A Practical Business and Technology Approach

Buy the Unified Communications self-study guide and stay ahead of the technology curve by getting Nortel certified!

Unified Communications Solutions, A Practical Business and Technology Approach, provides a thorough foundation of what Unified Communications is, how it can solve business communications challenges, and how best to approach and implement Unified Communications enablement within an organization (See Key Topics). The guide provides the reader with a clear understanding of the evolution of communication and demonstrates how key performance indicators can be mapped to a financial return-on-investment model. The guide also explains how to solve business challenges, implement Unified Communications solutions using a proof-of-concept pilot project and secure VoIP and SIP protocols for Unified Communications applications.

Unified Communications Solutions was written for business managers, consultants, and information technology (IT) professionals. Because the guide touches on many different facets of IT -- IT managers, application developers, technology specialists in telecommunications, networking, security and network management will benefit from this self-study guide.

The Unified Communications Solutions guide will also help individuals prepare for the Nortel Certified Technology Specialist (NCTS) certification exam, Nortel Unified Communications Solutions (920-807).

Nortel certifications are a competitive differentiator because unlike other vendor certifications, Nortel technology certifications address multi-vendor solutions so prevalent in today's environment. By successfully completing the certification exam, you will enhance your standing in your current workplace, expand your employment options and better position yourself for a higher salary.

After reading the self-study guide and reviewing the enclosed CD-ROM, you will be able to:

• The Evolution of Messaging
  • Describe key terms and definitions used in Unified Communications.
  • Understand the evolution of messaging from voicemail to unified messaging to Unified Communications and its integration with business applications.
  • Identify vendors participating in the Unified Communications marketplace.
  • Compare features and functions and distinguish between unified messaging and Unified Communications.
• Solving Enterprise Business Communications Challenges
  • Match a list of Unified Communications features and functions and map them to the specific business communications challenges they solve.
  • Understand the impact of convergence and how SIP-enabled applications like Unified Communications lead to the convergence of applications.
  • Identify the business value Unified Communications deployment can bring to customer service, customer relationship management, supply chain management, enterprise resource planning, and sales force automation.
  • Describe how Service Oriented Architecture (SOA) coupled with Unified Communications can streamline processes and reduce human latency.
  • Identify Key Performance Indicator (KPI) metrics that can be mapped to a financial Return on Investment (ROI) model.
• Implementing Unified Communications Solutions
  • Scope a Unified Communications proof-of-concept pilot project with measurable KPIs and a financial ROI model.
  • Understand best practices for Unified Communications system integration configurations and implementations regarding heterogeneous voice communications infrastructures.
  • Understand what applications, features and functions are supported on end-point devices, PDAs and cell phones.
• Securing VoIP, SIP and Unified Communications Solutions
  • Identify VoIP and SIP risks, threats and vulnerabilities.
  • Understand how to implement VoIP best practices for security in an IP infrastructure.
  • Understand how to implement SIP best practices for security and specifically for end-point devices and PDAs that may be transporting customer private data and information.
  • Describe how to implement a layered security solution to ensure the confidentiality, integrity, and availability of VoIP and SIP-enabled applications like Unified Communications and end-point and PDA devices.