Unified communications (UC) platforms have become an essential part of the IT environment. UC gives users access to a range of communication tools in one interface, enabling the collaboration that’s critical to remote and hybrid work.
Traditionally, UC solutions were deployed on premises. Organizations bought and implemented the servers, storage and other components needed to deliver UC functionality. Then the rise of the cloud and ubiquitous Internet connectivity made UC-as-a-Service (UCaaS) possible. Organizations flocked to UCaaS to save the time and cost of onsite deployment.
However, cloud versus on-premises is not an either-or decision. Hybrid UC deployments allow organizations to capitalize on the advantages of both architectures to meet their specific requirements.
Why Hybrid UC?
On-premises UC deployments are undeniably complex. Today’s UC platforms support a wide range of voice and collaboration tools, including chat, messaging and audio, video and web conferencing. This requires a stack of technology components that go beyond legacy PBX systems. IT teams must also deploy session border controllers and configure firewalls to enable remote access.
UCaaS masks most of this complexity. Organizations simply access UC capabilities from a cloud-based platform. The service provider takes responsibility for managing and maintaining the UC environment. New features and software upgrades are rolled out automatically. Best-in-class UCaaS solutions even allow for some customization.
However, some organizations find that the level of customization is inadequate for their needs. Others may not be willing to give up complete control of their communications, or they may need extremely low latency when accessing UC services. Still others may have significant investments in on-premises UC technology. A hybrid approach is often the best solution in each of these instances.
Why Choose Hybrid UC?
As the name suggests, a hybrid UC environment combines elements of on-premises and cloud-based deployments. Typically, organizations keep mission-critical elements of their UC environment on-premises, including voice and contact center services. Other functions, such as chat, messaging and conferencing, are accessed via the cloud. This allows the organization to capitalize on existing on-premises technology without bringing these new services onsite.
Organizations that are growing geographically can also benefit from a hybrid approach. The headquarters office can continue to use its on-premises system, while new branch locations utilize UCaaS. This eliminates the need to purchase UC equipment for locations that may be too small for an onsite deployment and may not have onsite IT staff. It also allows the organization to roll out new locations more rapidly and makes it easier to integrate branch UC systems with the headquarters platform.
Other Benefits of Hybrid UC
Hybrid UC gives organizations a great deal of control. They can choose whether to purchase UC through a capex or opex model. They can deploy UC features to underserved frontline workers cost-effectively and easily scale to support growing numbers of users. They can also burst into the cloud as needed to support seasonal spikes in demand.
Organizations can keep the most latency-sensitive services onsite while moving less-critical functions to the cloud. They can also maintain greater control over data security and privacy to meet business and regulatory requirements.
The key value of hybrid UC is flexibility — organizations can choose where to deploy various UC services. By “unbundling” UC services, organizations can also meet the diverse needs of the workforce. For example, organizations can deploy chat and messaging to users who need access to those services without incurring those costs organization-wide.
How Verteks Can Help
Determining how and where to deploy UC services requires careful analysis. If a hybrid approach proves to be the best model, it can be difficult to integrate various locations and services so that users have a high-quality experience. Verteks has proven expertise in the design, deployment and management of UC platforms. Let us help you determine the best deployment model and ensure the solution’s long-term success.
