Unified Communications

G.R. Sponaugle believes the exact definition of Unified Communications is in the eye of the beholder.  It certainly includes collaboration and real-time interactions that allow organizations to better serve customers through faster and more effective communication.  G.R. Sponaugle also believes every customer has unique set of needs and existing infrastructure, and as such, the move to Unified Communications should be at the path, pace, and choice that makes sense for them.  It is in this spirit that we develop a deep relationship with our clients and help them on their journey to Unified Communications. 

It is no secret that effective communications lies at the heart of all business.  In partnership with our customers, we uncover business processes that are slow and cumbersome.  We then create a plan that creates a change in behavior and the way people communicate. 

Unified Communications initiatives can include:

• Mobility – enabling mobile workers to be effective from any location which increases productivity and responses.
  
  
• Bringing the Telephone to the Computer – softphone technology complements the deskphone and provides access to mobile worker applications, directories, call logs, voicemail, and conferencing applications.
  
  
• Bringing Computer Applications to the Telephone – as an always on application, the telephone can provide access to email, calendar, and contacts as well as LDAP, RSS feeds, and other specialized applications for many vertical industries to address those situations where a computer is not turned on or available.  Speech Access is a well recognized application.
  
  
• Unified Messaging – unifying desktop access to email, voicemail, and fax that is stored in separate servers or leveraging Microsoft Exchange or IBM Lotus Domino as the message store for email, voicemail, and fax.
  
  
• Enterprise Instant Messaging Integration – deploying Enterprise Instant Messaging with presence integration in conjunction with Office Communications Server 2007, Live Communications Server 2005, or IBM Lotus Sametime.
  
  
• Unified Conferencing – bringing both audio and web conferencing in house increases collaboration and has a large potential ROI; add streaming video to realize the complete context of the communication.
  
  
• Video – audio and video can be unified using mixed protocols so that hold, transfer, conference, and call coverage work together so video calls are easy as a telephone call.

The plan is generally not implemented as a single project.  Rather, it is implemented in a series of initiatives all based on a single, shared, vision.  G.R. Sponaugle has gained a reputation of being able to effectively devise a plan of action that not only meets, but exceeds your expectations and imagination. 

Unified Communication encompasses all aspects of enhanced communications and business processes.  G.R. Sponaugle offers solutions that are as innovative as they are practical.   We can give your business the competitive advantage associated with advanced technology solutions in a cost effective manner.  Let us show you what Unified Communications can do for your business.

Converged Systems Integration

G.R. Sponaugle recognizes that voice, data, video and wireless communications are all essential lifelines to any successful enterprise.  We work with the technologies, products, and systems that enable the creation and management of scalable converged networks for client organizations.

When dealing with the design and construction of a new communications facility (a data center, enterprise network, or an entire high-tech building), it is important to identify the scale, function and needs early in the process.  A myriad of physical and technology considerations should be addressed during the design process, including scale, space design, user requirements, cooling and electrical loads, furniture designs, wiring, networking and many others.  It is also important to have a thorough understanding of the energy requirements so that efficient alternatives, including “green” designs, are thoroughly discussed.  When refurbishing or renovating an existing facility, many of the same considerations must be addressed, and the task is often more challenging because the systems must be integrated into an environment that may not be originally designed for them.

Our approach is characterized by early involvement, thorough communication, and a relationship based on teamwork, shared vision and collective commitment. We merge voice, video and data services for the benefit of our customers at their path, pace, and choice.  By leveraging not only our strengths, but also those of our trusted business partners, we can create customized solutions for even the most complex of problems.

We provide the benefits of our company’s award-winning performance with the confidence that comes with global leaders in technology.  We take the guesswork out of the process and provide you with the results you not only need, but deserve.

We will design a Converged System with industry leading companies such as Avaya, Extreme, Juniper, Meru, Aruba, Liebert, Motorola, and others.

Communication Enabled Business Processes

Communications Enabled Business Processes (CEBP) is an important innovation in the automation of human communications within business applications. Until now, such automation has largely been confined to providing Contact Center systems and to unified communications solutions that target the productivity of individual users by integrating the use of voice communications, instant messaging, email and other collaborative capabilities. CEBP goes much further than this, enabling the communications and workflow aspects of a business process to be integrated with the underlying software applications that serve the business process.

G.R. Sponaugle, working in conjunction with our trusted partners, will help your organization explore and implement CEPB.

We follow a four step process:

• Focusing on the Possibilities – meeting with your key Line of Business process owners to identify areas of improvement.
  
  
• Engage around Opportunity Prioritization – opportunity prioritization based upon strategic impact and projected ROI.
  
