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Data Center Net Neutrality: Three Benefits of the Carrier Hotel to Avoid Service Degradation

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Now that net neutrality has been voted to be repealed, does incorporating a data center into your network make more sense? Data center net neutrality is an oxymoron because that’s where carriers interconnect. A carrier hotel is where one would find a “fast lane to the internet”.

Here are three reasons why data center net neutrality should be considered by your organization:

  1. At a data center you’ll have a mix of ISPs to choose from. Whether you want to go with a blended bandwidth solution, ILEC, MSO, CLEC, or reseller, they’ll all be waiting for you at the data center. Each ISP will have their own AUPs (Acceptable Use Policies), SLAs, billing cycles, POP diversity, route diversity, etc. The pricing is much more competitive here as well. An ISP just needs to open up a port and you cross connect right to their cage and into their network. Now you’re able to get right onto the Comcast or AT&T infrastructure.
  2. Broadband, which was altered under the latest ruling, is much different than dedicated internet access. Broadband will no longer be considered a utility or a telecommunications service, it is an information service. Some carriers are issuing notices hidden in the fine print of their bills that warn of overage charges past a Terabyte. Smaller offices will be affected unless they’re in a data center or can get low cost dedicated access if they’re fortunate enough to be in a LIT building where competition amongst ISPs is high. Many experts have discussed application blocking over broadband so folks in telecom are worried about the impact on SD-WAN from CLECs running the service over broadband internet pipes.
  3. The carrier hotel not only provides access to various ISPs, it also allows for connectivity to various long haul networks. Network architecture is a mix of Internet circuits and private lines between sites (Private & Virtual Private lines for hub and spoke or Mesh Networks). Net neutrality issues are essentially neutralized by building out a corporate WAN and protecting the data, as well as, the routes that data travels. It’s not necessarily a ‘fast lane’ but the right architecture can ensure that the user experience is maximized no matter whom their underlying provider is.

Data Center Net Neutrality for Bitcoin MiningData Center Net Neutrality can come to be a hot topic as Bitcoin, LiteCoin, and Ethereum miners continue their push for the success of cryptocurrency. Provider’s AUPs are subject to change so there’s no telling what traffic will be deemed unacceptable. That said, it’s important for miners to take advantage of colocation to protect their operations. We see competitive VoIP traffic blocked by ISPs quite regularly so if I were mining I’d be sure to throw my servers in a colocation facility.

In sum, adding a data center into your company’s telco infrastructure is a smart move to protect against future changes in AUPs that might affect how your user’s experience. Give us a shout if you’d like to arrange a tour at one of your local facilities.

 

UCaaS Budget – Why you shouldn’t focus on price

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price of UCaaS

Building a UCaaS Budget using Total Cost of Ownership accounting

If you’re looking to move towards UCaaS you’re going to want to build a UCaaS budget that looks at things holistically. That isn’t always easy since the comparison isn’t apples to apples. The cost of a UC seat is usually somewhere around $40 per month but for larger businesses that’s not a static number. Smaller companies can get a UC system for the price of their dial tone which is a great deal but in larger applications that would add up pretty quickly.

For us, customers that are too focused on price are not a good fit. This isn’t because we want to charge some exorbitant amount but rather we want to ensure the right solution is in place from a functionality perspective that fits your UCaaS budget. Whether replacing a PBX or moving from another UCaaS provider, you won’t be comparing apples to apples. They all have nuances to their offering from support, to equipment, how faxing is handled, concurrent call paths, etc. To avoid mistakes we take a holistic approach to finding the right fit and implementing it properly for our clients. For more information on the most frequent mistakes we see in the IT decision making process, check out this blog post.

Total Cost of Ownership (defined here) is a holistic budgeting perspective that incorporates minute details that may be overlooked. There are more parts to a UCaaS budget than an apples to apples phone system replacement. For example, factoring in maintenance & power costs for an old PBX, equipment replacement requirements, conferencing & collaboration tools, etc. should be considered. Too many times we’ve seen folks say, “Here’s my phone bill. How much will the new system cost?” Our answer is typically, “Sorry Mr. Customer but it doesn’t work like that. We’ll need a bunch of other invoices around your voice ecosystem and to understand how it’s used on a day to day within your business environment.” We’ve seen companies totally retire LifeSize and TelePresence systems to save a load of cash. We’ve even taken mileage cost into account. These small details add up quickly.

