This book is all about real-time communication and collaboration—in other words all that you need to know about unified communications!
The book combines both interesting areas; business, and technology, into one single literature. The reader will get to know all important key areas of unified communications technologies: How to evaluate and integrate unified communications project in your own company or for your customer, how you select the right solution, how you plan, design, and implement the technology itself, and also how you can create a compelling business case for communications and collaborations projects. Additionally, you get to know the current innovations and available technologies for social networking, collaboration, cloud services, contact centers and enhanced collaboration for mobile devices. This book also offers a real business case of a transformational project from traditional telecommunications to unified communications technology including all key lessons, best practices and how to put together a business case you can use for your business. On the technical side: Let's get to know Microsoft Lync 2013, what's new in one of the most successful unified communications products and what innovative changes we would have in the way we communicate and collaborate in the next few years!
Chapter 1, Innovation of the Communication and Information Technology, introduces you to the current changes in the communication and information technology and the trends that we will see in the next few years. From the beginning of telecommunication, to the Internet and today: unified communications, collaborations, social networking, and cloud technology.
Chapter 2, Information Technology Meets Knowledge Management, explains how collaboration and communication and social networking technology can help businesses to learn faster, store "knowledge" as content, share information across the boundaries of the organization and how communication technology can create better success. Learn about the term Knowledge Management means and how important it is for companies in today's business.
Chapter 3, Business Cooperation in the World of the World Wide Web, explains how unified communications can help companies to be more efficient and more successful. You will also learn how cooperation, partnerships, and alliances between companies are key factors in today's business. To work with another company in partnership also requires a modern communication and collaboration interface.
Chapter 4, Value and Potential for End Users, illustrates a "common business day" with all the modern tools so that you are better connected to customers, business partner, friends, family and be always up-to-date with the latest information. We discuss how chat, VoIP, video conferencing, desktop, application sharing, Lync, and Skype changed our daily lives. You will also learn more about a daily life with unified communications and collaborations technology.
Chapter 5, Cost Optimization Approaches, drives you through important cost saving factors since every company wants to achieve more with less using the most optimal resources. Factors such as facility, data connection, telecommunication costs, insourcing or outsourcing to cloud services and the "real" Return of Investment (ROI) of unified communications for companies of all sizes are discussed. This chapter provides also a very helpful guideline on how you can develop a business case and ROI for a unified communications project.
Chapter 6, Unified Communications Projects in Practice, brings you through a real project example where unified communications is introduced and implemented successfully. It also answers questions such as; What was the business justification? Was the key problem resolved? Why did the company select unified communications for their business? Learn about all key areas of a real-time communication project that are critical to the successful optimization of a company.
Chapter 7, Analyzing the Key Points of a Unified Communications Project, provides great information on how a unified communications project should be introduced, what preparation is required from business and technology side, how to select the best solution for the business, how a successful project needs to be managed and controlled, and how an overall successful outcome can be made a reality. It also answers questions such as: What are the key challenges for a real time or in other words unified communications and collaborations project? What usually blocks projects in this space and how can you resolve challenges to implement a successful project and technology? Learn more about how to realize a successful project and change for the company.
Chapter 8, Technology Inside the Microsoft UC platform and a Look into the Future, provides detailed technical information on how you plan, design, implement, and run a Microsoft Lync 2013 topology for your organization. Microsoft Lync is one of the most successful unified communications solutions in the Information Technology world. Learn also about other tools such as Skype, add-ons for reporting, business intelligence, Contact Center solutions, web chat, persistent chat and great partner solutions for the Lync platform. This chapter will also provide you with an interesting look into the near future of technology.
Do you want to know more about unified communications, collaborations, Lync, Skype, social, or cloud services? This book offers interesting content for many different audiences: Business decision makers, technical advocates, and IT decision makers. As this is also a fundamental book on real-time collaboration technology, it is suitable for anyone who is interested in the future of communications and collaborations. You will also learn to plan, design, and realize a project in this space for your own company or customers. Through this book's chapters you will gain an in-depth knowledge of topics such as meeting business requirements with UC, how to build a business case, selecting the best technology, plan for UC business solutions such as contact center and CRM integration, realizing projects to migrate from traditional telephony to unified communications inside an organization, and optimize communication and collaboration for your own business, your business partners or your customers.
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