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Special Focus: Conferencing From the June 2005 issue of Communications News |
Flexible unified messaging There are two basic types of architecture used for unified messaging. The most common, common message store (CMS), places all messages into the user’s e-mail message store. The voice and fax servers capture the messages and move them to the user’s e-mail inbox. The e-mail client is extended to provide the tools necessary to play the voice messages and view the fax messages from the desktop. When users call in for their messages over the telephone, the voice server accesses the messages from the e-mail store and plays them to the users. With the second architecture, client-based unified messaging, the voice and fax messages remain on their separate servers and are only unified at the client level. Voice and fax messages are displayed in separate folders within the e-mail client. There are five common types of user configuration for unified messaging: Full unified messaging. Users can access all types of messages from all of their message tools, including their e-mail client (both on- and offline), telephones, Internet connections to their e-mail server and mobile data devices. Desktop unified messaging. Some users wish to have the full functionality of unified messaging at their desktop computers, but with access to voice mail messages only when they call into the voice mail system. Telephone-based unified messaging. Still other users are happy to handle their voice mail from the telephone when they are at their desks, but see the value in being able to access their e-mail messages from the telephone when they are away from their desks. Simplified unified messaging. With simplified unified messaging, the voice and fax server sends an e-mail message to the user’s e-mail account to either notify the user of the receipt of a new message, or to deliver the content of the message. The user is responsible for deleting the message from both locations separately. Voice mail only. In every environment, there will be users who do not benefit from unified messaging based on their job type or messaging traffic. Ideally, a unified messaging system can also support a voice mail-only user. The architecture used by a system has a significant impact on the flexibility and functionality of the system. Client-based systems are a poor choice to support a large number of remote or traveling users, as offline or remote access usually requires additional software to be installed on the user’s machine and often requires users to learn new applications to handle messages remotely. CMS systems will have a larger impact on the user’s e-mail system, as messages are stored on the e-mail server. Voice message files now tend to be fairly small files. Voice and fax attachments will be smaller than the average spreadsheet or word-processing file attachment. Even so, most unified messaging implementations will generate an additional load on the network and e-mail server. Prospective buyers should have the vendors generate a document clearly defining the additional storage needs and network impact. When evaluating systems, be sure they support both unified messaging and voice mail-only users on the same system, without requiring additional licensing or hardware. Have the vendors list all available user configuration types supported, and when there are additional costs to provide them. Most systems leverage the existing e-mail client to access messages. This reduces training and support costs. For those systems that require special clients to be loaded on the workstations, the training and support costs will be higher than for those that use the existing clients. Verify with the vendor whether a trip to every workstation will be required to install special software as part of the installation. Vendors should be asked to supply upgrade costs for additional ports, hours of storage and features. Potential buyers with more than one location should consider standardizing on a single unified messaging system to simplify support and reduce costs. The buyer should ensure the systems they are evaluating can be used at all locations. For more information from AVST: This article was provided by Neil Butler, director of sales engineering for AVST, Foothill Ranch, Calif. |