New Functionality can improve performance and alter the way you do business, streamling processes and driving profits. Glip from RingCentral is a powerful tool for collaboration on projects. Contact us for a demo. There have been several major improvements that frequently makes clients question purchases like Microsoft Project and Slack. The ability to check voicemail on the go or implement a DR strategy for during a force majeure is absolutely priceless. It’s like insurance without having to submit a claim. Integration with platforms like Salesforce and other apps is simply something your old PBX can’t do. Furthermore, not every UCaaS provider’s platform integrates as seamlessly as others. Salesforce integration is key to many sales and support organizations that strive to provide a personal touch to clients calling in. The softphone opens up right in the Salesforce app. It’s really slick. Check out more here!

Look, at the end of the day we understand that you have to keep a budget in mind. Our advice is simply not to be hyper-focused on a dollar amount without taking all the factors into consideration. One of my biggest pet peeves is around faxing and it not being taken into account when building a UCaaS budget. Time and time again we here that folk need their fax machines until we pull a usage report and notice how many faxes are lunch menus. Hey that cost of toner and paper adds up. Typically, once an end-user experiences the capabilities and ease of faxing, texting, instant messaging, or conferencing can be done from the same phone number they’re amazed that they, or any company, is still doing things the old school way… That’s when the real focus on price begins.

Hey, we can’t be all things to all people and every client is not the ideal fit but if you like the vibe that we’re putting out, contact us here and let’s have a discussion on how to improve your communications ecosystem.

Five Reasons why you need the ShoreTel Dock to replace your phone system

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ShoreTel Dock

Shoretel Dock with iPad for business

I have been selling phone systems for years and the ShoreTel Dock is one of the coolest, most innovative, and most cost effective phones I’ve seen. It allows for so much flexibility and functionality. Here are five reasons why you need to consider the Shoretel Dock when upgrading your phone system.

 

  1. User friendly – The Shoretel Dock takes advantage of the user friendly ease of Apple products. It works with all iPads and iPhones so it’s pretty easy to learn to use. What’s more important, it’s easy for users to adopt the additional features like voicemail to email, eFaxing, and out of office messages to make their day more productive.
  2. Reliability – QoS is available through a layer 2 connection from ShoreTel but the phones work just as well over a WiFi connection. In fact, if your device has cellular service then you have a built in redundant connection which will turn your iPad into a business phone. The app works with or without the docking station.
  3. Cost – The Shoretel Dock starts at $49 and the iPads and iPhones start at $300 or so. You can have a whole user environment, phone and computer, for under $500. Most decent desk phones are in the $200-500 range so it’s not hard to justify. With virtualization on the rise, an iPad can serve as your desktop environment.
  4. Portability – As long as you have cell coverage, you can be connected back to your environment. This is basically built in DR for your voice platform. If the iPad is used as an end user terminal, it’s safe to say your employees can take their whole work environment with them on the go. Did I get too technical?Shoot me an email with your questions.
  5. Hedging your bets – Many people think the desk phone is dying. It’s easy for people in some positions who can take calls on their cell to feel that way but some employees are tethered to their desk and telephone. The Shoretel Dock provides the best of both worlds. When it’s time for your hardware refresh, you simply upgrade your iPhones or iPads… They just sit on the dock.

Basically, the Shoretel Dock will turn your iPhones and iPads into a business phone system with more functionality than your traditional telephone system. It’s a very low cost and high reliability solution that will give your office environment the cool factor. The coolest things is that the Shoretel Dock and iPad combo is so easy to learn that we can even bring you up to speed if the last device you used was a rotary phone! Call us at 844-OGRE-NOW or contact us here.

5 Steps to Decommissioning your old PBX – Analyze and Implement

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Move your phones to the cloud

If you’ve been exploring a move to a cloud based phone system and decommissioning your old PBX then you know it’s not as simple as it seems. Below are five simple steps to analyze your voice environment and plan your implementation.

