VoIP/SIP Convergence

Business Value
Presents an exciting new opportunity for our Network Reseller partners to expand their offerings by providing networking solutions for enterprises to securely integrate VoIP/SIP communication capabilities into their existing networks and enable multi-site and hosted services organizations to connect branch offices and remote workers to central data centers or enterprise services. Convergence gateways are designed for securing the network edge for Enterprise VoIP and other real-time services. The system family can terminate SIP (UDP, TCP, TLS) as well as RTP and SRTP connections and thus act as a session border controller in SIP trunking scenarios; it also enables failover scenarios to keep a SIP trunk running.

VoIP/SIP Convergence Solutions for Network Resellers
VoIP/SIP convergence enables Network Resellers to allow organizations to take advantage of SIP trunking when doing branch consolidation of their IT infrastructure. It offers Convergence gateways that provide an extensive suite of advanced security features that include user authentication, access control mechanisms, Network Address Translation (NAT), encryption, authentication and Stateful Packet Inspection (SPI) including Layer 7 filtering and other advanced security features.

Mixing data traffic together with VoIP/SIP traffic imposes a number of challenges that current infrastructures in place today cannot always handle. The connection of branch offices and remote workers represents a special challenge. Administrators are always faced with the same set of problems that include bridging network boundaries and NATs, guaranteeing QoS, and making the VoIP function robust enough to cope with network outages. These challenges become obvious especially in architectures with lots of branch offices and mobile workers.

By delivering these intelligent services to small through to large enterprise branch offices, VoIP/SIP convergence systems become the foundation for securely providing the most sophisticated and critical voice services & applications to branch offices for different scenarios such as branch connectivity & survivability, multi-service applications, hosted applications, and SIP trunking & termination.

It allows Network Resellers to capitalize on un-tapped VoIP/SIP opportunities such as new converged wired & wireless infrastructure, agent mobility, new VoIP/SIP CPE equipment, VoIP/SIP security, FMC gateways, mobile devices, mobile device security, and managed services and other communications solutions.

VoiP /SIP Convergence allows Network Reseller partners to provide convergence systems & services that integrate survivability, Session Border Controller functionality with support for NAT detection and traversal, topology hiding, SRTP and TLS termination as well as cascaded scenarios with multiple SBCs in a row allowing organizations to expand their workforce well beyond the confines of a geographic region and the ability to deploy IP communications applications to IP phones, softphones, and mobile devices. It enhances the traditional communications network by delivering secure unified mobility and unified communications features by extending VoIP/SIP telephony features in Open Source communications deployments at a fraction of the cost of tradition PBX solutions.

VoIP/SIP Convergence is designed for two key deployment scenarios: as a branch SBC, or as a centralized SBC for enterprise applications.

Branch SBC Application
In the branch application, the SBC provides the secure link between the Internet or enterprise WAN connection and the branch office switching system and associated IP telephones. The SBC provides multiple functions for this configuration, including data routing, firewall, SIP NAT handling, QoS and traffic shaping, call admission control, VoIP security, and call routing via a SIP Proxy.

Cetralized SBC for Enterprise Applications
In the enterprise application, the SBC provides the link between the Internet or enterprise WAN connection and a SIP-based softswitch. The SBC protects that softswitch from unauthorized access, and also provides topology hiding, Layer 7 packet inspection for firewall pinhole functions, QoS and traffic shaping, and NAT handling.

The enterprise and branch scenarios can be combined, thus providing a controlled, secure link between the branch office switching system and the centralized softswitch.

With the explosive growth of Open Source, VaaS, VoWLAN, FMC, and Data Mobility opportunities, as IP communications services are deployed, the drive for VoIP/SIP communications environemts require the underlying security and network infrastructure must move from legacy PBX and data centric delivery services to secure converged communications services to allow access to new communications applications and services from any device, anywhere

Network Reseller’s customers can benefit extensively from a secure Asterisk Based communications network with lower acquisition and operating costs and increased agent productivity. The selection of an Asterisk based PBX as a backbone of enterprise communications will have a positive long term impacts on an organization in many ways like, the future growth, reduced effort in expansion, lesser deployment and service cost.

