Podcast Series on Selling SIP Systems & Solutions - "You Can't Sell What You Don't Know"

By Thomas B. Cross CSSP – CEO TECHtionary.com

I just taught a class to new-hires to the SIP industry and often get asked by nearly everyone "what is SIP?"  One answer that I increasingly give is "in the old days, phones were dumb like POTS and networks were smart like the PSTN.  In the new internet world, phones are smart and networks are dumb."  Check the animation here to see what I am talking about available at:

http://blog.tmcnet.com/cross-talk/

If you prefer a more technical tutorial, here goes.  With SIP Trunking, the IP media stream coming from within the enterprise stays as an IP media stream and passes to anywhere within the enterprise or across the boundary of the enterprise to another enterprise via IP.  This reduces the need for local telephone systems using instead hardware media gateways at the enterprise edge and carrier edge (often referred to as the PSTN) producing considerable savings.  In addition, considerable savings can also be found in eliminating expensive telephone desksets by using intelligent softphones.

In addition, if you want to sell new SIP solutions, you need to know a lot more.  At a recent conference, the panelists on the session Selling SIP Trunking missed the mark in helping the SRO audience get to square one for selling SIP Trunking.  Without going into all the issues they could have and should have addressed, here's three tips. 

1 - What is SIP?  Make sure you know what SIP means.  It means Session Initiation Protocol, not anything else.  Basically, SIP provides signaling, like car traffic lights, in order that SIP devices can call other SIP devices over a symmetrical broadband internet connection (no ADSL).  If you want to know more about the working of SIP protocol, get involved in technical discussions or your product interoperability compliant, go to the SIP Forum, a nonprofit industry interoperability organization at www.sipforum.org.  The SIP Forum will help you understand the industry, players, protocols such as RTP-Realtime Transport Protocol, SDP-Session Description Protocol and others as well as RFC-Request For Comments that are the basis for all SIP development.

2 – SIP devices can be hardphones, wireless phones, softphones (software) and other devices such as soda machines and in the future nearly every other device.  SIP moves the "intelligence" from the PBX/CO into the device.  That is, SIP devices communicate directly with one another without the need for a PBX or CO-Central Office switching system.  This is just like the way your PC communicates directly with a website.  This means the features are in the SIP device, not PBX.  Practically speaking this means I can use my laptop with softphone software as a telephone and can take it anywhere and plug in to an internet connection and begin making outgoing or receiving incoming calls from other SIP devices without a PBX.  If I need to call outside my SIP network or receive a call, my SIP gateway provider (in this case www.simplesignal.com) gives me a PSTN number which you can call and no matter where I am you can call me.  Features such as voice mail, transfer, conference, etc. can be added through software from the SIP system or SIP gateway provider.

3 – Bandwidth planning is paramount.  SIP devices use a CODEC (coder-decoder, compression-decompression), a technical term for computer chip, to process calls into international standard voice formats.  One major CODEC is G.711 provides for high-performance "toll-quality" calls and uses 64 KBPS per call.  A low-performance CODEC (much like cellular service) for low-bandwidth voice calls of 8 KBPS is G.729.  There are other CODECS supported by various manufacturers.  Check specific companies for details. 

The most important point is that in planning for SIP implementations allocate 80-100 KBPS per call for G.711 and around 30 KBPS per call for G.729.  That is, while G.711 uses 64KBPS of voice it needs more bandwidth because of the packetizing (RTP-TCP/UDP-IP overhead) for an internet protocol network.  Here's an easy rule of thumb, for G.711 take the total number of simultaneous (concurrent) calls times 100 KBPS and that is the bandwidth the customer needs for peak "busy hour" times.  In addition, SIP trunking providers will limit the number of voice calls based on the CODECS they support.   One SIP trunking provider supports 11 calls using G.711 and 42 calls with G.729.  However, the customer benefits when users are not on the telephone with the bandwidth automatically or "dynamically" available for data needs. In other words, check with your SIP trunking provider, media gateway manufacturer and other "parts" in the network.  That is, YMMV-your mileage may certainly vary. 

There are dozens of other critical concepts such as security, interoperability, pre-installation planning, data systems integration and others you need to be "SIP smart" in selling SIP that are included in OCS-101 and SIP Planning Guide 2.5 available in the onsite and online courses.  Discounts are also available to members of the SIP Forum and MS Partners for $99 per student.

For customizing, special discounts, website animations, technical/sales training, technical writing and other services, go to http://www.techtionary.com or please call Tom Cross at 303-594-1694 or cross@.... 

This is also included in TMC University special course on Microsoft OCS-Office Communications Server at ITexpo.com.  For more go here: http://www.tmcnet.com/voip/conference/west-08/tmc-university-microsoft-ocs.htm

BOULDER – August 1 – TECHtionary.com today announced "SIP Planning Guide 2.5," a significant expansion of what's been called the "quintessential" planning guide for SIP-VoIP, UC-Unified Communications, Microsoft OCS-Office Communications Server & Response Point and IPT-Internet Protocol Telephony networks.  SIP Planning Guide 2.5 provides the means for customers who are planning, implementing and expanding their communications networks to "get SIP smart" with guidance, ideas and tools.  With more than one hundred new concepts for review, SIP Planning Guide 2.5 is vital to anyone doing UC/VoIP/SIP/IPT for network solutions and premise-based implementations.

Some of the key highlights in SIP Planning Guide 2.5:

-        VLPS-Virtual Private LAN Service with MPLS

-        Privacy-Security Lifecycle Management - Authors – Actualizers - Auditors – Analyzers

-        PLC-Packet Loss Concealment - zero Insertion, wave-form substitution, etc.

-        SIGTRAN (Signaling Transport)

-        SCTP-Stream Control Transmission Protocol

-        New options and new roles for Media Gateways replacing PBXs

-        Expanded details on SBC-Session Border Controllers

-        50 point security checklist

-        More than 30 solutions to common problems and troubleshooting guide

-        Improved section on QoS and RTCP-XR-MRB

-        Indepth explanations of complex problems such as echo, crosstalk and asynchronous transcoding

-        "Vo-eye-P" packet test

-        Many other improvements, solutions, ideas and technology.

"SIP Planning Guide 2.5 continues to improve in nearly every aspect of UC-Unified Communications, VoIP-SIP, OCS and IPT.  This course is now even more vital to every organization as VoIP/SIP is new and new approaches to planning and managing are important to understand how.  Coupled with the new improved solutions-answers, privacy/security section, troubleshooting guide and QoS primer, SIP Planning Guide 2.0c courses are without peer from any source." noted Paul C. Daubitz – President – ATI-TeleManagement (http://www.ati-telemgt.com a professional management consultancy).

"SIP Planning Guide 2.5 takes our SIP/OCS courses to the critically important next level," noted Tom Cross TECHtionary CEO.  "SIP is a complex process because SIP is not just a single location service but one that encompasses nearly all aspects of business communications and computing," Cross added.

SIP Planning Guide 2.5 is available in the onsite and online courses.  The online version is $199 per person or four (4) for $499.  Add-On OCS Module - there is a special OCS-101 Office Communications Server module for $99 per user or less with discounts.  Special SIP Forum Member and Microsoft Partner price is $99 per user.

For a complete detailed course outline go to:  http://www.techtionary.com/sip/planning-guide/

Courses are also available from TelecomWebU at: http://www.telecomweb.com/

For more information go to http://www.techtionary.com or please call Tom Cross at 303-594-1694 or cross@....  

Microsoft's OIP-Open Interoperability Program Pries Open the PBX

As the alphabet soup gets more letters, the complexity of the enterprise OCS-PBX user also warms up.  The animated tutorial explains the details which can be found at:

http://blog.tmcnet.com/cross-talk/

In other to create not just better Unified Communications applications but unified switching now being called software powered voice, Microsoft created the OIP-Open Interoperability Program to:

- Develop Industry-Class Telephony Infrastructure that work seamlessly with OCS and Exchange UM-Unified Messaging

- Develop many solutions and new ideas

- Provide a forum for customers with setup, support, and use

     - Test to enterprise-level standards for audio quality, reliability, and scalability

- Provide a means for scalable qualification of vendors

For more on OIP, go here: http://technet.microsoft.com/ucoip

Also explained in the animated tutorial is the OIP program designed to provide PBX implementation/integration in the following configurations:

1 - Standalone via gateway

2 - Standalone via direct SIP

3 - Co-existence via dual forking

     - Direct SIP + PBX is qualified against Microsoft Dual-forking specification

            Co-existence via dual forking - dual OCS phone and PBX phone

4 - Co-existence via dual forking with RCC-Remote Call Control

     - PBX supports Dual forking plus RCC-Remote Call Control and

     - CSTA-Computer Supported Telephony Application

RCC-Remote Call Control also known as third-party call control is provided by CSTA-Computer Supported Telephony Applications.  CSTA was developed by the European Computer Manufacturers Association (ECMA) and subsequently was formally standardized by the ITU-T, incorporating the Switch-to-Computer Applications Interface (SCAI).  CSTA uses, among other technologies, SALT-Speech Application Language Tags specification and its SMEX-Simple Messaging Exchange element, telephony call control capabilities in MSS-Microsoft Speech Server to allow a developer to create sophisticated telephony-based speech applications that can exploit both basic call control services such as ANI-Automatic Number Identification (caller ID) and DNIS-Dialed Number Identification Service (800), using the included basic call controls, or extended call control services, to create custom call controls.  CSTA uses ASN.1-Abstract Syntax Notation One - a notation system for describing data structures.  ASN.1 while like programming language is in fact, not a programming language.  ASN.1 is a flexible notation that allows programmers to define a variety of data types.  ASN.1 is a set of encoding rules used to transform data into a standard format that can be decoded on any system that has a decoder based on the same set of rules. 

SALT adds voice commands to web applications.  SALT is an extended set of markup (meta) tags based on XML-eXtensible Markup Language though compatible with HTML-Hyper-Text Markup Language and others.  Many of the features of SALT include:

- Multi-mode browser-driven clients - PDA-Personal Digital Assistants, etc.

- Authoring Tools - IVR-Integrated Voice Response, grammar, dialogs, commands

- Speech-driven WEB pages with voice/data databases

- Interface to analog-digital telephones within SIP/VOIP servers and integrated voice recognition

- XML services with other business services such as SOAP to OLAP database connections

In the animated tutorial is an explanation of SALT in the OSI model.

In the animated tutorial are some of the basic SALT commands such as:

- Prompt - Used to play audio prompts to direct a user to enter input

- Grammar - Used to identify how audio sentences will be analyzed

- Record - Used to trigger saving voice input

The concept of software powered voice is very compelling as you make voice just another XML service.

This presentation is included in online/onsite courses SIP Planning Guide and for OCS-101 Office Communications Server per person (volume and site license discounts available).   For more information, go to:

http://www.techtionary.com/sip/planning-guide/

For customizing, special discounts, website animations, technical/sales training, technical writing and other services, go to http://www.techtionary.com or please call Tom Cross at 303-594-1694 or cross@.... 

This tutorial is also included in TMC University special course on Microsoft OCS-Office Communications Server and Response Point at ITexpo.com.  For more go here: http://www.tmcnet.com/voip/conference/west-08/tmc-university-microsoft-ocs.htm

See the animated tutorial at: http://blog.tmcnet.com/cross-talk/

Here's how it might work using RCC-Remote Call Control a user uses their OC-Office Communicator client for Presence/IM and uses the OC softphone to control their existing PBX phone.  For example, a user checks the presence for someone via Office Communicator and then clicking on that user to call – but then having their PBX desk-phone call the number (and use that device).     Remote Call Control can also be deployed in conjunction with Dual-Forking using the "dual" calling of simultaneous or sequential ringing feature of "forking" to call the phone(s).

First Party Call Control

Traditional telephony POTS, SIP and OCS are designed to provide for first party or first person call control.  Examples of first party call control are:

         - Make/receive or accept/answer incoming or outgoing calls

         - Make another call to another user

         - Conference both the callers

Third Party Call Control

Third party or third person call control is where another element, endpoint, server, telephone or device is involved in the call.  Third party call control may mean that the endpoints share call control with another device such as a PBX, ACD-Automatic Call Distributor, CO-Central Office Switch or other device.  The third party device such as a server may direct, redirect (fork) or disconnect the call.

