Third on HP's list of new consulting services is HP Network Readiness Services for UC, which advises customers on whether they need to upgrade their network capacity. Videoconferencing uses considerably more network bandwidth than data or voice, and also comes with strong quality of service (QoS) requirements so that the video looks right.
HP's partnerships are with Microsoft, whose Lync suite is a widely used software platform for UC; Polycom, a maker of videoconference systems; and Alcatel-Lucent and Avaya, both telecom network equipment vendors. Polycom recently introduced a videoconference system with Lync built in. HP had been a partner in implementing Cisco UC solutions in the past, but no longer does since Cisco is an HP competitor in UC as well as in networking, says Cook. The rivalry between HP and Cisco has recently become testy.
The HP consulting services emphasize interoperability, he says, based on the fact that most IT organizations combine technology from different vendors. The consulting is designed to make sure all those different products work together. HP cites 2010 research from Gartner saying that, by 2015, 60% of organizations will offer employees at least four parallel and overlapping voice/telephony options.
"What we’re saying is that, based upon that Gartner piece, these issues of multivendor integration and interoperability are going to be around for a while, so we’re embracing that in the consulting services that we have," Cook says.
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