Managed Services provide a 24/7 preventative solution to your business’ infrastructure as a whole.  A proper Managed Services solution is ideal for managing your security, communication, and network infrastructure. But why choose managed services over outsourced IT?

What’s the difference?

Third-party outsourced IT usually works on a break-fix model of service where the provider fixes issues as they arise. It’s a reactive approach with little focus on preventative maintenance.

Managed services view your IT solutions as a whole and are a relationship of integrated services. It uses a proactive approach where specialized skills are used to optimize your solutions, completing work every day to keep your network, security, and communications working 24/7.

Managed services providers maintain networks, perform necessary updates, and keep your system running smoothly while offering helpful advice on optimizing and improving your network based on how you use it.

What Outsourcing IT Offers

Businesses often choose to outsource their IT solutions because it is less expensive. Hiring someone to perform smaller tasks and fix problems as they arise can often be cheaper.

Often hired to complete certain tasks instead of looking at a network as a whole, IT outsourcing is valuable for smaller companies who do not have the resources to build an in-house team or who can’t prioritize their infrastructure yet.

Why Choose Managed Services

Managed services like those provided by Activo, provide the benefits of outsourcing and a professional IT department, without the drawbacks.

With managed services, you will have an outsourced team of experts who manage your network and its needs. Rather than having to solve problems as they occur, this team will work on preventative maintenance daily to ensure your system works all the time, allowing your business to focus on what matters most – serving your clients.

As the managing solution, the team who works on your network will have an intuitive understanding of your needs and will be able to make updates, complete repairs, and keep you connected faster than an outsourced team who is looking for the first time.

Managed services also provide all-inclusive solutions. Rather than relying on a single fix, your team will provide solutions like physical and cyber security, communications through tools like Microsoft Voice and Teams, and manage cloud services to keep you and your team connected around the world.

This is valuable as businesses must be constantly prepared – a disconnect can lead to massive losses that can last until you are reconnected. Using a managed services provider negates risks – you are less likely of being disconnected and will have the best network solutions available to you, thanks to the experts working with your business.

Managed services are on a fixed budget, meaning there are no surprise repair costs as there can be with an expensive outsourced fix to something that could’ve been fixed earlier.

Even if you don’t have the means to build an in-house team, it is recommended to use managed services, as their preventative maintenance keeps you running in the long term.

Managed services have become a more popular way to have business requirements met. Companies can get the benefits of both outsourcing and professional IT departments, without the cost of IT in-house. If you’re ready to stop relying on inconsistent networks and find long-term solutions to help optimize your business, contact Activo today. We provide custom-managed service arrangements that fit the needs of your business and help it grow.

The post Help Your Business Thrive with Managed Services appeared first on Activo.

Remote and hybrid working has led to enterprises requiring solutions to streamline their communication platform. Microsoft teams quickly adapted the hybrid work paradox and provides resources to help organizations thrive in a hybrid world. Microsoft Teams with Direct Routing replaces an existing Private Branch Exchange (PBX) with a cloud-based system. With this system, enterprises are provided full voice calling capabilities traditionally delivered using a PBX phone system located on the business premises.

Direct Routing lets enterprises modernize their telephony infrastructure by providing a Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN) connection to Microsoft Teams.

Activo offers Microsoft Teams with Direct Routing, a proven certified business-grade unified communication solution with SIP trunks across Canada.

If you are using Microsoft 365 and use Teams for meetings, conferences and chats, you can now integrate PSTN connectivity to have a seamless experience between internal and external calls, support home office workers and manage multi-site operations with Microsoft Teams Direct Routing and Activo’s SIP/SBC solution.

The benefits of using Microsoft Teams Direct Routing include:

All-in-one solution: You can bring together calling, chat, and meetings in an all-in-one app. A call can be quickly started from Teams, Outlook, or your mobile device. Users can collaborate in Office apps within calls and meetings. There is also the flexibility of working across Teams and Outlook seamlessly with unified contacts and calendars.

Call from anywhere: Microsoft Teams Direct Routing provides access to one phone number across your computer, mobile, and desk phone. You can easily turn a call into a group meeting without hanging up or re-dialling. Users can also access their number on a range of devices built for Microsoft Teams.

