BUILDING A BUSINESS CASE Preparing for Skype for Business Enterprise Voice and a Transition to the Cloud
There has been a transformational shift around enterprise voice solutions, as organizations move from PBX to unified communications (UC). At the same time, many are moving their existing on-premises IT and communications infrastructure to the cloud. This document outlines the benefits and considerations of balancing both of these transitions and discusses how providers like Polycom and Microsoft can help your organization fully realize the benefits of UC and collaboration as an integral part of the modern workplace. The unified communications environment The way we communicate is changing. With UC, we can communicate with instant messaging, voice, and video on any number of devices phones, PCs, tablets and clients on end-user personal smartphones. Microsoft is a leader in UC; with 100 million users worldwide, Skype for Business is a communications and collaboration platform that brings together the familiar look and feel of Skype with the security, compliance, and control that enterprise IT organizations have come to expect. With Office 365, it s never been easier to try out and ultimately move voice and video communications and collaboration to the cloud. And with Polycom s wide array of phones and video solutions for desktops, conference rooms and huddle spaces, the end-to-end user experience is familiar, easy to use, and sounds better than ever. Many customers with PBXs face the issue of equipment that either isn t adaptable or expandable to system upgrades or new products or has simply become obsolete. Others have leases on their IP PBXs that will soon expire. In both cases, there are compelling reasons that support moving from PBX/IP PBX to Enterprise Voice features in Skype for Business. Based on a report by Infotrack available from Microsoft, 89% of US companies (500+ seats) surveyed indicated that Enterprise Voice has been or will be included in their Skype for Business trials. Skype for Business is an attractive option because it supports Enterprise Voice features and has a relative low cost compared to the PBX. In addition, many customers already using the voice conferencing services already have in place the necessary licensing required to support Enterprise Voice features or can do so affordably with a small upgrade to their existing licensing plan. The payback period for a Skype for Business voice customer is less than 2 years, according to a recent Forrester TEI Study 1. These new realities demonstrate that the previous practice of making significant upgrades to or even completely replacing the PBX every five to 10 years, is not only overly expensive, but no longer addresses the diverse communications needs of the modern work environment. The payback period for a Skype for Business voice customer is less than 2 years, according to a recent Forrester TEI Study. 1. Source: Microsoft, October 2015 at ITEXPO 2. The Total Economic Impact Of Polycom Voice Solutions For Skype For Business A Forrester Total Economic Impact Study Commissioned By Polycom and Microsoft 2
Better together a unified user experience IM is the new dial tone. A user s first introduction to Skype for Business (previously Microsoft Lync and Microsoft Office Communicator) is typically instant messaging (IM). You can work in real time, easily see who is available to connect and quickly message for availability or even to share important information without even having to make a live call. When more detailed collaboration is required, including real-time content and data sharing, you re able to quickly and easily connect to a voice or video call right from the UC client IM window. Users benefit from the seamless integration of Polycom VVX phones on Skype for Business that the Better Together over Ethernet feature enables launching calls directly from the IM client or via their VVX phone for audio I/O on a Skype for Business client video call. This experience also bears little resemblance to the old disjointed PBX or IP PBX experience because with Skype for Business and Polycom endpoints, the workflow is natural, intuitive, seamless and amazingly high quality in terms of sound and video. With Polycom s latest software release for the VVX business media phones, UCS 5.5.1, these phones get several enhancements that are noteworthy. First, a user interface (UI) refresh on the popular VVX 500 and VVX 600 series touch screen capable phones makes the look and feel of the experience more Skype like. Signing into your VVX phone for the first time is easier for VVX users running on a Microsoft Cloud PBX (Skype for Business Online). While it s always possible to enter your login credentials and password from the phone itself, the process is made easier by allowing users to enter letters and numbers from a computer keyboard. With UCS 5.5.1, you can now sign into your Skype for Business Online account using the web sign-in method, which allows you to establish access to your Skype for Business Online account using a web browser. 3
