Author Archive
Pre-Deployment Testing and Implementation of a Converged Network
After all the planning has been done and the network assessed, the conclusions drawn and assumptions made must be tested to assure that they are correct before moving on with the migration. Testing new applications and hardware in a production environment can be potentially disruptive to a business if things don’t go as expected. It […]
Rules of Deployment: The Life Cycle of a Converged Network
A major shift in telecommunications from circuit to packet switched technology, along with increasing sophistication of the corporate LAN/WAN, is prompting businesses of all sizes to consider merging their voice and data networks. Increased bandwidth availability through gigabit Ethernet and fiber trunk lines allow for telephony to be treated as any other application on the […]
Rules of Deployment: Inventory of Assets and Existing Capabilities
Inventory of Assets: Know what you have to work with by taking a full inventory of all your network hardware including switches, routers, servers, existing PBX’s, cabling and end user equipment. Make sure to take note of their processing power and throughput capabilities, as well as any nodes that are not VoIP aware. Also be […]
WiMax, VoIP, and the Metropolitan Area Network
The emerging IEEE 802.16 standard, commonly known as WiMAX, promises to deliver last mile wireless broadband internet access capable of carrying data intensive applications, such as VoIP and streaming video, to Metropolitan Area Networks, as well as sub-urban and rural communities. WiMAX is considered a disruptive technology, designed as an alternative to fixed line DSL […]
VoIP Security Threats Explained
In a recent report issued by CompTIA, the Computer Technology Industry Association, 50% of small and medium sized businesses (SMBs) had very little trust in the security offered by VoIP vendors, or for that matter, voice over IP security in general.
It is true, having your voice and data running on the same infrastructure leaves […]
VoIP Over WiFi for Businesses: Sending Voice Over the Wireless LAN
The convergence of data and voice networks in the business environment takes on a new twist with the emergence of wireless networking. The freedom of mobility offered to users in a wireless LAN has proven to provide a noticeable boost in productivity, efficiency, and. employee morale. No longer is the work force tied to their […]
IP Telephony Over Wireless Networks
The advent of wireless broadband has put a new twist on peoples mobility and communications. Wireless broadband connections can take many different forms. From an extension of conventional wired networks in your home or office, to wireless coverage of entire metropolitan areas, to the proliferation of WiFi hotspots all over the world, the Internet truly […]
Advantages of IP Telephony for the Residential Consumer
Businesses have for some time now been utilizing voice over IP telephony through the building of converged networks. As VoIP technology matures and the network pipe grows ever larger, LANs that existed primarily for data transmission are being converted to handle all types of media based on the Internet Protocol. With a well established infrastructure […]
Residential VoIP: Things to Consider Before Switching
While Voice over IP Telephony has proven to be a viable and cost saving alternative to the traditional telcos for the small business community, there are some drawbacks that the residential consumer should consider before making the switch.
Power Outages
Because your VoIP service utilizes a broadband connection and the hardware plugs into the wall, if a […]
Internet Telephony over Peer to Peer Networks
Peer to Peer technology (P2P) first came into focus through companies like Napster and Kazza, who developed file sharing applications that would allow users to share their own files, as well as search for and download files of other users on the network. Instead of relying on a centralized client server relationship, a peer to […]
