Hi, I'm Jennifer Stafford and I'm a Voice Engineer here atCNET Networks. I'm here today to talk to you about adding voiceover IP to yourlegacy network. So most companies have spent a good deal of money on theirexisting PBX and voicemail infrastructure. Generally they don't want to just tearthat out in the interest of trying something new. So we're going to show youhow you can introduce VoIP a little at a time to your legacy network.
In the traditional model you have a PBX connected to aseparate voicemail system and generally you would connect your remote officeusing the public switch telephone network or telephone companies. And thiscalling generally has a permanent cost associated with it.
So before I show you how to add VoIP to your legacy network,let's define a few terms. The call control is really the set-up and tear-downor beginning and end of each call and monitoring readiness of each line. Thegatekeeper is really a table or list of numbers and information responsible forknowing where each line in the system and each extension lives relative to eachother.
The gateway is really just a piece of equipment, a switchusually that's used to join your legacy equipment to the IP network. So let'sput this into action. We'll start by installing a gateway at headquarters.We'll connect it with perhaps a T1 or perhaps even just a cable. We'll installanother gateway here at the remote office. And between them, connect them withour IP network or WAN.
The great thing about this, fixed cost compared to therecurring charges. So no per-minute charges for your phone calls here. Thefunctions of the call control and the gatekeeper, which are basically software,live here next to the gateway and enable us to connect IP phones connected onour LAN and over the VPN we can extend the same high quality phone service tothe user at home. Same service as the user in the headquarters office andremote office.
So as you can see, with a little bit of equipment andsoftware you're able to add voiceover IP to your legacy network without rippingout the guts of the system.
