Convergence points for business

Ask a few people what convergence is and what it means to the average business, and you'll probably get a couple of differing explanations.

The reason for these divergent views is because convergence is a blanket concept that only starts to make sense when it's given a practical context.

There are three main points of convergence that have the potential to change the way we do business. This Industry Insight will mention some of the leading technologies and products in each to illustrate their practical benefits.

The main purpose of network convergence is to improve the efficiency and reduce the operating costs of communication infrastructure. It stands to reason that a single network designed to intelligently carry differing types of communication, such as Internet data, business data, voice, video, etc, is more cost-effective and simpler to manage than multiple ones, each dedicated to a single communication type.

This is the primary driver urging businesses and business service providers (ie, ISPs and telcos) to migrate/upgrade their network infrastructures to a single universal protocol, and these days that protocol is IP (Internet Protocol).

To ensure these converged networks are not an unmanageable 'free for all', the complementary Multi-Protocol Label Switching protocol is used to logically segregate, prioritise and manage the individual data and media types.

As the trend towards network convergence intensifies, the associated benefits in the form of cheaper pricing, quicker deployment of services and integrated functionality will filter down to the average business user.

Like many office workers, the first application I check in the morning, and the last one I check before leaving the office, is my e-mail client. While electronic messaging has become a pivotal part of business communication, it only represents a single method of interaction one could potentially use during the day.

It would seem logical then that if most of the other communication types could be converged around the application where one spends most of their time, work efficiency and productivity could be greatly enhanced. Loosely related communication tasks could be seamlessly integrated so that one type could flow into another without much effort. For example, with a single click a voice call could be triggered to an e-mail recipient, and an instant messaging (IM) session could be started to multiple e-mail recipients. Fax, SMS and voicemail messages are received in the same seamless manner as e-mails.

These types of converged unified-messaging applications are already available today, with the 'leader of the pack' being Microsoft's Outlook e-mail client. When used in conjunction with back-end service applications such as Exchange Server and Office Communication Server, together with other gateway servers, all the functionality described above and more is possible.

The convergence doesn't stop at basic office communication either. Microsoft is now intent on integrating line-of-business information and processes into Outlook as well. Microsoft Dynamics CRM and Office Accounting Professional have tight integration into Outlook, allowing one to communicate and interact seamlessly with customers, suppliers and sales prospects.

The convergence functionality is not only limited to the corporate domain as many of the required back-end servers support multi-tenancy and are able to be provided as software as a service to smaller businesses by service providers.

As the trend towards network convergence intensifies, the associated benefits will filter down to the average business user.

Roman Hogh is manager of product development at MWEB Business.

The phenomenal improvement in performance, capacity and capability of mobile hardware in recent years has elevated the mobile phone from being a simple voice communication device to a powerful ultra-personal computer. It was inevitable this enhanced ability would be used to converge other types of communication and functionality onto mobile devices, many of them being attractive to business users.

While basic Internet e-mail has value, workers on the move are demanding functionality similar to what they have on their desktops.

Other communication functionality with business applications making their way to mobile devices are IM and voice over IP (VOIP). As with ActiveSync, the Windows Live Messenger IM client is still only available on Windows Mobile devices. However, it is expected that versions should soon be released for other vendors' operating systems such as Nokia's S60. The integration of VOIP functionality into its higher end phones is one area where Nokia has taken the lead.

The E and N series models can place and receive VOIP calls as seamlessly as GSM/3G ones, providing easy integration into converged IP telephony systems and services, allowing one to make huge cost savings. For example, a VOIP call from a Starbucks hotspot in the US to your IP PBX is free, unlike the high roaming charges levied by local mobile operators.

In conclusion, if one looks past the hype of convergence, there is real business value to be found. If utilised effectively, converged products and services available today can provide improvements in efficiency, productivity and cost savings, for businesses large and small.

* Roman Hogh is manager of product development at MWEB Business.