  
• Analysis of Current and Prospective Process – documenting process flows, timelines, and Key Performance Indicators (KPIs), completing feasibility assessments, and defining expected business benefits.
  
  
• Presentation of Findings – summary presentation, proposed solution design with architectural blueprint, and project plan for migrating to the CEBP solution, including costs, resources, and timelines.

The importance of CEBP is in its ability to automate and manage the ad hoc activities that are part and parcel of a business process.  G.R. Sponaugle can assist in making your business operate both seamlessly and effortlessly.

Dataroom Specialists

Assessing the needs of your company is the first step toward designing a secure and efficient computer room. As the main location for network and server infrastructure, special consideration must be given to a computer room’s cooling system, humidity control, air distribution, power protection and distribution, fire safety, floor layout and loading, service clearances, cable pathways, physical security, signage, and more. 

• Power Distribution Systems
• Uninterruptible Power Supplies and Generator Services
• Automatic and Static Transfer Switches
• Precision Cooling and Humidity Controls
• Cabinets and Racks
• Monitoring
• Cables and Connectors
• Surge Suppression
• Unified Communication Systems
• Converged Systems Integration

“IT consumed about 61 billion kilowatt-hours in 2006—about 1.5 percent of the total electricity consumed in the US—at a cost of about $4.5 billion. Power consumption in the industry could nearly double by 2011.”  Report to Congress on “Server and Data Center Energy Efficiency,” Environmental Protection Agency, Aug. 3, 2007.  With today’s energy concerns, G.R. Sponaugle is uniquely positioned to discuss energy efficient alternatives that save you money and respect our environment.  With all of the specialized services that G.R. Sponaugle provides, our clients can implement an environmentally sound plan for their data rooms.  We help our client protect our natural assets while maintaining their data centers.

G.R. Sponaugle strives to deliver a space that meets the business objectives of our clients, but that has the flexibility to grow and change as business conditions change.  A data room should not merely accommodate current needs, but should allow for expansion along with the changing technology and the business landscape.  We will assist in your new data room design, your plans to relocate current facilities, or if you plan on expanding within your current environment.  With our partnerships, we can optimize your investments, improve network performance, achieve availability objectives, increase your energy efficiency, and avoid costly problems.

BICSI Certified Infrastructure

The team of professionals at G. R. Sponaugle delivers your infrastructure project in the highest quality, drawing on decades of practical experience and in-depth training.  With installation certifications from virtually every major manufacturer, we take pride in differentiating our offerings through the highest level of commitment to quality and professionalism.  G.R. Sponaugle has BICSI RCDD/NTS resources on site to design standards-compliant infrastructure solutions.

BICSI (Building Industry Consulting Service International) is a professional association that has been supporting the information transport systems (ITS) industry with information, education and knowledge assessment for individuals and companies for over 30 years.  BICSI membership spans nearly 100 countries.

BICSI established its credential programs to provide a level of assurance to the industry and to consumers that a certified technician is proficient in a designated area of information transport systems (ITS) design or installation. Candidates for BICSI credentials are required to show industry experience and pass rigorous exams based on the content of BICSI manuals. BISCI certified individuals must adhere to strict standards of conduct and keep their knowledge current through continuing education. 

BISCI certifications are valued internationally and are recognized throughout the ITS industry.  In fact, many Government and Industry projects require BISCI registered credentials.  BISCI is also vendor neutral.

Avaya Solutions

G.R. Sponaugle is an award winning Avaya Silver Business Partner.  Our partnership has continued to expand for over ten years.  Our partnership provides the benefits of our company’s award-winning performance with the confidence that comes with the global leader in VoIP technology.  G.R. Sponaugle clients who have deployed Avaya solutions extend throughout the United States and through many industries.   

Avaya delivers Intelligent Communications solutions that help companies transform their businesses to achieve marketplace advantage. More than one million businesses worldwide, including more than 90 percent of the Fortune 500, use Avaya solutions for IP Telephony, Unified Communications, and Contact Centers. Avaya provides comprehensive communication solutions for companies, small to large. 

Avaya enables businesses to achieve superior results by designing, building, and managing their communications networks. Focused on enterprises small to large, Avaya helps customers leverage existing and new networks to create value and enhance business performance.  Avaya’s solutions have helping enterprises succeed for more than a century.

www.avaya.com

Extreme Networks Solutions

G.R. Sponaugle is an Extreme Networks Business Partner.  We have continued to build strategic alliances with many of the world's most innovative technology companies to further serve our clients.  We offer knowledgeable and experienced networking professionals who can assist you in all phases of the network lifecycle – planning, designing, implementing, operating, and optimizing the network.  With Extreme Networks, GR Sponaugle provides complete solutions for Unified Communications and Converged Network applications.   

