Web feat

We are experiencing significant growth in the take-up of VoIP solutions, as customers understand the benefits of converging their voice, data and video networks in favour of a single infrastructure. Deploying VoIP enables businesses to make phone calls across computer networks, providing a low cost and efficient method of communication.

The diagram overleaf (figure 1) illustrates where many businesses are today with regards to their current infrastructure. These have traditionally been the key investment and focus areas for organisations. Having a robust physical layer infrastructure (structured cabling system) enables both high performance data and voice implementations. Additionally, a structured cabling system supports the business applications and server and desktop deployments for customers.

However, with the capability of converged applications, it has now been possible to further consolidate the infrastructure. Specifically with VoIP, as an application running on the historically data only infrastructure, the complexities of implementation and choice of technologies can be a daunting decision for customers.

It has been estimated that seven million Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) phones will be in circulation by 2007. Even today, more than 10% of all voice traffic is transmitted with VoIP technology. Converging voice, data and video networks in favour of a single infrastructure dramatically transforms the way businesses work, as it can facilitate tasks that may be more difficult to achieve using traditional phone networks.

New developments in physical layer technology (driven by the requirements of higher speed and throughput for new applications), as well as the need to manage this complexity in a more proactive manner, has generated a new technology set in to the structured cabling layer, with Intelligent Infrastructure Management being implemented by many as they refresh their cabling investment to support future applications.

A sample of these new applications are shown overleaf (figure 2) in the IP applications space. Where traditional technologies were used in the past, they have been or will be increasingly taken over the next few years by applications running over the existing data infrastructure.

Fundamental to supporting these applications, and indeed successfully deploying them, is a consolidated approach to how they are deployed, with all the inter-dependencies of the rest of the infrastructure taken into account. The dependencies for a successful deployment will be addressed shortly.

One of the most important parts of the infrastructure, and one that many businesses do not take in to account until after they have experienced implementation issues, is the structured cabling installation. It is important to engage a professional organisation to survey the customer’s current cabling installation prior to any VoIP implementation to ensure that it is of a sufficient quality and performance level to support new applications such as VoIP.

Many installers and system integrators are able to combine a physical layer survey with a data infrastructure survey in advance of VoIP system design and implementation, which will provide a risk assessment of the existing infrastructure and will make recommendations on any investment or change required.

If a business is about to explore an IP-based solution, firstly you must ensure that their existing network infrastructure is fit for purpose. For example, it should have guaranteed class and quality of service capability and an end-to-end security capability in place.

For site-to-site and external communications, you must ensure that the network carrier the customer chooses for their IP telephony solution also provides them with a guaranteed secure IP environment and quality of service.

Be aware of security: strong end-to-end security policies, contingency planning and regular risk reviews must be employed to ensure IP-based communications are not disrupted. Physical and virtual segregation of private and public networks are paramount to ‘sandbox’ vital services and prevent even the most determined attacker.

VoIP solutions can be far more secure than traditional/analogue voice systems as it is relatively easy to incorporate strong levels of encryption. Security can also be centralised and integrated with desktop IT systems. In addition, more flexibility on logic rules for call routing helps to bolster security.

Security tools such as proactive networking monitoring and intrusion detection systems can automatically respond to threats and prevent disruption to mission critical systems.

An additional stumbling block is the cost implications, since over the years, enterprise companies have invested heavily in multiple communication infrastructures to operate separate voice and data networks. Because these systems are often not compatible, integrating and converging them can be difficult and expensive to maintain. Furthermore, completely ripping out an existing infrastructure all together by bringing in an end-to-end offering from a large data provider can be costly and a waste of resources.

With a phased plan to migrate to IP rather than a ‘big bang’ approach, and by working with a trusted partner over a period of time, migration costs can be reduced/eliminated for the customer (ie by replacing redundant equipment at the end of its natural life and taking a modular approach).

Integration with applications and other systems will increase as emerging standards are more widely adopted. This will also result in lower cost and more user choice as systems from multiple vendors can be interchanged.