Virtualization and UC: Strange Bedfellows No More

B. Riggs

Summary Bullets:

• Server virtualization is available here and now for a wide range of UC solutions
• Desktop virtualization for UC client software is by and large in the works

Virtualization and real-time communications have traditionally made for strange bedfellows. Yet persistent R&D work among top UC solution and virtualization software developers led to deployment on virtualized servers in a data center as a standard option for PBX call control software. Mitel started the ball rolling, working closely with VMware to develop a version of the vSphere virtualization platform capable of supporting real-time communications software. Server virtualization is now a checklist item for both UC and contact center software, with Aastra, Avaya, Cisco, Microsoft, Siemens Enterprise and to a certain extent, ShoreTel, all supporting it.