Dimension Data Outlines Seven Steps to Successfully Deploy Unified Communications...

Dimension Data Outlines Seven Steps to Successfully Deploy Unified
Communications Solutions
Rich Communications Environment Cuts Costs and Increases Productivity

NEW YORK, Jan. 15 /PRNewswire/ -- Dimension Data, a $3.8 billion leading
IT solutions and services provider, today announced seven steps a business can
take to effectively select and institute a unified communications (UC)
strategy.
Companies are always looking for better, more effective ways for their
staff to communicate and collaborate, especially when workers are not housed
in the same physical office. One of the biggest challenges companies face is
integrating their disparate communications channels. Integrating all forms of
communication -- from telephony to e-mail, Web conferencing to instant
messaging (IM) -- helps employees to communicate more efficiently, using the
right medium for the right situation. This ultimately results in cost savings,
increased problem solving and fewer work cycles to complete projects.
"Most companies have a heterogeneous network environment and therefore
need to integrate multiple vendor technologies across platforms and
architectures," said Mark Slaga, CTO, Dimension Data Americas. "Before
embarking on this potentially complex journey, organizations should take a
holistic look at all the moving parts involved. Doing so will help
organizations optimize investments already made and allow employees to better
serve customers and solve business problems faster."
Based on their experience in planning and building communications
environments for major organizations around the world, unified communications
experts at Dimension Data have identified the following seven tips for
deploying UC solutions.
1. Don't underestimate your company culture. Before beginning any unified
communications project, understand the communication methods used by your
company for getting work done. Some target the key employees who will benefit
the most or who seem excited to embrace change. Companies should ensure the
corporate culture is suited to interactive communication. Combine this with a
well-planned and articulated change management process, and the stage is set
for a successful deployment.
2. Prepare your environment. Spend time assessing and preparing the
environment for deployment of the new technology. Create a single
authoritative directory as a source of contact details:
-- Establish a single user identity to ensure accurate interaction between
systems.
-- Prepare the directory to support corporate IM, and ensure that phone
numbers are normalized in a standard format and that users understand
how to enter numbers to their personal contacts.
-- Configure the PBX or IP PBX to accept the new numbering scheme. Some
form of computer telephony integration is required to enable telephony
presence and call control.
-- If required, deploy client software to desktops. Desktops will also
need to meet the minimum hardware and software requirements for these
applications.
-- If extending rich communications to video, prepare the network with
appropriate bandwidth and quality of service.

3. Define the architecture. Decide on a distributed or centralized
architecture. Assess the impact on the underlying infrastructure, as many
collaboration technologies rely on real-time protocols that put new demands on
IP networks in terms of minimizing latency and jitter.
4. Assess security up front and leverage existing functionality. Unified
communications implementations present many security considerations. Take
advantage of the capabilities that already exist within your network equipment
and the encryption capabilities in the UC devices themselves.
5. Maximize enterprise integration. Once the initial implementation is
deployed, explore opportunities to extend the system to deliver deeper
integration and increased value through application integration, conferencing
and customization.
6. Ask about solid project management. Choose an implementation partner
that will base its deployment on a structured project management methodology
not just at a framework level. The partner should demonstrate specific sets of
processes, tools, templates and guidelines that are customized for unified
communications environments and also based on industry best practices.
7. Implement ongoing support. A successful deployment depends on an
organization's ability to focus on all the disciplines required and maintain
the stability of the environment daily.
The world of corporate communications is experiencing a revolution. A
successful unified communications deployment comes from careful planning and
an architecture that takes security and ongoing support into consideration.
Most of all, organizations should choose to work with an integrator that has
the skills and experience to integrate multi-vendor technologies, follows a
transparent and strict project management discipline, and offers ongoing
support and maintenance throughout the solution's lifecycle.
About Dimension Data
Dimension Data (LSE: DDT), a specialist IT services and solutions
provider, helps clients plan, build and support their network and IT
infrastructures. Dimension Data applies its expertise in networking, security,
operating environments, storage and contact center technologies and its unique
skills in consulting, integration and managed services to create customized
client services. For more information: Call 866-DIDATA-US or visit
www.dimensiondata.com/na.
Media Contacts:
Lisa Grimes Nancy Pieretti
Dimension Data Davies Murphy Group
(703) 217-2692 (781) 418-2424
lisa.grimes@us.didata.com npieretti@daviesmurphy.com
http://www.dimensiondata.com http://www.daviesmurphy.com

SOURCE Dimension Data

Lisa Grimes of Dimension Data, +1-703-217-2692, lisa.grimes@us.didata.com; or
Nancy Pieretti of Davies Murphy Group for Dimension Data, +1-781-418-2424,
npieretti@daviesmurphy.com