Experienced Network Reseller partners can help customers determine exactly what they want their communications services to accomplish for them in order to choose the right mobility solution, call center software, wireless phones, wireless headsets, security, and networking solutions or services for their needs.

Convergence gateways provide customers with fully functional network access system with sophisticated and fast routing features, advanced security, quality of service including call admission control, emergency call management, network border management and much more.

Businesses of all sizes are demanding the savings and productivity advantages of replacing traditional phone systems & communications applications and services with Voice over IP/SIP communications solutions deployed to remote offices and remote users. Whie the demand for Open Source communications increases, a lack of cohesive converged VoIP/SIP infrastructure can be a significant barrier to providing “5 Nines” quality VoIP/SIP deployments to new and existing customers . while the demand for Open Source communications increases. By integrating VoIP/SIP solutions, convergence gateways, and applications into the customer’s converged network, Network Reseller partners will extend their position at the vanguard of IP communications.

Network Reseller partners can now empower their customers with a secure converged solution that enables advanced communications functionality, allowing them to securely extend their networks anywhere, and look and act like a Fortune 1000 business, without a heavy burden to the bottom line. They will be able to provide VoIP/SIP platforms, Convergence, VoIP/SIP security, Open-Source IP-PBX platforms, call center applications, secure wireless voice quality switching, mobile security and FMC gateway solutions to enable mobility which provide next generation voice services compared to existing systems.

The Open Source approach is an important part of the current IP PBX and mobile communications market, gaining significant momentum in the market place because they are easy to deploy and they offer Voice reseller partners and customers the ability to use it as a platform for customized communications solutions.
 

The top benefits for Network Reseller partners are meeting market demand by

	Providing their customers with Convergence Gateway solutions for Open Source communications platforms, hosted services, VoIP/SIP deployments for small business and enterprise applications, agent mobility, and secure VoIP/SIP infrastructure components across their customer’s networks
	Providing better productivity and solutions for gaining competitive advantage. Differentiation is key to survival and winning.
	Jointly deliver secure end-to-end Open-Source VoIP/SIP, Vo-WLAN, FMC, cellular enabled, and Mobile Voice and Data solutions to their clients, enabling them to maintain competitive advantage, increase revenue and reduce costs.

How a Network Reseller’s expertise and strength lends itself to answering the business value issues surrounding Open Source implementations?
Deploying VoIP/SIP Convergence gateways at their customer premises, Network Resellers are able to provide VoIP appliance devices for implementing intelligent and secure branch office / remote location connectivity solutions. Convergence enables companies to accomplish a branch consolidation of their IT infrastructure while assuring the quality of service, security and feature transparency of their communication infrastructure and connect existing telecommunications equipment (both TDM and VoIP based) to their SIP trunking offerings. In addition , the Convergence gateway automates the process of delivering SIP trunks while maintaining a broad range of integration scenarios for their customers. Therefore, a new SIP trunk can be made available to a business customer and be in use in a timeframe significantly shorter than that required for a TDM trunkline. Network Resellers can thus successfully offer upgrading the business customer’s communications services.
 

VoIP/SIP Convergence for Open-Source telephony allows SMBs to migrate from dedicated TDM lines to true IP connectivity (SIP Trunking) by providing a robust, reliable and secure solution that supports business applications and provides enterprise-grade scalability for future expansions.
 

Network Reseller partners can now supply a secure, integrated, Convergence solution that delivers branch connectivity with survivability and call admission control, hosted VoIP/SIP customer premise connectivity, enterprise edge, cascaded, and central session border controller scenarios, integrated communication solution for SMBs, and SIP Trunking Scenarios for Asterisk based VoIP/SIP deployments.
 

VoIP/SIP communications and mobile data deployments are expected by some to be targeted by attackers more as the number of organizations utilizing the technology increases. Traditional (legacy) networking solutions don't scale well or provide the needed security, QoS, agent mobility, and routing services for the evolving IP communications environment. The sheer number of users, the rich mix of applications and the diverse types of mobility deployments require highly flexible solutions.
 