Microsoft Office 365 and the cloud Along with answering the question what to do about the PBX, IT departments are often required by their CFO to evaluate cloud and hosted solutions that can potentially reduce support costs and replace on-premises solutions which are typically more expensive to own and maintain. This also shifts spending from a CAPEX to an OPEX model which can be beneficial. Microsoft Office is a solution that has been designed for the cloud, which is why many IT departments have already moved, or are in the process of moving, to Office 365 hosted directly by Microsoft. Office 365 offers a highly integrated suite of tools including email, shared calendar, document management, team collaboration, mobile access, instant messaging, online meetings, and presence merged into a complete online solution. Deeper integration with Office 365 across Skype for Business, Yammer and OneDrive for Business is extending this reach outside of our organizations, increasing social interactions and changing where our documents reside. Skype for Business Online provides most of the features and capabilities we typically associate with real-time communications. Video, IM and desktop collaboration features of Skype for Business Online have near parity with Skype for Business on-premises server deployments. Microsoft is clearly committed to expanding Cloud PBX features to address specific customer feature needs and requests. Microsoft introduced Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN) connectivity with Skype for Business Online in 2015 and continues rolling out this service availability in other countries. On November 30, 2015, the day of the official launch of the new Microsoft Cloud PBX services with Office 365, Microsoft stated Key partners like Polycom are delivering innovative new solutions for audio conferencing including the Polycom RealPresence Trio for groups, and Polycom VVX desktop phones, which are the first phones qualified for the new Skype for Business services in Office 365. While many smaller and mid-sized customers can easily switch to an Office 365 cloud PBX, not every Enterprise customer is ready to do this. Hybrid deployment strategies may still be necessary for Skype for Business, either for customers who need today s full Enterprise Voice feature set, or who need to connect existing PBX-based contact center platforms for a portion of their employees. A hybrid solution is a very effective deployment strategy for organizations who need to manage a seamless transition from the PBX to Enterprise Voice supported on Skype for Business on-premises servers. In 2016, Microsoft introduced Skype for Business Cloud Connector Edition, a set of packaged Virtual Machines (VMs) that implement on-premises PSTN connectivity with Microsoft Cloud PBX. Ultimately, the goal for most enterprises will be to fully transition to cloud-based voice and video solutions in the next 5 years. For those that already use Microsoft Office for email and productivity applications, finding a very tight integration with voice and video services with these applications makes a compelling user experience. That future is realized now through Microsoft s Cloud PBX powered by Skype for Business Online, but to really take advantage of what these products have to offer, customers will need a range of voice and video endpoints for desktop and room environments. This is where Polycom completes the solution. 4
Choosing the right phones for Skype for Business Polycom has enjoyed a long partnership with Microsoft, delivering on over 40 solutions that are closely integrated and/ or qualified with Microsoft environments. Today, Polycom offers a broad selection of phones and conference phones that can be used with Skype for Business online (Cloud PBX) or onpremises. If your organization is considering a move away from legacy PBXs like Nortel, Avaya and Cisco, you will need new phones to replace your vendor-specific proprietary phones for equipment that directly registers to Skype for Business. Polycom recommends considering desktop voice and room conferencing devices that are qualified with Skype for Business Online (Office 365 Cloud PBX). In addition, it s important to note there are a subset of choices in this portfolio that are newer OpenSIP qualified devices that will ultimately be a better choice over the older phones running Lync Phone Edition (LPE). Let s take a deeper look at the voice portfolio from Polycom starting with these selection criteria: Audio quality matters Phone vs Client/headset or BYOD Always on phones; quick access to features/contacts Conference rooms Audio quality matters Polycom s leadership in audio technology is well recognized and starts with Polycom HD Voice and Polycom Acoustic Clarity technology, which gives you a superior audio experience. Polycom s high-fidelity audio makes calls sound as if everyone is in the same room, no matter the device or source, whether coming through the handset, speakerphone or plug-in headset. For desktop phones, the pace of innovation on the Polycom VVX business media phones continues with the award winning Polycom Acoustic Fence technology. The VVX phone actively listens and removes disruptive sounds from cube mates, water cooler talk, and open workspaces. Making a Skype for Business client video call from a PC? You can use your VVX phone as the microphone and speaker instead of your PC s mic and speaker. With Better Together over Ethernet, use your VVX phone for client video audio I/O Phone vs Client/headset or BYOD Some small and medium-sized businesses (SMBs) may be told they don t need phones, and should instead just use headsets and BYOD for all Skype for Business calls. There are problems, however, with a headset/client-only strategy. Being tethered to a corded headset all day when working at a PC limits mobility and becomes a comfort issue for many users who experience headset fatigue. Bluetooth headsets can be used with PCs or BYOD smartphones and tablets, but batteries on headsets and users devices can end up at zero charge, leaving an end user with no way to make a call. In this case, for the predominantly client only end user, the Polycom CX300 R2 USB phone provides handset and speakerphone operation and also has a headset jack for those who wish to also plug in a wired headset. Polycom CX300 R2 USB Phone 5
