Technical Bits

Unified Communications Demystified - All You Need To Get Started

If many would have noticed, Microsoft Singapore had been holding quite a number of events here in Singapore to educate users on what's Unified Communications and what does Microsoft have to offer (e.g. Exchange 2007)

But what exactly is unified communications? Is Microsoft the only vendor in this space?

Unified Communications (UC) is a commonly used term for the integration of disparate communications systems and media, desktop computers, applications and mobility. This potentially includes the integration of voice both fixed and mobility , e-mail, instant messaging, desktop and advanced business applications, Internet Protocol (IP)-PBX, voice over IP (VoIP), presence, voice-mail, fax, audio video and web conferencing, unified messaging, unified voicemail, and whiteboarding into a single environment offering the user a more complete but simpler experience.

Gartner states "The largest single value of UC is its ability to reduce "human latency" in business processes."

Unified Communications Products

- Wikipedia (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Unified_communications)

• MSDN Webcast: Unified Communications 101
• Cisco - Making the Business Case for Unified Communications
• Cisco - Top Myths of Unified Communications
• Nortel - Unified Communications: What, Why and How?
• Nortel - Hyperconnectivity — An Unstoppable Force
• Adomo - 10 Key Architecture Considerations for Unified Communications
• Adomo - Setting Realistic Expectations about Exchange 2007 Unified Communications
• IBM and Cisco Unified Communications and Collaboration Solutions Portfolio
• Cisco and Microsoft Collaboration in Unified Communications