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itself, but could be used to launch attacks on
PBX must run on a Mainstream OS
the network. It’s all about education - and the Hcontinued from page 1
It’s important that resellers deploy a PBX
responsibility at the sharp end comes down to orak
that runs on a mainstream Operating System
the reseller being able to advise customers to - be it Windows or Linux. If Linux, it must that is committed to security and releasing
Security is not a one-time ix, but a constant
use a mainstream OS. Too many default to ‘easy’ be a properly supported distribution such
ongoing battle and both companies and resellers ShoreTel14.2deliverscustomizablevirtulizaionsecurity updates as needed. However be wary
installsandarenotconsideringthelongerterm.
needtobeever-vigilanttoducrisk.hisofchoosingaPBXthat’sablackbox–toomanyasRedHatorUbuntu.Relyingonacustom
means ensuring they secure their PBX and apply By Ray Horak, Technology Editor it and forget about them and that can leave a
distribution oten bundled with Appliance based
Ensure customer understands their OS
tem designed and developed entirely in-
scales easily to serve the needs of virtu-
30,000 businesses of all sizes in over 60
house, so it is homegrown and organic,
ally any size organization, whether SMB
countries.
Supdates to the operating system which runs it,
serious security hole. Resellers need to select
PBX’s is extremely dangerous - these custom
Following security related bulletins and
as wellhaosraepTpelyl threcuepndtlaytesroeflethaesePdBXSshootrweTarel a PBX for customers that they are comfortable
distributions are oten not updated when new
applying security updates can be time
which yields lots of advantages, includ-
or enterprise, single site or multisite. That
I recently interviewed ShoreTel rep-
itself. h14e.2b,estthwealyatoesatchviervseiothnisoifs bityschawooasridng- with administering on the customer’s behalf, or
security vulnerabilities become known, and will
consuming to do for just one operating system,
ing tight integration. The design concept
design challenge pointed to a unique dis-
resentatives who explained that ShoreTel
a mainwstirneanminogperUatniniigesdysteCmowmhmicuhnaidcmatiinosns
(UC) sftware.ShoreTel isa pureIP sys-
ensuring that the customer is able to administer
leave the customer vulnerable to attack. hese
let alone two! herefore it is important that
focused on a highly modular solution that
tributed architecture used by more than
14.2 takes the ShoreTel solution to another
knowhowtomanage,andaPBXvendorthe PBX.
attacks can potentially not only afect the PBX
resellers help customers choose the right PBX
dimension—a virtual dimension that deliv-
that its into their IT infrastructure. Ensure
ers much greater lexibility for deploy-
that the PBX runs on an operating system
Searching high and low for a
ments, with the ability to mix and match
that the customer deploys and knows how to
Searching high and low for a
ShoreTel hardware-based Linux appliances
use. If the customer runs Linux throughout
or now as virtual software appliances on
his organization, choose a Linux based PBX.
customer provided general purpose serv-
But if the customer relies on Windows, ensure
Cloud Telephony Solution?
ers running VMware in a single network,
Cloud Telephony Solution?
it’s a windows based PBX. his will help the
or a combination of both, all managed
customer greatly in maintaining operating
via a single web-based management inter-
system security. he PBX should be just another
face. Companies deploying ShoreTel 14.2
server application, not a separate black box. his
can select the UC deployment model that
not only makes securing it much easier, it also
Are you a reseller, VAR, or ‘like’ a service provider
helps the customer monitor the PBX.
Are you a reseller, VAR, or ‘like’ a service provider
needs—physical, virtual, or a hybrid com-
best suits their business and infrastructure
Choose a PBX vendor that is dedicated to
prising any combination. Bernard Gutnick,
security
Director of Product Marketing for ShoreTel
and looking to buy, rent, or host your own system?
