In the first of a series exploring what 2017 holds for unified communications, Peter Gothard turns the spotlight on collaboration, and consults industry experts
"Make sure collaboration tools address data, infrastructure, physical and application security."
Port restrictions, needless to say, are also top of the menu when considering how to tackle an infrastructure with newly-added end user software.
"It is crucial that the proper ports are opened and the essential domains are whitelisted before a web conferencing software deployment takes place," advises Harper.
"Understanding port restrictions and having the authority to open ports and whitelist necessary domains will help to guarantee that programs run at top capacity."
With compatibility and network throughput, Harper reminds us that focus on the most up-to-date operating systems and browsers is of high importance, while network QoS (quality of service) must be especially consistent, especially with the wealth of media often shared in these applications.
"Streaming media applications require consistent throughput to ensure the timely delivery of audio, video and web conference in order to deliver this data to your meeting guests nearly instantaneously. Delays in your network will drastically impact the user experience," warns Harper.