02 Endpoints

Integrate and augment to realize value

Take your endpoint investments to the
cloud—and get more from them

Softphones are hard on users

Many cloud collaboration vendors will suggest removing endpoints from the equation, even if a sizable investment
exists. Their argument is that physical devices can be replaced by software-based phones and calling.
From their perspective, removal of these devices only simplifies your environment.

In truth, many cloud collaboration platforms can’t integrate with these endpoint devices.
They simply don’t have a way to support them.

And it’s important to remember that removing physical endpoints for voice and video can have a significant
negative impact on the employee experience.

Many users prefer a physical device they can use from corporate offices or at their home workspace. They find
the experience more natural and less fatiguing than relying purely on a laptop for communication and meetings.

An ideal hybrid solution ties software- and hardware-based calling together so that both can be used freely.
Solutions such as Webex Edge for Devices can help you enable IT access to all endpoints—including those that
are registered via on-premises call control on—to enhance monitoring, management, and troubleshooting.

Hybrid cloud collaboration strategies need to provide cloud services to all endpoints: both those registered in the
cloud and those on premises. By connecting all of them, you can fulfill IT requirements such as diagnostics and
analytics—and enhance the user experience with calendar integration, simplified meeting processes, and
AI tools such as Webex Assistant.

Don’t throw out your endpoints

The right cloud collaboration
   provider can work with you to
   integrate on-premises devices
   with your new cloud architecture.

Augmenting video endpoints with cloud capabilities

Cloud platforms make it possible to augment existing collaboration devices with new, exciting capabilities.

For example, as employees enter a conference room, the video system leverages AI capabilities in the cloud to automatically track the number of users entering the room.

Cloud capabilities can also be used to enable room scheduling from video endpoints. Or employed to enable touchless collaboration via AI assistants, so that users can join meetings, share content, or start collaboration sessions without needing to lift a finger.

The dilemma for PBX, VoIP, and gateway investments

A large number of organization's have invested in on-premises PBXs, gateways, and VoIP calling systems over the course of their growth. These systems likely connect multiple PBXs at different sites, with various PSTN interconnects and multinational deployments. This leaves many with a mixed network made up of systems at various deprecation-lifecycle stages.

Many “cloud-only” vendors will require the entire in-place PBX network to be replaced. But that often results in a large business disruption and increased end-user frustration. A better option is to select a collaboration partner that can seamlessly tie cloud capabilities with these on-premises investments.

Making hybrid cloud collaboration possible

Unify the calling experience

The Webex platform provides a single calling architecture that protects investments by enabling flexible, hybrid deployment paths to innovative cloud services.

Network Services connect your sites and people to the cloud, with an option for a global enterprise dial plan for all sites, including existing PBX sites. Network Services enable you to offload on-net MPLS and off-net network traffic to the cloud.
Enterprise Services let you centralize core enterprise routing services, such as auto attendant, IVR, call queues, and
voicemail in the cloud. You also get centralized management of your complete collaboration suite through the
Webex Control Hub.
User Services extend unified collaboration experience to all users. Even those on an Avaya PBX have access to
Webex cloud collaboration services for calling, messaging, meetings, and team activities.