Messaging Needs to Be Non-Stop But Most Messaging Systems Are Not.

Since the adoption of mainstream voicemail back in the early 80s, businesses have grown to expect a certain level of reliability and longevity from their voicemail system. Whether it is Meridian Mail, Octel, or Audix, these systems were designed to be the workhorses of the voicemail era. With the advent of Unified Messaging (UM), the traditional voicemail industry changed overnight. Even though these newer systems provide some productivity benefits, the early unified messaging systems don't offer carrier grade reliability or the flexibility that businesses require. With many advanced capabilities and connections into the IP world, UM systems are more vulnerable to loss of service than a traditional voicemail system, while at the same time more critical to the global business.

The nature of the financial services enterprise has become global in scope and in physical operations. Bankers are moving from one continent to another, while their firms are spreading their offices and systems around the world to both meet customer needs and ensure business continuity. Getting your message when and where ever needed is vital to keeping pace with the markets. Large institutions running global businesses however are living with yesterday's systems - some running as many at 800 voicemail platforms, connected to a variety of switches, most running independently of one another. The result is inconsistent service and higher than needed costs to deliver straight line voicemail.

Centralized Approach Efficiency

Nortel has taken its carrier grade approach for UM to the finance community and it is resonating! After deploying a system for an international carrier that handles well over a million mail boxes, tracking voice, email and video-mail with 6 9's reliability, the Nortel Unified Messaging 2000 (UM2000) solution has became a natural fit for global banking companies seeking an approach that delivers true business continuity while scaling from a single site to a globally distributed geo-redundant network. Users can get their voice, fax and video messages even though local sites might suffer a full outage - all without data or access loss. Moving to a proven centralized approach can mean unparalleled TCO advantages due to the significant efficiencies delivered.

Unified Messaging 2000

So what exactly is Unified Messaging 2000? It is a feature rich UM solution for large enterprises that need the scalability to support from 20,000 to one million users with 99.9999% reliability delivered from a single site or in a geo distributed fully redundant configuration. It can interface via Session Initiated Protocol (SIP)/VoIP and TDM with no gateways needed, or both at the same time. UM2000 is completely based on open published standard interfaces that work seamlessly in a mixed vendor environment. In other words, it is able to interface with most PBXs and does not require any proprietary desktop clients or other software to install.

UM2000 can handle multiple languages, multiple time zones and is even multi-tenant (wholesaling) capable. Some firms have special needs for subsidiary businesses here or abroad or their Prime Broker operations, which can all be handled by one reliable solution. You don't have to change your business to meet the solution's capability; it's the other way around. The best part of UM2000 is that it is delivered specifically with the deploying firm's needs built-in from day 1.

The Business Case, Spelled TCO

It's not how much you spend on any piece of infrastructure that supports your business, but rather the total cost of ownership (TCO) over its life that really matters. Too often firms have erred on a less expensive box that turned into a rip and replace nightmare requiring wholesale expenditures, unique servicing and proprietary topology that can lock the enterprise into overspend. UM2000 was designed with avoiding this scenario in mind and positioned to please the most discerning CFO. The basic elements include:

• Business continuity, assured through a globally distributed redundant configuration;
• Open standards based design allowing seamless interfaces to multi-vendor PBXs already installed - protecting your existing network from unnecessary replacement costs;
• Elimination of multiple vendor voice mail systems and their support staff, data base management and servicing costs;
• Telephony line costs reduced through the ability to leverage the firms IP network;
• Positioned on a proven media server (MPS) that can support up to 30 other services, delivering dual functionality and capital expense leverage;
• SIP based interface available to directly connect to your VoIP network eliminating costly gateways and investment protection for future infrastructure shifts to IP; as well as
• UM simplicity allowing unification of messages - since they can be stored externally from the email server, there is no software load or configuration changes needed - delivering additional resiliency.

Find out what Nortel Unified Messaging 2000 can do to get the message through and simplify your business.

For more information on supporting your global financial services needs, call John Kalfa at 212-317-4185 or email him at jkalfa@nortel.com.

Wendy Mikkelsen is Marketing Manager in the Multimedia Applications product team and Tom Gunther is part of Industry Solutions focused on Global Financial Services at Nortel. Contact: tom_gunther@nortel.com or telephone 212-317-4168.