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[Webinar] Take advantage the most of the Switchvox PBX! Like Unified Messaging! was automatically transcribed by Sonix with the latest audio-to-text algorithms. This transcript may contain errors. Sonix is the best video automated transcription service in 2020. Our automated transcription algorithms works with many of the popular video file formats.
Juan Carlos Castaneda:
Good afternoon to all of you and we welcome you to this webinar organized by TELONLINE about Technology and Telecommunications, and here, as every Thursday, we are accompanying you and talking to you about topics of interest, especially about the topic of telecommunications. And we have been working in these last weeks on different topics about what is the voice over internet or voice over IP. And we have been talking about everything that is the theme of CloudPBX, the theme of different solutions, different platforms. We are talking about a platform about everything that is OpenSource called Asterisk. And on that same platform we were talking about different solutions that work on that Asterisk platform, like what is the P BXAct and other solutions.
Juan Carlos Castaneda:
We were also talking with a manufacturer, Sangoma, which is the manufacturer that recently acquired the company Digium and obviously everything that is the project of Asterisk and everything that is the theme of development, to come working with these issues and we saw that it is quite interesting to continue to enter and develop material on all that are the different solutions that exist for the theme, for the theme of telephony and more all that the part of unified messaging. And today we're going to talk about a particular platform called Switchvox. Let's learn more about Switch vox, let's talk about everything that is Switch vox. Suddenly something of the origin and why Switch vox? How is Switchvox different from other solutions compared to what we have been talking about before? And what advantages do I have? And obviously all the characteristic benefits as always we will have special guests, we will have. There is also an expert engineer on the subject, many of you already know her, and today we are going to start talking a little more about her before starting and going into the subject a little more, eh? I remind you that you can ask us questions during this webinar, huh? During the time or later also after the live webinar through the Facebook and YouTube chats. And we will be here to work with you obviously, to help you, to ask you if you have a vox switch, if you don't have a use and if you want to mount a vox switch.
Juan Carlos Castaneda:
And remember all these types of solutions, we will talk either to have a solution in my company or a solution that I have, I want to take to the cloud or simply have everything that is the solution for monthly service or that is already a cloud service on demand, a service through or if I suddenly have a virtual structure where I can mount my server and virtually as well as web, we will also be able to do all these things. We are going to be working on this webinar and something interesting that we are wondering is good, but we have already talked about that there is Asterisk, there is also PBXAct and now Switch vox? I mean, why? Switchvox? Why so many solutions on the market? But the idea of this webinar is what is the best solution for my company? Which one do I identify myself more, as well as in different markets and we talk, for example, about the car market, there are different brands, different solutions or not all are cars, but I can buy one brand from a budget or I can buy another brand from another budget or one from a bigger budget, but I want to buy something that has a very good quality, that has a very comfortable price for me and is with all the services and that I can't find, or that I have to pay more or pay less.
Juan Carlos Castaneda:
And all this is what we are going to see in this webinar, reviewing a bit of history when Digium, which is basically the company that is with Asterisk, where Asterisk is the product we talked about before, especially what is an open-source, a software, everything that worked that Open-Source that was developed to work, everything that the part of telephony already at computer level, this company eh. By developing that Asterisk platform and having a fairly large community, many companies took that project and on that project developed different types of software applications, software development struggled based on the Asterisk theme. But what was going on? It happened that many companies wanted a solution of this style, but when they went to work directly on Asterisk they found that it was a solution that was open source, it was good but it was to be able to work and develop it. It was based on Linux and I had to go in at a low level, I had to have a level of engineering or hire engineers to help me do this part of development to connect it to my company. Many people downloaded the project, installed it, worked on it and made different solutions. In some situations it worked well, in others it didn't. They left different SIPs and gaps, so to speak, where security, quality, service was not very good, so obviously this generated stress for the companies and for the operation, because the image of the company at the level of telephony then based on this and obviously it was not because they did not want to do it well, but because of the lack of experience and management and suddenly for being a new product.
