Tapping the virtualized data center for unified communications advantages

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Companies are increasingly abandoning traditional PBX phone systems in favor of unified communications solutions, which enable consolidated phone, email, fax, chat, video and collaboration services through a single online interface. As this approach has become predominant in the business environment, new, virtualized data center solutions have emerged to make service more reliable and easier to manage.

According to one recent study, 84 percent of companies that do not currently use UC features are considering adding such services in the next one to three years. At the same time, a majority of respondents said they were struggling to find the right vendor. This frustration could arise in part from the changes in the way UC services are offered. Traditionally, UC was primarily an on-premises offering hosted on dedicated servers, which could lead to reliability problems.

For companies looking for a reliable UC solution, the preferred model is increasingly trending toward a hosted approach, in which a managed services provider offers UC services that are hosted remotely in a large-scale, virtualized data center. Virtualization allows service providers to host a large number of clients simultaneously and use resources intelligently, cutting costs while also accessing state-of-the-art, reliable infrastructure, a recent TechTarget article noted.

“Virtualization can bring a level of reliability not available on dedicated servers, while lowering the overall costs of the platform,” Brian Riggs, research director for enterprise communications at Current Analysis, told TechTarget. He added, “Service providers … are seeing virtual environments as a cost effective way to deliver hosted communication solutions for a wide range of clients.”

The cost advantages are particularly notable for small and midsize companies, which may not be able to handle the capital investment of installing servers for unified communications services on their own. With a managed services approach, companies can choose the specific solutions they need without running up substantial hardware costs.

Who really cares about BYOD?

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The bring-your-own-device movement is well on its way to fundamentally reshaping enterprise communications. So why do so few organizations seem to care about device management? A fairly wide gap formed almost immediately between BYOD user excitement and enterprise policy engagement, and it's only going to expand.

Entrenched employee attitudes absolving them of responsibility create problems for IT, and many organizations let worker preferences overwhelm clear-cut business priorities. The central problem with BYOD is a company's capacity to show that its cares – not only about the ways that BYOD can be hazardous, but about creating strategies that cater to worker preferences while keeping security at the forefront.

BYOD is clearly important to employees. One recent LANDESK survey found that the average European worker spends more on BYOD every year than he or she does on tea of coffee. They care about having the devices, but not protecting the data stored on them.

"It's not my problem" was a common refrain in a recent survey by Absolute Software about data security in the mobile enterprise. More than a quarter of those surveyed said they felt there should be no penalties for leaked or lost corporate data. Additionally, more than one third of respondents who lost their mobile devices said that they didn't make any changes to their security habits, while 59 percent estimated that their corporate data was barely worth more than the cost of replacing a phone.

Who is to blame for BYOD problems?
It's up to companies to exhibit the same passion for data security that employees have for using their own smartphones. Of those who acknowledged a penalty for data loss might be in order, most received nothing more than a slap on the wrist from employers, and often much less – 21 percent had a talking-to, 30 percent had to replace their lost device themselves and 34 percent reported that "nothing" happened when they lost company information. This reflects poorly on companies, observed Absolute mobile enterprise data expert Tim Williams, and will continue unless companies get proactive about BYOD management.

"If firms don't set clear policies that reflect the priority of corporate data security, they can't expect employees to make it a priority on their own," Williams said.

Establishing and enforcing BYOD practices is a good first step. Regulations have to acknowledge the ways personnel use BYOD and avoid limiting productivity as much as possible. There are several technological tools that can help a company secure mobile devices behind the scenes. Investing in managed infrastructure and IT support services provides a scalable, adaptable and continuous resource for effective network monitoring and data management. 

Connecting the dots: Bandwidth as a business model

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Few developments have affected businesses in the past few years as much as the burning desire for bandwidth. As enterprise environments expand, complications are inevitable. Proper information storage and security are increasingly vital as more businesses transition to data-driven initiatives. They're also becoming harder to attain. Many organizations find themselves caught in a tangled web of carriers, data centers, service providers and connectivity requirements. A lack of interoperability between services and poor communication among stakeholders can make undoing these knots an expensive and resource-intensive slog. It induces broadband rage and burns a lot of bandwidth in the process.