Secure, reliable, & rich calling: Users enjoy cloud calling features like consultative transfer, music-on-hold, cloud voicemail, and more. There are also options to use built-in auto attendants and call queues or connect to contact center software.

Streamline management: Microsoft Teams Direct Routing saves enterprises time and money with a single provider for communications. Numbers can be easily added using the Teams Admin Center, and issues can be monitored and resolved with call analytics and a quality dashboard.

Working with Activo as a Microsoft Teams Direct Routing Partner

Activo will take your Microsoft Team’s collaboration platform and transform it into a unified voice and collaboration platform with enterprise-grade features for all the users. With Direct Routing, your phone system is no longer separate from IT. Instead, get a completely integrated, secured and fully managed next-generation communication platform for your employees.

With Activo Direct Routing SIP trunks and SBC get customized minutes, new or Port-in DIDs, E911, choice of Desk phones and transform your Microsoft teams to a business-grade UCaaS without having to maintain your legacy phone system.

Contact Activo if you require an update to your current communications infrastructure.

The post Microsoft Teams Direct Routing Provides a Unified Communication Solution for Enterprises appeared first on Activo.

• Savings of up to 30% in energy use, maintenance, and spatial management.
• An over 15% increase in productivity.
• The elimination of as much as 50% of our energy waste.

However you look at it, the reality is this—traditional buildings take more time, money, and effort to manage compared to future-forward digital buildings.

To find out more about preparing for the digital building, check out this infographic from Cisco.

In this blog, we wanted to take a closer look at some of the promises the digital building is sure to bring:

3 Benefits That the Digital Building Will Bring

1.      Improved Efficiency

• By taking small actions like using sensors to adjust room temperatures and turn lights on and off, you can reduce energy use by over 25%—significant savings especially for larger sites like shopping malls or warehouses.
• Pre-empt maintenance with systems that alert you automatically when there’s a problem (minor or major) and enable you to act preventatively when possible.

2.      Predict Need

Intelligent buildings will be able to analyze behaviours to understand how spaces are actually used and anticipate demands before users even ask:

• In offices, the digital building will offer opportunities to create tailor-made working spaces with unique lighting and temperature preferences so employees feel better and can work more productively.
• With retail, you will be able to understand how visitors shop so you can more easily tell a “buyer” apart from a “browser”.
• Industrial buildings will benefit from automated pick-up processes as well as more accurate and rapid shipments.
• Multi-family dwellings will enjoy better experiences fully centred around their own habits.

Deloitte University Press created an interactive graphic exploring how the IoT will affect office, retail, industrial, and multi-family buildings. Click here to learn more and see the tool in action!

3.      Enhance Productivity

Digital buildings mean more than just making technology smarter. They are also about creating solutions that make users’ lives better and simpler. This will be especially important in the workplace, where many people spend upwards of 1500 hours per years.

Businesses can take advantage of digital buildings to:

• Adjust temperature, air quality, and lighting to suit the wishes of individual employees.
• Monitor ventilation levels throughout the day to achieve an optimal balance.
• Boost productivity by scheduling days (tasks and breaks) in a way that encourages collaboration.

Regardless of your industry or size, the future of the digital building will lead to tangible benefits for building owners ready to make the most of it.

Activo partners with industry leaders to make the digital building of tomorrow a reality today. Contact us today to discuss your needs!

Read more from Activo:

• Thank You for Helping Us Make Our Digital Building Technology Seminar Such a Success!
• 4 Insights on What a Digital Transformation Will Mean for Your Business
• Building for the Internet of Things (IoT)

The post Why You Need to Be Ready to Deploy a Digital Building Architecture appeared first on Activo.

Mitel created an article that explores some of the benefits that come with cloud-based communication systems. We’ve summarized their thoughts here for you, so keep reading to learn more:

1. Enable a Mobile Workforce

It’s not uncommon for people to manage their time and activities on different devices, updating their calendar on a mobile phone while chatting with a team member using their laptop.

Consider these trends:

• Almost 70% of employees use a personal device to check their work emails.
• 26% say they’re productive even when they’re on the go (not at the office or at home).
• 36% use up to three mobile devices when they’re doing their work.