Juan Carlos Castaneda:
Suddenly it wasn't the most robust thing, like saying today that we already have a lot of engineers, a lot of experience, a lot of companies working on it, but the most important thing was that it was required. And thinking about the solution of the companies was that I could take this base, this Asterisk core and on it mount a layer of software that would be with a graphic environment, a GUI interface that would allow me to easily configure and program everything. And that was the goal so that a company could easily work or drive. But not only in the sense that I had an engineering department to manage it, but that it was very easy for that software to be very easy or that I could program the extensions easily, program my trunks easily, create the groups makes them. I hope that everything was managed as a website where I could work on that. And this is where a group of engineers in California went to work on Asterisk and created what was once Swi tchvox's software. Being in the market and start making your sales and see that it was a stable platform, interesting, very good, very very clean interface and very easy to work with.
Juan Carlos Castaneda:
Digium found the topic interesting and they reached an agreement where a purchase of this product from this company for the Digium company and obviously for the final customers was very convenient also because they could have some an open source depends on their quality level or what they wanted to work with a compromise or go with a uh, a paid license where? But it is also based on that core before and also have the backing of a factory that gave me all the software upgrades and be migrating over time in all that is the handling of the platform to what today we already have that for example, today we are talking about the version 7.1 of Switch vox. But, well, I'm not going to go into that topic because I think that the engineer Nahily who is with me today will not explain it better and she will talk to us more in detail about everything that is Switchvox. All the benefits, the features. Why should I buy S witchvox? Why shouldn't I buy it? What advantages do I have that I don't have? Can I put it in the cloud? I can't put the cloud on it. I have an apliance, I don't have an apliance, I have my own server. All those questions that we ask ourselves as entrepreneurs and as owners of companies and solutions, we will talk directly to the expert, with the engineer Nahily Vera, Nahily, engineer, how are you?
Nahily Vera:
Good afternoon, Señor Juan Carlos. All right, thanks for the invite. I hope to be helpful to you in answering then all those concerns that usually come up when selecting on such a platform in Hali.
Juan Carlos Castaneda:
Thank you, thank you Nahily, because if we are going to have enough questions and more this Swi tchvox platform than with time what I was commenting when TELONLINE started working directly with Digium and started doing installations and ployments of everything that is the Switch vox solution in different places, both here in South Florida and in Latin America. Today many of those companies that have installed themselves still keep their system up to date and continue to use the platform. That's why it's important to share with all our listeners and all those questions we're going to ask you Nahily to clarify and make us see why Switchvox is such an interesting solution for our company.
Juan Carlos Castaneda:
But well, Nahily the question I wanted to ask you is, right now we are hearing from several companies, several company owners, several engineers who want to migrate their solution, to a robust, stable platform, with different options.
Juan Carlos Castaneda:
I mean, why Nahily, why Switch vox is the solution I would need to buy? So, tell us what those benefits are and what's that bonus I get when I have a vox switch.
Nahily Vera:
Well, of all the things I can mention I really love to focus, huh? One that truly represents Switchvox's advantage over the competition. And it is that all the functionalities are included in a single license, there are no extra costs, that is to say, it does not happen as in other manufacturers that if you want Call Center features, that is a separate license with a totally additional cost or the use of the soft phone, that is also a license. This is not the case here, when you buy the license, it includes all the features that have been taken out so far and the future ones that they can implement, improve or add. In addition to this, the license is perpetual and includes software maintenance the first year is renewed already from the second year, which means that you can have those future features and that they leave within that first period of that year. Totally free. Okay, so I guess that's an advantage, huh? What's worth highlighting, huh? Because a lot of uh. The products we find are additional licenses, additional licenses and extra costs.
Juan Carlos Castaneda:
Interesting what you are talking about, it is very true, because one as a client if I am buying a solution, I want it to have my solution and have all the features to be able to work on it directly. Now, since we're talking about features, why don't you tell us how you make us, as the main features that the system has so that we can understand more and we can already go deeper into the solution?
