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Voice Over IP at Harvard University
Building the “Next Generation” of Converged Infrastructure
Voice …….
Data
……..
Video ……
Susan DeLellis, Senior Project Manager
Harvard University Information Systems
Common Solutions Group, May 9, 2001
Harvard University Information Systems
Voice Over IP at Harvard University
What I Plan to Share with You Today:
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

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Why Harvard University Chose to Explore VoIP & What we
Hope to Get out of it
Harvard’s VoIP Pilot
End-User Feedback for Phase I.
Lesson’s Learned Thus Far
Next Steps for Harvard
Harvard University Information Systems
Voice Over IP
Delivering Voice Services Over the Data Infrastructure
What is it?

The Convergence of legacy Voice and Packet Networks –
both voice and signaling information are transported over
the Internet Protocol (IP)
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The Merging of Related Operational & Support Policies,
Procedures and Systems
Harvard University Information Systems
The Strategic Implications of VoIP
Technology in the Enterprise
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Support for New Services & Emerging Applications
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Convergence of Infrastructure, Staffing, Operations & Mgt.
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Challenges Traditional Telecommunications Delivery &
Support Models
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Dissolving Boundaries for Calling Areas
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Managing the Mobility & Flexibility of Deployment
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Defining & Incorporating a New Costing/Pricing Model into
The Environment
Harvard University Information Systems
Voice Over IP Pilot At Harvard
The Purpose of the Pilot:
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Explore the Viability and Benefits of the Technology and
Operational Systems in the True Harvard Environment
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Develop and Refine the New Delivery and Support Models of the
“Converged” Infrastructure
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Explore and Refine Technical Architecture and Costing Models
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Document and Assess the “End User Experience”
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Continue to Track the Evolution of Standards for VoIP Technology
and Prepare for RFI/RFP
Harvard University Information Systems
The Harvard VoIP Pilot Program
Who:
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100 Member pilot, University Information Systems (UIS), Center for
Astrophysics, Work-at-Home & Remote office Users
What:
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Architecture - Cisco Systems AVVID utilizing Call Manager 3.08
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Model 7960/7940 Display IP Telephones – Some Softphones
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“Production” Pilot – Phase I: Jan. 1, 2001 – April 30, 2001
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Integration w/Harvard’s 5ESS Centrex and Octel Voice Mail
When:
Harvard University Information Systems
Voice Over IP Pilot At Harvard
Project Team Pilot Expectations
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Phase I: January 1, 2001- April 30, 2001
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Implement VoIP in Existing IP Environment at Harvard
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No Quality Of Service (QOS) in the Network
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Explore Quality Issues – OnNet, OffNet, Home
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Some Issues we Know Can be Corrected Easily – Incoming Caller
Line ID (ANI)
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Work with our Vendors to “Develop” Features/Functionality
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Evolve the Pilot as Lessons are Learned
Harvard University Information Systems
Voice Over IP Critical Decision Points
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When To Ride the Wave
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Public, Private, Hybrid Architectures
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Design Architectures & Integration
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IP Address Space Planning
•
