NET Set to Simplify Microsoft OCS Deployments

Enhanced UC Features on VX Series reduces server count and cost, increases ease of deployment

UCStrategies.com got a preview of a new version of the new NET VX Series enhancements due out in early Q4 2009. In summary, this is a real deployment simplification, with some total cost of ownership (TCO) savings thrown in. It’s certainly worth a look for any company planning or expanding their Unified Communications (UC) deployment using Microsoft Office Communications Server. 

What we saw was that VX with Enhanced UC Features (we’ll just call it VXe) will provide real value to enterprises who are already using, or plan to use, Microsoft Office Communications Server 2007 R2 (OCS) for any applications that require voice interfaces to the Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN), to existing PBX systems in the enterprise, or both. (You can see an overview of the existing VX systems, from small to large, at https://www.net.com/Pages/ProductSeries.aspx?pgid=55.) Now, let’s look at the details.

At the top of the list, the VXe will simplify the OCS configurations for voice solutions. Presently, the Microsoft design requires “mediation servers” to translate from the Microsoft RT Audio format into formats supported on the PSTN or PBXs. This can be a translation to standard T1 signaling, or may be a translation to various Internet Protocols such as G.711 and G.729, such as used by PBXs or on SIP trunks. Now the VXe gateway can provide this translation functionality in most situations, to streamline and economize the OCS implementations. This consolidation of functionality from two devices (mediation server and gateway) down to one (VXe) makes a lot of sense to me. But wait, there’s more.

It seems to me that this NET VXe innovation provides  a long list of benefits, including simplification, as follows:

• Simplifies and Economizes OCS Configurations. The VXe is already the gateway to the PSTN, SIP trunks, or PBXs, and now will talk directly to the OCS Front End Servers. For capacity planning, Microsoft specifies that a mediation server can support between 240 and 480 simultaneous calls, depending on the server configuration and the usage patterns. For redundancy, most enterprises will deploy redundant mediation servers, so at a minimum, the VXe can avoid the need for two servers, including both the acquisition cost and the total cost of ownership to manage and maintain those servers. For small enterprises, this significantly lowers the entry point cost of OCS. For large enterprises, the acquisition cost will also be lower, but the big savings will be in life cycle TCO. 
 
• Provides load balancing across the VXe gateways. Presently, OCS configurations recommend load balancing between the mediation servers and the Front End servers, so as to most effectively manage the incoming and outgoing traffic loads. The VXe switches can automatically balance load between multiple switches, depending on the enterprise configuration requirements. The effect is to better balance traffic and provide greater reliability (next point), as well as to reduce investment in load balancing appliances.
  
• Improves reliability. The VXe reduces the number of points of failure, for sure, but also adds some important and exciting Enhanced UC Features for reliability. The VXe can synchronize with Active Directory (or an LDAP directory) and cache user profile information on the VXe. If an outage occurs in the OCS (or PBX) environment, VXe senses that via timeout;  if an incoming call is then received, VXe then looks in the cached directory for an alternate PSTN or mobile wireless number for the person and redirects the caller to that number. Since most users (or admins) enter an alternate reach number in their OCS-associated Active Directory, this enables calls to be completed even during an (expectedly rare) interruption of OCS service.  This ability to sustain service is a really important feature, it seems to me, since callers will virtually never get ring-no-answer experiences.
  
• Enables new and improved branch office configurations. Using the same directory-synchronized reliability feature mentioned above, the VXe can significantly simplify a branch office configuration for centralized OCS deployments. Most enterprises do not deploy OCS servers to the branch, but if they want to take calls locally for that branch, they must install at least one mediation server in the branch office to translate the voice protocols for connection to OCS end points and for routing to other locations when necessary, through a VX gateway. Now, with VXe protocol translation support, the translation can be done in the VXe gateway. Also, using the cached directory call management mentioned above, if there is a WAN outage between the OCS system and the branch, incoming calls to the branch can still be successfully routed to the users’ cell phones or backup POTs lines. This allows much easier cost justification of OCS for branch users without compromising reliability. I would expect some significant savings and simplification for many branch office configurations.
  
• Serves as a single front end for both PBXs and OCS, reducing trunk requirements and costs. If an enterprise is using both PBXs and OCS, perhaps migrating users between the two systems, the VXe can receive calls for both the PBX and the OCS system in a single trunk group and route them according to the directory-based or cached dial plan information.  Obviously, this will avoid the costs of two trunk groups, each configured to the peak load of the specific system (PBX or OCS); it will also eliminate all the fuss as users migrate to OCS. Simply enabling the user on OCS will update the VXe cached directory and automatically begin routing the user’s calls to the OCS system. For enterprises migrating single users or small groups that spread across multiple incoming DID number blocks, this will avoid both carrier charges and staff time. Obviously, this dial plan simplification will facilitate the use of a single voice mail system or Microsoft Unified Messaging system for the entire enterprise during a co-existence or migration period, further lowering complexity and system administration costs. In my experience, migration is often the toughest problem for UC deployments; VXe is a real, practical solution.
  
• Enables single number Fax management. The VXe is able to monitor incoming calls for Fax CalliNG tones (CNG tones). If sensed, VXe refers to the AD or cached directory for the proper number for that fax call. If the user’s Fax number is the same as their phone number, VXe will route the call directly to the Unified Messaging system, rather than ringing (and annoying) the user with the tones and the necessary manual transfer. This allows an enterprise to use a single DID for both voice and fax, lowering carrier costs, PBX license costs, and administration costs. User convenience and Fax privacy (no  printed Fax pages sitting visibly on Fax machines) are also enhanced. 
   
• Improves Quality of Experience (QoE). Currently, the link between the PSTN/SIP/PBX gateway and the mediation server is unmonitored for Quality of Experience. Since that is usually a short hop, often on a dedicated LAN segment, it is not a major problem, but with VXe, the QoE information is collected and provided to OCS management functions all the way from the carrier demarcation point (D-Mark). 

Bottom line, from my view, this set of enhanced capabilities is pretty compelling. If you’re planning on UC deployments or migrations, especially with Microsoft OCS, I’d sure encourage consideration of VXe.

The VX series is already a very successful product for NET, who report numerous OCS-related deployments, including many in the plus-1000 station range. The Albany International  case study at https://www.net.com//Product%20Literature/Success%20Stories/VXS-ALB-CS-0109.pdf is a good example of this. Now, with the planned Enhanced UC Features on the VXe version of the product, this should be an even more successful product line for NET and their customers, and has the possibility of providing an additional boost for Microsoft’s OCS 2007 R2 sales and deployments, since cost of ownership and ease of implementation are both significantly improved. We’ll be watching for the announcement and feedback from the market. 

This paper is sponsored by NET.