Microsoft unifies communications on PC 26 June, 2006 By Paul Weinberg

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This is one of the applications that will be available in the software vendor's new unified communications offering that breaks down what it calls "today's silos" of email , instant messaging, mobile and voice over Internet protocol (VoIP) telephony, as well as audio-, video- and web conferencing.

"Unified communications will drive the next major advancement in individual, team and organizational productivity in today's 24x7, always-connected and increasingly mobile work environment," said Jeff Raikes, president of the Microsoft Business Division

"We believe that through software, we can transform business communications (bringing down both its cost and complexity) by now integrating voice communications with the familiar and powerful communications and collaboration experiences provided by Microsoft," continued Raikes.

"The concept of unified communications is one that we are going to see on our desktop and our notebooks in the upcoming future," states Michelle Warren, an IT industry analyst with Evans Research Corp.

"It will increase our dependence on computers because they are going to be able to combine everything we do onto the computer. We see Microsoft Outlook being almost a server, if you can call it that."

At the core of unified communications is Microsoft Office Communications Server 2007, a Session Initiation Protocol (SIP) standards-based real-time that incorporates VOIP, call management, video and web conferencing and instant messaging communications within messaging from the telephone.

Furthermore, Microsoft Exchange Server 2007 includes both the combination of email, voice and faxing with speech based auto attendant, which allows users to access their communications from any telephone.

Working in tandem with Microsoft Office Communications Server 2007 is Microsoft Communicator 2007 which provides voice over IP soft phone capability, as well as secure enterprise grade instant messaging that allows for connectivity to public instant messaging networks, one to one and multiparty video and audio and web conferencing.

Finally, Microsoft's unified communications approach includes Microsoft Office Live Meeting, which is designed for collaboration, training and the delivery of presentations.

Microsoft has built support for Session Initiation Protocol ---which permits communication over an IP based network  into all of its standard software platforms, stated Warren Shiau, senior associate, lead analyst, IT research at the Strategic Counsel.

One major feature is web conferencing where users at their computers in different locations will be able to meet, talk and view each other virtually, courtesy of Office Roundtable, special monitoring camera that is plug-and-play with the Microsoft unified communications platform.

"Meeting participants on site and in remote locations gain a panoramic view of everyone in the conference, as well as close up views of individual participants as they take turns speaking," the June 26 Microsoft press release stated.

Microsoft was not clear in its June 26 press release about who will be manufacturing Office RoundTable, which is a hardware device  the company did not have a spokesperson available for an interview.

However, Shiau suggests the camera's 360 degree view would offer participants a "we're together video conferencing feel."

"I don't think anybody has built a good 360 degree camera yet. [It] could end up being hot. [This is] another interesting example of Microsoft's move into consumer oriented hardware. I know this is being targeted at business right now. But once SIP becomes mainstream I am sure RoundTable will end up being heavily targeted at the consumer market," stated Shiau.