The Road to IP Telephony : How Cisco Systems Migrated from PBX to IP Telephony

Rating:
Summary: This is a must read for anyone migrating from TDM to IPT.
Review: The Road to IP Telephony is a project manager's guide for a successful migration from TDM to IP Telephony. It's a must read for anyone involved with or interested in the project side of migrating from a traditional TDM environment to IP Telephony. This book will take you step by step through the project process and, I believe if followed, will ensure a successful implementation and migration to IP Telephony. Even if you are not on the project management side, reading this book will help you see the big picture and understand how the process will affect you. This book does not require an understanding of the technical issues involved, although the book does outline technical issues that need to be addressed during the migration.

One of the big industry buzz word is "Voice over IP". Companies that truly understand the benefits of leveraging their IP infrastructure will make the business decision to migrate from their traditional TDM infrastructure to IP Telephony. The Road to IP Telephony helps you understand the keys to a successful migration from TDM environment to IP Telephony.

I have come away from reading this book with three major keys for a successful migration. Below I have identified those keys:

The first keys to a successful migration are to have executive management fully behind the business decision and lead the company's transition to IP Telephony. This would include appointing a project manager over the migration that is not influenced by individual company departments. Technical departments such as Telecom and Network should provide the technical skills and support for the project but not the direction.

The second key to a successful migration is the successful migration of the Telecom and Network groups. Traditionally the Telecom and Network groups have been managed separately. Each group has its own characteristics that make merging the two groups difficult. The technology and operating process in the telecom environment is very static, while the technology and operating processes in the networking environment are constantly changing. It is crucial for not only management, but also both the telecom and network departments to understand the continued need for the skills that both departments bring to the table.

The third key to a successful migration is communication. It is critical that the company as a whole understands and has expectations set before beginning the transition. Migrating from a TDM environment to IP Telephony is NOT about simply replacing hardware. In order to be successful a paradigm shift will need to take place within the company. IP Telephony will allow your company to leverage its existing IP infrastructure adding features and services that will increase productivity and enhance the way you do business with your customers.

The Road to IP Telephony is a perfect example of how Cisco Systems successfully implemented their own IP Telephony solution into their own working environment. The author Stephanie Carhee, project manager over Cisco Systems migration from TDM to IP Telephony, does a superb job of identifying every aspect required for this project. Today, Cisco Systems does not have a single TDM switch in their enterprise. They rely solely on IP Telephony for all of their Voice needs. I believe Cisco's success was a direct result of the project management process outlined in this book.

In my personal experience, the past two companies that I have worked for made valiant attempts to migrate from TDM to IP Telephony but were unsuccessful. I believe the reason they were unsuccessful was not addressing the above keys to success. Ultimately this cost both companies a significant amount of money and left a very negative impression of IP Telephony. The current company I work for has also begun the paradigm shift towards IP Telephony. After reading this book I have reevaluated our current approach towards IP Telephony and believe we are closer to ensuring a successful migration from TDM to IP Telephony.

Although The Road to IP Telephony was written around a Cisco implementation it can and should be used by anyone wanting to guide their company into a successful migration to IP Telephony. It is a step by step project manager's guide for a successful migration from TDM to IP Telephony. I would highly recommend this book and this author to anyone involved with or considering a migration to IP Telephony.