New Sonus Session Border Controller (SBC) Features Deliver Advanced Quality of Experience, Simplified Management in Microsoft® Lync® Voice Environments

Release 3.1 of Sonus SBC 1000 and SBC 2000 Session Border Controllers Generally Available
 
Key Takeaways:

  • Sonus is the first to natively enable Session Border Controllers (SBCs) to conduct quality monitoring for an entire Microsoft Lync call, allowing network engineers to proactively monitor and troubleshoot quality of experience (QoE) issues for the whole call flow.
  • Sonus SBC 1000 and SBC 2000 Session Border Controllers are now integrated into the Sonus Element Management System (EMS), delivering one common network management solution across the complete Sonus SBC product portfolio.

WESTFORD, Mass. – Sonus Networks, Inc. (Nasdaq: SONS), a global leader in SIP communications, today introduced new software enhancements to the Sonus SBC 1000 and SBC 2000 Session Border Controllers, designed to help customers increase quality of experience (QoE) in Microsoft Lync Enterprise Voice environments as well as easily manage and scale enterprise Unified Communications (UC) networks. Sonus helps enterprises optimize Microsoft Lync Enterprise Voice deployments by securing Session Initiation Protocol (SIP) trunking services at the network border and by providing a more seamless flow of SIP-based multivendor media for UC.

Ribbon Enterprise SBCs (Formerly Sonus)

MS Teams Direct Routing for Dummies

Accelerating the Pace for Microsoft Lync Integration

Microsoft’s Quality of Experience (QoE) technology gives network operators the ability to monitor and troubleshoot media quality for Lync calls. Using diagnostics and statistics collected by the Lync Monitoring Server, network operators can be alerted to abnormal media quality conditions and can determine where call problems occurred.
 
Previously, SBCs did not report statistics for the entire call path to the Lync Monitoring Server, leaving network operators with an incomplete view of the total call flow. Sonus is the first company to natively enable media quality monitoring for the entire Lync call, including the SIP trunk portion. The SBC 1000 and SBC 2000 gather information about delay, jitter and packet loss, enabling network engineers to proactively monitor and troubleshoot call quality of experience issues for the entire session.
 
While alternative providers offer their own monitoring tools, they require network administrators in Lync environments to manage another tool or pane of glass to implement, monitor and maintain. With Sonus, having QoE integrated into the SBC can save customers both time and money when managing Microsoft Lync voice environments.
 
Sonus was the first vendor to wirelessly enable Microsoft Lync presence survivability in the event of wide area network (WAN) loss. With Release 3.1, Sonus can now dynamically monitor available bandwidth over the back-up link and direct calls over either the public switched telephone network (PSTN) or, depending on bandwidth availability, a 3G/4G, digital subscriber line (DSL) or other alternate connection.
 

Simplified Unified Communications Management

With the rapid adoption of Lync and other advanced UC technologies, management of communications networks is becoming increasingly complex. Sonus simplifies network management for customers by bringing the SBC 1000 and SBC 2000 under the Sonus Element Management System (EMS), delivering one solution across the complete Sonus SBC service provider and enterprise portfolio. Inclusive of the Sonus SBC 5000 and SBC SWe Session Border Controller series as well, Sonus customers can now centrally manage the impact of communications on overall business performance from the branch office to the data center, resulting in reduced operating costs, better user experience, optimized investments and maximized network performance.
 
For enterprises and managed service providers with their own management applications, the SBC 1000 and SBC 2000’s representational state transfer (REST) Web services application programming interface (API) provides a complete provisioning and management interface – including the SBC, network interface and Survivable Branch Appliance (SBA). Sonus also offers a safe, lock-down configuration that can be shipped to the customer site and plugged into the management network, automatically enabling remote provisioning and management via the REST interface to provide significant improvements in deployment times.
 

Quotes:

“For Lync Enterprise Voice it is essential to have integrated insight into the quality of all media paths; real-time media hardware without reported QoE is like driving a car without a dashboard. All gateways, SBCs and IP phones designed for Lync should have native QoE reporting into the Lync Monitoring Server,” said Matt Landis, industry consultant and chief executive officer, Landis Computer. “QoE should be a requirement for Microsoft Lync qualified SBCs, gateways or endpoints, so it is good to see Sonus further its Lync-related innovation by delivering this essential functionality in the SBC 1000 and SBC 2000 Session Border Controllers.”
 

Other Sonus SBC Facts:

  • A Microsoft Gold Communications Partner, Sonus is the only vendor offering enterprises and service providers a complete end-to-end Lync qualified SBC solution.
  • For consecutive years, Sonus has been positioned in the Leaders quadrant of the "Magic Quadrant for Session Border Controllers,” published October 21, 2013 by Gartner, Inc.
  • Sonus was named to the 2013 InformationWeek 500 List of Top Technology Innovators in the U.S. for a second consecutive year. Sonus received the award in recognition of its 2013 companywide UC deployment, featuring Microsoft Lync Enterprise Voice and Sonus SBCs.
  • With 90 percent of Fortune 500 companies using Lync, Sonus SBC solutions have been performance verified by Miercom Labs and are deployed in many of the world’s leading networks spanning finance, oil and gas, manufacturing, education, retail, healthcare and pharmaceutical markets.

 

Additional Resources about the Sonus SBC:

  • Click here for additional insight about the importance of Microsoft Lync QoE monitoring from the perspective Matt Landis, industry consultant and author of the Windows PBX and UC Report.
  • Click here to download electronic copies of Sonus’ industry-leading reference guides: Lync Enterprise Voice for Dummies, SIP Trunking for Dummies, Session Border Controllers for Dummies and WebRTC for Dummies.
  • Click here to learn how Sonus realized productivity gains and significant return on investment (ROI) from its own Lync Enterprise Voice deployment.
  • View complete information about the Sonus SBC portfolio at www.sonus.net.

 

Tags/Keywords:

Sonus Networks, SONS, Lync, QoE, SBC, SBA, SIP trunking, UC, network management
 

About Sonus Networks:

Sonus helps the world's leading communications service providers and enterprises embrace the next generation of SIP-based solutions including VoIP, video and Unified Communications through secure, reliable and scalable IP networks. With customers around the globe and 15 years of experience transforming networks to IP, Sonus has enabled service providers and enterprises to capture and retain users and generate significant ROI. Sonus products include session border controllers, policy/routing servers, subscriber feature servers and media and signaling gateways. Sonus products are supported by a global services team with experience in design, deployment and maintenance of some of the world's largest and most complex IP networks. For more information, visit www.sonus.net or call 1-855-GO-SONUS.
 

Important Information Regarding Forward-Looking Statements:

The information in this release may contain certain forward-looking statements within the meaning of the U.S. Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 regarding future events that involve risks and uncertainties. Although Sonus believes that its expectations are based on reasonable assumptions, readers are cautioned that these forward-looking statements are only predictions and are subject to inherent uncertainties, risks and changes in circumstances that are difficult to predict. All statements other than statements of historical facts contained in this report are forward-looking statements. Our actual results may differ materially from those contemplated by the forward-looking statements. For further information regarding risks and uncertainties associated with Sonus’ business, please refer to the “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations” and “Risk Factors” sections of Sonus’ filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Any forward-looking statements represent Sonus' views only as of the date on which such statement is made, and should not be relied upon as representing Sonus' views as of any subsequent date. While Sonus may elect to update forward-looking statements at some point, Sonus specifically disclaims any obligation to do so, except as required by law.
 
 
Sonus Networks
Wendy Tullo, +1-972-301-4978
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Lois Paul & Partners
Anastasia Efstratios, +1-617-986-5873
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