Nahily Vera:
Well, read on, the features are a lot, but I'm going to concentrate on the most relevant ones. Okay, okay. The first one we found, huh? Let's classify them as control and call management. There, among the most relevant we can configure what is the formi, the IBR, voice over and, all that is the manipulation of calls and put them in Google, make transfers, make conference, call forwarding and one that I love quite a lot is the Swiss Board. Well, this tool is a web application that allows me as a user to organize the information in different widgets as I need it. For example, I can have all my contacts grouped in groups, I can see the current call I have so I can then simply click a button to put it in Bold, transfer it, create it and I can see the call queues I belong to. I can have the chat with the collaborators. In short, everything is given to adapt to the user's need. This tool is mainly used by receptionists, because there they maintain the facility to control all the calls that they slow down. Besides that this tool is a complement for that submission and those features of contact center and training, as it allows to see reports in real time. As I said, in that dashboard you can place a widget that allows me to see how the campaign is listed in real time and also allows you to have remote agent features.
Nahily Vera:
What are the queues, what are the c allback queues, the monitor functions or Whisper and Barge-In for when you are training your Call Center OK people. And we also found out what the call recording is. Other features or groups that we have are the theme of the reports where you will see everything that is the record or the report of calls, the report of mobile workers and also you can schedule those who arrive locum reports to email. There's the web-based management part. Because not only the dashboard that I will be able to see from my browser, but also all the administrative part, all the configuration part is quite and intuitive. You can have several administrators and they can log in through. Your eh web? Huh? We have the collaboration part. There we find the features of e-chat, conference rooms, sending messages. We have the mobility part of how we found the softphone. The application has s oftphone for both smartphones and computers. Okay. And then. Through. From this application. Tied to those collaborative characteristics. Then the users can. To have chats. Messages can be sent and we also have the most common integration features with Outlook, Chrone, SalesForce, Microsoft Team, among others.
Juan Carlos Castaneda:
Ok, ok, interesting, now Nahily you mentioned something and initially about me having the software and that I'm one year old.
Juan Carlos Castaneda:
Now I imagine that I have the right to work all the new functionality of the software.
Juan Carlos Castaneda:
And what features are generated by the manufacturer. I'm going to have. Tell us a little more about it.
Nahily Vera:
Well, yes, as I mentioned, when you buy the license it already includes one year of the software support and maintenance contract. There you'll be getting updates then, huh? Within those updates, then obviously the manufacturer has already improved certain features or included certain features and you will be able to enjoy them at no additional cost. The example makes people the companies that acquired the license of Swi tchvox more than five years ago. Before, they didn't have the functionality of this soft phone that I mentioned. They have maintained their platform over time and have been able to enjoy the different updates over the years and now simply by downloading the update they already have their new soft phone feature.
Juan Carlos Castaneda:
So it is interesting that basically in that period that I am with my active software, I will have all the software that the manufacturer generates, regardless of a totally new version. I have a right here to receive it without having to pay anything else. Right?.
Nahily Vera:
It is correct that you have your support contract active there you will be able to enter the system administration and see the updates that are available to date. If you let it advance, then you will only see updates until the day your contract ends.
Juan Carlos Castaneda:
Okay.
Juan Carlos Castaneda:
Apart from that software, I have something else, apart from having all those new updates, you can look for phone or online support with the manufacturer to report bugs you find in the software. If it is the case and then uh, when you know that the new versions you are going to be able to see the correction of those errors in those new versions and all the new functionalities, then that they are taken out during that year, I repeat, they are without additional cost, the same as the improvement to the hotel in having fixed those errors.
Juan Carlos Castaneda:
Okay, okay, okay, perfect, interesting now, huh.
Juan Carlos Castaneda:
There you go. Yeah, I already have in clear that topic, that is something very interesting to be able to uh, have a software that I have re se back of factory where I have right to all my software and if it tells me some error, some bug in the system can connect me that they can solve it to me. There you go. Now with more Features today with the theme of video call conferencing, the video S witchvox offers video calls?
Nahily Vera:
Yes, Switchvox supports the most common video codes which are H.2 63 and H.264, so it should work with any desktop softphone you have with video capability.
Juan Carlos Castaneda:
Perfect, since I have a video hardware, I can connect and I can be talking now. Yes I, I, you know we're all working with the apt from home today. If I have a couch on that couch, it supports video calling, too.