SIP Forking Explained

See the animated tutorial for details

Parallel Forking is where the proxy forwards copies of the request to multiple destinations simultaneously.  This is simultaneous ringing where the phone rings your work, home, cell and any other phone at the same time.  Forking is the process of processing multiple requests such as desktop, softphone and cell phones or finding the first-available or other call center rules and the proxy is called a Forking Proxy.  A stateless SIP proxy will act as a simple forwarding process - ex: Ethernet switch.  A stateful SIP proxy will review, route, fork, and modify the SIP header thus staying involved with the SIP dialog until BYE - ex: a Firewall.

Sequential Forking is where the proxy forwards copies of the request to one target at a time and waits for a final response (or failure) before moving to the next address.  This is sequential ringing where your work phone rings three times, then forks to your cell phone for three rings, then your home phone for three times and then forks to voice mail.

This presentation is included in online/onsite courses SIP Planning Guide and for OCS-101 Office Communications Server per person (volume and site license discounts available).   For more information, go to:

http://www.techtionary.com/sip/planning-guide/

For customizing, special discounts, website animations, technical/sales training, technical writing and other services, go to http://www.techtionary.com or please call Tom Cross at 303-594-1694 or cross@.... 

This tutorial is also included in TMC University special course on Microsoft OCS-Office Communications Server and Response Point at ITexpo.com.  For more go here: http://www.tmcnet.com/voip/conference/west-08/tmc-university-microsoft-ocs.htm

Get Microsoft Response Point & OCS-Office Communications Server Smart at TMC University

TMC University Adds Microsoft IP Telephony Course to
INTERNET TELEPHONY Conference & EXPO West 2008

Leading Edge Course Explores Microsoft's Office Communications Server (OCS) & Response Point (RP) Solutions

Norwalk, CT, [September 7, 2008] — Technology Marketing Corporation (TMC), announced today that their TMC University division will offer a Microsoft Office Communications Server and Response Point training course at INTERNET TELEPHONY Conference & EXPO West 2008 in Los Angeles. The day-long course, which includes a 30-minute certification exam, will be held Tuesday, September 16th, day one of the three-day conference.

Titled, `Introduction to Microsoft Office Communication Server/Response Point', this TMC University course offers an initial training session teaching users how to integrate Microsoft's new enterprise Office Communication Server and small business Response Point platforms into their existing infrastructure. 

According to TMC President and conference chairman, Rich Tehrani, TMC University is the only independent program of its kind. And this new Office Communication Server/Response Point course is an overdue addition to the series.

"Since Bill Gates' unveiling of Microsoft Office Communication Server, enterprises continue to determine the most effective way to integrate its considerable advantages into their organizations. This new course gives additional insight and background for enterprise telecom and IT managers to make smart recommendations about what's best for their companies," said TMC president Rich Tehrani.

The program will be taught by Thomas Cross – CEO TECHtionary.com, an innovative communications advisor with considerable expertise in market planning and development, hardware/software design and development, project management, intellectual property in telecommunications, information technology, conferencing, teletraining, telecommuting, groupware, networks, call centers, internet, artificial intelligence and other fields.

Cross commented, Microsoft Office Communication Server is the most profound innovation in telephony since digital PBX systems.  "It is very likely Office Communication Server will be a `must-have' for the enterprise business customer and Response Point for the SMB or branch office communications.  By adding this training course to the Los Angeles program, participants can attend a one-day class that prepares them to make recommendations to their companies about a Microsoft Office Communication Server or Response Point strategy." Cross added. 

The TMC University Microsoft Office Communication Server/Response Point course consists of sessions covering the following topics:

Introduction and Overview

Office Communication Server business communications scenarios:

·        Instant messaging

·        On-premise Web conferencing

·        On-premise audio/video conferencing including Microsoft's Roundtable

·        Telephony

Office Communication Server-PBX Interoperability

This session explores and explains SIP-Session Initiation Protocol and how SIP is used to provide internet telephony functions in an Office Communication Server enterprise telephony solution. This session will explain:

·        SIP and versions of SIP used in Office Communication Server

·        SIP-to-PBX interoperability

·        SIP-to-IP-PBX interoperability

·        Office Communication Server and IP-PSTN gateway integration

·        Remote office telephony integration

Office Communication Server – Server Roles

In this session, we will explore the various types of servers used in an Office Communication Server environment which include:

·        Mediation

·        Front End

·        Active Directory

Call Flow Scenarios

The following call flow scenarios supported by Office Communication Server will be covered in-depth:

·        Telephony users can connect to other telephony users by using Office Communication Server

·        Internal telephony users can also communicate with PSTN and PBX users

·        Outgoing calls

·        Incoming calls

Configuration and Planning

This session is designed to provide the student with an overview of key requirements for planning and implementing Office Communication Server.

Response Point Components

In this session, we will explore the various components in the Response Point system which includes:

·        Base Unit – IPX PBX software, voice mail and VoIP gateway

·        SIP phones

·        Management & Client Software – MAC functions, Outlook integration

·        PSTN gateway

This course is sponsored in part by Quintum http://www.quintum.com.

Registration for the course and the entire conference is now open. For information and registration go to:

http://www.tmcnet.com/voip/conference/west-08/tmc-university-microsoft-ocs.htm

Anyone interested may also register by visiting http://www.itexpo.com. Limited booth space is still available as well. Vendors interested in exhibiting at the show should contact Dave Rodriguez at 1-203-852-6800, ext. 146.

For information about additional Microsoft Office Communication Server training courses, and the new TMC Office Communication Server newsletter, click on this link: http://www.tmcnet.com/enews/e-newsletters/microsoft-ocs/20071205/Default.htm

About TMC^®

Technology Marketing Corporation (TMC) publishes Customer Interaction Solutions, INTERNET TELEPHONY, Unified Communications, and IMS Magazine. TMCnet, TMC's Web site, is the leading source of news and articles for the communications and technology industries. Ranked in the top 6,000 most visited Web sites in the world by alexa.com*, TMCnet serves as many as three million unique visitors each month. TMC is also the first publisher to test new products in its own on-site laboratories, TMC Labs. TMC produces INTERNET TELEPHONY Conference & EXPO, and Call Center 2.0 Conference. For more information about TMC, visit www.tmcnet.com. (*alexa.com is an amazon.com company that ranks Web sites by their traffic levels. Neither alexa.com nor amazon.com is affiliated with TMCnet.)

About TECHtionary.com
TECHtionary.com produces dealer and customer training programs, online presentations including iPod, podcast and PC formats, sales brochures, virtual installation manuals and animated online presentations. TECHtionary.com has more than 3,005 free online presentations on data communications, internet, wireless, VoIP-Voice over Internet Protocol, SIP, PBX Systems, routing protocols, IT security, telephony, telecommunications, networking, routing, IPTV, WiMax, power systems, broadband, WiFi-wireless fidelity and other related technologies available at http://www.techtionary.com  TECHtionary provides custom animations, webseminars and other educational courses.

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In addition, users would receive greater benefit and satisfaction from the services and equipment they have purchased.

In the spirit of change and in order to provide a "more perfect union", AudioCodes & TECHtionary.com will present a series of six web seminars. These seminars are designed to "bridge the chasm" of telecommunications and internet technologies. We will "talk your talk" to show data people what network services are such as the PSTN,
T-1/E-1, PRI, MPLS, VPLS and others. We will also talk data to telecom people to show them that data is no more complex than what they understand now, it's just different terminology.

The seminars are 60-minutes in length. The first 30-minutes will be to "talk data" and the last 30-mintues will be to "talk-telecom." Obviously you can stay for the entire show because there is no doubt that you need to talk "data" or talk "telecom" to someone today or tomorrow.

Session 1:
October 9, 2008 (9am PST/12pm EST)
What is Voice – Channel, Packet, IM, UC-UM, Presence, Video?
 

Session 2:
October 23, 2008 (9am PST/12pm EST)
Network Services – Demystifying MPLS, VPLS, T-1, PSTN, SIP & SIP Trunking, etc.
 

Session 3:
November 6, 2008 (9am PST/12pm EST)
Connecting "Parts with Parts" – Routers, Switches, Firewalls PBXs, DMZ, Open Source, Media Gateways, and more
 

Session 4:
November 20, 2008 (9am PST/12pm EST)
Planning and Implementing – "Getting Your Stuff Together and Keeping It Together"
 

Session 5:
December 4, 2008 (9am PST/12pm EST)
Diagnostics and Troubleshooting – "If it's all in one basket, now what?"
 

Session 6:
December 18, 2008 (9am PST/12pm EST)
Security, Scaling and Survivability – "Don't be scared, just be a better Boy Scout"
 

Unified Communications Solutions in a Sinking Economy

10 Reasons Why Advanced Communications with Telepresence Cuts Costs, Shortens Sales Cycles and Accelerates Business Communications

BOULDER – October 12 – TECHtionary.com today announced significant solutions coming from UC-Unified Communications, Telepresence, Video teleconferencing, UM-Unified Messaging SIP-Session Initiation Protocol technology and made part of its SIP Planning Guide and Microsoft OCS-Office Communications courses.  SIP portends to be the most significant solution to business communications since "sliced bread."  In a rapidly sinking economic climate, SIP may be just the sauce that even the Fed Reserve would use to bring about solvency.  Here are the Top-10 significant solutions to select UC-SIP solutions today:

1 – Soaring maintenance costs can be . .

2 - Significant operating costs are mitigated by . .

3 – Simplified management brings about . .

4 – Simple network configurations solves . . .

5 – Straightforward network design proves to . . .

6 – Slimmed billing consolidates …

7 – Swamped staff can consider . . .

8 – Sizeable overall savings result from  . .

9 – Substantial business opportunities are realized by …

10 – Stateful security from . . .

"The SIP Planning Guide course continues to improve in nearly every aspect of UC-Unified Communications, Telepresence, VoIP-SIP, OCS and IPT-Internet Protocol Telephony.  This course is now even more vital to every organization as VoIP/SIP is new and new approaches to planning and managing are important to understand how.  Coupled with the new improved solutions-answers, privacy/security section, troubleshooting guide and QoS primer, the SIP Planning Guide course are without peer from any source." noted Paul C. Daubitz – President – ATI-TeleManagement (http://www.ati-telemgt.com a professional management consultancy).

These courses are designed to help enterprise technical-executive managers, channel partners and others better understand installation, configuration, management and troubleshooting of any UC/SIP system as well as Microsoft's OCS (Office Communications Server).  There is more than a year of research, interviews, discussions, meetings and presentations to channel partners, providers, manufacturer's and other interested parties in the OCS and SIP/UC industry. 

The SIP Planning Guide is available in onsite, online and via webseminars formats. 

Here is the schedule for the onsite course Portland – November 6-7.  For more details, go to http://www.techtionary.com or directly at http://www.techtionary.com/sip/planning-guide/. 

For more information and scheduling, please call Tom Cross at 303-594-1694 or cross@...

SIP Planning Guide 2009 With Special OCS-RP Course Announced

Viable Solutions for Savings and Increased Productivity

2-5 Day Onsite, Online and Webseminar Courses

BOULDER – December 1 – TECHtionary.com announced today the latest in its advanced internet telecommunications courses called SIP-OCS-RP Planning Guide 2009.  "Integrating the latest issues with the hottest technologies, this new program brings actionable vendor-neutral courses on SIP-Session Initiation Protocol with optional Microsoft –OCS-Office Communications Server and Microsoft Response Point concepts with critical economic concerns," noted Tom Cross – TECHtionary CEO.  Courses range from $395 per person for online access per person.  There are also discounts for SIP Forum-Full members and MS Channel Partners.  Group discounts and other options are available. 

For the complete list of course contents, go here: http://www.techtionary.com/sip/planning-guide/ 

To schedule or more details, email to cross@... or call Tom Cross @ 303-594-1694. 