Extreme Networks designs and builds sophisticated Ethernet solutions that meet the toughest challenges in network connectivity and IP-based communications.  They have delivered more than 15 Million Ethernet ports and have a presence in more than 50 countries. Extreme Networks increases the value of the network with its advanced software platforms that deliver meaningful insight and control to applications and services.  Intelligence is enhanced with an extensible, flexible and secure protocol-based communication capability, allowing devices to talk to one another.

Extreme Networks provides enterprise solutions for IP Telephony, Security, and Wireless applications with the services you need to successfully implement even the most complex projects. Their focus on delivering an open network gives you choice and a future-ready platform. Extreme has partnered with the leading providers of advanced technology in the business. Their approach is the best alternative to proprietary solutions that force a long-term commitment to a single vendor.

www.extremenetworks.com

Juniper Networks Solutions

G.R. Sponaugle is a Juniper Networks Business Partner.  We have continued to build strategic alliances with many of the world's most innovative technology companies to further serve our clients.  Our partnership with Juniper allows us to deploy world class networking solutions for Unified Communications and Converged Network applications.

Juniper Networks high-performance network infrastructure helps businesses create a responsive and trusted environment for accelerating the deployment of services and applications over a single network. With Juniper, businesses can capitalize on opportunities to innovate, grow and strengthen their business and answer the challenge of complicated, legacy networks with high-performance, open, flexible solutions.

Juniper provides best-in-class IP routing, security and WAN application acceleration solutions to power and protect the network, as well as the applications and services that run on it.  The top 40 service providers, 93 of the Fortune 100, and large government agencies and institutions are among the many demanding businesses that rely on Juniper Networks to quickly meet their high-performance business requirements.

www.juniper.net

Meru Wireless Systems

G.R. Sponaugle is a Meru Networks Business Partner.  We have continued to build strategic alliances with many of the world's most innovative technology companies to further serve our clients.  Our partnership with Meru Networks allows us to deploy world class wireless solutions that that combine high-capacity data with wireless VoIP, asset tracking or even video in retail, manufacturing, and healthcare environments.   We believe that any client considering an initial WLAN deployment, or an expansion of an existing one—even if initially for casual data usage—must look closely at their plans for mobile applications and user density, and match those requirements to the system in which they invest today.

Meru Networks delivers the industry’s most scalable and cost-effective solution to enable assured delivery of mobile applications for leading enterprises that are serious about harnessing the power of mobility for their businesses.

Meru’s solution enables companies, hospitals, schools, and government organizations to ensure that users have secure and invariable access to these applications over a mobile infrastructure, without the limits of conventional Wireless LAN (WLAN) solutions. Meru customers experience no difference in application performance between their wired and wireless networks, regardless of the number of clients or the demanding nature of the mission-critical applications deployed.

An enterprise or organization that is serious about using pervasive mobile applications to provide better services to customers, students, taxpayers, or patients must also be serious about the underlying wireless infrastructure on which these applications run. Wireless is no longer simply about going mobile.

www.merunetworks.com

Liebert Solutions

G.R. Sponaugle is a Liebert Business Partner.  We have continued to build strategic alliances with many of the world's most innovative technology companies to further serve our clients.  G.R. Sponaugle provides the infrastructure that information technology depends on.  We provide the power and cooling systems for the most critical data centers as well as the rack-mount UPS that keeps a small business network running.

Liebert solutions can eliminate downtime, enable changes in technology and business strategies, protect and extend our clients investment in information technology systems, and reduce capital and operating costs.

Liebert solutions help you meet all the current and coming issues facing your network infrastructure.

• Energy Efficiency - The demand for computing horsepower at most businesses is skyrocketing. But as energy costs rise, the sheer volume of hardware necessary to keep up with that demand is driving data center power consumption budgets.
  
  
• IT Adaptability - New extremes are being reached in power and cooling demands on the network infrastructure every day — some of which you can predict and some of which you can't.
  
  
• Business Continuity - protecting business-critical systems from outages brought on by hurricanes, tsunamis, blackouts and other threats to continuity.
  
  
• Heat Density - Dense blade servers and high-performance, hyper-sensitive computers and equipment demand a highly regulated room environment.
  
  
• VoIP - Keeping network closets cool and delivering continuous power are fundamental to protecting sensitive VoIP (Voice over Internet Protocol) and PoE (Power over Ethernet) technologies and equipment.
  
  
• Network Buildout – You have built fast, scalable networks. All this growth and change may be placing your network performance at risk, as you reach critical thresholds.
  

As part of Emerson Network Power, Liebert technology delivers flexible, efficient and ultra-reliable solutions that protect and support business-critical technology systems.  Liebert solutions improve the performance, availability and manageability of IT systems.

www.liebert.com