By now you should know that a VoIP Network Assessment is absolutely mandatory prior to implementing a voice solution in your customer’s enterprise.  So I’ll save all the soapbox comments on that subject and ask that you look back in previous posts if you’re still not convinced.

What I’d like to focus on in this post is the timespan allocated to those assessments and the question of “How long is long enough?”.  Obviously every network is different and there’s no absolute time that an assessment should be run to get an accurate picture of whether or not the network can support voice. But I can tell you that a large percentage of the assessments being done out there do not get a good representation of a network’s ups and downs because the time spent monitoring was too short and didn’t capture metrics over a broad enough span.

What we’ve been doing on initial installs of VoIP applications is to setup our monitoring gear right at project kickoff.  Even though voice servers aren’t installed yet we can start monitoring links between database and messaging servers and get a feel for spikes in network traffic and how the network handles those surges.  Remember, in implementations with a Primary/Secondary voice engine design, the link between those two servers has to be absolutely consistent.  If not, unnecessary switchovers will occur.  As servers and IP phones are staged into the network and customer domain, we add their addresses into the monitoring interface.  We run assessments after hours at first and ramp up simulated SIP calls to all the voice points installed.  When we’re comfortable with the network’s ability to handle the load, we’ll run additional “loaded” assessments during peak business hours and closely monitor the results and report back to the partner/customer on any issues or areas of the network that need to be addressed prior to cutover.

Thresholds we configure for monitoring and assessments are:

• QoS must be enabled on all VoIP-related network devices and endpoints. Links are tested to ensure QoS markings are not being dropped or modified.
• Full Duplex must be enabled on all network devices. On switch ports supporting voice application servers, static Full Duplex should be setup. Auto Negotiate has caused problems where the port did not negotiate properly and half duplex resulted.
• Latency in one direction must be less than 150 ms.
• Jitter should be less than 30 ms.
• Mean Opinion Score (MOS value) for audio codec G711 should be 4.1, while codec G729 should be 3.9.
• RTP packets must include highest markings for service priority queuing (ex. DSCP for Cisco devices).
• Network segments should not exceed a packet loss rate of 1%.
• Network bandwidth for approximately 80kb/s for calls using audio codec G711 and 20kb/s for calls using audio codec G729.

By monitoring early and taking a more expanded snapshot of the network, issues like auto batch jobs, virus software spikes and provider circuit downtimes previously not known about can be identified and accommodated for prior to going live with the voice application.

Contact us for your VoIP Assessment needs at 972.562.8035.  sales@interactiveconnect.com .

The term VoIP Network Assessment is often used synonomously with QoS testing and validation.  When companies make the right decision to perform a VoIP Network Assessment prior to implementing an IP based telephony system like Interactive Intelligence’s CIC platform, they often assume the the assessment will focus primarily on whether or not QoS is configured properly throughout their network. While it is true that QoS plays a huge role in quality VoIP delivery, many other factors and variables come in to play and all must be properly measured and benchmarked whent a VoIP Network Assessment is performed.

Latency

Any good VoIP Network Assessment will contain metrics collected on individual paths from the host collector to an endpoint such as an IP phone.  One of the metrics reported on each path is latency.  Latency refers to the time in between the moment a voice packet is transmitted and the moment it reaches its final destination.  Delay and echo are the result of higher latency results.  When latency exceeds 150 milliseconds, voice audio quality starts to degrade.

MoS

Mean Opinion Score (MOS) is a numerical method of expressing voice quality. MOS is a representative number of the perceived quality of the media received after it has been transmitted and eventually compressed using the different codecs.  Values from 4.0-4.5 are generally regarded as “toll quality”.  Typically degradation can be observed in voice quality below a score of 4.0 with a 3.5 score being unusable by most user’s standards.

Bandwidth

Bandwidth of course is the pre requisite to any VoIP deployment.  Many times, customers with overly sufficient bandwidth deem QoS as not needed simply because there is no contention on the wire between the voice and data packets.  We still highly recommend QoS be configured simply because data bursting and growth are often not accounted for when going the “no QoS” route.

Specific Platform Nuances

Many VoIP Assessment service providers also don’t take into account the specifics of what type VoIP application is to be installed.  Sometimes things like media server, backup voice server and media gateway placement will have a bearing on overall VoIP delivery and locations of these resources should be of note and considered when summarizing the results.  Different technologies use different schemes for offloading resources from the primary voice engine as well as varied backup and disaster recovery scenarios.  Knowing the difference between a media server in an Interactive Intelligence installation versus a mediation server in a Microsoft Lync environement is key to providing an accurate and all encompassing report for instance.

