Web Conferencing Buyer s Guide

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1 Web Conferencing Buyer s Guide Introduction Surly airline attendants, overbooked flights and high-priced hotels are only a handful of reasons companies are seeking alternatives to business travel. Web conferencing is one such solution. By eliminating the costs and headaches associated with corporate travel especially in an economic downturn this real-time collaboration technology can boost business and enhance employee productivity without compromising quality interaction. Rather than spending time synchronizing schedules and gathering busy colleagues in the same location, users have the flexibility to arrange meetings from any site and on-the-fly. Small businesses with limited resources can easily expand their global reach and compete on an international level, while enterprises can improve internal communication among geographically dispered branch offices. Today s green revolution is also spurring interest in Web conferencing as more and more businesses make reducing their carbon footprints a top priority. In fact, a survey conducted by unified communications consultancy group ICU Global Ltd. Revealed that 7 out of 10 of the 300 organizations surveyed rated reducing organizational carbon footprints as a key driver in their decision to invest in Web conferencing. By enabling businesses to communicate with co-workers, clients and prospects in a fast, easy, cost-effective and environmentally friendly fashion, Web conferencing is becoming a mainstream tool. According to market research firm Gartner Inc., by 2011 Web conferencing will be available to 75 percent of corporate users as a standard facility, alongside , presence, calendaring, IM (instant messaging) and other collaborative tools. And the market for Web conferencing will grow at a compound annual rate of 23 percent through Web Conferencing Defined Web conferencing lets multiple computer users communicate over the Internet. By virtually placing attendees in the same room seamlessly swapping voice and data Web conferencing allows participants to partake in presentations, application sharing, training, Webinars and brainstorming sessions. Users simply log into a secure URL to share slides and screen shots while relying on a standard phone line or VoIP for audio communications. Copyright 2008, Tippit, Inc., All Rights Reserved

2 Today s Web conferencing market leaders include Citrix Systems Inc., Cisco Systems Inc., Adobe Systems Inc., InterCall and Microsoft Corp. Prime Yourself: 10 Things to Know About Web Conferencing Application sharing: A key Web conferencing feature, application sharing lets two or more participants work collaboratively on the same application at the same time. Audio conferencing: This lets three or more participants in separate locations communicate with a moderator or one another verbally. Desktop sharing: Another important Web conferencing feature, desktop sharing allows two or more participants to share a desktop so that users see a common view of the computer screen. elearning: This Internet-enabled learning tool allows participants to learn anywhere and at any time with a properly configured computer. Firewall conformance: This security measure ensures that Web services such as conferencing will work through corporate firewalls and proxy servers. ISDN (Integrated Services Digital Network): This telecommunications standard allows communication channels to simultaneously carry voice, video and data. Polling: A key Web conferencing feature, polling lets a moderator ask participants to respond verbally or by voting via touch-tone. SSL (Secure Sockets Layer) encryption: This security protocol ensures the safety and privacy of information shared during the meeting. Webcast: Similar to radio and TV broadcasting, a Webcast is the transmission of live audio and/or video programming over the Internet. Webinar: A Webinar, or Web-based seminar, is a real-time presentation, lecture, workshop or seminar that is delivered over the Internet. It typically involves a two-way interaction between the audience and presenters.

3 Product Requirements Many prospective buyers require specific features and functionality to satisfy their business needs. Other buyers wish they had learned about the range of features available before speaking with vendors. By understanding Web conferencing s standard feature landscape and advanced functionality, you can derive maximum value from your purchase. Top 6 Basic Requirements When you begin your search for a Web conferencing solution, there are certain basic features and functions a vendor should easily deliver. These include: 1. Presentation sharing: This feature allows a participant to share a presentation with full-screen viewing capability via a standard Web browser. Presentations are typically conducted using PowerPoint or Mac Keynote. 2. Desktop sharing: Desktop sharing lets participants share applications and files on their entire computer screens for a shared view. 3. Text chat: Users can send real-live chat messages to other participants. For example, a presenter can take and respond to questions from audience members via text chat. 4. Record and playback: Digitally record sessions to play back at a later date so that participants can refer to past remarks, or individuals who weren t able to attend can gain access to a recorded session. 5. Shared whiteboard: This feature allows users to make notes or draw diagrams on a whiteboard application to emphasize particular points or product features. 6. Live video: Enables users to display live video through the use of a webcam or digital camera. Top 8 Advanced Requirements Many Web conferencing products offer more sophisticated optional features and functionality. Determining whether you require any of these features can be a great help in whittling down your purchasing options. 1. Polling: Conduct polls and surveys in order to solicit instant feedback from participants.