  1. Telephone count – You’ll need to analyze how many devices you have and where they’re located. This is the first step that can be improved if you also figure out and log how each phone is actually used by its rightful owner. Contact us to help perform your audit.
  2. Connectivity – The day of POTS lines and PRIs is done. It’s all SIP in the core. Each phone uses between 88kbps and 200kbps for HD calls. You’ll want to account for that on top of the bandwidth you’ll need for any other external applications. Don’t forget to block Netflix at your office!
  3. Decommissioning old equipment – A lot of top UCaaS providers are giving rebates for old telephone equipment so you should certainly take advantage. You’ll also want to either sell your old PBX for parts or have it destroyed by a third party.
  4. Training – Who are your end users? Now is where step one’s additional information will come I handy. You’ll want to plan your training for end-users around their use habits and learning style. Not everyone can just watch a YouTube video and get it. They may need additional hand holding, especially if they’re working the reception console. We can help your users get up to speed. Click here
  5. Save the date – You’ll want to pick a date after hours to install your new system, test, and rip out your old equipment. Weekends are ideal but you don’t always have that luxury, especially if you have a large call center environment.

Decommissioning your old PBX can save you tons on monthly telco and power charges. You can really reduce your data center footprint while improving the security and functionality of your voice ecosystem. It’s just so much easier to manage.

Shoretel’s dock is a great addition to a voice ecosystem, adding redundancy with cellular connectivity through your mobile carrier and allowing for a cool, distributed work force. It literally turns your iPad into a phone system!  Contact us for more information.

Is SD-WAN marketing hype or next best thing in telecommunications?

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Is SD-WAN Hype or Huge?

SD-WAN or Software Defined Wide Area Networking is being touted by many carriers looking to move away from MPLS. It’s a pretty cool tool however its greatest value comes at the carrier network level. That said, AT&T seems to be the leader in comprehensive SD-WAN and Network Based Security development. Contact us for more info and watch the video below from AT&T.

https://youtu.be/sCXgvxcFKbI

Carriers like Comcast are advertising speeds greater than what coaxial cable is capable of carrying due to compression and Software Defined Networking. It is similar to compressing voice to push 46 voice calls over a T1 combined with a cache for static data sets. Not all traffic, unlike voice packets, have real-time, sequential requirements.

HBO’s Silicon Valley’s latest season has entrepreneur Richard looking to build ‘a new internet’ using SD-WAN. Quite apropos given that his compression algorithm enables Software Defined Networking across cell phones to create connectivity. Hence, a device to device ‘new internet’. Is it possible? Who cares??? The cool thing is there’s a popular comedy on HBO that has allows me to geek out on SD-WAN and networking technologies.

Today, end-users have tons of bandwidth available to them. If they don’t, SD-WAN is not going to help. The last mile is still the proverbial long pole in the tent. We’re not connecting cell phones to create a ‘new internet’ with Hooli’s founder. In this non-fiction reality, those cell phones connect to terrestrial wires on the world wide web.

SD-WAN Tech Diagram

How does Software Defined Wide Area Network actually work?

What’s more problematic, Layer 3 transport technologies will never be as secure as layer 2 or layer 1 transport. Contact us to debate that premise or hear us expand on it. What would be cool is to see carriers roll out network based security platforms with great complexity that will have functions like geographic traffic blocking and other advanced firewall capabilities. Security features will ultimately drive the growth in SD-WAN adoption.

In our opinion, bandwidth is cheap and using it more efficiently is not a huge cost saver. SD-WAN is cool but most aren’t rushing to adopt it, though its marketed well. Network based security and transmission technology is constantly being improved. There are much more vulnerable areas in network technology that need to be addressed but access is still key. Redirecting traffic through a dashboard still requires an ability to connect to a site to an IP router. Our customer’s concerns are typically around security at a network level but they’re certainly paying attention to the developments in Software Defined Wide Area Networking technology for enterprises. Contact us if you share the same concerns!

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