In addition, there were will be "LIVE" demonstration of IM, video conferencing, call processing and other features from a live OCS system.  NOTE: These topics presented may not be the complete list of issues discussed at time permits.  An optional five-day or half-day is available for custom training.  Microsoft is a registered trademark of Microsoft Corporation.

Course Leader - Thomas B. Cross – CEO TECHtionary.com has three decades of experience in startups and consulting advisor with leading providers and venture capital companies in market planning and development, hardware/software design and development, project management, intellectual property in telecommunications, information technology, conferencing, teletraining, telecommuting, groupware, networks, call centers, internet, artificial intelligence and other fields. He has managed the successful development of more than 10 software, hardware and internet products to market and received industry awards for this work. He has authored 13 books, wrote, produced and directed 15 commercial videos and creator and producer of the World's Largest Animated Knowledge Source on Technology – http://www.techtionary.com – recipient of Web Hosting Magazine Editors Choice for Best Technical Help.  Tom is a columnist for many leading publications such as Internet Telephony where he is the Technology Editor and columnist on OCS-Office Communications Service Newsletter with a blog at http://blog.tmcnet.com/cross-talk/.  He is a member of the Technical Board of Advisors for the VoIPSA-VoIP Security Alliance. Tom holds CompTIA Certified Security Professional certification and Pearson Vue Certified Test Administrator.  

About TECHtionary.com

TECHtionary.com produces dealer and customer training programs, online presentations including iPod and PC formats sales brochures, virtual installation manuals and animated online presentations.  TECHtionary.com has more than 3,005+ free online animated presentations on data communications, internet, wireless, SIP, OCS-Office Communications Server, VoIP-Voice over Internet Protocol, PBX Systems, central office switching, protocols, telephony, telecommunications, networking, routing, IPTV, WiMax, power systems, broadband, WiFi-wireless fidelity and other related technologies available at http://www.techtionary.com.  More details on training are available by calling Tom Cross at 303-594-1694 or cross@....   Thomas Cross is a magazine columnist with many key technology publications and a member of the Technical Board of Advisors for the VoIP-Security Alliance.  He holds Comptia Security+ and other certifications.  He also writes a blog at: http://blog.tmcnet.com/cross-talk/

To register, click here: https://audiocodes-training.webex.com/audiocodes-training/k2/j.php?ED=108093777&UID=1035757772&rid=1

For more than a decade, Tom Cross CEO of TECHtionary.com has been teaching data to telecommunications-trained people and telecommunications to data-trained people. What he has found is that whether you are a user, agent, broker, channel partner, VAR, analyst or the general public, there is nearly universal mass misunderstanding by nearly everyone on data, voice, network services and other concepts. New concepts like UC-Unified Communications, UM-Unified Messaging, presence, hosted, SIP, MPLS, VPLS certainly don't make this any easier. In Tom's opinion, "this confusion is having a significant impact on the overall marketplace delaying implementation and significantly lowers revenues to suppliers and providers."

He added, "If only" people had a greater understanding of what needs to be done would certainly "lift all boats." In other words, providers would be able to provide more effective products and features that users really need and be able to "talk" with them more effectively. In addition, users gain greater benefit and satisfaction from the services and equipment they have purchased.

In the spirit of change and in order to provide a "more perfect union," TECHtionary.com will present a series of six webseminars. These seminars are designed to "bridge the chasm" of telecommunications and internet technologies. We will "talk your talk" to show data people what network services are such as the PSTN, T-1/E-1, PRI, MPLS, VPLS and others. We will also talk data to telecom people to show them that data is no more complex than what they understand now, it's just different terminology.

The seminars are 60-minutes in length. They will be presented to address agents who "talk data" as well as those who "talk-telecom" because there is no doubt that you need to talk "data" or talk "telecom" to someone today or tomorrow.

1 - Diagnostics and Troubleshooting – "If it's all in one basket, now what?" - Top-10 Problems that you will encounter and know how to fix now - Old "if it's not broken" – New Adage "it's broken to begin with" – should we suffer through this or is it possible to make it better? 2 - Security, Scaling and Survivability – "Don't be scared, just be a better Boy Scout" - "Filling in the missing pieces" because "it's always something" and "stuff always happens." - If you learn nothing else, adding more bandwidth does not solve the problem and if you forget about security and survivability, you will have more problems than you started with.

There is no doubt many of you - know all this but there is also no doubt that you know some who doesn't, so invite them along. That is, for those of you who are "rocket scientists" with lots of experience, we hope this will help you: - Fill in the gaps in your learning and update you on new trends - Help you learn new tips and ways for you to "train-others" and/or "Teach IT" to others.

Dates Session 1: Thursday, January 15, 2009 Session 2: Thursday, January 29, 2009

All seminars will be held at 12:00 (noon) EDT and archived for later use; however, if you have questions, you must be present. There will be door prizes from TECHtionary.com – must be present to participate.

Special AudioCodes Partner Discount for SIP & OCS Classes This presentation is included in online/onsite courses SIP Planning Guide and for OCS-101 Office Communications Server per person (volume and site license discounts available). For more information, go to: http://www.techtionary.com/sip/planning-guide/.

For information on the OCS-101 online class go here: http://www.techtionary.com/ocs/101online/

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Media Contact: Tom Cross

303-594-1694

cross@...

BusinessTECHGuides.com Announced

Vendor-Neutral Source for Network, IT, ISP and other services

BOULDER – February 10, 2009 – Business Tech Guides (BTG) announced today the first vendor-neutral, independent guide to network services, hardware and solutions available at http://www.businesstechguides.com.   "There is major void in providing an unbiased source of knowledge for small-business and enterprise customers seeking answers and solutions to their solutions," commented Paul Daubitz – President of ATI-Telemangement (http://www.ati-telemgt.com), a leading independent consultancy.  "We spend an enormous of time sourcing solutions for our customers.  BTG will fill a critical knowledge-gap," Daubitz added. 

The purpose of BTG is to provide a "fresh-face" to an overly crowded list of business publications, newsletters and other publications.  In addition, vendor/provider web sites are terribly confusing, and most importantly, biased to only one vendor solution.

Vendors, providers, solutions developers can add without a charge their products and services including uploading videos and other multi-media presentations.

BTG will also provide white papers, customer case studies, training courses and other customer-oriented material.

ABOUT BTG

BTG is a vendor-independent service not owned or operated by any network, equipment, or

BTG is operated as a service to small-medium and enterprise companies seeking unbiased answers, solutions and guidance. 

Key words for products and services in BTG include:

Local Analog

Long Distance - Switched

Long Distance - Dedicated

Toll free services

Special call center routing

International services

Universal International Freephone Number

IP Services

E-FAX

T-1

T-3

PRI

BRI

OC-1

OC-3

OC-12+

Wavelength services

DSL

Private Line

CENTREX

Hosted audio conferencing

Premised-based audio conferencing

Video conferencing

Premised-based video conferencing

Speakerphones

Desktop telephones

Web conferencing

SIP Trunking

MPLS

VPLS

Metro Ethernet - Extended LAN

Ethernet - Private Label

Managed Mobility

Wireless-cellular services

Corporate cellular services

Remote access

Remote console

WiFi

WiMax

Wireless broadband

Wireless security

Wireless site planning

Managed Services

Managed Servers

Shared Servers

Dedicated Servers

SSL Certificates

Content Delivery Networks

Virtualization

Hosted VoIP Services

Hosted OCS Services

Web 2.0

Security

IP Security

SIP Security

Firewalls

VPN

Frame Relay

ATM

Contact-Call Center

Disaster Recovery (resiliency)

Dark Fiber

Video Services

PBX (name brands supported)

Key or hybrid SMB systems (name brands supported)

Remote key/PBX maintenance

Call recording

Voice Mail

UPS-Backup Power

Generators

SANS

Training

Co-location (rack space)

NOC functions and services

Operator services

CATV services

CRM services

Website design

Webmaster services

Advanced website optimization

IT services (patches, upgrades, monitoring)

Professional/consulting services

Bill auditing

Software development

Wholesale services

Channel partner program

PS/ALI-Private Switch-Automatic Location Identification

E911

Outside Plant Construction

Inside copper pair wiring

Inside fiber optic wiring

Electrical wiring

Project management

Hardware - switches-routers

Hardware - media gateways

Premise data center design

Site Surveys

SharePoint

SLA-Service Level Agreements

Customer service offerings

Scheduled services

Help desk

Remote IT support (not PBX)

Vulnerability assessments (white hat attacks)

SEM-SEO-Search Engine Market-Optimization

U.S. Cities Served

International cities

Microsoft OCS Planning Tools Added To OCS Training Classes
Get Job-Smart before you buy or deploy Microsoft OCS-Office Communications
Server R2

OCS Forum (http://www.ocsforum.com) announced today integration of Microsoft
OCS-Office Communications Server Release 2 (OCSR2) Planning Tools into classroom
and webseminar training.  Microsoft offers a number of OCS planning tools such
as OCS Capacity, VOAT (OCS VOice Assessment Tool), VIRTUAL OCS R2, Edge planning
and others.  "These tools are helpful but if you don't know why you are using
them or what the concept means, then it's just clicking on radio buttons," noted
Matt Jolly – CTO OCS Forum.  In addition, these tools don't tell you how to
install, configure or manage OCS.  "What we have done is integrate these tools
into our OCS indepth classroom or webseminar training.  The student gets not
just smart but job-smart," Jolly remarked.

  OCS Forum provides classroom and webseminar training as well as a
non-production environment for those IT departments without additional
equipment, budget or time.  This allows planners and users to test ideas, dial
in and dial back out, IM file transfers, remote desktop sharing, video
conferencing, run scenarios, break linkages and learning about new telephony
features and network access.  OCS Forum is also designed for both the system
integrator/consultant who wants to learn about OCSR2 without having to build
their own system as well as the enterprise customer who doesn't have the time,
resources or time to develop one.  OCS Forum Labs are designed to be "hands-on"
or "over-the-shoulder" with experts available for Q&A and classes for
feature-specific review.

About OCS Forum

OCS Forum is a vendor-independent laboratory environment designed for learning,
technical guides, knowledge resources and online "live" services.  OCS Forum
provides consulting, training, case studies, white papers, speaking engagements,
market/customer research, network planning and other services.  For more go to
http://www.ocsforum.com.

TMC University Expands Microsoft OCS Telephony Course at ITEXPO EXPO West 2009 in Los Angeles

Leading Edge Course Explores Microsoft's Office Communications Server (OCS)

Norwalk, CT, [May 14, 2009] — Technology Marketing Corporation (TMC), announced today that their TMC University division will offer a Microsoft Office Communications Server (OCS) training course at INTERNET TELEPHONY Conference & EXPO West 2009 (ITEXPO) in Los Angeles. The day-long course, which includes a 30-minute certification exam, will be held Tuesday, September 1st, day one of the three-day conference.

Titled, `Introduction to Microsoft OCS', this TMC University course offers an initial training session teaching users how to integrate Microsoft's new enterprise OCS into their existing infrastructure. 

According to TMC President and conference chairman, Rich Tehrani, TMC University is the only independent program of its kind. And this revised OCS course is a critical exploration to the series.

"Since Bill Gates' unveiling of Microsoft OCS, enterprises have scrambled to determine the most effective way to integrate its considerable advantages into their organizations. The OCS gives the necessary background for enterprise telecom and IT managers to make smart recommendations about what's best for their companies," said TMC president Rich Tehrani.

The program will be taught by Thomas Cross – CEO TECHtionary.com and OCSForum, an innovative communications advisor with considerable expertise in market planning and development, hardware/software design and development, project management, intellectual property in telecommunications, information technology, conferencing, teletraining, telecommuting, groupware, networks, call centers, internet, artificial intelligence and other fields.

Cross commented, OCS is the most profound innovation in telephony since digital PBX systems."  "It is very likely OCS will be a `must-have' for the enterprise business customer and for branch office communications.  By adding this training course to the Los Angeles program, attendees can attend a one-day class that prepares them to make recommendations to their companies about an OCS strategy." Cross added. 

