Integrating Voice and Data Networks

Integrating Voice and Data Networks

Book Title:	Integrating Voice and Data Networks
Author:	Scott Keagy
Publication:	Pearson Education; 1st edition (October
ISBN:	1578701961

Book Review: Integrating Voice and Data Networks

These last few years have seen an increase in PC availability to the masses, as well as the rapid development of internet infrastructure, which has led to various results, of which the means to continental-distance communication at almost null cost, using the existing internet infrastructure, would be more remarkable.

This is accomplished using VoIP – Voice over IP, which aims to digitize voice, compress it into manageable packets, route it through the internet, extract the data and revert it to analog, and all in the real-time fashion that communications require.

The simplest VoIP system uses two PCs, a sort of network connection between them and a couple of soundcards for voice input/output. This, however, can be upgraded, using hardware accelerating cards that compress the audio stream according to actual standards, hardware gateway cards that can be connected to PSTN lines, allowing the station to act as a gateway, software to manage the gateway (can be open source or proprietary), and additional, problem solving, managing or administering software. This can lead to heterogeneous systems that can be difficult to design, deploy and afterwards maintain to operating levels – all in the corporate environment, where low cost is the key and failure is not an option.

Coupled with the way the Internet works, and the multitude of standards and protocols available today, integrating the voice and data networks can prove to be a daunting task, when not properly informed.
Integrating Voice and Data Networks is all about practical solutions to deploying a voice over IP system, using Cisco IOS voice gateways.

Spanning 779 pages, the hardcover first edition is more suited for network engineers that need an edge on integrating voice systems into the existing data network, providing better phone service, lower prices and the features computers can bring to digitized voice communication. The author’s real world experience is obvious, from the depth of the theoretical aspects portrayed to the clarity of the network scenario examples, providing for an up-to-date, comprehensive material.

Integrating Voice and Data Networks, while containing numerous references, is still fact-rich, written from a hands-on perspective and providing detailed description on such topics as SIP, design scenarios, Echo and signaling.

Its chapters deal with themes such as the implementation of Voice over Frame Relay (VoFR), Voice over ATM (VoATM) and Voice over IP (VoIP), using the solutions provided by Cisco, with their IOS voice gateways and 2600/3600/7200/7500 series routers, as well as the Cisco AS5300/AS5800 access servers. However, the theoretical aspects are not presented in a product-specific manner, which allows room for innovation and development using other means.

Integrating Voice and Data Networks is useful as a guide to implementing VoIP immediately, all the while teaching how to lower costs and gain the edge by integrating voice and data networks.