IP Telephony Unveiled

Short and sweet, this book is a must if you're considering IP Telephony. This publication is especially useful for the manager, or executive, level technologist that wants to know more about IP Telephony. From concepts and comparison to the traditional PBX to ROI and usage of IP Telephony technology this publication makes a great, easy to understand read.The CIO of the company I'm consulting for has had very positive comments regarding the information he has gained after I recommended this book to him. I can't rate it highly enough.

IP Telephony Unveiled ISBN 1587200759By Kevin BrownDo you have questions like these?What is IP telephony? What is Voice over IP (VoIP)? What is an IP telephone?Is this a new PBX system? How can I use IP telephony and make it work for me? WhereDo I start?If you do have these and other questions then Kevin Brown and Ciscopress have the answers for you. The book is IP Telephony Unveiled ISBN 157200759 by Kevin Brown, and Published by Ciscopress. It will answer all of your questions without being to technical. In Ciscopress own words "This volume is in the Network Business Series".And just what is this Network Business Series? It is a series that explains a technical subject without all the geek speak. Don't let that fool you, the subject is well covered, and all of your questions will answered. But that's not all, it also gives direction to get IPTelephony started the right way at you company. The book will help you avoid pitfalls, (if you will follow Mr. Brown's directions), and explains the differences between yourPBX and IP Telephony. It also tells you the many amazing things you can do with this new Telephone (client) on your network.If you are a hard core techie wanting to know the nuts and bolts of how to set-up and maintain an IP telephone system then I would suggest looking at the technical books that Ciscopress has to offer on this subject. If you are a tech, manager, or executive that needs information to make a decision about IP Telephony at your company, this is the book for you.Even though it is not a big book, (only 170 pages including the index), it is full of information and the experience if the author. The book is divided into eight chapters.The first chapter covers the similarities and differences of a PBX system compared to an IP Telephony system. It also covers the convergence of the phone and data network system. Chapter two explains the advantage of IP Telephony over the PBX. It also shows the potential of IP Telephony. Chapter three cover the fact that you keep all of the function of the PBX and add so much more. In chapter four called "If this isn't a PBX, what is it?" Mr. Brown gives real world examples of IP Telephony system proving this is not just a phone but a client on the network. To me chapters' five thru eight is worth the price of the book. In these chapters Mr. Brown shows his tremendous experience with IP Telephony. The subjects in these chapters are topics such as, sample business cases, ROI, ROI real-world examples, planning, and the seven steps to a successful IP Telephony experience. Mr. Brown also covers what is coming in the future.Kevin Brown shows he knows his stuff , and once again Ciscopress comes up with a great book. I know you will enjoy this book. I did.

I've been selling and installing Cisco's IP Telephony products for three years now, and was delighted to find this book. It's a consice guide to where IPT comes from, where it's going, and why real people are investing real money.Seeing as it's published by Cisco Press, I really expected this to be a kind of vapid marketing slick, but I think it really gives IPT the fair shake it deserves. The weaknesses are covered in a thoughtful and mature way, and the benefits it proposes are all real and attainable.What impressed me most was the "A Different View of ROI" chapter. Instead of focusing on cheap long distance or free internet calling (which is a pretty weak $$ return for real businesses) it focuses on using a converged voice/data network as a platform for revolutionary changes to line-of-business applications. It views IP Telephony as not just a slick way to keep making phone calls, but as a more effective way to do business.I came away from this book with a renewed zeal for my industry, and a high-level introduction that I can share with colleagues, friends, and customers to enjoy at their own pace. This book might even make it possible to explain my job to my mom.

IP Telephony Unveiled (ISBN: 1-58720-075-9) needs to be required reading for any manager or executive wondering about, or planning to implement IP Telephony. There in lies the key distinction for this book: the difference between VOIP and IP Telephony.Most people writing or looking into this topic blend these two areas into a single topic. The author goes to great lengths to make the differences clear. Brown uses clear examples from the past to show where convergence has been, and where it can go with IP Telephony. The author examines the top questions he has seen asked over and over in regards to implementing IPT. How is this different from my existing phone system? Why do I need a new phone system when mine already works? These questions show the misunderstanding into IPT. This book clearly answers these questions and more. Brown has woven into the various answers the point that IPT is not a technology so much, as it is a process. The second half of the book discusses the business impacting issues related to IP Telephony. There are well thought out case studies that show clear examples of positive business affecting implementations. There is a clear emphasis on planning for making a successful rollout of IP Telephony. The author states that doing your homework up front and planning out the deployment will matter much greater than the technology deployed.Overall, this is an excellent book for executives looking at IP Telephony and all it holds for their company. Anyone reading this will walk away infinitely more qualified to make intelligent decisions on deploying IP Telephony. IS staff would benefit as well, as they sometimes don't see the business impact of the technologies they work with on a day to day basis.

I have never written a book review before this one but feel that this book is so superior that I'd like to see it on a 'must read' list for IP Telephony.IP Telephony Unveiled should be required for any University's Information Technology Management curriculum. It departs from 'technology for technology's sake' and makes a quantifiable business case for IP Telephony. This is not a deep-dive technical book but the 20,000 foot view of how IP Telephony will be intelligently tied into a business ROI. If you are a CXO and are considering IP Telephony, this book will be an epiphany and you will use it as a roadmap. It will be the best money you ever spend. Kevin Brown correctly stresses the fact that a VRA (Voice Readiness Assessment) will save lots of money and make the difference between a clean implementation and something that you'll want to rip out and sell on EBay.If you are an engineer, this book is not technically challenging but it should be read because sometimes the business reason for implementing a particular technology gets lost.This book should be required reading for anyone involved in the sale or implementation of IP Telephony and would be a great present to give to a CXO who may be a prospective client looking to have a converged network.