The TMC University Microsoft OCS Course consists of sessions covering the following topics:

NEW – OCS R2 Update and R3 Outlook and "Live" OCS Demo

This course will have an expanded section on OCS R2 features including:

·        Response Group Service (call/support center)

·        Call Delegation

·        Team Call

·        Desktop Sharing

·        Single & Multi-Server Group Chat

·        SIP Trunking

·        Enhanced Media – High Definition Media

·        Firewall Configuration for the A/V Edge Server

·        Archiving, CDR (Call Detail Reporting), and QoE (Quality of Experience)

·        Simplified Management

·        Video Negotiation

·        Digital Certificates

Introduction and Overview

OCS business communications scenarios:

·        Instant messaging

·        On-premise Web conferencing

·        On-premise audio/video conferencing including Microsoft's Roundtable

·        Telephony

OCS-PBX Interoperability

This session explores and explains SIP-Session Initiation Protocol and how SIP is used to provide internet telephony functions in an OCS enterprise telephony solution. This session will explain:

·        SIP and versions of SIP used in OCS

·        SIP-to-PBX interoperability

·        SIP-to-IP-PBX interoperability

·        OCS and IP-PSTN gateway integration

·        Remote office telephony integration

OCS Servers

In this session, we will explore the various types of servers used in an OCS environment which include:

·        Mediation

·        Front End

·        Active Directory

Call Flow Scenarios

The following call flow scenarios supported by OCS will be covered in-depth:

·        Telephony users can connect to other telephony users by using OCS

·        Internal telephony users can also communicate with PSTN and PBX users

·        Outgoing calls

·        Incoming calls

Configuration and Planning - Top-10 SIP/OCS Site Planning – "Best Practices"

This session is designed to provide the student with an overview of key requirements for planning and implementing OCS.

This course is sponsored in part by NET-Network Equipment Technologies http://www.net.com.

Registration for the course and the entire conference is now open. For information and registration go to:

http://www.itexpo.com

Limited booth space remains available at ITEXPO as well. Vendors interested in exhibiting at the show should contact:

Maureen Gambino (A-L), mgambino@..., 203-852-6800 x109 or Joe Fabiano (M-Z), jfabiano@... ,203-852-6800 x132

About TMC^®

Technology Marketing Corporation (TMC) publishes Customer Interaction Solutions, INTERNET TELEPHONY, Unified Communications, and NGN magazines. TMCnet, TMC's Web site, is the leading source of news and articles for the communications and technology industries. Ranked in the top 4,000 most visited Web sites in the world by Quantcast, TMCnet serves as many as three million unique visitors each month. TMC is also the first publisher to test new products in its own on-site laboratories, TMC Labs. TMC produces INTERNET TELEPHONY Conference & EXPO, and 4GWE Conference. For more information about TMC, visit www.tmcnet.com.

About TECHtionary.com
TECHtionary.com produces dealer and customer training programs, online presentations including iPod, podcast and PC formats, sales brochures, virtual installation manuals and animated online presentations. TECHtionary.com has more than 3,005 free online presentations on data communications, internet, wireless, VoIP-Voice over Internet Protocol, SIP, PBX Systems, routing protocols, IT security, telephony, telecommunications, networking, routing, IPTV, WiMax, power systems, broadband, WiFi-wireless fidelity and other related technologies available at http://www.techtionary.com  TECHtionary provides custom animations, webseminars and other educational courses.

About OCS Forum

OCS Forum is a vendor-independent laboratory environment designed for learning, technical guides, knowledge resources and online "live" services.  OCS Forum provides consulting, training, case studies, white papers, speaking engagements, market/customer research, network planning and other services. 

For more go to http://www.ocsforum.com.

###

Four Critical Tips on SIP/OCS Media Gateways in 60 Seconds

Get smart on media gateways in 60 seconds, click here for the tutorial:

http://www.ocsforum.com/news/gateway/

OCSForum.com presents some critical "actionable" tips on SIP/OCS.  Here's the details.

1)      Gateway uses LDAP to access AD-Active Directory to route calls

Gateway sends caller information to AD-Active Directory.

a) If user is on the PBX, the Gateway will connect call to PBX.

b) If user is on OCS, the Gateway will connect call to OCS.

If OCS fails, the Gateway will access AD-Active Directory to determine alternate routes and then connect the call to PBX, cellular or others.

2)       Gateway includes built-in SIP proxy server which does routing supporting different SIP configurations.

3)      Gateway translates both SIP/UDP and SIP/TCP and G.711/G.729 transcoding.

4)      Gateway integrates non-standard/compliant SIP systems, applications & service providers.

This and other details can be found on OCS Forum SIP/OCS courses.

About OCS Forum

OCS Forum is a vendor-independent laboratory environment designed for learning, technical guides, knowledge resources and online "live" services.  OCS Forum provides consulting, training, case studies, white papers, speaking engagements, market/customer research, network planning and other services. 

For more go to http://www.ocsforum.com.

is there a simultion of megaco protocol in ns2?
help me.its urgent

OCS Forum Expo 2010 will be held in Boulder, Colorado, June 15 & 16 at the St.
Julien Hotel (www.stjulien.com) with keynotes from OCS MVPs, Media Gateway/SBC
experts, customers, planners and others.

Attendees and exhibitors will receive thousands of dollars in valuable videos,
training courses and online access to a "live" OCS system.

There will be sessions on OCS Planning, QoS, Security, Firewalls, Media
Gateways, PBX Integration, Mobile OCS, Communicator, WAN-Bandwidth Planning,
Customer Applications, Troubleshooting, Session Border Controllers and others.

For speaker/exhibitor/attendee information contact Tom Cross cross@...
or 303-594-1694.

New TODAY - OCS Front End Server:
If you have been wondering what a Front End Server does, watch this video. We
will show you via the OCS management console what it looks like and what it
does.

Video, check out our weekly free training video - watch it now!  Go to
www.ocsforum.com

Next week:
Server Roles: Mediation Server. If you have been wondering what a Mediation
Server does, watch this video. We will show you via the OCS management console
what it looks like and what it does.


Following Week:
Server Roles: Edge Server. If you have been wondering what an Edge Server does,
watch this video. We will show you via the OCS management console what it looks
like and what it does.

Previous Videos:
- OCS Planning Tool
- Edge Planning Tool
- Getting To Know Microsoft Office Communicator
- OCS User Creation

GET ALL OCS Videos - free to class attendees.  More than 20 OCS videos will be
available in the coming months with up to 10 new videos monthly.  Amazing
"actionable" information for anyone doing OCS.  Subscriptions available for 1,
10, 100 or more users starting at $9.95 a month. Subscription service goes live
soon.

ONLINE WEBSEMINAR - sign up now for next webseminar October 12 and second week
of every month October-December classes via webseminar - Monday-Friday (10AM EST
- 4PM EST) - $995 per person with access to the OCS system for 30-days afterward
(additional time available at a discount).

Private seminars either onsite or online are also available, depending on
schedule.

New TODAY - Server Role: Mediation Server. If you have been wondering what a Mediation Server does, watch this video. We will show you via the OCS management console what it looks like and what it does. 
 

Check out our weekly free training video - watch it now!  Go to www.ocsforum.com

Next week:

Server Roles: Edge Server. If you have been wondering what an Edge Server does, watch this video. We will show you via the OCS management console what it looks like and what it does.
 

Previous Videos
- OCS Front End Server

- OCS Planning Tool
- Edge Planning Tool
- Getting To Know Microsoft Office Communicator
- OCS User Creation

 
GET ALL OCS Videos - free to class attendees.  More than 20 OCS videos will be available in the coming months with up to 10 new videos monthly.  Amazing "actionable" information for anyone doing OCS.  Subscriptions available for 1, 10, 100 or more users starting at $9.95 a month. Subscription service goes live soon.

This is the first part of a multi-part book review and interview with Paul Dunay the Global Managing Director of Services and Social Marketing for Avaya on his just released book called "Facebook Marketing for Dummies." (Wiley)

Aren't there enough books on Facebook: 

Paul "Plenty of books on Facebook but this book is about utilizing Facebook as a business platform. That is, Facebook is rapidly becoming a platform for marketing of products and brands and is going to be even more dominant with things like storefronts, behavior targeting ads, video and coupons in ads and much more.  Facebook is an evolving social network moving towards being a dominant platform with 300,000,000 users, 70% are international users, with one billion photos every month, 10 million videos every month, four billion updates every month, 45 million active groups, which nets out to be - five billion minutes of usage a day making it the third largest website behind Google and Yahoo to name just a few of its key highlights."

That's a lot of impressive stats, but what does it mean:

Paul: "Facebook marketing gets down to the individual person rather than search term or topic essentially eliminating the waste in keyword targeting your prospects. Facebook gets you to the buyer not the idea. What this means is a vast new opportunity for targeted marketing. More importantly, it is very early stage right now. It reminds me of 2001 when savvy marketers were experimenting with Google AdWords when it just launched. Exciting times!"

Marketing has been called by the great marketing geniuses Trout and Ries the "battle for your mind," how will Facebook marketing be any different:

Paul: "If you are a marketer or SMB you can use the Facebook platform to use as your playbook for marketing.  Rather than trying to figure out what marketing really is, Facebook is your marketing tool/platform. And best of all Facebook is free – where else can you build a presence on the web with a blogs, show videos, hold events, and more with all this who needs a website?"

What other secrets are in the book? 

Paul: "One of the growing marketing trends is companies monitoring their "social presence." Facebook is at the very vortex center of this social firestorm.  With Facebook you can also create engaging applications aligning the brand with an experience for people hitting your site on Facebook for the first time. You can direct them to specific tabs (think URLs) on Facebook.  Facebook also increases viewer navigation to specific tools such as blogs, wikis and third-party applications."

How does Avaya fit into this picture?

Paul: "Avaya saw the potential of Facebook in November of 2007 for a new communication forms within social networks. Avaya saw the need to provide a solution on how to engage Facebook users privately and how to provide call center support via the Facebook platform.  As well as how to create a meeting, with presence attributes, IM capability, embedded video, and a messaging suite, these are all part of the Avaya solution." 

Facebook for Marketing is available from your favorite bookseller or:

post your jobs at www.ocsforum.com

In the animated tutorial, you will see and hear the difference between:

Old Way – Smart Networks – Dumb Devices

PSTN-Public Switched Telephone Network - TDM-Time Division Multiplexed - Circuit-Channel Switching

&

New Way – Dumb Networks – Smart Devices & Applications

INTERNET-INTERconnections of NETworks

Packet Switched IP-Internet Protocol Networks and MPLS-Multi-Protocol Label Switching

OCS Forum Presents Seven Key Network Applications for

SIP/OCS Media Gateways in a Minute

The podcast and animated tutorial is available here:

http://www.ocsforum.com/news/podcast-sip-mg-sbc.html

In addition, get smart on media gateways in less than a minute.

To begin with, here are a few basics - SBC-Session Border Controllers connect SIP-Session Initiation Protocol devices to the PSTN-Public Switched Telephone Network.   MG-Media Gateways also connect SIP devices to the PSTN.  The difference is SBC's are provider-class systems, whereas MG's are designed for local connection to the PSTN or SIP trunking network.  That is, MG's would be strategically located across the continent or world and interface the PSTN only as necessary.  In other words, even a high-volume company might only need a few MG's or SBC's to provide carrier-class performance including a vast array of features.

Here are applications of Media Gateways:

1 - Connection of IP-PBX (Internet Protocol – Private Branch eXchange) to PSTN (Public Switched Telephone Network)

2 - Connection of IP-PBX to PSTN & SIP (Session Initiation Protocol) trunk provider

3 - Survivable connection to SIP trunk provider

4 - Connection of PBX & IP-PBX to PSTN & SIP trunk provider

     Hairpin or Hairpinning - calls come in from PSTN and routed back out to PSTN

5 - Connection of IP-PBX to Hosted VoIP provider

6 - Connection of IP-PBX & PSTN to Microsoft OCS (Office Communications Server)

7 - Multiple SIP-OCS proxies – SIP-to-SIP calls, TDM-to-TDM (Time Division Multiplexed) calls and SIP-to-TDM calls

About OCS Forum

OCS Forum is a vendor-independent laboratory environment designed for learning, technical guides, knowledge resources and online "live" services.  OCS Forum provides consulting, training, case studies, white papers, speaking engagements, market/customer research, network planning and other services. 

