| Now we have accepted that VoIP is no longer just a | | | | remain open and unaffected for the duration of the |
| phone service, it has become feature rich as it merges | | | | call. Theoretically, VoIP installations would not allow |
| with computer configurations. The VoIP's existence | | | | such a huge bandwidth to be allocated for VoIP alone. |
| has changed considerably over the last few years, | | | | Therefore, there needs to be a compression taking |
| coupled with the availability of broadband connection to | | | | place to compact the voice data into a considerable |
| the Internet, plus leaps in multimedia technology in which | | | | size before it gets transmitted over a packet switching |
| virtual operations with remote sites becomes more | | | | network. G.723 codec that is incorporated in VoIP |
| enhanced, makes VoIP service a viable alternative to | | | | standard protocol H.232 can take a 64kb/s stream of |
| traditional communication offerings. | | | | data and squash it down to a mere 5.5kb/s or so. |
| Cost savings is not the only driving force for VoIP | | | | Generally, for VoIP to work reliably over WAN links, |
| implementations, enterprises have to consider some | | | | there has to be low jitter, low packet loss, a |
| business aspects that VoIP can bring about. VoIP | | | | considerably high-speed connection between the |
| creates potentials for applications that could not have | | | | endpoints, and less than 200ms delay. |
| been done before. Collaboration, integration, and | | | | 3. Interoperability |
| interactivity between employees and applications are | | | | Compatibility between VoIP equipment from different |
| one of the several business benefits that enterprises | | | | vendors is a very important aspect to boost the use |
| can derive from VoIP adoption. Nevertheless, amid | | | | of VoIP products. Without standardized quality of |
| euphoria of VoIP technology, there are three important | | | | service mechanisms businesses would need to buy all |
| aspects to look at before a company goes VoIP. In | | | | the equipment and the QoS server from the same |
| the following paragraphs I will summarize the aspect of | | | | manufacturer. The VoIP world seems to be divided |
| security, stability, and interoperability that play a key | | | | between many vendors with reluctance to establish |
| role in the successful implementation of VoIP. | | | | interoperability and some who are trying to be |
| 1. Security | | | | end-to-end supplier but at the same time worried |
| VoIP implementations may expose new security risks | | | | about interoperability. The protocols used in VoIP |
| and challenges that somehow become greater | | | | communication are still considered fairly complex in |
| concern than quality and cost-efficiency among | | | | comparison to most of the other protocols involved in |
| vendors and users. VoIP networks are vulnerable to all | | | | Internet applications. SIP (Session Initiation Protocol - a |
| the same security risks as traditional IP data networks, | | | | signaling protocol for Internet conferencing, telephony, |
| including: | | | | events notification, and instant messaging), that is |
| - Denial of Service (DoS), viruses, worms, | | | | regarded as simple and elegant the other protocols, is |
| - Toll fraud and unauthorized access, | | | | still not efficient. |
| - Spoofing, and port scanning. | | | | On the bright side, however, SIP is approaching status |
| It is recommended that organizations should adopt a | | | | as an IETF (Internet Engineering Task Force) standard, |
| layered, defense-in-depth security strategy to address | | | | after several years of work. With the recent version, it |
| the issue with the increasing proliferation of new | | | | has achieved a greater amount of stability and |
| Internet-borne attacks and malicious activities in recent | | | | changes are becoming smaller and smaller. Phone |
| years. In this architecture, the network is segmented | | | | switch companies such as Nortel have recently begun |
| into secure zones protected by layers of firewall, | | | | supporting SIP, and now the manufacturers of |
| intrusion prevention, and other security services. This | | | | handsets and related devices will soon ramp up their |
| strategy allows the organizations to logically split and | | | | support. Motorola, Avaya, and Proxim have made |
| secure voice and data networks in front of individual | | | | collaboration on the creation and deployment of IP |
| voice and data components and between interactive | | | | telephony solutions that will deliver new extents of |
| points in the network. | | | | communication mobility and network connectivity. |
| 2. Stability | | | | Finally, with these three VoIP aspects covered, |
| One of the main issues of VoIP is the amount of | | | | businesses will be able to maximize their investment by |
| bandwidth required for each call. There must be | | | | applying it as the backbone of internal communication |
| adequate bandwidth reserved and the quality of the | | | | such as phone conversation, videoconferencing, instant |
| link must be well maintained throughout each call to | | | | messaging, faxing, etc. Another area that will widely |
| ensure the users are not affected. As the very nature | | | | make use of VoIP is call centers, in which Web |
| of VoIP call is real-time, any disruption during the call | | | | contacts, virtual operations with outsourcers overseas, |
| would be easily noticeable and unacceptable. The two | | | | and remote sites, such as home agents, all could |
| issues that enterprises usually have to deal with here | | | | improve the customer experience. New VoIP |
| are bandwidth and quality of service (QoS). | | | | applications that we have not thought about may also |
| VoIP calls need a data transmission speed of 64kb/s | | | | come into existence as the services generates more |
| to produce the quality of voice comparable to that of | | | | business and profits for companies. |
| a normal telephone call. That 64kb/s channel needs to | | | | |