Optimizing connectivity needs to be a foremost concern in today's business model. In theory, it means providing enough bandwidth to create sufficient breathing room for all locations and stakeholders. In practice, an organization needs to centralize its connectivity support. Data Center Knowledge contributor Bill Kleyman recently discussed some fundamental changes in information technology that should compel companies to consider building their business model around their data center network. 

"Business used to establish their practices and then create their IT department. Now big (and smart) businesses are approaching data centers and technology from a completely different angle," Kleyman wrote. "These visionaries see that the future revolves around complete mobility and true device-agnostic connectivity."

Examples Kleyman highlighted included cloud-based data distribution models, which support expanding application development and processing environments. He also observed that new ways of computing, such as virtualization and software-defined networking, place more emphasis on minimizing granular infrastructure management and centralizing IT. Complexity in digital compliance and data governance can also be assuaged by a centralized connectivity platform.

Looking at bandwidth as a business model involves seeing technology as a critical role player rather than simply as a means to get things done. Connectivity infrastructure can and should contribute directly to bottom-line thinking. Paring down the number of service providers to a basic carrier-agnostic data center model can provide more bandwidth integrity and fewer headaches. 

ISG Announces Executive Responsibility Changes

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The Twin Valley family of companies announced leadership changes among their C-Level executives, effective for 2014. John Gunn, President and Co-Founder of ISG Technology, will transition from his current role as President and COO to Chief Strategy Officer of ISG Technology. Gunn will focus on supporting and defining the strategy of ISG Technology.  Gunn currently serves and will remain on the board of directors for all three companies.  Ben Foster, current CEO of all Twin Valley companies, will assume the general management of ISG Technology previously handled by Gunn. Foster will remain President and  CEO for the Twin Valley companies.

“When Twin Valley acquired ISG Technology in 2011 the roadmap and evolution of our company was clear to both John and me,” said Foster. “John has served and will continue to serve as a critical business leader and advisor to the Twin Valley family of companies.  This is a carefully planned transition that will enhance our clients’ ability to attain their organizational goals.”

Additionally, Scott Cissna has joined the Twin Valley companies as CFO, effective January 6, 2014.  Cissna brings more than 20 years of finance experience from the telecommunications, cloud services, and wireless industries.  With his broad base of experience ranging from performing sophisticated analysis to building scalable teams, Cissna is an analytical leader and decision maker hired to help navigate the complex, growing, and rapidly changing landscape where the companies operate.

The Twin Valley family of companies is a privately owned business with diversified investments and holdings in the telecommunications and IT space. The company is diversified through three separate operating entities; Twin Valley Telephone, Twin Valley Communications, and ISG Technology.

Twin Valley Telephone and Twin Valley Communications is the largest privately owned independent telecommunications company in the state of Kansas, providing voice and advanced services in rural areas for more than 65 years.  Over state-of-the-art FTTP infrastructure, Twin Valley’s portfolio includes voice, broadband, television, cloud services, hosted voice, wireless, and security.  Through strategic acquisitions and organic growth, the company has experienced a tenfold growth in the past decade.

ISG Technology is a full spectrum Data Center and IT Infrastructure partner uniquely positioned to provide complete solutions from client premises all the way to the cloud. With more than 30 years of experience, ISG has the unique ability to provide IT equipment (IT Infrastructure), cloud services through a regional Network of Data Centers https://isgtech.com/data-centers (Data Center Services), the required connectivity (Bandwidth) to connect it all together, and the ongoing support to help manage client’s IT environments (ITaaS). ISG places a premium on enduring client relationships and reference-ability – attributes only achievable through deep understanding of client business objectives, authoritative vision of what’s possible, and the relentless commitment to deliver successful solutions.