For more go to http://www.ocsforum.com.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Media Contact: Tom Cross

303-594-1694

cross@...

OCS Forum Presents - OCS R2-2010-Ultimate Course

Five-Day Training with "Hands-on" Labs with 700+ page manual

Critical Course Preparation for Planning OCS Design & Certification Study for Exam 70-638, Exam 70-262 and other tests

BOULDER – November 3, 2009 – OCS Forum (http://www.ocsforum.com) announced its new OCSR2-2010 Ultimate course.  "R2 and R3 coming in 2010 confirms Microsoft place in the new telecommunications networking business," noted Tom Cross OCS Forum CEO.  "R2 is having a significant impact on corporate voice telecommunications strategies indicating the end of the TDM-time division multiplexed PBX-Private Branch eXchange systems is now insight.  Microsoft is also driving companies like Cisco, Nortel, Avaya, NEC, Mitel, ShoreTel to rethink their featuresets and capabilities because while R2 is a new game when R3 is released in 2010, their days are numbered," Cross commented.

This five -day (5-day) "hands-on" lab course with 700+ page manual focuses on the core components of OCS 2007 R2, including:

• Instant Messaging (IM) between everyone in the organization in the office or remote
• Application and Desktop sharing for true collaboration
• Audio/Video Conferencing including internally hosted audio conference calls and Live Meetings
• Integration with Exchange Server 2007 Unified Messaging
• Securing the environment to protect communications

The course provides many hands-on labs to practice and reinforce learning of many new concepts. After completing this course, students should be able to design, install, configure, maintain, monitor, and troubleshoot the core components of OCS 2007 R2.  A complete outline is available at:

http://www.ocsforum.com/news/Course%20Overview-2010k.htm

About OCS Forum

OCS Forum is a vendor-independent laboratory environment designed for learning, technical guides, knowledge resources and online "live" services.  OCS Forum provides consulting, training, case studies, white papers, speaking engagements, market/customer research, network planning and other services.  For more go to http://www.ocsforum.com.

OCS Course Overview

This five -day (5-day) course with 700+ page manual focuses on the core components of OCS 2007 R2, including:

• Instant Messaging (IM) between everyone in the organization in the office or remote
• Application and Desktop sharing for true collaboration
• Audio/Video Conferencing including internally hosted audio conference calls and Live Meetings
• Integration with Exchange Server 2007 Unified Messaging
• Securing the environment to protect communications

The course provides many hands-on labs to practice and reinforce learning of many new concepts. After completing this course, students should be able to design, install, configure, maintain, monitor, and troubleshoot the core components of OCS 2007 R2.

Module 0: Course Introduction

This module introduces the course and provides some basic information about the history of OCS and the unified communications concept.

• Overview of each Module
• Instructor Led Philosophy
• Manual Conventions
• Manual Components
• Related Courses
• House Keeping
• Instructor and Student Introductions

Module 1: Overview of Unified Communications and OCS 2007 R2 – 22 pages

In this module, students learn about Microsoft's unified communications strategy and the general architecture for OCS 2007 R2. Other topics covered in this module include:

• Architecture overview
• Client overview
• Differences between Standard and Enterprise versions of OCS 2007 R2
• Licensing Highlights

Module 2: Deploying OCS 2007 R2 – 94 pages

This module covers the installation prerequisites for OCS 2007 R2 that include:

• Preparing for Deployment
• Hardware Recommendation
• Installing an Enterprise Pool
• The OCS 2007 R2 Console
• Configuring Enterprise Pools
• Review Installation and Configuration Changes
• Deploying the Address Book
• Server Role Activation
• User Configuration
• Deploying the Microsoft Office Communicator Client

Module 3: OCS 2007 R2 Roles – 52 pages

This module explains each of the roles and servers in OCS 2007 R2 including:

• Front End Server Roles
• Back End Server
• Other Server Roles
• Global Settings

Module 4: OCS 2007 R2 Architecture and Design – 67 pages

This module provides details about the different OCS Server roles, as well as the network architecture and base designs to consider when deploying OCS 2007 R2. Specifically, topics in this module include:

• Protocols
• Farm Deployment
• External Access
• High Availability and Load Balancing
• Backup and Recovery
• Monitoring

Module 5: OCS 2007 R2 Clients – 57 pages

This module covers the multiple clients and client types that are compatible with OCS 2007 R2. Specifically, the following topics are included in this module:

• Overview of Microsoft Office Communicator (MOC) 2007 R2
• Add and Configure Users
• MOC 2007 R2 Installation and Deployment
• Presence
• Desktop Sharing with MOC 2007 R2
• OCS 2007 R2 Attendant and Delegation
• Response Group
• OCS 2007 R2 Group Chat Client (GCC)
• MOC 2007 R2 Group Policies
• MOC 2007 R2 Logging and Troubleshooting
• Live Meeting 2007 and Conferencing Add-In
• Microsoft Office Communicator Mobile (CoMo) 2007 R2 and Single Number Reach
• Overview of VoIP devices
• Communicator Web Access (CWA)

Module 6: Deploy Remote Access, Audio / Video, and Web Conferencing Edge Servers – 81 pages

This module provides details about extending OCS 2007 R2 for WAN access via Communicator or Web client. Specifically, the following topics are included in this module:

• When to deploy Remote Access Edge Servers
• Functions of Edge Servers
• Planning for Edge Servers
• Installing and Configuring Edge Servers
• When to Deploy Director
• Install and configure a Director

 Module 7: Conference Using OCS 2007 R2 – 42 - pages

This module explains how to set up and manage conferences with OCS 2007 R2. Specifically, topics covered in this module include:

• MOC 2007 R2 Escalation
• MOC 2007 R2 Audio/Video (A/V) Conferencing
• Live Meeting Conferencing
• OCS 2007 R2 Conferencing versus Hosted Live Meeting Conferencing
• Live Meeting 2007, Conferencing Add-In, and Outlook 2007
• Configuring Live Meeting Policies
• RoundTable Conferencing
• Group Chat
• Dial-In Audio Conferencing

Module 8: Monitoring – 40 pages

This module discusses the combination of Monitoring with Archiving and Compliance in one server how it can be used to benefit an organization. Specifically, topics in this module include:

• Compliance overview
• Components of Monitoring
• Installing Monitoring
• Configure and use Monitoring

Module 9: Securing OCS 2007 R2 – 91 pages

This module provides in-depth material related to maintaining the security of your OCS 2007 R2 environment. Specifically, the following topics are covered in this module:

• Information Security Overview
• OCS 2007 R2 Security
• Security of Internal Clients
• Security for Remote Clients
• Security of Anonymous Access
• Security of Federated Access
• Security of PIC
• Perimeter Security
• IM Hygiene, Antispam, and Antivirus

Module 10: Troubleshooting and Monitoring – 52 pages

This module provides details about troubleshooting techniques and the performance monitoring counters to consider when managing an OCS 2007 R2 installation. Specifically, this module includes the following topics:

• Performance Monitoring
• Event Logging
• System Monitoring
• Troubleshoot OCS 2007 R2
• Monitoring

Module 11: Telephony and OCS 2007 R2 – 69 pages

This module covers the basic concepts of telephony including defining the terminology required before implementing a telephony solution. Specifically, this module includes the following topics:

• Overview of Telephony
• Telephony Terminology
• Introduction to VoIP
• Microsoft Enterprise Voice
• VoIP Components
• Importance of Voice Quality
• Remote Call Control (RCC)

Module 12: Mediation Server Role – 48 pages

This module explains what a Mediation Server does and how it fits into the overall architecture of the unified communications framework. Specifically, topics in this module include:

• Understand the Role of the Mediation Server
• Planning Meeting Gateway
• Media Gateway Deployment Considerations
• Mediation Server Installation
• Mediation Server Configuration
• SIP Trunking

 Module 13: Integration with Microsoft Exchange 2007 Unified Messaging and Microsoft Office SharePoint Server 2007 – 91 pages

This module provides details about extending OCS 2007 R2 for interaction with Exchange 2007 Unified Messaging and enhancing the collaboration experience with SharePoint 2007. Specifically, topics in this module include:

• Overview of UM
• UM Components
• UM Architecture and Design
• Integration with OCS 2007 R2
• Integration Features with Exchange 2007

Module 14: Speech Server (Self Study) – 47 pages

This module provides details using the Speech Server component to enable voice interaction. Specifically, the topics covered in this module include:

• Overview of Speech Server
• Speech Server architecture and design
• Speech Server installation
• Speech Server configuration

Module 15: Upgrade and Migration from Live Communications Server 2005 – Self Paced Module (Self Study) – 34 pages

This module provides details about upgrading or migrating from Live Communications Server 2005. Specifically, topics covered in this module include:

• Active Directory modifications
• SSL certificate migration or replacement
• Methods for server coexistence
• Methods for server upgrade and migration
• Client coexistence
• Client upgrade  

Scheduling & Lab Computer requirements

To confirm delivery dates, fees including estimated travel and expenses are required.  Purchase Orders (P.O.) are accepted but do not confirm dates.  Final expenses are due within 15 business days after completion of class.  Please note that payments received for delivery dates are subject to final approval by OCS Forum.  Final student attendance is set 30 days prior to the first day of class with additional student payment due on the first day class.   OCS Forum will provide a student manual for each student at no extra charge.  Client will provide room, computers for lab access, high-quality video projector, desks, power strips, beverages, food service and other amenities.  Classes are conducted each day (subject to mutually agreeable changes) from 0900-1600 with one hour for lunch.  Access to training room will be available from 0800-1700 each day.

For OCS lab access each student must have a PC (dual core, 8G RAM, 90G disk) running Windows 2008R2. Computers can be provided by OCS Forum for an additional fee.

Course content and terms are subject to change without notice.  All course content delivery may not be completed due to time restraints such as student questions and special explanations of concepts presented. OCS Forum is part of Techtionary Corporation, a Colorado corporation which provides invoice/billing.  Corporate and shipping address is 2525 Arapahoe E-4-313, Boulder, Colorado 80302.

About OCS Forum

OCS Forum instructors have MVP, MCT, MCITPx4, MCTSx6, MCSE, CTT+, Security+ and other certifications. OCS Forum provides classroom and webseminar training as well as a non-production environment for those IT departments without additional equipment, budget or time.  This allows planners and users to test ideas, dial in and dial back out, IM file transfers, remote desktop sharing, video conferencing, run scenarios, break linkages and learning about new telephony features and network access.  OCS Forum is also designed for both the system integrator/consultant who wants to learn about OCS R2 without having to build their own system, as well as the enterprise customer who doesn't have the time or resources to develop one.  OCS Forum Labs are designed to be "hands-on" or "over-the-shoulder" with experts available for Q&A and classes for feature-specific review.

OCS Forum Expo 2010 will be held in Boulder, Colorado, June 15 & 16 at the St. Julien Hotel (www.stjulien.com) with keynotes from OCS MVPs, Media Gateway/SBC experts, customers, planners and others.  Attendees and exhibitors will receive thousands of dollars in valuable videos, training courses and online access to a "live" OCS system.  There will be sessions on OCS Planning, QoS, Security, Firewalls, Media Gateways, PBX Integration, Mobile OCS, Communicator, WAN-Bandwidth Planning, Customer Applications, Troubleshooting, Session Border Controllers and others.

OCS Forum is a vendor-independent laboratory environment designed for learning, technical guides, knowledge resources and online "live" services.  OCS Forum provides planning, project management, consulting, training, case studies, white papers, speaking engagements, market/customer research, network planning and other services. 

For more go to http://www.ocsforum.com.  Call Tom Cross 303-594-1694 or cross@... for more information and scheduling.