Nahily Vera:
If like I just mentioned if the softphone supports it gets the ability to make video calls Swichvox will work with it perfectly. It is worth noting that the softphone we have in Switchvox for desktop, whether you are in Windows or Mac, he will serve to make video calls.
Juan Carlos Castaneda:
Okay, perfect. I find that part you just mentioned interesting. So I can have one or Windows or if I have a Mac it will work too or I already have both versions to be able to work everything that is the Softphone.
Nahily Vera:
If the soft phone is available for download on both operating systems.
Juan Carlos Castaneda:
Okay, well, now based on what we're talking about, I came up with another question. Or that my ophthalmic phone has my grope on it, but I also have my physical phone like this one I have back here, right? If you see this phone here in the words, in my physical phone, it's not that big. Obviously Effi has my Sofo, but I also have my smartphone and on my smartphone I also obviously have my extension set up when I'm on the road or I'm not at the office or at home or I'm in the car, eh? My question is I can configure my extension on all three devices, but only one or the same extension number, i.e. my extension 21 05. So if I'm not in one it rings, in the other it rings, but let it be a single extension, if possible.
Nahily Vera:
Switchvox since its version 6.6 allows you to add e extensions with additional devices to that main extension. How is this going to work? How are you going to handle it? Well, that's going to be controlled through the so-called east adjustment. For example, it can be set according to time frames or extension states that the call passes from the desk phone. to the softphone.
Juan Carlos Castaneda:
Excellent, very good. Now, based on that let's think I'm a company that has 5000 extensions, but I have Active Directory.
Juan Carlos Castaneda:
My question, can I integrate Swi tchvox with Active Directory?
Nahily Vera:
Yes, if you can configure Switchvox so that then uh phone users can authentically log in and. With that same user and password for that service so they don't have to be generating new passwords.
Juan Carlos Castaneda:
Ok, perfect, I think that's a great theme, because of course, you'll be creating everything, if I already have it configured, I just integrate it, I already have all my extensions configured.
Juan Carlos Castaneda:
Now another question based on what we're talking about, I have the Switchvox. Initially I was talking about how virtualized I was or how physical I was going to be. How is that issue at the hardware level? Because we are talking about that Switch vox is a true software, but it requires a specific hardware to mount it, to implement it?
Juan Carlos Castaneda:
You can't just use a server you already own. I have acquired an apliance that the manufacturer sells or have a virtual machine. Yes, he does. The important thing here is that you have available the CPU, RAM and storage resources that allow you to support the number of users, the number of simultaneous calls and the call recording records you require for your operation.
Juan Carlos Castaneda:
Okay, perfect.
Juan Carlos Castaneda:
Now you mentioned a very interesting word here which is virtualization. Today the vast majority of companies have everything virtualized because we have different software platforms internally. Tell us, can I virtualize Switchvox? virtualization is possible.
Nahily Vera:
It has been tested by the manufacturer to work with VMWARE and Hyper-View. We, particularly in TELONLINE, have also installed it in Google Cloud.
Juan Carlos Castaneda:
Mmm, interesting. Great. Well, that's a pretty good point that not only is it in VMWARE in Hyper -View, but also in Google Cloud, that we have worked it directly here with TELONLINE's engineers. But well, now if I have VMWARE, for example, what versions are compatible for me to migrate or mount my Switchvox?
Nahily Vera:
You must have version 5.5 or higher.
Juan Carlos Castaneda:
Okay 5.5 or higher for VSphere. Okay, well, now Nahily. There is another issue that when we talk about virtualization and equipment, a lot of work is done and in the PBX issue it happens with different platforms and it is important to clarify it. There is what we know in operating systems as 32-bit and 64-bit. Tell us which version of SIP Box you support, either 64-bit or 32-bit. Tell us that part.
Nahily Vera:
Well, Switchvox in its version 6.7 and lower is compatible with 32 bit and from version 7 onwards it is compatible with 64 bit.
Juan Carlos Castaneda:
Ok, perfect, so I have the capacity to have either one or the other and I have I imagine that obviously if I want more extensions and more capacity and resources or I'll go with 64 bits, but if I want to have something small or a limited resource because maybe I can work it too, it's just a matter of versions. Now Nahily one question already, we are already talking about everything that is the subject. You're telling me you can use it on any server I have? If I have a Hewlett Packard server.