Complexity
Where do they come from
- Private vs. Public
•
How are they organized
- VLANs
•
How does the phone get them
- DHCP, Manual
Harvard University Information Systems
Time
Change
Voice Over IP Critical Decision Points
………continued
Complexity
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Power to the Phones
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Router Access Control Lists (ACLs)
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DNS or No DNS
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To Implement QOS or Not
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Engineer to What Quality of Service ?
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Support – Who Owns the “Problems”
Harvard University Information Systems
Change
Time
Voice Over IP Pilot At Harvard
Pilot Implementation
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Architecture –
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Cisco AVVID, Central dual Call Managers in a Redundant Cluster
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VG200 Analog Gateway for Voice Mail
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2600 Router & 6509 IOS for Gateways to 5ESS
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(2) T1 Circuits
Integration –
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5ESS (Centrex) for PSTN calls & internal 5 Digit Dialing
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Octel 350 Voice Mail System - SMDI
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Users Kept their Existing Centrex phone (E911) – many call forwarded
Centrex phones to VoIP phone for easier management
Desktop –
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Integrated Desktop & Phone onto Single Data Wire
Harvard University Information Systems
Voice Over IP Pilot At Harvard
Pilot Implementation - Continued
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Power –
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IP Address Planning –
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Initially no-VLANs
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DHCP Dynamic Addressing
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Used 150 Option for TFTP server
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“poked” holes in router ACL Lists for Access
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In-line power from the Cisco 6509 Switch & some power packs
Use of DNS
Services (Proof of Concept) –
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Perl Scripts for Displaying VoIP Pilot Information, Harvard News, etc
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Weather, Stock Quotes, Calculator and others
Harvard University Information Systems
Voice Over IP Pilot At Harvard
Pilot Implementation - Continued
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Support & Resources 
Project Manager with Project Team - @ 15 People
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Network Operations
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Desktop & LAN Support
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Telecommunications
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Wiring/Cabling
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HelpDesk
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Integrate with Existing UIS Data HelpDesk & Remedy System
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Develop VoIP SWAT Team for Troubleshooting
Harvard University Information Systems
Harvard University VoIP Pilot Architecture
10 Ware Street, Cambridge
CallManager Cluster
PSTN
KSG Washington
remote location
CM_1
CM_2
T1 CAS
Existing Harvard IP Network
Cat 6509
T1 CAS no ANI
384-6500 - 6699
Cisco 2600
Gateway
5ESS
Centrex
Switch
UIS
T1 CAS No ANI
Harvard IP
Intranet
384-6700 - 6999
(future PRI)
SMDI
Center for
Astrophysics
SMDI
V
7960 IP Phones
VG-200
MGCP Gateway
Octel 350
Voice Mail
Harvard University Information Systems
Voice Over IP HelpDesk ……….
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Utilized Existing UIS HelpDesk – Remedy Ticketing Platform
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Implemented “VoIP Swat Team”
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@ 40 Tickets Since Pilot Inception:
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Voice Mail: 9
Quality: 5
Desktop/Novell: 3
Features/User Requests: 5
Programming/Config.Errors: 7
Non-VoIP Tickets: 4
Other: 7
Harvard University Information Systems
Voice Over IP – Pilot User Feedback