CrossTalk Named One of the Top-10 Telecommunications Blogs

http://navigator.cision.com/Top_10_Telecommunications_Blogs.aspx

Blog can be found at: http://blog.tmcnet.com/cross-talk/

or Twitter at

Twitter - http://twitter.com/techtionary

The tutorial shows how a media gateway (gateway) uses LDAP-Lightweight Directory
Access Protocol to access AD-Active Directory to route calls.  Gateway sends
caller information to AD-Active Directory.
    1) If user is on the PBX, the Gateway will connect call to PBX.
    2) If user is on OCS, the Gateway will connect call to OCS.

    3) If OCS fails, the Gateway will access AD-Active Directory to determine
alternate routes and then connect the call to PBX, cellular or others.
    4) Gateway includes built-in SIP proxy server which does routing supporting
different SIP configurations.
    5) Gateway translates both SIP/UDP and SIP/TCP and G.711/G.729 transcoding.

    6) Gateway integrates non-standard/compliant SIP systems, applications &
service providers.

Free newsletter and tutorial http://www.ocsforum.com

SIP 2010 Planning Guide
SIP-Session Initiation Protocol
& Optional Introduction to OCS-Office Communications Server
2-5 Days Onsite, Via Webseminar or ~32 hours online.
NEW for 2010 - Designing and Planning Scalable SIP Networks (see below for
details).
© TECHtionary Corporation – all rights reserved
________________________________________
For more information and scheduling, please call Tom Cross 303-594-1694
or cross@...

Volume discounts are available.  All major credit cards are accepted.  Special
SIP Forum & Microsoft Partner discounts are available.  Additional discounts for
multiple sessions are available. For more information on SIP Forum go to
www.sipforum.com
Reference Promotional Code - SIPF8203
________________________________________
What Providers, Agents and Users are saying about these courses:
According to Matt Jolly IT Consultant, "VoIP Business Executive course VoIP
training to a new higher level. For example, there is nothing like the tutorials
SIP available anywhere or from anyone. For the channel partner or customer, this
course provides critical insights for successful implementation and management.
The new user interface speeds learning allowing viewers to grasp complex
concepts faster than ever before. With this course, VoIP providers can rapidly
accelerate the learning process for their channel partners which in turn
accelerate revenues. Now is the time for users and providers alike to make this
course an integral part of their business operations."  Matt Jolly - Consultant
............................................
"I am writing regarding Tom Cross and the online training and VoIP/SIP course.
By far this is the best program in place, as Tom is one of the most recognized
trainers in the United States for VoIP/SIP. It might be worth to add this course
to your sign-up package for agents around the country not only as a profit
center but something that you could co-brand and have a "leg-up" on your
competition."  Bill Bowyer - CEO – VoIP in America
..........................................
"The SIP/VoIP courses are more than a superb primer on VoIP/SIP technology; they
are an indepth business plan for a VoIP/SIP implementation. In addition, the
VoIP/SIP diagnostic and troubleshooting guide is the most thorough approach to
VoIP QoS available. I need information that informs but does not overwhelm.
Information that guides but not drives you away. The courses provide insights
and actionable information that has helped me get the technology we need sooner
but saved me a considerable amount in understanding what we didn't need. The SIP
course especially is a valuable one which provides much needed information in a
readily understandable format."  Paul Daubitz - President – ATI-TeleManagement
________________________________________
Who Should Attend:  - This online course is designed for enterprise executive
and technical managers, channel partners, VAR-Value-Added Resellers, SI-Systems
Integrators, telephone interconnect, agents, master agents and consultants.  In
addition, this course will benefit corporate technical, staff marketing,
training business development, sales, channel managers, operations, engineering,
support and other corporate managers for SIP-VoIP providers, carriers, software
developers and hardware manufacturers.
What You Will Learn:
•         Review the fundamentals of IP-Internet Protocol and platforms required
for high performance SIP-VoIP systems.  This includes soft switches, gateways,
routers, services and other critical components.
•         Explore business applications and opportunities.  Review what
customers are buying today and why they are buying.  In addition, emerging
"killer applications" will be explained in depth.
•         Quickly grasp complex subjects such as H.323, MGCP and SIP.  As
SIP-Session Initiation Protocol emerges are the key VoIP communications
protocol, discover how this technology will impact all voice communications
systems from key, PBX, IP-PBX, hosted, managed and other systems.
•         Understand basic and advanced SIP-VoIP concepts features.  From
hosted, managed, IAS, and IP-PBX, quickly understands "what's-what" for
different customer applications and business models.
•          Probe the issues behind Integrated and Converged Access.  Understand
when and why organizations need a converged access solution.
•         Understand why "network assessment" is critical to any SIP-VoIP
implementation and why this step cannot be overlooked.
•          Address the issue of QoS-Quality of Service by overcoming jitter,
echo, noise and other network problems.  Review the role of RTCP and other tools
to monitor and maintain high performance VoIP networks.
•         Understand the functions of the new communications "toolbar."  See how
the benefits of "unified communications" as they improve business operations.
•         Assess the Top-10 issues why SIP trunking and hosted VoIP is more than
"dial-tone," and how it can represent change in the business and business model
of even the smallest enterprises.  Discuss and explore new ways to improve
fundamental business processes.
•         Explore how a SIP-VoIP call is processed and review potential security
attacks.   Discover how SPIT, VOMIT, DOS and other terrorist attacks can target
not just data, but voice packets.
•         Review SIP and SIP Trunking and all the implications and applications
from TCO-Total Cost of Ownership to QoS-Quality of Service.  SIP Trunking is the
most profound new form of telecommunications since POTS.
•     Explore Microsoft's OCS-Office Communications Server features,
concepts, call flows, configurations and other issues for evaluation and
implementation.
________________________________________
Detailed Course Outline
Day One - Fundamentals of Data/Internet Telecommunications
NOTE: Day one is recommended for those wanting an update in internet
technologies, data networking and network services (bandwidth).
-  Fundamental Network and IP Technologies – the IP in SIP
•         1 – Voice-to-Digital-to-Packet Transmission
•         2 – Back To Basics – Cabling, Conduit and Electrical Systems
•         3 – Transmission Concepts – DSL, T-1/E-1, ISDN-PRI, SIP Trunking,
GIG-E
•         4 – Optical Fiber & Bandwidth
•         5 – Integrated Access Services – Dynamic Bandwidth Allocation –
BOD-Bandwidth On Demand
•         6 – Introduction to IP-Internet Protocol and VoIP-SIP ,
MPLS-Multi-Protocol Label Switching, DiffServ-Differentiated Services, DSCP
Differentiated Services Code Points and Packet Priority Classifications,
TOS-Type of Service, EF-Express Forwarding, MPLS Uniform mode, MPLS Pipe and
Short-Pipe modes, WRR-Weighted Round Robin, TCB-Traffic Conditioning Blocks -
Marker, Meter, Shaping, Droppers and PHB-Per Hob Behavior.
•         7 – TCP/IP and other Protocols and Layers – RTP, RTCP, SDP, SOAP, SALT
           -  Call processing with Route, Image, DHCP, DNS, Image, Configuration
servers
•         8 – Hardware – Routers, Switches – MAC-Media Access Control,
WiFi-VLANS-VPNS
•         9 – Protocols "Rules of the Road" – H.228, H.323, MGCP, SIP, and
Desktop "Softphones," "Toolbars" and other end points (desksets)
•         10 – IP-PBX and Hosted VoIP/SIP – Integrated/Unified/Homogenized
- Top-10 Critical Technologies to SIP
1 –  IP protocol, IP networking and a VPN
2 - The difference between IAS-Integrated Access Service versus Converged Access
Service
- Enhanced IAS with MPPP-Multi-link Point-to-Point Protocol, PPP Multilink
Protocol (MP), L2TP-Layer 2 Tunneling Protocol
- VPLS-Virtual Private LAN Service - new name for metro-ethernet
      - Switching Versus Routing - key benefits of VPLS
3 –  SIP-Session Initiation Protocol Trunking -
-        SIGTRAN (Signaling Transport)
-        SCTP-Stream Control Transmission Protocol
4 – Justification for an IP PBX – options and approaches
5 – Technical difference between IAS-Integrated Access Service, Hosted and
Managed VoIP
-  Call processing with Route, Image, DHCP, DNS, Configuration servers
-  Media Gateways replace PBXs -  the following tutorials are some examples of
customer applications of MG-Media Gateways:
       - Connection of IP-PBX to PSTN
- Connection of IP-PBX to PSTN & SIP trunk provider
- Survivable connection to SIP trunk provider
- Connection of PBX & IP-PBX to PSTN & SIP trunk provider
- Connection of IP-PBX to Hosted VoIP provider
- Connection of IP-PBX & PSTN to Microsoft OCS Server
-  SC-Session Controllers or SBC-Session Border Controllers are access devices
operate at Layer 5 Session Layer, where as routers operate at Layer 3 Network.  
Some of the key SBC/SC functions are:
- Secure network peering - private and public to enhance performance
- Topology hiding - using various types of inter-AS-Autonomous System features
as well as separating media (voice) and hide signaling (IP addresses) and data
streams (traffic)
- Border call routing - routing at AS level rather than with interior protocols
- Interoperability - access/restrict to reduce voice spam
- QoS & Call Admission Control - load/jitter correction
- Billing systems interoperability - reduce billing errors
- NAT-Network Address Translation - routing for maximum performance
- CALEA-Communications Assistance for Law Enforcement Act
- Compatibility with billing
- Dialect conversion
- Protocol conversion
- Codec conversion
- Firewall restrictions
- Wholesale and Transit peering
6 – "Open Source" PBX options
7 – QoS-Quality of Service importance - how to measure it and fix it
8 –  Softphones – Where they make sense - user benefits
9 -   The difference between IPT-Internet Protocol Telephony and VoIP - Cisco,
Broadsoft, Sylantro and other platforms
10 -  Unified Communications – Mobility Applications
________________________________________
Day Two - Introduction to SIP-Session Initiation Protocol
- SIP Planning - SIP Introduction and Overview
-  SIP Definition – IETF (RFC-3261) and Manufacturers
	 - CPL-Call Processing Language
	 - AOR-Address Of Record – q-values
	 - Location Service - DNS-Domain Name Service
	 - CPL-Call Processing Language
	 - B2BUA-Back-2-Back User Agent
  - Session Initiation Protocol for Telephones (SIP-T): RFC 3372
- SIP-SS7-Signaling System 7 call processing including – IAM-Initial Address
Message, Routing label, CIC-Circuit Identification Code and Message Type Code.
Examples of Message Type Codes include: Called Number, Calling Number,
DPC-Destination Point Code, OPC-Origination Point Code, SS7-ISUP ACM-Address
Complete Message, ANM-ANswer Message, CPG-Call ProGress Message, COT-COTinuity
Message, SUS-SUSpend Message, RES-RESume Message, FOT-FOrward message Transfer,
INR-INformation Request message, INF-INFormation Message, RELease and other
messages.
-  SIP – Applications Layer 7 Protocol – Peer-to-Peer protocol
-  SIP – Before and After
-  SIP and Hosted – Better or Worse or Both
-  SIP Signaling – Introduction, URI-Uniform Resource
- SIP & SBC-Session Border Controllers, servers, gateways,
- SIP with and without IADs-Integrated Access Devices
- SIP and SIP Phones, Softphones, Mobility,
-       SIP Signaling Basics – Inbound/Outbound calling
-       UC-SIP Bandwidth Planning - Critical Concepts for PC Video, data and
voice
-       SIP Trunking - Four types and counting of SIP Trunking offerings
-       SIP Trunking – Incremental "Slope" Growth
- CODECS-COmpression-DECompression signal processors – issues and answers
  - SIP Trunk Replacement & Disaster Planning
- SIP & Open Standards
- SIP and Trunk Replacement – same or different thing
- SIP and Proxy ARP-Address Resolution Protocol
- SIP and HSRP-Hot Standby Routing Protocol
- SIP and MPLS-Multi-Protocol Label Switching – COS and QoS
-  SIP QoS – oxymoron or critical concept
- SIP on-net and off-net issues – overflow call processing
-  SIP TCO-Total Cost of Ownership – Top-10 Benefits
  - SIP Technology - Indepth
- SIP – OSI-Open Systems Interconnection - "If you do not know where you are
going, what difference does it make which path you take".....Cheshire Cat (Alice
in Wonderland)
-       SIP "Methods" – Writing call processing as easy as email – invite, ACK,
bye, etc.
- SIP Signaling "commands" – 1xx-6xx
- SIP Inbound and Outbound call processing
-  SDP-Session Description Protocol - headers, Via, Max-Forwards, To:,
URL-Uniform Resource Locator, URI-Uniform Resource Identifier, call-ID, Cseq,
Contact, Content-Type, Content-Length, Security and others
-  Session Description Protocol Security Descriptions (SDES)
- SIP Features - Forks, SIP Proxy, Redirect, Presence, Forking –
parallel-sequential-mixed, loops, spirals
-  SIP Network devices - UA-User Agent, UAC-User Agent Client, UAS-User Agent
Server
	 -Proxy Server, Redirect Server, Registrar Server, B2BUA-Back-to-Back User Agent
-  SRTP-Secure Real-time Transport Protocol (RFC-3711)
	 -  Authentication Tag and the Master Key Identifier
	 -  Encryption