Always on with quick access to features and contacts Another issue with choosing phones is whether to have a phone that can operate independently of running Skype for Business on a PC. Having an always-on phone means calls can be made quickly without needing a computer or other device. Additional feature keys on phones offer one-click access to features that can be confusing or harder to find on the Skype for Business client. For example, the transfer feature becomes a dedicated feature key on a phone. This saves time, training and reduces calls to the help desk. You can also think of your phone as a productivity tool. In addition to your own line, you can view the status of up to 15 of your favorites and easily call them from their contact cards. When the status is in color (as it is on the VVX 400, 500 and 600 series) it is simple to see whether they are available, away, or busy. Presence status of favorites allows quick access to contact cards on the VVX 500 Conference rooms Polycom is the only Microsoft partner that has solutions for both the desktop and conference rooms. Moreover, Polycom solutions for conference rooms, work for both voice and video delivering high quality calls that are easy and intuitive. Space planning websites cite conference room ratios ranging from one conference room to 10 employees in an all open office environment to one conference room per 20 employees in a private office-rich environment. Some executive private offices have table meeting room space within the executive s office. For a company with 500 employees, one might expect to deploy 25 to 50 or more conference room phones. These conference rooms may need just one phone or a full video solution depending on your company s size and needs. Polycom CX5100 Unified Conference Station supports a 360 degree video experience 6
As of January 2016, the recommended conference phones for both Office 365 Cloud PBX and Skype for Business includes: RealPresence Trio 8800 the first qualified conference phone for Skype for Business and Office 365. CX5100 Unified Conference Station connects via USB to a PC running Skype for Business and supports 360 degree panoramic video and active speaker view In addition, the following two solutions are also qualified with Skype for Business and/or Lync 2013 today, with planned support for Skype for Business Online in the future: CX5500 Unified Conference Station supports 360 degree panoramic video and active speaker view when connected via USB and also supports stand-alone voice calls as a conference phone SoundStructure installed audio offers complete audio coverage for rooms of all sizes, including boardrooms, auditoriums and theaters Video-enable your conference rooms with Polycom MSR Series solutions starting in 2017 Finally, new solutions that make your conference room video enabled have been recently announced. You can learn more about the exciting Polycom MSR Series of solutions (Microsoft s Project Rigel) at www.polycom.com/microsoft-video/ignitesolutions-announcements.html The Polycom RealPresence Trio 8800 is the first smart hub to support audio conferencing with Skype for Business Online 7
Polycom s solutions for Skype for Business and Skype for Business Online The following table illustrates how Polycom s solutions for Microsoft fits specific customer requirements: Requirements/Use Cases Polycom Solution(s) Benefit Purchase new phones with advance features and Skype for Business integration Color phones supporting color expansion modules Phones that have touch screen displays Phone supporting a Bluetooth headset Conference room phone with advance features and Skype for Business integration Conference room solutions supporting voice and 360 degree video Alternative to headset for Skype for Business client only users Video Collaboration in Office 365 and Skype for Business Microsoft Project Rigel bringing the Skype Meeting experience to every meeting room Connect Skype for Business video with existing video systems VVX 201 VVX 300 series VVX 400 series VVX 500 series VVX 600 series VVX 400 series VVX 500 series VVX 600 series VVX 500 series VVX 600 series VVX 600 series RealPresence Trio 8800 CX5100 (USB only) CX5500 (USB + VoIP) CX300 R2 USB phone RealPresence Group Series Polycom MSR Series Polycom RealConnect for Skype for Business Qualified with Skype for Business and Microsoft Cloud PBX (Skype for Business Online) More phone features: Boss/admin, group paging, intercom, Polycom Acoustic Fence noise reduction, flexible line keys, screen customization, custom ring tones and more View favorites presence status at a glance Faster access to more contact cards Intuitive user experience is faster than button navigation Use the same headset for smartphone and desktop phone Polycom HD Voice and Bass reflex speaker 360 degree audio coverage in the room Bluetooth pairing and USB Integrated calendar and pop up meeting reminders 360 degree panoramic video with active speaker detection Zero training; no handheld remote to learn or use Avoids headset fatigue and battery issues for client only users Use as a speakerphone or pick up the handset Solution configurations from personal desktop to rooms of all sizes Complementary camera solutions like EagleEye Producer automatically frame the room and find active speaker Skype for Business/ Office 365 support expected in Q4 2016 Coming in 2017, preorder today Brings Skype Meeting experience pioneered on Microsoft Surface Hub to nearly any meeting room with a display or projector Familiar Outlook scheduling workflow Click to join Cisco video endpoints supported Polycom video endpoints supported Content sharing 8
