HP Releases Unified Communications Offerings

HP has announced the release of two new offerings, designed to help clients adopt unified communications and enjoy their benefits quickly. The new offerings are the HP AppSystem for Microsoft Lync, and the customizable HP and Polycom Rich Media Communications.

The HP AppSystem for Microsoft Lync is an integrated UC platform with HP Converged Infrastructure as its foundation. It's preconfigured to deploy Microsoft Lync quickly, and includes assessments, deployment, and support services for smooth deployment. It's a scalable solution made to lower costs and implementation time as well as enhance collaboration with the Polycom RealPresence video solutions and Polycom RealPresence Collaboration Server to provide presence-based virtual meeting rooms.

The HP and Polycom Rich Media Communications solution merges HP Networking products with Polycom RealPresence video solutions, creating a software infrastructure for universal video collaboration. It allows users to prepare and install network video capabilities from their desktops to conference rooms and immersive suites. It's an open standards-based offering, enabling integration into one's existing multivendor environment, and has multilayer security to protect video streams and applications.

"HP combines their expertise on IT systems virtual desktop environment with Microsoft Lync and Polycom Rich Media Communications solution and thus combines the key areas of unified communications, video and mobility in a unified mobile and virtual workplace solution that enables employees to efficiently communicate," says Jason Andersson of Circle IT Consulting and UCStrategies. "The partners' main challenge will be to tackle the cultural challenges a company needs to address in an effort to create a collaborative workplace. The technology is only a component in that perspective, albeit an important component, but maybe that is the plan; simplify the implementation so that the company can focus on the ways of working - could be a winner, time will tell."

HP AppSystem for Microsoft Lync will be available in May, while the HP and Polycom Rich Media Communications solution is available through HP Technology Services and channel partners of HP and Polycom.

For more information, visit www.hp.com.