RSSMicrosoft, Cisco Link VoIP Solutions
By Ed Oswald | Published March 6, 2006, 12:55 PM
Microsoft said Monday it had entered into an agreement with Cisco Systems to integrate the Session Initiation Protocol (SIP)-based Microsoft Live Communications Server with the SIP-based Cisco Unified Communications System. The two companies say the partnership would enhance real-time business communications.
Cisco and Microsoft will work together to create a converged solution that would be able to interface with Cisco's Unified CallManager, allowing for desktop VoIP call control.
Barry O'Sullivan, Cisco vice present of the IP Communications Business Unit, said this was a common request among their customers. Microsoft added that the two companies share common users, so interoperability made good business sense.
"The interoperability of Live Communications Server and Office Communicator with Cisco's communication offerings will lead to more effective real-time collaboration capabilities for our mutual customers," said Microsoft general manager for Unified Communications Zig Serafin.
The solution to be provided by Cisco and Microsoft would allow for click-to-call and transfer of calls from the Redmond company's Office Communicator product without the need for human interaction. Customers would also be able to choose whether to take calls from a computer or desk phone.
Other advantages include the ability to view Cisco VoIP phone presence within Office Communicator, and transparent escalation of instant messaging and voice sessions, the companies said.
Microsoft says the initial phase of the partnership would yield the first interoperabililty solutions in August of this year.
Great, they're going to take one product which is a firewall admin's nightmare and combine it with another product which is a firewall admin's nightmare.
If you're not using recent versions of Cisco IOS or Microsoft ISA Server, and you are securing multiple perimeters/borders within your WAN, marrying these two SIP implementations will probably be like Freddy Krueger vs. Jason Voorhees.
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This is about Cisco's new Presence Server which will talk to the MS LCS--the Cisco IOS-based voice gateways will only be talking to the Presence server and Cisco CallManager.
One thing that you'll like about Cisco's new direction is that it is moving towards a Linux appliance model for what seems to be most of it's new "Cisco Unified Communications" platform. It's called an appliance basically because the underlying Linux OS is transparent to the user--which also alleviates the requirements for the admin to know one bit about Linux.
It's hard for me to understand why they're even integrating the Presence server with LCS since Cisco's new Unified Personal Communicator will allow you to IM, check your voicemail, e-mail, change your phone settings, and do web collaboration/conferencing/document sharing all in one software app. That pretty much blows MS Live away with regards to functionality.
Check this out for more info:
http://www.cisco.com/go/unified
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