Once again, this year I had the privilege of attending Microsoft’s World Partner Conference in Toronto, Canada. Microsoft’s premier partner event generates much anticipation among its channel and technology partners who come in their droves to learn about the latest developments in Microsoft’s technology and products, as well as to network with existing and potential business partners.
Getting ready for Ignite at Atlanta soon, and I can tell you, we have some more innovation up our sleeve. Stay tuned, we will be announcing some cool stuff before Ignite.
So it came as no surprise that this year was no exception. Boy, oh boy, it was a busy event!I had back-to-back meetings with lots of system integrators and service providers who are actively promoting on-premises implementations of Microsoft Skype for Business. All of them are also starting to align with Microsoft on Cloud PBX as part of Office 365.
... everyone seems convinced about the technological and financial benefits of cloud communications, but there is reluctance to adopt all at once
One recurring theme that came up in conversations with the partners was that pretty much everyone seems convinced about the technological and financial benefits of cloud communications, in general, and Microsoft’s cloud offering including Office 365 and Cloud PBX. At the same time, there is an apparent reluctance by some customers to fully adopt cloud-based communications solution at once. And while many, if not most, customers are planning to take their communications infrastructure completely off premises at some point in the future, relatively few have actually made the move so far with most opting for a hybrid implementation.
So what is deterring these companies from adopting a full cloud solution? Some make the “if it ain’t broke don’t fix it” argument while others are worried about disrupting users’ working habits. Others simply don’t feel comfortable with handing over control of their communications systems to a third party.
I believe in taking the plunge when it comes to disruptive, innovative technologies that will bring business benefits in the longer term. Of course, these changes can’t be taken lightly, which is why companies need a robust migration strategy and the technological tools to make the migration a success.
...for standalone, on-prem solution or in hybrid (on-prem/cloud) mode we offer the CloudBond 365 all-in-one UC appliance.
...for customers who do not require some users to be kept on premises, our Cloud Connector Edition Appliance delivers voice connectivity
Here at AudioCodes, we have been putting our minds to solving these issues of migration to cloud services for quite some time now, especially when it comes to Microsoft UC environments. For companies wanting a simple and rapid deployment of Skype for Business as a standalone, on-prem solution or in hybrid (on-prem/cloud) mode we offer the CloudBond 365 all-in-one UC appliance. In addition, for customers who do not require some users to be kept on premises, our Cloud Connector Edition Appliance delivers flexible on-prem voice connectivity for the Microsoft Cloud PBX users.
What makes these solutions particularly interesting is that both CloudBond 365 and the CCE appliance run on the same hardware platform so that when a company has completed its migration to Cloud PBX, the CloudBond 365 appliance can be converted to a CCE Appliance via a simple software update. We believe that the simplicity of these solutions, along with the fact that they are based on our Microsoft-certified SBC and gateway platforms, should help putting concerned IT managers’ minds at rest. They allow companies to control the pace of their cloud migration without compromising on functionality or efficiency.
CloudBond 365 appliance can be converted to a CCE Appliance via a simple software update.
Some of the partners asked me which path I recommend: Go with CloudBond 365 for hybrid deployment, or go with CCE along with Cloud PBX? My answer always is that we enable our partners and customers to choose the path that’s right for them.
When a customer doesn’t feel comfortable going all-in with the Cloud PBX proposition, I think that rolling with CloudBond 365 makes a lot of sense. In certain cases, the feature set that the customer wants is still not available on Cloud PBX. Stalling the decision gives Cisco the opportunity to revisit the customers as part of a data network refresh, and offer a bundled offering to get them to stay with CUCM. Getting the train out of the station and starting the Microsoft UC experience rolling quickly is the right choice and is implemented with our CloudBond 365.
Getting ready for Ignite at Atlanta soon, and I can tell you, we have some more innovation up our sleeve. Stay tuned, we will be announcing some cool stuff before Ignite. Make sure you don’t miss any of our latest news and announcements by following us on Twitter, LinkedIn and Facebook.
Come visit us at Microsoft Ignite 2016, September 26-30 in Atlanta, Georgia, at Booth #409.
Want to learn more about our Skype for Business solutions? Click here to request a meeting with our experts at the show.
Unable to attend Ignite but interested in speaking with us? Click here or visit our website or contact your local AudioCodes representative.
