1. Unified Communications: How We Got There and Saved Money Doing It!
Cathy Horvath, Darren Olson, Toofawn Simhai
October 13, 2010

2. communications

3. About Us…

4. TRANSFORMING BUSINESS PROCESS WITH UNIFIED COMMUNICATIONS
Lake Region State College
Located in Devils Lake, ND
Grand Forks Air Force Base

5. Challenges Opportunities
Aging analog PBX/telephone infrastructure
End-of-life circuit boards and messaging for voice mail
High annual maintenance costs
Prohibitive costs to upgrade PBX software
Solutions entering market with advanced functionality and features associated with Unified Messaging (UM) and Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP)
PBX maintenance contract ending December 2009
Existing Microsoft-based foundation
Active Directory (identity management)
Microsoft Exchange ( and calendaring)
Highly skilled local campus expertise

6. ‘STAY THE COURSE’ COST PROJECTIONS
Avaya PBX S8700
(CM v2)
Projected Upgrade Costs:
Avaya Call Manager (CM 4.0) Upgrade $
50,512.55
($6,600 installation
costs included)
FY07-08
UPPCM (Upgrade Protection Plan)
1/3
17,049.60
67,562.15
FY08-09
84,611.75
FY09-10
101,661.35
Maintenance (36 $5,200 per month)
187,200.00
288,861.35
Modular Messaging with MS Exchange Rider
132,767.00
421,628.35
(Install/consultation, MM, UPS, 36 month support)
Reserve
238,000.00

7. Gartner’s ‘Magic Quadrant for Unified Communications’

8. Objectives cost savings
Downsize dedicated voice system to reduce capital and operational costs
Leverage directory services (MS Active Directory) for centralized and standardized user management)
Provide a consistent user interface and experience across multiple devices (computer, phone, etc.)
“Unify” voice, , voic , conferencing (audio/video)
Eliminated all pay phones on campus (replaced with courtesy phones in key locations)
Cancelled a budgeted PBX upgrade
Discontinued PBX upgrade protection plan (UPPC)
Eliminated voice mail and TDM ports to reduce monthly maintenance costs

9. Objectives Cost Savings
Provide timely service to campus users, in-house installation, training
Improve communication services – caller id, 911 services (locating exact room), voice mail (was available at the main campus but not the Grand Forks Air Force Base office), presence, mobile services
Enhance productivity and reachability – reach someone the first time, conference in subject area expert
“Unify” voice, , voic , conferencing (audio/video)
Eliminate having service technicians travel 200 miles round trip to install a phone or make a change.
Discontinued cell phone service and replaced with wireless phones for on-campus use
Eliminated long distance charges between the main campus and the offices at the Grand Forks Air Force Base

12. PBX  AudioCodes Media Gateway IP Network Exchange Unified Messaging
Phase I
Move PBX Voic to Microsoft Exchange Unified Messaging (EUM)
Storage Array
VoIP Media Gateway
PBX  AudioCodes Media Gateway IP Network Exchange Unified Messaging

13. CONFIGURE EXCHANGE UNIFIED MESSAGING
Enable the Unified Messaging (UM) server to process UM calls
Create a new UM IP gateway to connect to an IP gateway or a SIP-enabled IP PBX
Create a new UM hunt group to link incoming calls to a specific UM dial plan
Create a new UM dial plan to establish a link between UM IP gateway, UM hunt group, and UM server to enable communication between UM components
Enable UM for each existing mail-enabled user
Upgrade Exchange 2007 to 2010
Upgrade 2007 server to 2007 SP2
Deploy Exchange 2010 servers as follows:
Client Access
Hub Transport
Unified Messaging
Mailbox

14. URI Type on Dial Plan
E.164 = Exchange Dial Plans

15. ‘Welcome to Exchange Unified Messaging’

16. Exchange Unified Messaging (EUM) – Microsoft Outlook Client

17. Exchange Unified Messaging (EUM)
– Microsoft Outlook Web Access

18. Exchange Unified Messaging (EUM)
– Mobile Outlook

19. Phase II
Integrate Exchange Unified Messaging (EUM) and Office Communications Server (OCS) with Shortel VoIP System for full Unified Communications (UC)
Prepare for VoIP
Upgrade core Ethernet switches to support PoE and Qos
Purchase Shoretel for call management
(Lync)

20. Office Communicator Mobile

21. Office Communicator Mobile

22. Phase III
Replace analog phones with Shoretel handsets

23. outcomes
Significant reduction in communication costs (primarily annual maintenance fees)
Central management and support (voice, video, data)
Efficient and productive communications network (reduced response times, familiar interface, no device dependency)
Active directory integration (single login and password across all communications)
Opportunity to federate applications across organizations (i.e., Exchange, OCS)
Standards based (no need for separate voice and data trunks; not locked into proprietary hardware)
Device options (computer only, basic phone, cell phone)

24. Flexibility

25. Computer Soft Phone Place a call Place a video call
Send instant message
Send
Dial a number
Voic
Placed call
Received call from
Missed call
Search feature

26. Click on name and you can call, video call, IM, or email person
Receive a call on your computer
Listen to your voic on the computer and return the call, video call or the person

27. Resident Hall Phones Surveyed student use
82% would use phone if it was in the room
43% use both cell phone and room phone
26 % use only a standard phone
Some students do not have cell phones

28. Thank you!
Cathy Horvath, Director of IT
Darren Olson, Sr. Systems Admin
Toofawn Simhai, CIO, Lake Region State College