Juan Carlos Castaneda:
Ah! If I have an E Dell server I can mount it or if I want it virtualized any of these platforms. But tell me, I want you to give me is a hardware, that is, appliance. I want to buy everything ready. I don't want to do all that stuff you're telling me, but I want the system ready for me to plug it in and work. Tell me what kind of appliance or hardware does Switchvox have?
Nahily Vera:
Well, actually the manufacturer offers us the E-series, which we can show you. The smallest model is the E510, which supports up to 150 users and 50 concurrent calls, after that we have the E520 which supports 400 users and 100 concurrent calls. And the largest are the E535 that supports 700 users with 200 concurrent calls and the E545 that supports up to 1000 users with 200 concurrent calls as well.
Juan Carlos Castaneda:
Wow! A thousand users, okay. Interesting.
Juan Carlos Castaneda:
So we have up to 1000 users that I can work directly with the platform, which is a pretty big number from a big company. I can have up to 1000 users now if I already have the solution. For example, like you're saying, I bought the number 2, the appliance you told us about. Am I working, do I want to grow or do I want to migrate to a virtual solution? Can I do it?
Nahily Vera:
Yes, he can. As I mentioned. As long as you have active software maintenance, you will be able to access the latest version and make it available for viewing.
Juan Carlos Castaneda:
Interesting. Perfect. He's not giving me BCA. These are questions that we ask ourselves every day so that before making the investment we are clear about what we are going to need and we will be able to work directly with the solution. Now there's an interesting topic. I already have the whole solution, I already have all the features, I already know how I'm going to implement it. Now let's talk about the phones or the End-Points we know in English. That is, I know that I have the software both in my smartphone and directly in my destok. Right. On my laptop, it counts a little on the hardware level. I want to have a phone anyway because I like to be able to talk in the office and to be able to dial and I want to have my phone or at home I can carry it. Tell us which ranges or phones you have for the high end mid range low end which are available today to work with Switchvox. But what's interesting is that it's self-provisioning, so I just plug it in and it works for me.
Nahily Vera:
If we currently have the D series. If you can't see there, in the series we have four models, starting with the basic one we find the model D60 and D62. The difference between these two models is that the D62 handles gigabit for mid-range we have the D65 which is the only one of this series to which we can place the expansion module so that the secretary and receptionist have the button that calls and transfer the calls more quickly; and for high range.
Nahily Vera:
We have the model D80 which as you can see in the picture is touch-screen.
Juan Carlos Castaneda:
Interestingly, since we have three models of phones, either high-end touch-screen has no keys, is like a digital screen, as if it were a smartphone, right?
Juan Carlos Castaneda:
Yes, yes.
Juan Carlos Castaneda:
Is it so interesting about the phones? Now another question that already looking at the phones we have here. You showed me three interesting models, different ranges.
Juan Carlos Castaneda:
I can work it. But what if I am a company that is looking at me, for example from another phone system or even had an Asterisk? But I already want to migrate to a solution like Swi tchvox. But I used to have a different range of phones. For example, I had an Asterisk phone or a Sangoma phone can I use those phones? And I even have phones of another brand, I have a Cisco phone or I have a phone? Grand stream or a Yealink phone. These brands, can I also integrate to the vox switch using this type of hardware?
Nahily Vera:
Yes, you can. While this, these models. Okay, these brands, especially the models beyond the E-brands are already working with SIP protocol they will work without any problem. There are some cases, such as Cisco, that require a firmware update. Okay, but hey, all those X-branded phones that handle SIP protocol, the platform will accept it without any problem.
Juan Carlos Castaneda:
Interesting Nahily, well, I've got enough, eh? flexibility, so to speak, is a standard platform in the market that I can work with, even if I have other hardware to be able to integrate it, then I can make all that kind of connection and I could call it I like, I like that explanation that you are giving us, because it is simple, it is well understood. I think it's in this presentation you're talking about. We are looking at all the global issues, especially what the Switchvox is, we already know the different characteristic configurations. Now Nahily, if I have a Switchvox today in my office and I would like TELONLINE to take it to the cloud for example in Google Cloud and connect it to me, I could continue working with my system and it would work fine if it is correct or us.
