For end-user companies, the most challenging aspect of managing VoIP deployments is the issue of "change management" and technical support. Today's average VoIP deployment will challenge system administrators and technical service and support teams. Today, not only does technology move faster than employee digestion, but it also touches many other aspects of the business, making it difficult to hire someone who can do it. From computer networks to virtualization, Microsoft server and desktop software, data center practices, disaster and business continuity strategies, technical support has become a challenge for every size company.
Remember to buy a new VoIP system? Have you found a partner with the required technical depth, or where did you buy a low-cost device provider? This is after-sales support, you can understand the actual cost of the system! Consider the next ShoreTel upgrade from version X to version Y. Do you have an appropriate change management process? Your partner? With project management in the initial installation, change and configuration management is critical to the maintenance and ongoing technical support of VoIP solutions. What tools are available to manage configuration interdependencies in voip deployments because it can be very complex very quickly.
For example, what version of Microsoft Server are you running? Is it 32 or 64? Does it run on hardware with enough memory, NIC card, processor and storage capacity? Has it been virtualized yet? Which version of the hypervisor you are running, and does your new ShoreTel version require you to upgrade the virtual operating system in addition to the ShoreTel server software? How many servers can be upgraded between the HQ server and any DVM? Are they the same operating system version or 32-bit and other 64-bit? How about an application server such as a recording server? What happens when the recording server cannot upgrade to the new OS bit size required to support the new ShoreTel version? What about that VPN server?
We haven't discussed the desktop system yet? Vista, XP, Windows 7/8? Do we have 32 or 64 or a combination? Any Mac in the mix? Separate browser compatibility will drive adults to drink! Microsoft Office 2003, 2010, 2012? Appearance? Exchange integration? Active Directory? Salesperson connector? Will the new version eliminate any hardware? Need new hardware? Do we need to worry about custom integration? Does TAPI work for any of these applications? How will the latest version of SIP affect deployment? Apple, Android, wireless, mobile?
The list of interdependencies is exhaustive, and planning upgrades require careful consideration and planning. Not only do you need a clear job statement, a detailed list of tasks, but you also need to "return" the plan. Is the maintenance window wide enough? Have you notified the user group? Configuration management is a pioneer in change management, and both disciplines require extensive planning and tracking.
Orignal From: Change your VoIP phone system management!
No comments:
Post a Comment