Cloud communications make it easy to streamline processes by bringing people together regardless of the device they’re using—consolidating schedules for maximum transparency and unifying conversations so they can catch up on what’s being said without missing a beat.

2. Support Multiple Locations

In addition to on-the-go workers, many businesses today are looking for ways to enable remote individuals and teams, those who work at a fixed location that isn’t the main office. Remote workers have many of the same communications needs as their counterparts at the office, however they often lack the equipment and support infrastructure.

A cloud communication solution excels at creating virtual systems that connect workers anytime, anywhere to provide all users with the same set of tools and features.

3. Reduce Costs

Originally, on premise infrastructures were heralded for their potential ability to control communication costs by bringing the infrastructure in house. But as these systems age, organizations increasingly find the workloads and price tags associated with maintaining, upgrading, and expanding them going up.

Cloud communications offer better paths for growth, as they are fundamentally designed to scale efficiently and effectively.

4. Focus on Your Business, Not Your Infrastructure

Technology can have transformative impacts on an organization, but it has to be the right technology. If it’s too cumbersome or labour-intensive to work with and maintain, that can shift your focus away from what really matters—evolving and growing your business.

Cloud-based solutions make a difference by eliminating hassles associated with day-to-day administration while streamlining communications, cutting costs, and boosting productivity.

5. Stay Current with Future-Ready Tools and Software

Choosing future-ready infrastructure is crucial to making sure you and your organization will be ready to adapt, succeed, and stay ahead.

Cloud communication systems are designed to enable future growth. They can be automatically updated to ensure teams always have access to the latest features and versions, and you can increase capacity on an as-needed basis to keep pace with your growth.

Are you ready to take the plunge? Contact us today to learn how Activo can help you maximize your success in the IoT!

Read more from Activo:

• The 6 Industries Leading the Way in the IoT
• 5 Things You Can Do with Video Analytics
• 4 Insights on What a Digital Transformation Will Mean for Your Business

The post 5 Benefits of Cloud Communications appeared first on Activo.

Keep reading to find out our thoughts on what the Digital Transformation has in store for your business:

1. The Right Tools Will Play a Pivotal Role

To respond to the changes brought on by the IoT and the Information Society, businesses need to be agile. That means choosing hardware and software that will be dynamic, flexible, and able to meet the demands of your organization as it evolves.

Explore alternatives like the cloud. In a Harvard Business Review survey, cloud computing generated a wealth of excitement among respondents. The main benefits cited were flexible capacity (53%), business agility (50%), and lower costs (43%).

2. Superior Support is Critical in Facilitating Your Success

Ongoing support for your applications—regular maintenance, upgrades, and bug fixes—will help maximize performance, reliability, and security while minimizing risks. ZK Research put the financial hit associated with downtime and failures as high as $5.2 million per hour for brokerage firms.

To be sure you have the appropriate level of support in your corner, consider:

• Aligning internal skills with future needs, preparing yourself to fill the gaps you identify.
• Understanding what level of risk you can tolerate and making sure service agreements are suitable.
• Selecting the right vendor based on the level of support they can offer now and into the future.

Getting the right support structures in place early will help enable growth down the road.

3. Big Data Will Deliver Better Experiences

Big data tools allow businesses to analyze large quantities of information to better understand what customers and employees really want from the products and services they buy and use.

But big data can be challenging to acquire and manage. Gathering and studying it takes time, effort, and can require businesses to alter internal processes, resource allocation, and more. Regardless, 70% of those surveyed by the Harvard Business Review said they expect big data to influence the choices their organizations make in the coming years. The payoffs for those who learn how to interpret and integrate it into their day-to-day activities and large-scale plans can be significant, helping to transform the businesses of today into the success stories of tomorrow.

4. Involving Your Entire Company Is the Key to Success

To prosper in the era of the IoT, you need to have the right tools and people on your side:

• Nurture the Right Teams: The key is to isolate the types of skills your workforce will need and find ways to develop them, whether someone is a new hire or a veteran member of your staff.
• Reimagine Executives: More and more, executives are being tasked with driving change for their organizations. The two roles most significantly affected so far according to the Harvard Business Review’s study have been the Chief Technology Officer (55% of respondents said that role has changed) and Chief Operating Officer (34% said that role has changed).