6 Page VoIP User Evaluation Form Developed for the Pilot
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Categories Evaluated include:
• Getting Started
• VoIP Set/Features & Functionality
• VoIP Experience
• VoIP HelpDesk
• Importance of Aspects of Service
• Value of Service Received
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5 Level Scale: Very Satisfied …. Very Dissatisfied
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User Comments & Ratings on Quality, Ease of Use, Other
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First Survey - 1 ½ Months into the Pilot – 40% Return rate
Harvard University Information Systems
Voice Over IP Pilot User Feedback Results
I. Services Provided by Harvard UIS – Getting Started
• Install/Setup
• Training
• Ease of Customizing Features
• Documentation

90% Of Users Are Very Satisfied or Satisfied with the Getting Started
Phase of the Project
User Comments include:
“fewer problems executing simple telephone procedures”
“ Call Setup seems to take longer”
“ I miss my Incoming Calling line ID”
Harvard University Information Systems
Voice Over IP Pilot User Feedback Results
II. Services Provided by Harvard UIS – VoIP Set & Features
• Set Features, Functionality & Feel

78% Of Users Are Very Satisfied or Satisfied with the VoIP Set &
Features/Functionality
User Comments include:
“Most features just took getting used to and became easier with time”
“ I like having a Directory feature on-line”
“Services Button is terrific”
“ Speakerphone is excellent”
“ Need multiple call appearances”
“ I like the ease of programming speed-dials & access to weather services”
“ Lack of caller ID is a disadvantage”
Harvard University Information Systems
Voice Over IP Pilot User Feedback Results
III. VoIP Experience
• Quality of Calls
• Enhancing Productivity
• Ease of Use
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70% Of Users Are Very Satisfied or Satisfied with the VoIP Experience
User Comments include:
“ Very important to solve the E911 issue”
“ Connection quality just not as good as existing system”
“ Choppy quality, echo”
“ Mobility of a Harvard extension has helped immensely at remote office locations”
“ Slow ring start, slow dial recognition”
“ Fewer problems executing simple telephone features like call transfer”
Harvard University Information Systems
Voice Over IP Pilot User Feedback Results
IV. Services Provided by Harvard UIS – VoIP HelpDesk
• Recording Trouble Calls
• Timely Resolution of issues
• Accessibility of HelpDesk
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93% Of Users Are Very Satisfied or Satisfied with the VoIP HelpDesk
User Comments include:
“ I haven’t had to use the HelpDesk”
“ HelpDesk was helpful in getting my modified ring”
“ Excellent job, HelpDesk very communicative and eager to solve problems”
Harvard University Information Systems
Voice Over IP Pilot User Feedback Results
V. Importance of Aspects of Service
Rate the Importance of 20 Telecom & Data Related Services
from Absolutely Critical to Not Important at all
Top 6 Categories- Rated Absolutely Critical or Very Important:

Solving Network Problems in a Technically Efficient Manner –78%
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Providing High Quality Telephone Conversations – 75%
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Performing Network Installations with Technical Proficiency – 75%
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Providing More Reliable Telecommunications Services –69%
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Keeping You Informed of the Project Status – 66%
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Providing Timely Adds/Moves and Changes – 65%
Harvard University Information Systems
Voice Over IP Pilot User Feedback Results
V. Importance of Aspects of Service
• Rate
the importance of 20 Telecom & Data Related Services
from Absolutely Critical to Not Important at all
Bottom 3 Categories- Rated Somewhat Important or Not at All
Important:

Providing Information Services such as Weather, Stock Quotes,
Other –69%
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Providing a Converged Data/Voice Desktop Device –47%
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Being Flexible in the Work Plan to Accommodate Your Needs -22%
Harvard University Information Systems
Voice Over IP Pilot User Feedback Results
VI. Value of Service Received
• Rate the Value of VoIP Service from Very High Value to
Very Low Value
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The Value Of VoIP Service To Your Organization –69% Rate VoIP Very
High Value to Just About the Right Value
Based on Your Experience with VoIP Service How Likely are you to
Recommend it to Others? •
31% Strong/High Recommendation
•
28% Medium or Neutral Recommendation
•
25% Not likely to Recommend
Harvard University Information Systems
Voice Over IP Lessons Learned Thus
Far…………..

Phone Quality is Critical to Users – Infrastructure is key to Quality
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VoIP provides Flexibility & Mobility IP Planning is Critical
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Understanding the Desktop Matters
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Troubleshooting & Reporting Tools
Complexity
need to be Explored more Fully

Softphones are Rudimentary

VoIP Services & Application Integration
shows Promise (LDAP, others)
Harvard University Information Systems
Change
Time
Voice Over IP Lessons Learned Thus
Far…………..

VoIP Challenges:
-Controlling
End-to-end Quality of Service
-Regulatory
Issues
-Cross
Pollination of Data & Telecom Worlds
-Re-engineering
-Deployment
-Developing
-Setting

IP Infrastructure for Reliability & QOS
in a Decentralized Environment
new Organizational, Support & Costing Models
User’s Expectations & Changing the Mindset
There are Benefits w/VoIP – At this Stage in the Game Pick and
Choose Wisely
Harvard University Information Systems
Voice Over IP
………
Next Steps for Harvard

Expand the Pilot to Phase II – Address QOS & Infrastructure

Engage Schools in the Phase II Pilot

Explore Cost Models, Mgt. & Reporting Tools, Call Ctr. Apps.
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Assess Other Vendors’ Implementations of VoIP
Nortel, Lucent, PingTel, others

Understand Better Where VoIP Fits …
& Doesn’t

Issue an RFI/RFP in 2001
Harvard University Information Systems