Network Reseller partners can provide customers with a complete converged IP-PBX, security infrastructure for, IP communications, messaging, wireless communications devices, mobile endpoint security, data in motion security, and network infrastructure products and solutions that enable secure communications & services between clients across the network. They enable organizations to provide VoIP quality communications to achieve the performance that Open-Source communications deployments require.
 

Organizations today seek convergence solutions that deliver unified service to customers. Open Source communications allow organizations to achieve enterprise class services at a lower cost than traditional PBX offerings when leveraging inexpensive overseas labor or adding remote workers. However, implementing a secure converged VoIP/SIP network is critical for Network Reseller who are providing improvements and services for VoIP/SIP and remote Call Center applications.
 

They need to meet the expectations of users and take advantage of sales opportunities for VoIP/SIP security and Open Source communications solutions when providing their customers with IP communications solutions to broaden their customer’s scope of capabilities and reach by being a strategic partner for rapid deployment for these services.
 

Opportunities

	Solutions for Enterprises and IP Centrex Carriers to securely connect branch offices and remote locations up to 1500 users.
	Enhance/Upgrade existing network infrastructure to provide VoIP/SIP routing, PoE for IP phones, mobile access devices, high speed switching, VoIP QoS via WiFi and WiMax, and network continuity.
	Enable branch consolidation of enterprise communications and data infrastructure while assuring the quality of service, security and features transparency of their network.
	Provide secure remote access and increased availability solutions to enterprise communications for remote workers , regardless of location.
	Provide IP communications platforms and solutions that provide customers with enterprise class functionality and flexibility at a fraction of the cost of traditional systems.
	Provide VoIP/SIP specific security solutions to protect customers against faulty or hacked communication servers, defend against disruption (e.g., denial-of-service attacks), protect VoIP/SIP traffic privacy, protect data in motion, protect communications and data on end point devices, and protect access to network resources.
	Provide organizations that are moving locations, replacing old phone systems or just looking for a faster, better, less expensive, and more capable communications solution, such as business class Open Source communications hardware & software productivity enhancing features that typically cost hundreds of thousands of dollars.
	Enhance/Upgrade existing network infrastructure to provide IP Phones, PoE for SIP endpoints, communications devices, high speed switching, VoIP QoS, Mobility, multi-homing and network continuity.
	Provide integrated Open Source IP communications applications

Why an end user wants to take on Open Source Call Center solutions from a Network Reseller partner
Deploying a secure Open Source communications network in multi-site environments requires the implementation of voice enabled high speed convergence gateways, security switching & VoIP/SIP routing, wireless switching, mobility gateways, FMC gateways, QoS, and security layers of the network (IP Transport/Packet Handling Layer, Policy and Control Layer and Application & Service Layer) to ensure voice quality and protect from the vast and constantly changing network attacks that customers are facing daily from both inside and outside of the network.

Currently, security is focused primarily on data. VoIP/SIP communications networks need to support mixed traffic and provide transport layer security and that will require a single layer focus to be significantly expanded to a complex, multi-layer solution that includes the need to secure the media, control and signaling layers, service/application layer security, and the endpoint device over the wireless deployment.

With IP communications there isn’t any longer any concept of a simple network. In order to differentiate themselves, Network Reseller partners must take particular pains to ensure that they provide their customers with a secure solid “5-nines” quality enabled communications network infrastructure. Customers look to experienced Network Reseller partners that are highly customer facing capable of identifying their business challenges and providing a secure network infrastructure for data & communications solutions is an important differentiator.
 

Ancillary benefits to VAR
Finding new business takes up a lot of rellers’ time and technical resources, Westcon Group provides the Network Reseller partners with a proven and cost effective program, products, and support to help them develope sales in the Open Source communications, Security, VoWLAN and FMC market. Westcon Group provides Network Reseller partners with a one-stop destination for unprecedented product choice in secure mobility solutions, Open Source communications platforms, related products and services

Further, by converging mobility, voice, network, and security services into a seamless network, Network Reseller partners can leverage their brand and their existing services to differentiate themselves in the market through the offer of ever more sophisticated services.