Don’t forget that these transitions might sometimes be discomforting for employees. IT teams previously responsible for crimping cables and stacking servers, for example, will now need to see themselves as system integrators and might even need to write the scripts that will enable robots to carry out some of the functions previously assigned to them.

Make sure your teams know and feel that they’re part of the change. Encourage workers to think outside of the box by establishing innovation labs, creating collaboration-focused office spaces, and embracing new technologies.

Deploying integrated solutions—a broad suite of tools, ongoing support, big data analytics and insights, and an enthused and prepared workforce—will help make your organization’s digital transformation a winning one.

Are you ready to take the plunge? Contact us today to learn how Activo can help you maximize your success in the IoT!

Read more from Activo:

• 6 Ways Technology is Driving a Digital Evolution in Education [Infographic]
• Building for the Internet of Things (IoT)
• How the IoT is Changing These 3 Industries [Infographic]

The post 4 Insights on What a Digital Transformation Will Mean for Your Business appeared first on Activo.

Keep reading to go beyond the definition and find out what UC really means for you:

Defining Unified Communications

UC is a term used to describe solutions that integrate different methods of communication (including real-time and non-real-time) into a single environment to simplify platform management, improve connections between employees, and meet larger business needs.

UC can bring together components including:

• Varying forms of messaging (instant, unified, etc.).
• Applications designed to make teamwork easier, connecting larger groups and encouraging collaboration among them.
• Up-to-date presence information to let you know if a contact is occupied or available.
• Video conferencing capabilities, whether on mobile devices, individual PCs, or systems based in a single room (or set of rooms).
• Mobile applications that extend UC to devices like smartphones or tablets.

UC is the ideal solution for any company interested in taking full advantage of new and traditional communication technologies.

5 Benefits of a Unified Communications Approach

Unifying your communications enables your business to address today’s challenges head on – bringing collaboration platforms, tools, and services together in one always-on, easy-to-access place so you can:

1. Work More Effectively and Efficiently

Built-in features like presence information make it simple to see when people are available and how you can connect with them. Is a team member free to IM but not voice chat? You’ll be able to find out and reduce time spent trying unsuccessfully to contact someone.

2. Encourage Collaboration

Having quick access to important tools and information enables teams to collaborate and make changes in real time, managing a greater number of materials and executing even the most complex projects.

3. Connect Your Team Members from Anywhere

UC makes it easier for employees to work collaboratively on projects from anywhere, locally or globally. If a team member needs to spend part or all of the day away from the office, having a flexible UC strategy in place means they can use the information and applications they need – including mission-critical ones – to make working remotely just as productive as being at the office.

Much of this interconnectivity is being made possible by the cloud and cloud-based software, applications, and storage.

4. Streamline Communications

Just under half of all workers would prefer to have a single device for both professional and personal needs. With so many options to choose from (like smartphones, tablets, and other mobile tools), organizations need to make sure they’re thinking beyond the desk phone.

The right UC strategy enables people to choose between devices and platforms, adapting and adjusting their technological choices to suit their individual preferences and work styles.

5.  Make Technology Invisible

The technologies driving your business should operate invisibly behind the curtain to let users accomplish everything they need to without interruption.

• Features like single sign-on (SSO) make it easy to switch seamlessly between devices, platforms, and applications without needing to remember unique usernames and passwords.
• Automatic call forwarding provides consistent experiences for both your employees and customers.
• Flexible document sharing gives your teams access to the information and resources they need.

UC enables you to take advantage of all the benefits technology has to offer, transforming how you do business and driving results by making your teams more efficient, effective, and productive.

At Activo, we offer a range of UC solutions tailored to meet your specific needs and goals. Contact us today.

More on Unified Communications from Activo:

• Why Flexibility Is Essential in Your Unified Communications and Voice Solution
• What is Unified Communications?
• Optimizing Your Messaging Influx with Unified Communications by Mitel

The post What Unified Communications Really Means for Your Organization appeared first on Activo.

Between work-related travel, off-site meetings, and flexible scheduling, it can be challenging to architect future-ready communications infrastructures and get everyone in one place. Your teams need to be connected whenever and wherever they’re working to stay on top of the game and drive results.

