Tool bolsters IP phone systems

Free service quality management (SQM) utilities simply don't cut the mustard.

Service quality management (SQM) specialist Xelor Software has released XelorRate, a Linux app designed to ensure the reliability and performance of enterprise IP telephony systems. XelorRate currently integrates with both Cisco CallManager and Avaya CommunicationsManager IP PBX systems.

Quality of service (QoS) and bandwidth allocation tools, which can reduce packet loss, jitter and latency, often come free in routers, switches and network control software. This may makes XelorRate’s $20,000 (£10,640 + VAT) site licence and $40 (£21 + VAT) charge per user look expensive in comparison.

But Xelor chief Rob Scott argued that the managed installation and inclusive support can save a lot of money in the long run: “Our software automatically implements QoS configuration on the network and we don’t have to send an engineer out to the site – that saves a lot of money on installation. And we police the network.”