Special Focus: Voice Networks

Firm profits from unified system

Software provides bridge connecting different technologies between global offices and employees.

For more than 20 years, Wall Street Systems' (WSS) telecommunication system had not evolved much past a time-division multiplexing system, with no integration. Centralized access to important information and contacts was needed but not readily available. As business continued to grow, however, the firm found it needed a system with a centralized server, combining all communication forms over one platform.

The firm sought unified communications capabilities that could better leverage its telecommunication systems to be more productive. Such a communications system, says Jerry McConnell, director of technology at WSS, would enable the company to keep up with the changes in its business as well as its rapid growth. Having recently completed a merger, WSS was in the process of integrating the two companies, with a new office in London, and moving to larger quarters in Manhattan.

WSS provides high-performance back-office and transaction management to global financial institutions and corporations. The company has 500 employees servicing more than 300 banking and corporate customers, operating out of 12 offices worldwide.

The company is recognized for its treasury support products that help companies better manage their cash reserves and foreign exchange, as well as reduce transaction costs for customers. It also offers a series of services, including a 24-hour help center, account management and professional consultants. Each service offers the necessary technical support and a day-to-day liaison with WSS professionals. Superior communication with customers is a mission-critical need for the company.

The Manhattan move triggered an examination of WSS's communications needs, which extended far beyond the company's relocation of offices. Many of its employees were now working remotely. Employee scenarios varied from home office-based employees to U.S.-based employees spending large amounts of time serving customers in Japan. Communication over multiple servers was both costly and unproductive.

CONTINUOUS CUSTOMER ATTENTION

Additionally, its global customers were now requiring 24/7 attention, an expectation with multiple implications for WSS. One was that WSS employees needed to be available to customers beyond regular business hours in any one location. This meant that employees needed the capability to work seamlessly across offices. Moreover, its human resources and accounting departments relied greatly on faxes, which was turning into a real challenge as the decentralization of its workers meant they were not necessarily close to a fax machine.

WSS retained Consultedge to design and implement a communications system that would effectively meet the firm's multiple goals. Consultedge's design centered on Objectworld UC Server to provide the unified messaging, unified communications and line-of-business tools needed by WSS to enhance customer relations and improve workplace productivity.

A key consideration was the interoperability of Objectworld UC Server with a new Avaya IP Office PBX and existing Avaya communications products installed in WSS's London office. The integration of existing and new technologies from different vendors enabled WSS to optimize its past communications investment while gaining the performance and efficiency benefits of new technologies.

Using Objectworld's software application, WSS can manage voice, fax and other unified communications services with Microsoft Active Directory. Objectworld integrates with the new Avaya communications system and the Microsoft Windows platform, while Active Directory is integrated with Exchange. This enables employees to have a single source of communication for voice, fax or e-mail–with business processes, corporate data and information stores. Additionally, when an employee uses the phone system, his contacts automatically pop up on screen.

"Voice mail and call-flow management are completely integrated into e-mail and fax," says McConnell. "Managers love having the flexibility of being able to get all of their messages without having to come into the office. Additionally, voice mail truly becomes voice ‘mail,' not just telephone tag."

"Managers love having the flexibility of being able to get all of their messages without having to come into the office."

The point-and-click service environment created by the new system was a good fit for WSS's day-to-day business operations. The system's text-to-speech capability enabled WSS applications to enhance customer service and increase customer retention, McConnell says. WSS employees, for example, now have the option to convert their e-mail to voice mail and listen to it on their PDAs and smart phones.

Although the features are geared toward worker productivity and customer retention, many benefits accrue to the IT department. Objectworld's Windows-based administration and service-creation tools provide a consistent interface for IT to set up conference lines on the fly, add passwords and designate lower-cost call routing. IT also spends significantly less time chasing down problems and there are fewer complaints in the field, according to McConnell. When problems arise, the Objectworld software provides diagnostic information in a central location, which is also an important resource for corporate compliance.

The tight time constraints on the system's implementation required a cohesive integration of design and implementation. To bring the system online within WSS's strict schedule, Consultedge offered a staged approach that allowed WSS to install a basic system at the company's Manhattan headquarters as a critical first step.

The system was designed for maximum scalability and compatibility with additional technologies, ensuring that WSS could add features and office locations to the system when needed. The installation was completed in just six weeks, in marked contrast to a telecommunications installation at WSS's London offices that had dragged on for six months.