As much as the underlying operating system
and looking to buy, rent, or host your own system?
explained that “The associated beneits are
must be secure and kept secure, the actual PBX
clear and immediate, including reduced
sotware must be secured as well. Luckily most
hardware and operational complexity,
Look no further.
higher application availability, increased
commercial PBX vendors do a good job of
Look no further.
this. As a reseller, it’s important to advise the
scalability and reliability.” ShoreTel 14.2
customer to choose a sotware PBX that is able
enables all ShoreTel UC components,
to address security issues switly and can push
including call control, SIP trunks, CRM
out updates to customers fast - which in turn
integration, uniied messaging, contact cen-
they can apply to the PBX with a few mouse
ter and collaboration applications, to be
clicks.
virtualized and implemented on industry
Advise the customer to be on the latest
standard servers.
version of the sotware
I Gutnick went on to explain that ShoreTel
ncrease
n
As with most sotware, using the latest
14.2 is lexible enough to support central-
version is an industry standard process and
Sales
ized or decentralized call control on prem-
must not be ignored. Customers oten make
ises or in the customer’s private cloud. Due
the mistake of sticking to an older version.
to its unique architecture, the ShoreTel
However older versions will not be maintained
system incorporates a level of redundan-
and applying security updates will be an issue.
cy that delivers a truly high availability
Resellers should advise customers to stick to
solution through a single failover switch
the latest version, and advise customers to use
(called Spare switch) that can be positioned
a PBX that is efective, afordable and makes it
anywhere in the company’s network. In
Reduce easy to update to the latest version.
addition, ShoreTel customers can leverage
A inal note of warning against Appliances
VMware vMotion to enable practically
Churn
PBX appliances are a poor choice and lull
zero-downtime in case of hardware or soft-
users into a false sense of security. hey are a
ware failure.
black box with a custom version of Linux - the
In terms of scalability, ShoreTel 14.2
Boost
quadruples the port capacity per virtual
idea being that the customer does not need to
know what goes on inside. So it makes things
machine. ShoreTel virtual machines in
doubly complicated – while it might start of ok,
VMware supports up to 1,000 phones and
the moment users touch it, things deteriorate.
Proits
500 SIP trunks. This increased capaci-
Proits
Conig changes, particularly if using a non-
ty simpliies deployment especially for
standard Linux, make it less secure. In addition,
customers that choose a centralized UC
when vulnerability occurs, the hardware
deployment. The ShoreTel solution can be
company oten doesn’t update the OS. hese are
implemented on the customer’s choice of
the ones that then get hacked and the customer
industry-standard virtualized servers, thus
is let with the problem. Resellers can help
Upgrade to the Industry’s Choice TODAY!
Upgrade to the Industry’s Choice TODAY!
consolidating the server hardware across
identify these out of date appliances and look to
multiple applications, reducing energy
update or advise alternatives.
requirements and minimizing hardware
footprint. ShoreTel 14.2 is available now
If you’ve been searching for an addition to your premise based
If you’ve been searching for an addition to your premise based
Conclusion
from qualiied ShoreTel reseller partners.
ofering, or you want to add cloud to your portfolio, contact us today.
Administrators want to get away from black
ShoreTel, Inc. (NASDAQ: SHOR) is a
ofering, or you want to add cloud to your portfolio, contact us today.
boxes and take back control. Your PBX should
leading provider of “brilliantly simple” IP
be just another server application, which
phone systems and uniied communications
can be run on the same servers and with the
solutions. Its award-winning on-premises
same network management tools that you use
IP-PBX solution and cloud-based hosted
today. Resellers should be advising customers
phone system eliminate complexity and
to choose the right PBX for their customer’s
improve productivity. ShoreTel is head-
network, that will automatically reduce security
quartered in Sunnyvale, Calif., and has
risks from the outset, not an aterthought.
regional ofices and partners worldwide. %
www.bicomsystems.com | sales@bicomsystems.com
For more visit www.shoretel.com.
www.bicomsystems.com | sales@bicomsystems.com

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