These are but a few of the variables besides QoS that should be considered when contemplating a VoIP Network Assessment.  Engage a vendor that is experienced in recognizing the importance of all this and has the ability to test these metrics properly and you’ll guarantee yourself piece of mind that the assessment has been done properly.

For more information on VoIP Network Assessment services from Interactive Connect, email us or call (972) 562-8035 today!

Arrived in Orlando yesterday and got checked into the Gaylord where the conference is being held.  I got registered for the conference and made a quick pass through the exhibition hall. Said hello to some old friends Marsha, Crystal and Jacklyn at the Interactive Intelligence booth. Walked over and touched base with the Apparent Networks folks and met Keith Bartlett.  We partner with Apparent with them providing the VoIP Assessment and monitoring package we use to help customers get their networks ready for VoIP applications.

Todays agenda, attend keynotes of Cisco, Avaya and Skype and take in one or two breakout sessions.

We’ll keep you posted and report back on today’s activities.

We’ll be in Orlando for the Enterprise Connect conference this week. The show is better known as VoiceCon and promises to be a good one this year. If any of our readers are going to be there and want to meet up, please let us know!

By now, you understand that VoIP Assessments are downright critical in benchmarking a network prior to installing a VoIP Telephony application on top of that network.  Any IT organization not willing to invest up front in auditing the data infrastructure to prepare for the VoIP installation is playing with fire and smart, successful integrators usually require VoIP Assessments prior to doing any equipment installation.

Up until now it’s been difficult to gauge up front exactly what a VoIP Assessment will entail or cost.  Now, through the use of state-of-the-art, cloud based software,  VoIP Assessments can be done much more efficiently and with less disruption to the customer’s IT department.  Interactive Connect is now offering VoIP Assessments as a part of it’s overall services strategy.  Pricing is simple and assessments are done remotely with minimal personnel and network disruption.

Get a copy of our marketing overview and price tool or contact us for more information. There are no more excuses to poor VoIP readiness so let us help today.

With more and more businesses putting critical telephony and application servers in data centers and off-site locations, proper bandwidth sizing on the WAN is becoming more critical than ever. Typically, WAN architectures today involve voice and data applications “sharing the road” so to speak.  Traditionally, where a data pipe might have only been used to pump database application traffic it now has to also shoulder such mission critical applications as email, voicemail and the ever critical voice traffic.

Enter the era of WAN acceleration.  A WAN accelerator is a device located on the network behind the WAN router. This device has the ability to enforce quality of service rules, compress data, compress IP headers, accelerate TCP, accelerate CIFS (Common Internet File System), mitigate lost packets with forward error correction and cache repeated data patterns at the byte level. 

VoIP traffic is real-time traffic and must be maintained on the network as such. Unlike data packets that can be re-transmitted or highly compressed, VoIP traffic must be transmitted with minimal jitter and latency must be kept below 150ms if at all possible to protect the integrity of the voice quality. Some compression through standards is possible such as the G.729 Codec standard but VoIP is not a candidate to be optimized via a WAN accelerator.  But that doesn’t mean accelerators don’t have their place in a WAN architecture carrying voice. 

Again, most corporate voice networks today have to share transport resources with other data so by deploying WAN accelerator technology in your network you may be able to compress and inject deduplication techniques resulting in 70% to 95% reduction of traffic! That’s huge and clears the path by resolving bottlenecks that may be squeezing your VoIP traffic. ROI on implementing these devices is through the roof since many times recurring charges for circuit bandwidth can be reduced significantly.

Interactive Intelligence, Avaya, Cisco and any business using VoIP technology in their enterprise should absoutely consider the possible benefits of deploying WAN accelerator appliances in their network.

For an excellent whitepaper written by Riverbed Technology, one of the leading accelerator appliance providers, go to the Technical Docs section of this site. You must be a registered user to access this page.

If you would like a free consultation on whether your network is a good candidate for this technology, contact us and we’ll setup a call with our consultants skilled in this technology.

Do you have experience in deploying WAN acceleration technology in your environment and if so, has it resulted in improved VoIP traffic flow?  Comment here and share your experience.

Service Update (SU) 10 for Customer Interaction Center (CIC) version 3.0 was released last month and so far preliminary indications are positive on it’s stability.  Several partners are reporting smooth running systems after the installation of the new update.  A post on CPI’s blog for instance states they have installed on 5 different systems with no issues.

