Glossary T - Z

TAPI – TELEPHONE APPLICATION PROGRAMME INTERFACE

Developed by Microsoft, 1st and 3rd party TAPI are the standard interfaces for CTI applications.

TELEPHONE EXTENSIONS

The number of extensions you require will typically be based on the number of staff you have that need desktop phones. It is wise to take slightly more than you may currently need to allow room for expansion.

UNIFIED MESSAGING

Unified Messaging provides you with the facility to handle all your messages (email, voice & fax) through one centralised mailbox. All message types can be viewed, replied to, save or deleted in the same inbox using a familiar message management system such as Microsoft Outlook or Lotus Notes. Your company's contacts and all communications with them, whether by telephone, fax, direct email, website response or personal visit, are integrated into one record which is immediately available, and can be presented to your automatically.

UPS – UNINTERRUPED POWER SUPPLY

A UPS will protect your IT and comms when the power has failed or if there is a dip or temporary drop out, but in most cases that's all it is designed to do. Unless there are other protection devices fitted to the UPS then it won't protect against surges or from damage that can be caused by harmonic distortion on the LV network.

VIDEOCONFERENCING

The videoconferencing market essentially splits into three broad segments – endpoints, infrastructure and installation – with further segmentation in the endpoint (personal, set top and group systems) and the infrastructure (i.e. H320, H323, gateways, gatekeepers) sectors. Increasingly, videoconferencing is being merged into a broader market, called digital video communications, with major manufacturers now moving to supply video, audio and data communications in integrated packages to companies and to move their offerings away from ISDN systems towards IP networks.

VOICEMAIL

A voicemail system provides an individual answering service for each member of staff. It allows callers to leave voice messages in individual mailboxes when people are away from their desks, out of the office or engaged on another call. Messages can be retrieved internally through your desktop phone, or externally if you are absent from your office.

Voicemail is pretty much a standard integrated feature with most telephone systems these days, although it is available in a variety of formats so it is worth discussing the options with your chosen supplier.

VOIP (VOICE OVER IP)

VoIP eliminates the need for separate voice and data networks by converging all traffic into one network. Both voice and data traffic can be transmitted over a common IP network to provide companies with fully integrated communications. Adopting VoIP can offer your company a variety of benefits such as improved communication between office and remote locations, the ability to introduce new network applications and make significant cost savings through more effective use of your company's network.

You should consider purchasing an IP based telephone system if you wish to network multiple offices using a PBX to PBX communications, if you have or want just one infrastructure that can support voice and data between two or more locations, want a smooth migration toward VoIP and investment protection, would like to allow remote workers to become part of the centralized telephone system and share common functionality, or if you are looking to carry out a major upgrade to your existing data network.

VPN – VIRTUAL PRIVATE NETWORK

Usually refers to a network in which some of the parts are connected using the public Internet, but the voice and data sent across the Internet is encrypted, so the entire network is 'virtually' private. Organisations with offices in more than one location can link phone systems in a VPN. Using a linked numbering plan, a staff member in one location can dial a colleague at another office just by dialling their extension number.

WAN – WIDE AREA NETWORK

Any Internet or network that covers an area larger than a single building or site.

WEB BROWSER

An application such as Microsoft Internet Explorer that enables you to view web pages on the World Wide Web, on another network or on your computer. A browser also enables you to jump from one web page to another by following links and to download files from the Internet to your computer.

WIRELESS LOCAL AREA NETWORK

The wireless extension to the wired LAN is a growing market. More organisations have people on the road that need touchdown areas in the office. Wireless is the easiest way to facilitate this. There is also the roaming factor where people need to roam within buildings and need access to central systems. The standard on which most WLANs are currently based is 802.11b. It is a revision of 802.11 standard allowing data rates up to 11Mbps in the 2.4Ghz ISM band. Wireless Standards 802.11b – The standard on which most WLAN's are currently based. It is a revision of 802.11 standard allowing data rates up to 11Mbps in the 2.4Ghz ISM Band. 802.11a – A revision of 802.11 that operates in the unlicensed 5Ghz band and allows transmission rates of 54Mpbs. 802.11a uses orthogonal frequency multiplexing as opposed to FHSS or DSSS. Higher data rates are available by combining channels. 802.11g – An extension to 802.11b, 802.11g will broaden 802.11b's data rates to 54Mpbs within the 2.4Ghz band using OFDM (Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiplexing) technology. An 802.11b radio card with interface directly with an 802.11g access point (and vice versa) at 11Mpbs or lower depending on range. Range at 54Mpbs is less than 802.11b access points operating at 11Mbps. Wi-Fi – Wireless Fidelity Wireless Ethernet Compatibility Alliances (WECA) brand identity for the IEEE 802.11b standard, WECA certification that ensures a product's compatibility. Wi-Fi5 F – refers to WLAN products based upon the 802.11a specification operating in the 5Ghz radio frequency band. Only products that have passed WECAA interoperability resting are allowed to display the Wi-Fi5 certification logo. Wireless Wide Area Network Companies with more than one building on a campus or in close proximity in a city can use Wi-Fi technology – or higher frequency, higher speed radio technologies – to build wireless.