I saw this article today and just can't resist pointing it out.

10 steps to VoIP nirvana

Think it through carefully first.

By Sandra Gittlen, Computerworld

Vendors would like you to believe that VoIP is as simple as plugging a phone into the network, but that couldn't be farther from the truth. There is a complex thought process that needs to occur before you commit to moving your users from traditional phone lines.

Decision-making must centre on your users' needs, your IT support resources (budget and people) and the network itself. Where IP telephony gets particularly tricky is in dealing with small/remote offices. Many IT crews think that it's a no-brainer in that they won't have to get phone service to each company site - therefore saving time and money on negotiating contracts, running phone lines, etc. However, as Bryan Cohen, a telephony engineer and VoIP expert at CDW, points out, VoIP has its own issues that IT groups need to consider.

Ok first, if you're looking for "VoIP Nirvana" check out my email address and phone info in the sidebar. You can contact me any time you just have too much money for your own common sense and good business. Don't get suckered into anything that leads to Nirvana. You will get what you deserve if you do.

That rant aside, the article has some very good and reasonable tips and pointers. What follow are their tips and my comments. Click the link above to read the original story in full.

1. Think of voice traffic as you would data, not like traditional voice.
Think of the underlying infrastructure. An IP network is a great platform for converged services, but every weakness of IP networking applies. And every vulnerability that applies to your IP data network will apply to VoIP as well. You must, must, must understand all the nuance of applications and services on your network.

2. Why do you want VoIP?
Why are you converging the network to begin with? Cost savings? Bad reaason. Integrated services? Better reason. Understand your goals and objectives and make your solid business case for the change.

3. Evaluate your network's readiness.
This has become such a sticking point with me that people are tired of hearing me say ot over and over. I'm glad to see someone else say it. If you don't asses your network, prove your network's readiness and prepare you are assured your VoIP project will be over budget, late, and dissatisfy your users. This is the single most essential, and single most overlooked step in implementing VoIP services.

4. Consider your organisation's business model.
Your business and business model determine how you implement your services. Do you need call center support? IVR? Build to support your business.

5. Focus on the wide-area network.
If your company is spread across multiple locations, your WAN will be a weak point, and a constant problem. See #3. Your WAN, even if you buy it from a carrier, is part of your network. Make sure it's ready.

6. Maintain a single system with gateways at remote locations.
Don't leave small branch offices isolated and disconnected. VoIP provides a perfect example of how a service can bs distributed across a corporate infrastructure.

7. Try before you buy.
Lab test. Trial test, Pilot test. PILOT is not an acronym for "Production in Lieu of Testing."  Too many organizations conduct pilot tests which fail miserably, then continue full speed into flawed production implementation. The obvious question is...why? Conduct testing to your satisfaction, not the vendors. Make sure you know what you're getting and test real-world conditions so you know what to expect when your VoIP service rolls into full production.

8. Think outside the IP telephony box.
Remember that VoIP is IP at its core. You'll meed other protocols like TFTP. You'll need monitoring and testing tools that extend your ability to monitor an IP network. Expand your horizons to support your expanded services.

9. Train, train, train.
Train your users or they'll be unhappy and your implementation will fail. Train your staff or they won't be able to adequately support new  services and apps. Train your business managers to make full use of the new services you deliver. Train everybody. Every day. Forever. Training is an ongoing cycle of lifelong education. And users who figure out tricks to make their lives simpler can share those tricks and train other users.

10. Be cautious about outsourcing.
Not just with VoIP. When considering outsourcing, evaluate the service being considered. How critical is it to your operation? Can you trust it to a third party vendor? If they go out of business and you lose the service, can you survive? Don't outsource needlessly, but don't fail to leverage external resource to your best advantage either.

Good article. If you waded through my comments and didn't go read it, you should.





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