________________________________________
Day Three - Advanced SIP Planning and Security
- SIP Security – "Best Practices" – Reality Check
- SIP Security "Best Practices" – overview
-        SIP Firewalls and Security – SPIT-SPam over Internet Telephony,
DOS-Denial Of Service, VOMIT-Voice Over Misconfigured Internet Telephony and
other emerging problems
- SIP Security and "Access Policy" – Stateful IP Filtering and Inspection,
Static and Stateless IP Filters, TLS-Transport Layer Security, NAT-Network
Address Translation, Persistent connection, Multi-homed hosts, etc.
- SIP and MIM-Man-In-the-Middle attacks – Understanding wireline and WiFi
wireless attacks
-  Telephone Numbers – North American Numbering Plan and International
ENUM-E.164
- SIP Security Architectures – Building Blocks
-          SIP Security Architectures – eight different VoIP configurations
evaluating SIP-Aware Firewalls and other security options:
		 - Type 1 – Dedicated IP Pipe for VoIP
		 - Type 2 – Merged MPLS-Pipe with LER Tagging VoIP
		 - Type 3 – Merged IP pipe with SIP-Aware Firewall (SAFW)
		 - Type 4 – Separate IP Pipe for VoIP with Existing Non-SIP Firewall and
SIP-Aware Firewall (SOFW)
		 - Type 5 – Merged IP Pipe with Incumbent Non-SIP-aware Firewall, No DMZ Port
and SIP-aware Firewall (SAFW)
		 - Type 6 – Looks like Type 5 but Merged IP Pipe with Incumbent Non-SIP-aware
Firewall, No DMZ Port and SIP-aware Firewall
		 - Type 7 – Merged IP Pipe with Incumbent Non-SIP-aware Firewall with a DMZ
Port
		 -  Type 8 – Merged IP Pipe with Incumbent Non-SIP-aware Firewall
- Other approaches to SIP Security - Proxy/Gateway Inside the Firewall,
Proxy/Gateway in Co-Edge Mode and Proxy/Gateway Outside the Firewall, how
Firewalls add time delays to TCP/IP
- 50-Point Comprehensive SIP Security Checklist - more than 50 different
security concepts to review and include in the implementation and ongoing
network management program
- SIP Security-Privacy Lifecycle Management - key planning for capturing,
storage, users, and disposition (archiving/destruction)
NEW for 2010 - Designing and Planning Scalable SIP Networks
The five areas of discussion presented (with modifications I added) are:
Here are the highlights in text format:
	 1 - Benefits of Server Virtualization aka Abstraction
		 - Distributed user endpoints and application servers
		 - Scalable growth with QoS control abstraction
		 - MACS* via signaling "abstraction"
*Moves, Adds, Changes & SAS-Stand Alone Survivability - SAS enables backup for
SIP devices by the multiple "abstract" local or cloud Media Gateway(s)
	 2 - Benefits of SIP Trunking
		 - Session and Signaling control layers for:
     			 - On-net (IP PBX to IP PBX)
     			 - Off-net (IP PBX to local PSTN)
     			 - Off-net (IP PBX to LD/IDDD PSTN)
		 - SPOC/SMOC-Single/Multiple Point of Connection
     			 - National control points for access (vendors) - Migration path to
ALL-SIP & IMS-3GPP
	 3 - Benefits of Number Transparency
		 - End-to-end media control (transparency) for voice or other media types
		 - Access to SS7 applications for text messaging, mobility or call center
routing
		 - Enterprise control over call completion whether PSTN or SIP rather than
provider
		 - Migration path to E.164 & IMS-3GPP
	 4 - Benefits of SIP Routing
		 - Eliminates "mesh" network mess
		 - Add intelligent Session Layer 5 routing - Maintains end-to-end media
transparency
		 - Add media CoS-Classes of Service - Adds SPOC NOC-Network Operations Center
		 - Migration path to ALL-SIP & IMS-3GPP
	 5 - Benefits of SIP Proxy Peering Networks
		 - Platform for multi-vendor services
		 - Ensures multiple CoS & QoS options
		 - Migration path to ALL-SIP & IMS-3GPP
		 - Foundation for any future network needs
  - SIP Class of Service & Quality of Service
- SIP COS-Class Of Service and QoS-Quality of Service – ethernet meets "smart"
IP
- Managing "real-time" voice with RTCP-Real-Time Control Protocol – MRB-Metrics
Report Blocks
- Inside MRB – what's what with all the info
- SIP Applications and Future Outlook
-        SIP Applications
	 – IM-Instant Messaging call screening
	 - SIP Presence Communicated by IM-Instant Messaging
	 - Click-to-call and others
- SIP for Call Centers – calling options and pricing benefits
	 - Event Notification
	 - Ondemand Conferencing
-  Integration of additional "third-party" developed SIP-enhanced services
provides additional business and enterprise justification for SIP trunking.
- UDDI-Universal Description, Discovery and Integration uses standards-based
services such as XML, HTTP, SOAP, TCP/IP (define above) uniform service
description and service discovery protocol. Discovery services provide a
consistent publishing interface and allow programmatic discovery (registration)
of services.  Description services provide the means for internet registration -
to be found but not advertisement or placement on search engine listings. UDDI
file structures are designed using a "publish-once-read-by-many" concept.  That
is, web site URL-Uniform Resource Locator can be designed using UDDI standard
file structures which can be published to the UDDI server network.  The UDDI
network can be accessed (discovered) by search engines, customers and other list
builders in a standard published (register) format.  UDDI Registries and
protocol servers with:
- White Pages - Names, Address, Contact and Vcard information
- Yellow Pages - Industry categorizations and taxonomies
- Green Pages - Technical information including internal URL file discovery
structures
- UDDI is also designed to replace the robot.txt search engine web site document
structure concept. Here are some of the web site description-discovery-registry
information retrieved by search engine spiders/bots and other retrieval
programs.
-  Voice-driven yellow pages - SALT-Speech Applications Language Tags adds voice
commands to web applications.  SALT is an extended set of markup (meta) tags
based on XML-eXtensible Markup Language though compatible with HTML-Hyper-Text
Markup Language and others.
- SIP – exciting new applications
-        SIP Total Tutorial with Future Outlook – IMS-IP Multi-media Systems –
content servers, wireless integration, media gateways, etc.
- Top-10 Steps to a Successful SIP Implementation
1 - User Needs Assessment
2 - Network Assessment
3 - Systems Upgrade
- Indepth POE-Power Over Ethernet & Comprehensive Disaster Planning Tutorial
4 - Pre–Installation Planning
5 - Data Systems Integration - VLANs, VoWLANS, Planning for WiFi, WiFi and IP
Wireless "Roaming," WiFi Security and more
6 - Installation and Cutover
7 -  Managing Change - Training
8 - Ongoing Use and Expectations
9 - Billing
10 - Managed Services - TCO-total cost of ownership, monitoring, remote support,
training, business development and others & Future Applications
- Diagnosing & Tools for Troubleshooting SIP Networks
1 - Problems:
- Delay
- Jitter
- Equipment Configurations
- Clipping & Dipping
- VAD-Voice Activity Detectors -
- Connection Issues
- Echo
- Signal-Noise Level and & Loss
- Comfort Noise
- Packet Loss Concealment
       - Zero Insertion
       - Waveform substitution
       - Model-based methods
- Crosstalk - Nearend and Farend
- Serialization
- Packet Payload Delays
- Packet Sizing Problems - Take the "Vo-eye-P Test"
- Transcoding Problems
- Asynchronous Transcoding Problems
- Electrical Interference - Surges, Sags, Shared Neutrals
2 - Testing for Problems
- RTCP-XR-MRB-eXtended Reports - Metrics Report Block
3 - More than 30 Problems & Solutions - like "CarTalk" bring your problems to
"Nettalk"
4 – Best Practices - review of concepts such as Resiliency & Reliability – QoS
in VoIP-SIP
5 – Vendors of Technical Solutions for VoIP Network Management
6 - Conclusions and the Bottom Line
NOTE: Course contents are constantly being update, please inquire about special
requirements.
________________________________________
Day Four - (with optional add-on day of labs) - Introduction and Demonstration
of OCS-Office Communications Server
Here are just some of the terms used in Microsoft OCS-Office Communications
Server.  Each of these terms and others are explained in this OCS Special
Edition:
•         Architecture – Front End, AD-Active Directory, Conferencing, Perimeter
and Applications Servers
•          PBX Co-existence
•          UC-Unified Communications
•          Advanced Telephony Features
•          PBX Integration Initiative – UC-Compatible, Non-UC-compatible
•          Mediation Server – Forking
•          SIP – Microsoft SIP "Standard" – Inbound/Outbound Calls, OnHold,
Making a Call Via a PBX, Answering a Call Via a PBX, Call Forwarding – Always,
DND-Do Not Disturb, Call Transfer, 3-Way Conferencing
•          SIP-to-PBX
•          SIP-to-PSTN
•          Microsoft Management Console (MMC)
•          Administrative Tools "Snap-in"
•          Call Detail Records
•          Phone Management and Usage
•          IM-Instant Messaging, Chat, Chatrooms, etc.
•           Video Conferencing "Roundtable" - Planning and Compliance
•          Saving of IM conversations for compliance
•          Planning for OCS
•          Troubleshooting
•          Trunking – bandwidth, delay, echo
•          Telephone deskset issues
•          IP routing check
•          PBX interoperability
•          Third-party integration – open discussion
•          LCS-Live Communications Server and OCS coexistence
NOTE: This session is constantly changing due to new releases coming from
Microsoft such as Wave 14 expected for general release in 2/2010.
In addition, there may will be "LIVE" demonstration of IM, video conferencing,
call processing and other features from a live OCS system.  NOTE: This topics
presented may not be the complete list of issues discussed at time permits.  An
optional five-day or half-day is available for custom training.
Microsoft is a registered trademark of Microsoft Corporation.
________________________________________
Course Leader - Thomas B. Cross – CEO TECHtionary.com has three decades of
experience in startups and consulting advisor with leading providers and venture
capital companies in market planning and development, hardware/software design
and development, project management, intellectual property in
telecommunications, information technology, conferencing, teletraining,
telecommuting, groupware, networks, call centers, internet, artificial
intelligence and other fields. He has managed the successful development of more
than 10 software, hardware and internet products to market and received industry
awards for this work. He has authored 13 books, wrote, produced and directed 15
commercial videos and creator and producer of the World's Largest Animated
Knowledge Source on Technology – http://www.techtionary.com – recipient of Web
Hosting Magazine Editors Choice for Best Technical Help.  Tom is a columnist for
many leading publications such as Internet Telephony where he is the Technology
Editor and columnist on OCS-Office Communications Service Newsletter with a blog
at http://blog.tmcnet.com/cross-talk/.  He is a member of the Technical Board of
Advisors for the VoIPSA-VoIP Security Alliance. Tom holds CompTIA Certified
Security Professional certification and Pearson Vue Certified Test
Administrator.   Tom is also CEO and Managing Editor of OCS Forum –
http://www.ocsforum.com
Scheduling & Classroom requirements
To confirm delivery dates, fees including estimated travel and expenses are
required.  Purchase Orders (P.O.) are accepted but do not confirm dates.  Final
expenses are due within 15 business days after completion of class.  Please note
that payments received for delivery dates are subject to final approval by
Techtionary.  Final student attendance is set 30 days prior to the first day of
class with additional student payment due on the first day class.   Techtionary
will provide access to the online course at no extra charge.  Client will
provide room, computers for lab access, high-quality video projector, desks,
power strips, beverages, food service and other amenities.  Classes are
conducted each day (subject to mutually agreeable changes) from 0900-1600 with
one hour for lunch.  Access to training room will be available from 0800-1700
each day.
Course content and terms are subject to change without notice.  All course
content delivery may not be completed due to time restraints such as student
questions and special explanations of concepts presented.  Content is
wholly-owned by Techtionary Corporation, a Colorado corporation which provides
invoice/billing.  Corporate and shipping address is 2525 Arapahoe E-4-313,
Boulder, Colorado 80302.