Nahily Vera:
As I mentioned before we offer customers the opportunity to bring their phone system with Google Cloud, to display it on Google. That we don't care about anything or what we need from you, obviously. That they provide the licenses e. Then we can download the software in that virtual server and make the new one with the configuration from a backup that is taken from your local system.
Juan Carlos Castaneda:
Okay, perfect. Okay.
Nahily Vera:
Very, very interesting. Your webinar, all the questions and answers we've had here, let's see here I have questions also from people who follow us through social networks and ask us questions. And here's an interesting question they're asking us here says that you can have some kind of Disaster Recovery in Swi tchvox if,
Nahily Vera:
In the case of a solution, On-Premise we handle what is a Cold-Spare, okay is a team that is maintained as a reinforcement, a cold that can be configured as a key copy of the main and that would then rise in the event that the main falls. And at the virtualization level, the whole issue of high availability is already handled, whether with the platform you have selected, either VMWARE or Hyper-View, all high availability configurations are made.
Nahily Vera:
with the platforms! Excellent Nahily and very good.
Juan Carlos Castaneda:
I think it is very clear that I can have basically if I have a virtualized system and in the system I have everything that is the high availability system, I can work it. I can also have what is the Cold-Spare system as you mentioned, that I can have a computer in one place, another in another place or in the same net that if I drop one I can make the switch for the previous one.
Juan Carlos Castaneda:
I have a lot of very very interesting options, Nahily, I think it's super clear, super understood all the Switch vox stuff. Ehm I have no more questions right now through the social networks, but I think that everything has been covered pretty clearly. We would also like to tell everyone who follows us that you have additional questions about everything Swi tchvox has if you have a day, a Switchbox if you want to migrate, even upgrade or if you want to grow or if you want to change the solution you currently have for a Switchvox. You can also contact TELONLINE and talk to one of our specialists to help you and work on everything. Before we go I have another question here that we are asked directly by social networks for. What for? So we can answer it? What is the capacity of the vox switch to save recordings? If there are limitations in storage resources, the recordings can be taken to some management and recording system. It's a good question because of all the features we've talked about and seen before and that you mentioned the recording theme in the S witchvox also becomes quite interesting. Tell us what you know about Nahily recordings.
Nahily Vera:
Well, he's going to be able to depend on the equipment he buys. Huh? Obviously this is a function of the disk capacity it has. The nice thing about Switchvox is that it allows you to configure, uh, to delete older recordings or files or to move them to another, uh? As I said there, system that already handles the recordings where you can already store them for a longer time; a backup.
Juan Carlos Castaneda:
Okay, perfect.
Juan Carlos Castaneda:
Interesting, so the Switchvox allows me to generate an FTP that can transfer my calls to that storage, basically if I have a cloud storage or any solution that exists today, I can have a repository where I keep all the history of my recordings. Great, great. The solution is quite interesting and the questions are very good, two very key questions that are very important on the issue of solution management. Again thanks to all of you for being with us connected Nahily, excellent presentation. Thank you. I don't know if you have any questions, clarifications or issues you want to tell us before the end of the session.
Nahily Vera:
No, I think it's all covered, huh? Very precisely, very clearly. We invite you to contact us if you have any em. A doubt or want to see a quote without any commitment we can attend? We will evaluate your requirements and send you an offer.
Juan Carlos Castaneda:
Excellent Nearly, thank you, thank you for. That's why I think it's important what you say, any doubt, you know, you can contact us, you can call us directly to the numbers that appear on the screen.
Juan Carlos Castaneda:
They can write to us, they can through social networks. You can also contact us as one of the specialist engineers to help and advise you on everything that is a telephony solution and especially with the platform that you require a Switchvox, a PBXAct, an Asterisk solution or any solution you require at the level of unified messaging. Thank you very much for everything. Thank you again for attending this webinar and we look forward to seeing you as always on Thursdays at 3:30pm as we discuss various technology and telecommunications topics. Thanks again Nahily, thanks to all of you and we hope you have an excellent day.
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