AV Technology - January 2009 - (Page 19)

and their agencies as they move from stovepipe AV systems to unified communications architectures. DEVELOPING UC There are no simple ways to develop unified communications architectures, at least none that I have found. There is no website that lists all the components needed, how to configure those components, and what links are needed between systems elements. Any list of this type would be overly simplistic or unrealistic since no agency has the budget to completely overhaul their entire enterprise architecture. This means we need to work with our legacy systems and have to figure out how to develop unified communications systems that leverage our existing technology investments. Every unified communications system must be a custom design. How do we even start to design custom unified communications architectures? We start by identifying the right stakeholders. Once the right AV and IT subject matter experts and end-user representatives have been identified, it is a good idea to conduct an audit of the existing assets. Working from the list of assets and an understanding of end-user functional needs, subject matter experts can begin the process of designing the unified communications architecture. They can determine which existing assets can be utilized and what new components, programming, and configuration changes will be required to meet the needs of the end users. We must also be careful to identify all of the necessary core components of the system to avoid missing opportunities. For example, AV control systems are often overlooked by IT unified communications designers. These systems should be a core element of any unified communications system that includes conference rooms, classrooms, and other AV collaboration spaces. If the budget is available, or can be justified to establish a prototype lab, do it. If your budget does not allow you to establish a lab, reach out to other agencies and participate in their prototyping efforts. Even if the budget is available for prototyping, look for partnerships with other agencies that have similar requirements. Partnering will result in greater diversity of ideas and will pay long-term january 2009 | AV TECHNOLOGY | 19 dividends when the requirement comes to connect your architecture with other mission partner agencies. We are in the midst of a shift away from stovepipe communications networks and toward real-time, ad-hoc global collaboration. Those who embrace the changes will profit and their agencies will prosper. Those who ignore or resist change will become irrelevant and their agencies will wither. Our individual goals, organizational health, and national security are all dependent on our abilities to communicate effectively, collaborate quickly, and to build and maintain valuable partnerships. Unified communications helps to facilitate all of these, and will be a driving force in the global, knowledge-based economy. Gary L. Hall, CTS-D, CTS-I, is a program management execution officer at the NationalGeospatial Intelligence Agency (NGA) in Bethesda, MD. He is also an adjunct instructor at the InfoComm Academy and can be reached at garylhall@gmail.com. The views expressed in this article are those of the author and are in no way officially endorsed by NGA, and do not necessarily represent the views of the United States. http://www.vqseries.com http://www.vqseries.com

Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of AV Technology - January 2009

AV Technology - January 2009 Contents Precedent Corporate: Hunkering Down Government: The Great Unifier Education: Technological Self-Sufficiency Integrating Communications into Your Business Process DVI/HDMI Signals over Twisted-Pair Cable AV Helps Explain the Unexplainable AV Enhancements at the Coliseum Product Forum Tech Horizons Product Spotlight New Products Ad Index AV MO

AV Technology - January 2009

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