Mitel recently put together a short guide on how to boost productivity at work. We’ve summarized the top 4 tips:

1. Enable Employees to Work from Anywhere

54% of workers will do work from a location outside of their organization’s office at least once a week.

They need to have communication tools that let them keep in touch whether they’re visiting a customer, waiting in an airport, staying in a hotel room, or working from their home.

• For remote workers, that means having phones with features like voicemail, call forwarding, and extension dialing from anywhere.
• Mobile workers need phones that integrate seamlessly with your whole communications infrastructure. If your industry is highly mobile, consider tools like wireless headsets or cordless handsets.

Capabilities and features like these will ensure your teams can maximize their productivity wherever they are.

Read our blog to find out what trends are on the way for increasingly mobile workforces!

2. Encourage Users to Choose Their Technology

Workers want to have a consistent communications experience across all of their devices. 60% would like to have the option to choose their work tablet or smartphone, while 47% would prefer a single device for both work and personal needs.

When evaluating communications systems, look for one featuring single enterprise identity. That will provide users with one directory entry and mailbox to be used with any of their phones.

3. Make It Easy for Geographically Dispersed Teams to Communicate

Your employees shouldn’t be spending time looking for colleagues – especially if the person they’re looking for is an office (or an ocean) away:

• Give teams access to presence information, letting them know when co-workers are available for a call, conference, or meeting.
• Open calendars so your staff will know when colleagues are busy.
• Automatically re-route calls to mobile devices when a Bluetooth connection is enabled.

Taking easy steps like these will keep your teams connected in all places and at all times.

4. Help Your Teams Make Quicker, Better Decisions

Whether your teams work out of your main office or do most of their work at home, the key to boosting productivity is keeping workers connected to the tools and information they need.

That means giving them access to:

• Single contact numbers.
• On-the-go instant messaging.
• Audio and video conferencing.
• Document sharing.

Being able to take advantage of tools, services, and applications that enable complete collaboration will help your teams work better together, boost efficiency, and maximize productivity.

At Activo, we work with industry-leading partners like Mitel to deliver solutions for businesses of any size looking to maximize success in the IoT. Contact us today to discuss your needs!

Read more:

• 5 Trends for Designing Future-Ready Data Centres
• IP Traffic to Triple by 2020 as 1 Billion New Users and 10 Billion New Devices Join the Global Internet Community [Infographic]
• Cisco Sparks a Revolution in Team Communication and Collaboration

The post 4 Ways You Can Be More Productive at Work appeared first on Activo.

According to Mitel, here are some of the upcoming trends for the mobile enterprise market:

1. Rely on Devices that Do More

Field workers have long had relatively simple devices able to perform one or two tasks at once including billing, diagnostics, and updating information. That’s just the point, though. These outdated devices only did that one job.

Today’s mobile-ready workers are looking for devices that offer multifunctional capabilities to let them do more when, where, and how they need to. To meet that demand and boost productivity, some companies pre-load devices with upwards of twenty apps. Others enable users to search out the applications they need most and let them load them for themselves.

How will your business respond?

2. Consider BYOD (Bring Your Own Device) Policies

For end users, it’s often easier if they have devices that they’re familiar with and know how to use. BYOD policies can save costs by removing the need to invest in hardware; however, they also ask more of IT departments who need to support the diversity of systems and applications.

3. Work with Flexible, Agile Platforms

Traditionally, apps have been hard-coded to be used with specific supporting platforms. When the need arises to integrate with a number of programs, so too do the problems. Developers are increasingly working to remove these barriers to create more accommodating software and technology.

Remember, though, that flexibility doesn’t mean an app has to be generic. Instead, app developers are becoming better at identifying niches and developing tools tailored to the needs of diverse industries, small businesses, and global organizations.

4. Be Prepared for IoT

When it comes to mobile, we’re only on our way up. By 2021, Gartner predicts that one million devices will be sold every hour of every day. Companies are beginning to look ahead to that major shift, planning how they’ll be able to revamp their internal policies and processes to make the most of the opportunities the IoT brings.

How can you prepare your cabling and networks to handle the demands of the IoT? Check out our blog to find out!

