboration tools into the mobile environment allows users to get access from anywhere, join meetings, check presence and availability, and use instant messaging all while away from the office. Finally, Sprint Complete Collaboration is delivered over an all-IP network, helping to ensure the reliability and security demanded by real-time UC and collaboration applications, with class of service at no additional charge.
An enterprise-class, cloud-based service portfolio for video conferencing, Yorktel VideoCloud enables customers to leverage Yorktel’s hosted video infrastructure in lieu of purchasing costly systems or to augment existing internal capabilities. VideoCloud is carrier network- and device-agnostic, and allows for multiple levels of connectivity ranging from standard H.323/SIP videoconferencing rooms, desktop and mobile conferencing clients to Lync Federation and telepresence systems interoperability.
Yorktel VideoCloud supports full integration with Microsoft Lync and Office 365. Users on any Microsoft Lync clients, including enterprise on-premises Lync server or Microsoft Office 365, can use VideoCloud to connect to videoconferencing systems from Cisco, Polycom (News - Alert), Avaya (Radvision), LifeSize, Vidyo, and other vendors. VideoCloud Virtual Meeting Room is a reservation-less, on-demand videoconferencing service interoperable with any H.323 or SIP compliant desktop, room or mobile videoconferencing client. VideoCloud Managed Conferencing Service is a fully managed conferencing service that provides cloud-based videoconferencing bridging, call control, and management to support multipoint room videoconferencing. VideoCloud B2B Service serves as an extension of the managed corporate videoconferencing environment and enables a company to schedule and host external, intercompany videoconference meetings. The VideoCloud B2B Service is secure for all participants because it is an outbound call for each company.
Edited by Stefania Viscusi