Replacing the PBX and making the transition Choosing Polycom phones offers investment protection and ensures there are solutions for both your end user desktops and conference rooms options that no other phone vendor provide in today s marketplace. For the enterprise customer, a migration from older legacy PBXs to Skype for Business often starts with a small-scale voice trial. Enterprise deployments can be more complex and involve setting up a hybrid deployment and planning for phased branch office migrations and even larger enterprises rarely replace all their PBXs at once. Migration planning is critical and typically needs to include network assessments, branch site surveys, and more detailed user needs analyses, particularly with respect to features like Boss/Admin, reception, auto-attendant, analog fax, ACD, call recording, overhead paging, intercom, etc. Similarly, there is the need to account for navigating the complexities of E911 and infrastructure components, like planning for SIP trunking to remaining PBXs utilizing Microsoft s Skype for Business Cloud Connector Edition or 3rd party session border controllers and media gateways. The right expertise can make providing end user training on cutover day easier. Polycom Services offers a range of capabilities that help enterprise customers with all of this and more, ensuring your success along every step of the process to help you roll out the video services that tomorrow s workplace will demand. Quality Information Quality 99.80% Roundtrip Maximum roundtrip 53 ms 59 ms Degradation 0.01 Maximum degradation 0.02 For the small office or medium sized customer, finding the right partner that offers advice and support is critical for success. Going it alone means navigating through a wide range of products, vendors and services and could easily result in customers ordering phones or services that don t match their needs or offer little in the form of support or expertise. Whether you are a small, medium or enterprise sized customer, you will want to align with a partner that is familiar with the Skype Operations Framework (SOF). SOF is a comprehensive guide and toolset, designed by Microsoft for implementing and managing a reliable, cost-effective communications service based on Skype for Business. One important aspect of Microsoft s recommendations is the ability to monitor and report on incidents and be able to diagnose problems on the spot with accuracy. For example, when a user complains about call quality, IT needs to be able to see if the network is at fault. With the UCS 5.5.1 software release, IT can now monitor the VVX phones performance in both Microsoft Cloud PBX and Skype for Business on-premises deployments with support for Microsoft Quality of Experience Monitoring Server Protocol (MS-QoE). This feature allows administrators to monitor the VVX user s audio quality and more easily troubleshoot voice call problems attributable to network issues. By default, the phone sends a QoE report at the end of each call with round trip delay, jitter, lost packets, and MOS score statistics so there s no more guessing about the source of a connection issue. With more than 40 solutions in its relationship, Polycom stands today as the only Microsoft partner with a broad Microsoft qualified portfolio and Skype for Business voice and video expertise. Polycom will help you make the right choices as you transition from your PBX to Skype for Business, on-premises or in the cloud. Together, Polycom and Microsoft deliver a complete, interoperable, end-to-end UC solution for voice, video, conferencing, and collaboration and can connect people from any device, and from any location. To learn more, visit www.polycom.com/microsoft. Network MOS score 3.7 Network jitter Network jitter max 2 ms 4 ms Average packet loss 0.00% Sample QoE report from a Polycom VVX phone 9
About Polycom Polycom helps organizations unleash the power of human collaboration. More than 400,000 companies and institutions worldwide defy distance with video, voice and content solutions from Polycom. Polycom and its global partner ecosystem provide flexible collaboration solutions for any environment that deliver the best user experience and unmatched investment protection. Polycom, Inc. 1.800.POLYCOM www.polycom.com Polycom Asia Pacific Pte Ltd +65 6389 9200 www.polycom.com.sg Polycom EMEA +44 (0)1753 723282 www.polycom.co.uk 2016 Polycom, Inc. All rights reserved. All Polycom names and marks associated with Polycom products are trademarks or service marks of Polycom, Inc. and are registered or common law marks in the United States and other countries. All other trademarks are property of their respective owners. No portion hereof may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, for any purpose other than the recipient s personal use, without the express written permission of Polycom. 26436_1116