5. Take Steps to Maximize Security

As information is more widely shared and dispersed, opportunities for cracks to appear and leaks to occur increase as well. New security practices – including mobile device management (MDM) – are designed to let IT teams control their information and make them less vulnerable to hackers.

Click here to read the full article from Mitel!

These are just some of the trends businesses of all shapes and sizes will need to grapple with as mobile devices like smartphones and tablets become increasingly ubiquitous. The key to a successful transition is effective preparation, knowing what to expect and how you’ll respond to make the most of an increasingly mobile workforce.

At Activo, we work with industry-leading partners like Mitel to deliver solutions for businesses of any size looking to maximize success in the IoT. Contact us today to discuss your needs!

Read more:

• The Future Looks Bright with Cisco’s Digital Ceiling
• 3 Ways Future-Ready Cabling Prepares Networks for the Internet of Things
• 5 Steps to Create an Effective Incident Response Program

The post 5 Trends for an Increasingly Mobile Workforce appeared first on Activo.

Cisco is leading the way with its Digital Ceiling, which links services including lighting, HVAC, and security over a single, converged network.  This results in a seamless, secure, and smartly connected building infrastructure to improve efficiency, sustainability, safety, and comfort.

What Is Cisco’s Digital Ceiling?

Cisco’s Digital Ceiling combines the latest innovations in smart IoT devices and sensors with Cisco’s broad portfolio of Power over Ethernet (PoE) and Universal Power over Ethernet (UPOE) products. Cisco’s Catalyst switches deliver PoE+ and UPOE to all connected endpoints, letting you create better experiences for anyone using the building and take advantage of more powerful analytics, integration, and control.

Lights are the perfect place to start because they’re everywhere – usually spaced no more than three metres apart. This existing setup enables you to create an intelligent hub by adding sensors that can detect:

• Presence and Proximity.
• Carbon Dioxide (C02) Levels.
• Bluetooth Low Energy (Bluetooth LE, BLE, BTLE).
• Visual Light Communication (Li-Fi).

After collecting information, Cisco’s sensors are able to share it among each other. This helps them respond to real-time updates about environmental conditions, occupancy, and traffic to make data-driven, in-the-moment adjustments.

Benefits of Cisco’s Digital Ceiling

1.       Personalized User Experiences

Connecting systems enables your building’s occupants to customize their environments and workspaces – improving comfort, safety, and productivity.

• Optimize Workspaces: “Hoteling” or “Hot-Desking” helps support more workers in the same space by creating reservable spaces. With Cisco’s Digital Ceiling, people can customize a room’s light levels or temperature and carry those preferences with them if they move to a different spot.

• Automatically Create Comfortable Environments: Through its sensors, Cisco’s Digital Ceiling is able to automatically adjust cooling, heating, and airflow needs to reflect the real-time occupancy of a space.

• Create Human-Centric Environments: Natural lighting (or artificial that gets as close as possible) can help balance natural circadian rhythms, improving productivity by up to 16%. Cisco’s Digital Ceiling is engineered to make gradual, automatic changes to lighting levels without any human intervention.

2.       Cut Costs to Simplify Management

Cisco’s Digital Ceiling helps save costs by making previously disparate elements part of a centrally controlled system:

• Reduce Power Needs and Lighting Costs: Combining modern LEDs with Cisco’s intelligent controls and integrated sensors means automatic dimming, daylight harvesting, presence-based lighting, and more.

• Simplify Maintenance: After being connected to each other, spaces are able to automatically let cleaning and maintenance teams know when they’ve been used and need to be cleaned.

• Streamline Installations: Network-powered building systems are easier and less expensive to install, maintain, and manage. Relying on low-voltage Ethernet cabling means eliminating needs for separate, individual electrical conduits and generates up to 14% cost savings.

• Reduce Operational Expenses: With Cisco’s Digital Ceiling, you can often update the software before you make investments to reconfigure the hardware.

• Improve Energy Efficiency: Integrating your networks gives you granular control, deeper insight, and long-term sustainability. It also enables you to explore new types of cost savings models.

3.        Optimize Operations

Taking advantage of built-in sensors means you can harness analytics from anywhere in your environment to drive better outcomes for your business.