SU 10 is significantly different from previous versions in that it is developed as a New Patch Target (NPT).  This means that SU 10 is a reference point on which all new SUs are based. Should a SU 11 be released, for example, you would need to apply SU 10 first.  This is a change from previous versions that typically were independent of each other.  SU 10 has no new features included which should add to it’s stability. For a full description of SU 10 go to the Technical Docs section of this site.  You will need to be a registered user to access this portion of the website.

We would like your experiences and feedback on SU 10 so feel free to comment here and share with the rest of the community.

The following is a press release regarding Interactive Intelligence support for Microsoft Lync Server (formerly OCS).  Stay tuned to InteractiveConnect.com for an upcoming interview with a leading Microsoft and Interactive Intelligence Partner regarding details on Lync and Interactive Intelligence integration.

Solution designed to streamline communications for contact center agents and business users

INDIANAPOLIS–(BUSINESS WIRE)– Interactive Intelligence (Nasdaq: ININ), a global provider of unified IP business communications solutions, has released a version of its all-in-one IP communications software suite designed to work with Microsoft Lync Server 2010.

The Interactive Intelligence software suite, Customer Interaction Center^™ (CIC), includes features for contact centers and enterprises such as multichannel routing, interactive voice response, call and screen recording, reporting, outbound dialing, workforce management, Web self-service, knowledge and e-mail auto response management, and automated customer feedback surveys.

Microsoft Lyncushers in a connected experience transforming every communication into an interaction that is more collaborative, engaging and accessible from anywhere. A single interface unites voice, instant messaging, audio-, video-, and Web-conferencing into a richer, more contextual offering, and a single identity makes it easier and more efficient for users to find contacts, check their availability and connect with them. Lync works with Microsoft Office, enriching the experience of familiar applications like Microsoft Outlook, Microsoft Word, Microsoft SharePoint, and more.

The two systems enable CIC users and Lync Server 2010users to communicate by phone, or by Lync instant message or video call from within a single interface. In addition, both sets of users receive synchronized presence, along with a common company-wide directory that can be viewed from within the CIC desktop client.

“CIC and Lyncworking together provide a streamlined communications experience to users,” said Yancey Smith, director of product management, Microsoft Lync. “Microsoft is pleased to be working with Interactive Intelligence to provide enhanced options built on the Lync 2010 platform.”

“We launched the first version of our software in 1997 designed to run on the Microsoft Windows server, and today we are a Microsoft Certified Gold Partner and a Microsoft Independent Software Vendor,” said Interactive Intelligence founder and CEO, Dr. Donald E. Brown. “Working with Microsoft Corp. ensures that our mutual customers will get a dependable and easy-to-use solution available for connecting people in new ways, anytime, anywhere.”

To learn more about Interactive Intelligence solutions for Microsoft products, visit: http://www.inin.com/ProductSolutions/Pages/MS-Integrations.aspx.

About Interactive Intelligence

Interactive Intelligence Inc. (Nasdaq: ININ) is a global provider of unified business communications solutions for contact center automation, enterprise IP telephony, and business process automation. The company was founded in 1994 and has more than 3,500 customers worldwide. Interactive Intelligence is among Software Magazine’s 2010 Top 500 Global Software and Services Suppliers, and Forbes Magazine’s 2010 Best Small Companies in America. The company is also positioned in the leaders’ quadrant of the Gartner Magic Quadrant for Contact Center Infrastructure, Worldwide report (Feb. 22, 2010). Interactive Intelligence employs approximately 800 people and is headquartered in Indianapolis, Indiana. It has 16 offices throughout North America, Latin America, Europe, Middle East, Africa and Asia Pacific. Interactive Intelligence can be reached at +1 317.872.3000 or info@inin.com; on the Net: www.inin.com.

This release may contain certain forward-looking statements that involve a number of risks and uncertainties. Factors that could cause actual results to differ materially are described in the company’s SEC filings.

Interactive Intelligence Inc. is the owner of the marks INTERACTIVE INTELLIGENCE, its associated LOGO and numerous other marks. All other trademarks mentioned in this document are the property of their respective owners.

ININ-G

Interactive Intelligence Inc.
Christine Holley, Director of Market Communications, +1-317-715-8220
christine.holley@inin.com
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Follow Interactive Intelligence:
Twitter: www.twitter.com/IN_Intelligence
Blog: www.inin.com/blog

Source: Interactive Intelligence Inc.

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