Solutions: Unified Communications Integrated Branch

Designed to address challenges associated with branch office consolidation and extend unified communications to the branch, the Nortel Integrated Branch solution is built upon the Nortel Secure Router 4134 (SR 4134), a multipurpose router and certified Microsoft hybrid gateway that integrates support for the Microsoft Office Communications Server 2007 mediation server role and media gateway capabilities, with a variety of network technologies including WAN, routing, switching, VPN, voice over IP (VoIP), power over ethernet (PoE), and security into a single device. By consolidating multiple network functions, it can generate substantial operational cost savings for enterprises while delivering a high quality user experience.

The Unified Communications Integrated Branch

This combination is ideal for enterprises considering deploying Microsoft Office Communicator 2007 at their branch. The Secure Router 4134 can deliver local gateway services to Office Communicator 2007 either to the PSTN or to other non Office Communicator 2007 clients. The SR4134 has been certified by Microsoft as a "hybrid gateway" (see Microsoft Unified Communications Open Interoperability Program) and enables desk phones and Microsoft Office Communicator 2007 users in the branch to locally connect to the PSTN. This eliminates the need to route all voice traffic back to a central site for outbound calls, saving both bandwidth and energy. Nortel’s integration with OCS2007 R2 is currently being validated and will be available in Q2 of 2009.