• Make Better Use of Real Estate: Embedded in-depth analytics improves visibility into how your space is being used, helping you better manage and optimize your existing real estate. Cisco’s Digital Ceiling can help you measure occupancy patterns, identify areas where changes need to be made, and highlight opportunities to control excessive heating or cooling costs.

• Heighten Physical Security: With Cisco’s Digital Ceiling, you can integrate physical applications including video surveillance and security controls. Lighting powered by the network can use sensor-activated closed-circuit television (CCTV) and access controls to secure sensitive areas.

Why Activo Chooses Cisco

Cisco is the ideal partner to make the Digital Ceiling a reality in our clients’ buildings. They provide:

• Proven Leadership in the Industry: Cisco’s scalable and secure network platform already helps customers make the most of digital-enterprise opportunities. You can unleash new capabilities using existing Cisco investments including Cisco’s Catalyst switches and end-to-end architecture. 

• Strong Security: Cisco is dedicated to protecting data across the entire network – being used by stock exchanges and governments daily – letting you take full advantage of Cisco’s Digital Network without compromising on safety.

• Consistent Innovation: Cisco’s Digital Ceiling is about more than lower costs and efficient operations. With Cisco’s open-standards architecture and large partner community, you can put in place a platform for a world of new applications and experiences.

• A Growing, Low-Risk Ecosystem: Cisco’s platform includes everything – from lighting to hardware to software to building control systems. Cisco continues to add to its global network of partners to best meet its customers’ needs.

Digitization in the IoT has enormous potential to drive new experiences, cost savings, and revenues in every industry. With Cisco’s Digital Ceiling, the future looks bright.

Are you ready to make the most of the IoT? Activo is proud to partner with Cisco, providing advanced and industry-leading network solutions to our clients. Contact us today to discuss the networking technologies that will be right for your business. 

More from Activo:

• 3 Ways Future-Ready Cabling Prepares Networks for the Internet of Things
• Cisco Sparks a Revolution in Team Communication and Collaboration
• Network Cabling Considerations

The post The Future Looks Bright with Cisco’s Digital Ceiling appeared first on Activo.

Cisco Spark is a cloud-based collaboration tool, designed to change the way you work without changing the way you work.

Boost Productivity with Cisco Spark

Cisco Spark lets you set up secure, virtual rooms so that teams can work together anywhere, anytime, from any device.

Virtual rooms allow your teams to:

• Keep discussions going
• Share content between each other
• Hold virtual meetings 

Cisco Spark’s rooms are easy to set up and make teams more productive instantly.

Easy-to-Use Features of Cisco Spark

Since launching Spark in November 2014, Cisco has made changes to the platform based on feedback from its users.

Some of the customer-driven enhancements include:

• Room Moderation: Through this feature, users control who invites other members to join the room. This provides a layer of control on top of already existing end-to-end encryption.
• Simplified Administration: Set up directory sync, Single Sign On (SSO), and role-based access. Access usage reports to make the most out of your experience with Cisco Spark.
• Integrated Calendars: Users can create a room and send invites with a single click.
• Windows Client: A new Windows client offers faster access to content and provides real-time notifications whether or not Cisco Spark is running.
• Improved Meetings with Firefox: With Firefox, users can share their computer screen or video with each other – no plugin needed.
• Enhanced Language Support: Support for Cisco Spark is provided in 22 languages including English, French, Italian, Korean, Spanish, Turkish, and more.

Sign Up and Access Cisco Spark for Free

Signing into Cisco Spark for free gives you access to one-to-one and group video calling and messaging, file sharing, screen sharing with up to three participants in the room, a mobile calendar, and contacts integration.

Discover Cisco Spark today to transform how you do business, bringing your team together with a unified communications service.

Activo is proud to be partnered with Cisco, providing advanced, leading-edge network solutions. Contact us today to discuss the networking technologies that will be right for your business.  

More from Activo:

• Cisco’s IP Phone 8800 Series Offers a Full Suite of Voice Communication Features
• Why Flexibility Is Essential in Your Unified Communications and Voice Solution
• Highlights from Cisco’s Visual Networking Index Global Mobile Forecast 2014-2019 [Whitepaper]

The post Cisco Sparks a Revolution in Team Communication and Collaboration appeared first on Activo.