"Given the limited amount of time for the implementation, it's key that we are not locked into a particular service set," comments McConnell. "Consultedge's design enables us to take advantage of the multiple upgrades, new services and features that Objectworld regularly supplies us with. In fact, we have barely scratched the surface in terms of the system's capabilities. But over time, I can clearly see that it will grow into our operation company-wide."

The Objectworld software cost less than 10 percent of WSS's $80,000 budget for the telecommunications portion of the office move. "It is hard to put an exact ROI figure on the product, because it is hard to put a dollar value on things like improved productivity and customer responsiveness," says McConnell. "Let me just say that the software was not a significant cost outlay and it is well worth the money spent."

The adaptability and customizable features of Objectworld's technologies, he adds, give WSS the ability to work with multiple programs and increase the level of WSS's customer service, while ensuring that all communication is delivered to end-users.

For more information from Objectworld, (click here)

---

Optimization Ensures high-quality VoIP

by Stan Schreyer and Dale Tesch

One of the biggest challenges organizations face when implementing voice-over-IP (VoIP) systems is matching the high quality of service that employees are accustomed to from the traditional voice network. VoIP is an application that does not tolerate any disruptions or delays. When the application performs poorly, end-users experience crackling on the lines, delays in hearing a caller's voice and possibly dropped calls.

Two issues can cause VoIP to perform poorly–latency and network congestion. Latency is the inherent delay for voice traffic to travel long distances over the wide-area network (WAN). Network congestion occurs when a high volume of network traffic competes for a fixed amount of bandwidth. Network traffic spikes can wreak havoc with call quality because less bandwidth is available for VoIP calls.

WAN optimization technology can address both latency and network congestion. WAN optimization appliances can be used to get a clear picture of how network bandwidth is being used and how the network traffic patterns vary over time. The appliances can generate a variety of graphs to show top applications and URLs being accessed by network users, as well as top users of the network. Traffic spikes can be identified quickly based on the time of day, day of the week or month.

After identifying the top applications consuming bandwidth, the WAN optimization appliance can be used to control network traffic, including VoIP. A portion of network bandwidth can be reserved for VoIP calls. The appliance can also classify, compress and accelerate other applications (e.g., HTTP, FTP, CIFS) to free additional bandwidth for VoIP traffic.

Ideally, WAN optimization appliances should be installed at each location where VoIP will be implemented. This enables two-way prioritization of traffic between the data center and a branch office or between two branch offices.

Some customers prefer to work with a network integrator that specializes in WAN optimization. Network integrators can install an evaluation appliance, provide immediate feedback on network usage and recommend how much bandwidth to reserve for VoIP calls. They can also set all network policies to classify, prioritize and accelerate non-VoIP traffic.

Whether keeping the work in-house or using an integrator, look for a WAN optimization solution that is easy to install and use.

Some WAN optimization appliances come with a preconfigured default policy to begin optimizing and accelerating traffic on the network immediately. The default policy helps network administers bypass some preliminary configuration steps and can be modified to suit the changing needs of the business over time.

This feature allows the appliance to automatically discover other WAN optimization appliances in the network. This feature is important for accelerating applications between corporate locations, which helps free bandwidth for VoIP calls.

Peer-to-peer applications for downloading of videos and audio files can consume large amounts of bandwidth, negatively impacting VoIP call quality. Ideally, a WAN optimization solution should have the ability to limit or block this type of Internet traffic.

WAN optimization appliances do require some level of maintenance. Ongoing monitoring of VoIP performance is recommended. Monitoring the impact that adding more network users, applications and traffic may have on VoIP call quality also is important.

Network policies can be fine-tuned accordingly to ensure consistent high-quality VoIP calls. This may involve reserving a larger percentage of bandwidth for VoIP, reprioritizing network traffic or accelerating new applications.

WAN optimization technology plays a key role in ensuring high-quality VoIP. Optimization can also reduce overall network operating costs and ensure proper prioritization of all network traffic. Furthermore, optimization helps companies take a proactive stance on capacity planning for VoIP systems and the underlying Internet communications links that support it.

Stan Schreyer is a vice president for Exinda Networks, Boston, and Dale Tesch is director of sales for Invercence Corp., Portsmouth, N.H.

For more information (click here)