Unified Communication and Collaboration (UCC) tools are just hitting their stride throughout the IT industry and are expected to come into their own throughout 2014. Businesses expecting to implement such suites in the near future need to make sure they plan ahead to avoid any complications during launch and throughout the life cycle of the project.

TMCnet contributor Gina Nomellini recently indicated that firms must determine which UCC suite model fits their businesses best, how they will optimize their networks and make sure they select the right service provider all before they actually adopt any system. Choosing the best vendor and solution will demand necessary attention, given that there are so many options available on the market.

Nomellini highlighted the three deployment types for UCC, noting that on-site tools offer businesses the most control over assets, but they are costly and challenging to maintain. A hybrid model is a combination of on-premise solutions along with cloud-based environments that is a cost-effective option for firms that still want some command over resources. The cloud-based model is hosted at an off-site location and managed by the vendor.

Nomellini asserted that any UCC vendor is just as responsible for ensuring the success of a deployment as the client.

“With the majority of enterprises leaning toward a managed on-premises solution, service providers should seize this opportunity to be a strategic partner for enterprises in UC implementation and management,” she wrote. “The key for the service provider is to take a holistic approach – one that encompasses its network and the enterprise WAN.”

Nomellini concluded that the adoption process of UCC platforms may appear complicated, but the potential advantages of such tools are immense, including company-wide collaboration.

Global UCC market trending up
The worldwide UCC market is expected to take off in the near future. In fact, Nomellini cited a Gartner report that asserted the industry is now at the early adoption stage and will mature during the next year.

A Transparency Market Research report indicated that the global UCC industry was valued at approximately $23 billion in 2011. The firm predicted that the market will expand at a compound annual growth rate of 16 percent between 2012 and 2018, reaching $62 billion.

Transparency Market Research explained that key developments are fueling this level of activity.

“Proliferation of mobile devices that are capable of video communication is an important factor driving the [UCC] market,” the firm noted. “This coupled with BYOD and enterprise mobility will drive corporate IT and operators to provide cost effective and flexible communication solutions to the owners of such devices. This factor is expected to have a high impact on the global [UCC] market.”

Businesses that want a successful UCC implementation from start to finish should contact a reputable vendor such as FlexITy. The managed service provider is the only Canadian MSP to offer clients access to Cisco’s full suite of UCC applications.

 





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