The goal of the UC-Check is to ensure that you're operating at maximum efficiency and taking advantage of all the cost-savings that a Unified Communications solution offers. The UC-Check is an audit of your existing Unified Communications infrastructure. Now included in the UC-Check is a complementary SIP Analysis. Besides the fact that you are getting a baseline of your current infrastructure - there are 3 other reasons why people are taking advantage of the UC-Check...

• It’s a great way to prepare for an upgrade
• It ensures that you are utilizing latest technology to maximize savings
• It serves as a “check-n-balance” for the staff or vendor currently responsible for the system

Now, as you read through the details that follow you might get a little nervous about what something like this actually costs. Well, don’t be nervous… our UC-Check is COMPLIMENTARY! We believe the best way to build a long-term relationship, with Zero Risk to you, is to offer you something of significant value at no cost. If there's a better way to display our commitment and skill set… we're all ears. Now, let’s take a closer look at the details of the UC-Check.

Preparation and Planning

Upon client approval and NDA execution, Unified Concepts will schedule a meeting with the client to perform the data gathering. Unified Concepts SE will interview the client for any concerns or needs and explain the details of the UC Check. Subsequent interviews of the client may be conducted to gain insight on issues, additional needs, and expectations of the current UC system in place.

Discovery

Unified Concepts will proceed with a data collection of the customer’s existing UC system with the goal of collecting all the information needed to perform our analysis. A Unified Concepts skilled UC administrator will go to the customer’s main location to gather the data needed to perform the analysis. The ability to gather the data from the remote routers and switches must be possible from the main location. Once this data is gathered it will be returned to the Unified Concepts location to be reviewed by experts in each section of this analysis. This will be a basic discovery process that will include the following.

• Cisco CallManager
• Cisco Unity
• Cisco Contact Center
• Infrastructure
• SIP Analysis

The components listed each have their own scopes of discovery which are broken down in this document.

Cisco CallManager:

Cisco CallManager will be looked at within the current environment. The information that will be gathered includes:

• CCM Type
• Service Release Version
• Architecture (MGCP)
• OS Type and Patches (If Applicable)
• Server Model and Serial numbers
• Phone Firmware
• Brief dial plan review (411,Block Partitions, Trap translations, etc.)
• Number of registered phones
• CSA (Pre 5)
• Antivirus (Pre 5)

Cisco Unity:

Cisco Unity will be looked at within the current environment. The information that will be gathered includes:

• Unity Type
• Unity Version
• Unity TSP version
• OS Type and Patches (If Applicable)
• Server Hardware Platforms and Serial Numbers
• License Information
• CSA (Pre 5)
• Antivirus (Pre 5)

Cisco Contact Center:

Cisco Unified Contact Center will be reviewed within the current environment. Any documentation in regards to call flow that can be provided will be helpful. The information that will be gathered includes:

• IPCC Type
• Service Release Version
• OS Type and Patches (If Applicable)
• Server Model and Serial numbers
• Service Information
• Script Information
• CSA (Pre 5)
• Antivirus (Pre 5)

Infrastructure:

The routing and switching environment will be reviewed. A maximum of three routers and three switches are included with the basic UC Check. Our recommendation is one router and one switch for each of three locations. It is also important to include the location where your core system is located. The information that will be gathered includes:

• Hardware information
• QoS information
• IOS and CatOS (if applicable) versions
• Serial numbers
• Configuration documentation

SIP Analysis:

The current infrastructure will be reviewed to determine if the ability to move to SIP exists. If changes are needed they will be identified. To determine costing and ROI the following documentation is required for all locations. Current provider and contract end dates for the following. In addition we will need total monthly spend for WAN, total monthly spend for PSTN (Circuits, Local, LD), and total monthly spend for Internet access.

• Review Call manager for compatibility
• Review Gateway/Router for compatibility
• Cisco Unified Border Element Assessment
• Basic WAN/PSTN Design
• Review Current Cost Vs. SIP Cost
• Develop ROI and Timeline

Customer Requirements (Technical):

Unified Concepts will need the following temporarily from the client to perform this discovery. Any access listed should be at an administrative level that will allow for the viewing of components within the environment.

• Network topology diagram (prefer Visio)
• Admin access to CCM Administration and Service pages
• Admin access to the CCM server
• Admin access to Unity Administration pages
• Admin access to Unity servers
• Admin access to IPCC Administration pages
• Admin access to IPCC servers
• Admin access switches and routers

Customer Requirements (Billing related):

Unified Concepts will need the following financial information from the client to perform this portion of the discovery. Assistance from Unified Concepts personnel is available via an LOA if needed.

• Per location address, phone number, user count
• Total monthly spend for WAN with bandwidth
• Total monthly spend for PSTN (Circuits, Local, LD)
• Total monthly spend for Internet access with bandwidth
• Contract end dates for PSTN, WAN, and ISP

Data Analysis

Unified Concepts will assemble and analyze all information collected in the UC-Check by Unified Concepts specialists in their corresponding areas. The information collected will be compared against Cisco and Unified Concepts best practices.

Presentation of Findings

Unified Concepts will compile and present a detailed overview of your current unified communications architecture. The report will explain potential issues and provide a detailed bug report for all main system components, review end-of-life and end-of-service timelines, and offer recommendations for prospective upgrades, patches or programming changes.