Flash Tutorial on - Weather Forecasting for Cloud Computing – Moving "AAS-As A Service" Out of the Fog 

The tutorial is available at: http://www.techtionary.com/ocsforum/cloudcomputing/

Thirty years ago it was distributed computing, then timesharing, and then a decade ago there were ASP-applications services providers.  Today all these are now generally called "Cloud Computing" aks-also known as WaaS-Whatever as a Service like CAAS-Communications As A Service and others.  It's the same old story of computing-centric strategy where the functionality is in the device versus communications-centric strategy where the functionality is in the network.  I love my iPhone and love its ability to have a lot of movies, songs, TECHtionary animations, photos and nearly everything else I need to take with me.  I also love iTunes where I can go buy nearly everything I need at one place.  I really don't care what cloud or clouds iTunes is located in – here, there anywhere.  How I am tethered can be many things – wired or wireless.  How they aggregate all the songs, movies, content is not my concern.  However, if I was the architect for iTunes I would be very concerned about every aspect of my cloud and all the clouds that connect together.  In addition, I would be concerned about storms like tornados, hurricanes and all the types of weather conditions that can cause chaos.  Planning and designing "cloud computing" networks is going to be more complex than the any of the vendors or providers will ever tell you.  Before attempting to "forecast the weather" for cloud computing, let's review some of the key benefits otherwise we might as well stay in port. 

Here are a few key points:

- No CAPEX - no financing required – good benefit but like leasing long-term MRC-monthly recurring costs can end up costing more than the benefit.  This is listed first but maybe the least valuable benefit.

- Ondemand model - flat-rate per user pricing – its more than price its applications "by the slice" with any or all the "toppings" you want.    

- Scalable globally - allows distribution of labor costs to their lowest place-point.  This becomes the most significant benefit as it gives corporations access to "priceless" labor costs – moving labor anywhere where the price is less.

- Server Virtualization using Abstraction Architecture moving data to anypoint-anyone where – this is the most abstract concept as virtualization means so many different things.

In planning and designing cloud computing networks, we recommend taking a time-tested proven approach using the OSI-Open Systems Interconnection model.  In each OSI layer provides unique functions:

- Divide issues into distinct activities

- Simplify processes

- Create the means to attempt standards

- Provide the means for interoperability between systems and services

- Support the idea that you don't have to do everything at once

- Allow for security and error checks at each layer

In other words, OSI keeps it simple.  If you prefer to put in cloud computing terminology, it might look like this (see the animated tutorial for a pictorial):

- CAAS-Communications As A Service - User Application Level - OSI-Layer 7

- SAAS-Software As A Service - Development Level - OSI-Layer 6

- PAAS-Platform as A Service - Operating System Level - OSI-Layer 3-4-5

- IAAS-Infrastructure As A Service - Packet Level - OSI-Layer 2

- NAAS-Network As A Service - Device Level OSI-Layer 1

Without going on and on, the following section explains just some of the complexity for cloud computing.  As any airplane pilot knows, stay out of the cloud and be careful where you fly. 

The following details are provided in the detailed animation available at:

http://www.techtionary.com/ocsforum/cloudcomputing/

If you are still interested in cloud computing, the animated tutorial provides an introductory tutorial into many of the cloud computing concepts.

MSDP-Multicast Source Discovery Protocol is a process that connects PIM SP-Sparse Mode (pull down the data when asked for) domains and allows RP-Rendezvous Points or Shared Root to share information about active sources or shared trees.  RP-Rendezvous Points in a rooted Shared Tree distribution system provide sub-optimal routing but are created as a result of user receiver densities such as rural areas or sub-continental geographic limitations.  Content is distributed first to RP and then to receivers.  RP-Rendezvous Points in a Bidirectional Tree distributes traffic content at any "point" in the network reducing data delays.  SSM-Source Specific Multicast is a single-source-rooted distribution tree with no RP-Rendezvous Points using PIM-Protocol Independent Multicasting and IGMP-Internet Group Management Protocol.  Receivers are explicitly-joined existing members which reduces complexity, billing, security, etc.  MBGP-Multi-protocol Border Gateway Protocol is used to carry unicast prefixes of source networks across AS-Autonomous Systems boundaries.  RP in different AS establishes peer arrangement to exchange MBPG updates called MSDP-Multicast Source Discovery Protocol SA-Source Address AM-Active Messages.  AM are used to know about active sources in other AS-Autonomous Systems to build inter-domain (AS) Source trees.  IP Anycast is defined, by Cisco, as the point-to-point flow of IP-Internet Protocol packets between a single client and the "nearest" destination server identified by any IP Anycast address.  Criteria for selecting "nearest" server determine the type of anycast content.  Also referred to a Virtual IP address with mirrored (duplicated or load-balanced disk) servers sharing same IP address.  That is, the DNS-Domain Name Server maps (identifies) unique IP address which then distributes content to local or remote content servers.  Some background on IP Anycast:

Advantages:

     - IP routing will deliver packets over the shortest path to the nearest host

     - Client needs to be configured with only a single Anycast host address

     - Upon failure, routing will forward to the next nearest server with the same Anycast address

     - Distributed Anycast servers will effectively "load balance" traffic

Addressing

     - Works with IPv4 and IPv6

Routing

     - Works with standard IP routing protocols

     - Changes in network topology (configuration) will automatically change to the nearest Anycast server

     - Route Summarization may increase Route Table size

     - IPv6 use can add QoS-Quality of Service (policy-based) routing

IPv4-to-IPv6 or Internet Protocol Version 4 to Version 6 also known as 6to4 Relay Router Anycast routers advertise anycast address prefix into IPv4 network where IPv4 packets are routed to nearest 6to4 relay router and then to IPv6 network.  Mesh-First Tree Networks are created on the basis that a mesh (interconnected) network is formed BEFORE a routing protocol is determined. Then Source-Rooted Trees are selected based on the routing protocol such as DVMRP-Distance Vector Multicast Routing Protocol.  DV-Distance Vector routing protocols maintain a routing table which consists of destination nodes, corresponding costs and next hops (routers).  Routing Tables analyze the routes and determine the SPF-Shortest Path First.  Then for multicast routing, RPF-Reverse Path Forwarding is used to determine SRT-Source Rooted Trees for content distribution.  SPT-Shortest Path Tree is used by only ONE source (the root of the tree) to reach all receivers.  Also known as a Directed Tree, packets only flow from the root (source) to the leaves (receivers).  SFT content can also be distributed across different trees.

ST-Shared Tree is where there are MANY sources to reach all receivers.  That is, each tree (source) is also a root (receiver).   This is also referred to as SCT-Shared Center Tree as the content is at the center of the distribution tree.  There is research that suggests that Shared Trees have 25% less delay than SPT as content is closer to the receiver.   Two other factors are important in a multicast network - Dense and Spare modes. 

DM-Dense Mode uses a "push" model to flood multicast traffic (broadcast) to every device.  That is, every device gets the data whether they asked for it or not.  SP-Sparse Mode uses "pull" or "pull down" model where the data is retrieved when asked for (on demand).  SP allows RP-Rendezvous Points or Shared Root to share information about active sources or shared trees.  Dense and Spare mode selection is also based on the amount and urgency (real-time events versus archival) of the content.

This tutorial is written and produced by TECHtionary.com (http://www.techtionary.com) and

OCSForum.com (http://www.ocsforum.com) sponsor of OCS Forum 2010 Expo – June 15-16 – Boulder, Colorado.  OCS Forum is a vendor-independent laboratory environment designed for learning, technical guides, knowledge resources and online "live" services.  OCS Forum provides planning, project management, consulting, training, case studies, white papers, speaking engagements, market/customer research, network planning and other services.  For more go to http://www.ocsforum.com.  Call Tom Cross 303-594-1694 or cross@... for more information and scheduling.

Part 1 of 2 - OCS-UC-SIP-OIP - Alphabet Soup Creates PBX-OCS - "Co-existence Via Dual Forking" - Microsoft's OIP-Open Interoperability Program Pries Open the PBX. 

Here are the details of the tutorial, in other to create not just better Unified Communications applications but unified switching now being called software powered voice, Microsoft created the OIP-Open Interoperability Program to:
- Develop Industry-Class Telephony Infrastructure that work seamlessly with OCS and Exchange UM-Unified Messaging
- Develop many solutions and new ideas
- Provide a forum for customers with setup, support, and use
     - Test to enterprise-level standards for audio quality, reliability, and scalability
- Provide a means for scalable qualification of vendors
For more on OIP, click here.
Also explained in the animated tutorial, the OIP program designed to provide PBX implementation/integration in the following configurations:
1 - Standalone via gateway
2 - Standalone via direct SIP
3 - Co-existence via dual forking
     - Direct SIP + PBX is qualified against Microsoft Dual-forking specification
            Co-existence via dual forking - dual OCS phone and PBX phone
4 - Co-existence via dual forking with RCC-Remote Call Control
     - PBX supports Dual forking plus RCC-Remote Call Control and
     - CSTA-Computer Supported Telephony Application

Here's how it might work using RCC-Remote Call Control a user uses their OC-Office Communicator client for Presence/IM and uses the OC softphone to control their existing PBX phone.  For example, a user checks the presence for someone via Office Communicator and then clicking on that user to call - but then having their PBX desk-phone call the number (and use that device). Remote Call Control can also be deployed in conjunction with Dual-Forking using the "dual" calling of simultaneous or sequential ringing feature of "forking" to call the phone(s).

click here to view tutorial  

Next week's OCS tutorial will be "Parallel & Sequential Forking with First-Party, Third-Party Call Control and RCC." 

OCS Forum provides classroom and webseminar training as well as a non-production environment for those IT departments without additional equipment, budget or time.  This allows planners and users to test ideas, dial in and dial back out, IM file transfers, remote desktop sharing, video conferencing, run scenarios, break linkages and learning about new telephony features and network access.  OCS Forum is also designed for both the system integrator/consultant who wants to learn about OCSR2 without having to build their own system as well as the enterprise customer who doesn't have the time, resources or time to develop one.  OCS Forum Labs are designed to be "hands-on" or "over-the-shoulder" with experts available for Q&A and classes for feature-specific review.

The complete 5-day OCS course outline can be found here: http://www.ocsforum.com/news/Course%20Overview-2010k.htm

About OCS Forum

OCS Forum is a vendor-independent laboratory environment designed for learning, technical guides, knowledge resources and online "live" services.  OCS Forum provides planning, project management, consulting, training, case studies, white papers, speaking engagements, market/customer research, network planning and other services. 

For more go to http://www.ocsforum.com.

Call Tom Cross 303-594-1694 or cross@... for more information and scheduling.