Unified Communications

Are you ready for UC 2.0?

Rich Internet application technologies help deliver a more engaging digital experience.

by Jon Doyle

Unified communications (UC) breaks down the barriers between once siloed communication and collaboration technologies, bringing messaging, voice conferencing, information sharing and presence together in a single user identity or account. With UC, only one "unified address" is needed to reach others. UC can do much more, however, than help track down co-workers and partners. No longer just about integrated voice, e-mail and messaging, the next generation of unified communications is about creating a converged, media rich environment that combines real-time communication and content delivery.

Video delivery in the enterprise can change the way people communicate and share information with colleagues, customers and shareholders. Video meetings can link up international teams. Flash-based marketing can convey marketing value propositions. Executives can reach employees through event broadcasts and conversational podcasts. Companies can improve employee knowledge by hosting live educational sessions, moderated podcast discussions and on-demand training videos. Rich Internet applications and mash-ups can help spark additional productivity and collaboration gains in the enterprise, such as video training with integrated chat or links to media sources like analyst briefings and third-party content.

Unified communications 2.0 brings together these rich media and communication capabilities, giving end-users a seamless, unified experience, whether they are launching a videoconference, checking voice mail, sending e-mail or watching the latest podcast from headquarters. Employees need to log on only once to access any tools or data and can use Web 2.0 clients on any computer available. A single dashboard puts the entire breadth of communication and content tools at their fingertips, saving the hassle of switching applications and ensuring that employees are more likely to use all the resources that are available to them.

The challenges, however, include how to ensure end-user buy-in, and making sure that implementation headaches and added administration complexity will not negate any productivity and work process gains.

Rich Internet application (RIA) technologies help deliver a more engaging digital experience for rolling out converged multimedia and communication applications to the desktop. RIAs bring an interactive desktop-like experience to the Web. These applications behave and feel more like typical desktop applications than traditional HMTL- or JAVA-based ones. Before RIAs, users were stuck with clumsier operations of Web-based applications compared with the client applications installed on their desktop.

Unified communications applications based on this technology eliminate the need to refresh, delivering an enhanced experience to the end-user, as well as improving CPU and network performance. Applications built on these technologies offer universal access across any combination of operating systems and browsers, giving the same look and feel, whether end-users log on with their company computer at the office, on their personal computer at home or even a public computer at an Internet café.

The creation of cross-platform applications gives employees two versions of a UC application-one they can securely access from any browser and one that launches on their desktop. With a desktop version, users can drag and drop attachments from the desktop to e-mail and have multiple windows for each communication tool anywhere on the desktop.

New technologies are also paving the way for delivering high-definition video and audio to the desktop. Now, business communications can deliver the same professional quality and high impact punch of a Hollywood production. For example, fashion retailers can distribute HD videos to show their worldwide sales associates and channel partners next season's upcoming colors and styles with sharper details and vibrant colors. In general, a corporate meeting broadcast in HD will have a better chance of capturing and keeping the attention of today's tech-savvy employees who are used to watching high-definition quality content in their off hours.

While HD video and other rich media applications may sound great, an extensible and reliable architecture is critical to enable enterprises to develop customized site-specific applications, such as workflow management, CRM extension and access to databases. Support for an XML-based application programming interface (API) ensures rapid application development. Enterprises can link their Enterprise 2.0 communications to external applications and legacy systems without the need for complicated protocols.

Most importantly, with an extensible framework, the UC platform can serve as the foundation for innovative developments for years to come. Blending communication and content, RIAs and mash-ups can fuel new ways of working and usage models.

Jon Doyle is vice president of business development for Communigate Systems, Mill Valley, Calif.

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