Companies in the news this week include HP, Juniper Networks, Microsoft, Logitech/LifeSize, Polycom, Acme Packet, Aspect, AudioCodes, Broadcom, BroadSoft, Brocade, ClearOne, Jabra, Plantronics, RADVISION, Siemens Enterprise Communications, Teliris, Sipera, S3 Ventures, Austin Ventures, Duchossois Technology Partners, Sequoia Capital, STAR Ventures, TheInfoPro, Google, Skype, Global IP Solutions (GIPS), Plantronics, IBM, Amtel Communications, Apparent, IP5280, Netformx, salesforce.com, AT&T Telepresence, tw telecom, Cisco and BT. 
In most cases, the telecommunications and IT industries have drawn the lines between various types of off-premise support -- from hosted to managed services and beyond -- by focusing on the technology the provider used. Perhaps the best idea, however, is to differentiate between services by concentrating on whether the customer primarily is interested in voice or UC-type services.
UC is not an endeavor to be taken lightly. Creating a platform involves great initial and ongoing expenditures. The platform also will touch every facet of an organization's communications assets. Here are some important things to think about.
Perhaps the most fundamental decision an organization faces -- besides the basic choice of whether or not to deploy UC -- is whether to build it upon the telecom or LAN infrastructure. UCStrategies' Marty Parker offers an excellent brief tutorial on the topic, which will have both technical and workforce ramifications.
Well-thought-out unified communications platforms can be a huge part of a solid business continuity/disaster recovery platform -- if organizations finally do the necessary planning. Unfortunately, says Polycom Chief Collaboration Officer Bob Preston, most companies still are not emphasizing these vital tasks, despite a decade filled with emergencies.Carl Weinschenk
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