4 2. Desktop or application remote control sharing: Allow remote access and/ or remote collaboration on a person s computer desktop to provide live assistance or guide a participant through a particular process. 3. File transfer: Participants can upload and download files in order to share content. 4. Integrated VoIP audio: This allows users to integrate VoIP audio conferencing into a Web presentation for even greater interactivity. 5. elearning: A subset of distance learning, Internet-enabled learning lets participants learn anywhere and at any time with a properly configured computer. Modules include participant testing and student monitoring. 6. Document sharing: This feature permits participants to simultaneously view and contribute to any document or graphic. 7. Authoring tools: This desktop authoring and publishing function can be used to create help systems and knowledge bases for Webinars and tutorial creation. 8. Live customer support: Get instant 24/7 access to live customer service representatives for on-the-fly assistance. Cost Considerations Reviewing features, gathering quotes and comparing prices is an obvious step in purchasing any technology solution. The key, however, is ensuring that the product you purchase delivers the greatest value possible. Understand the Potential Benefits of Web Conferencing Here s an overview of the potential benefits of any Web conferencing product: Hard benefits = measurable $ return: Enables access to a wider pool of customers and prospects for less money in a shorter period of time. Eliminates travels costs such as flight fares and hotel fees by replacing inperson meetings with virtual gatherings. Lowers training costs and improves access to training modules and personnel. Soft benefits = intangible $ return: Enables real-time data sharing.

5 Lets customers and co-workers provide instant feedback for enhanced collaboration. Provides a cost-effective forum for brainstorming sessions. Improves teamwork among co-workers that are geographically scattered. Keeps employees where they are most productive in their primary office location. Allows for real-time updating of documents and product information. Understand Your Desired Pricing Model A rich feature set isn t the only factor that can drive up or down the cost of a Web conferencing solution. How you plan on licensing your solution can have a dramatic impact on its final price tag. In today s market, most vendors will let you select from one of the following models: SaaS (Software as a Service): In the case of a Web conferencing SaaS offering, the application is hosted as a service and provided to a company over the Internet. The upside: companies need not install or run the application on their own servers, thereby reducing the burdensome costs of software maintenance, support, upgrades and operations. The downside: many SaaS offerings can t be customized and integrating them with other applications may require external assistance. Keep in mind that many SaaS offerings include a pay-as-you-go subscription model that lets you pay only for the Web conferencing time you ve consumed rather than a fixed monthly fee. Traditional licence model: Despite the SaaS model s current popularity, there are still plenty of reasons to consider traditional licencing. By installing a solution on a company s own systems and hosting it on internal servers, a company gains greater control over the application and calls the shots in terms of configuration and customization. Hosted licence model: This blended approach to licensing involves a customer s owning a software licence while the vendor is responsible for hosting the solution. Companies can assert greater control over a solution s features and functionality without taking on the enormous burden of managing and maintaining internal servers. Obstacles That Can Stand in the Way of a Solid ROI No matter how carefully you budget, there are countless easy-to-overlook variables that can get in between your purchase and an eventual ROI (return on investment). Here are just a few surprises worth anticipating for the sake of your bottom line:

6 Performance value: Low bandwidth can have a disastrous impact on a Web conferencing solution s performance and your ability to connect with customers. When selecting a solution, make certain the product you pick can properly support the number of users accessing the system, your company s IT infrastructure and any bandwidth limitations. And don t be afraid to ask a vendor what security mechanisms are in place to ensure that your Web conferencing sessions are shielded from unauthorized access. Vendor selection: It s not enough to simply negotiate a solid SLA (service level agreement) with a vendor. Making sure you receive the network uptime and performance you were promised also requires looking into vendors street credentials. How long have they been in the market? How lengthy is their client roster? How many of their clients hail from your own industry? These are all worthwhile questions. What s more, while an emerging vendor may be able to offer robust features at a basement price, it s never a good deal if they don t have a track record for delivering the goods. Realistic expectations: When it comes to Web conferencing, a session is only as good as its weakest link. In other words, if a Web conferencing participant is still using a dial-up connection to connect to the Internet, there s very little you can do to prevent performance glitches such as jitter and latency. Similarly, even the most sophisticated solutions have their limitations. For example, running audio and video over the same channel you re using to create screen manipulations is a sure-fire way to bring about technical glitches. Vendor Landscape The following is a list of vendors offering Web conferencing solutions: Adobe Systems: AT&T: Alcatel-Lucent: Cisco: Citrix Systems: Dialcom Networks: Dimdim Inc.: Elluminate Inc.:

7 IBM: ilinc Communications: InterCall: Microsoft: Saba Software: WebEx Communications Inc: WiredRed Software: Yugma Inc.: Zoho:

CDW LLC 200 North Milwaukee Avenue, Vernon Hills, IL

CDW LLC 200 North Milwaukee Avenue, Vernon Hills, IL Coordinating Conferencing and Collaboration Vital unified communications capabilities offer a solid foundation for an integrated view of the collaborative environment. To make the most of the opportunities