WO2019129882A1

WO2019129882A1 - Network architecture providing for communication services of high quality

Info

Publication number: WO2019129882A1
Application number: PCT/EP2018/097132
Authority: WO
Inventors: Jeff Long
Original assignee: Atos Uk International It Services Limited
Priority date: 2017-12-29
Filing date: 2018-12-28
Publication date: 2019-07-04
Also published as: WO2019129375A1

Abstract

This invention relates to a network architecture providing for : automatic deployment and configuration of customer terminals at customer's private branch exchange (PBX) (21, 22, 54), so as to access, through customer personalized session initialization protocol (SIP) trunking (31, 53), a cloud (1) integrating alone : unified communications as a service (UCaaS) (32, 33), with enterprise grade voice (2).

Description

NETWORK ARCHITECTURE PROVIDING FOR

COMMUNICATION SERVICES OF HIGH QUALITY

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The invention relates to network architectures providing for communication services of high quality.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

According to a first prior art, it is known to implement, at customer’ s premises, within its enterprise, a fully dedicated communication system. However, this fully dedicated communication system is either of poor quality when reasonably cheap or really expensive when of good quality. Besides, procuring, managing and maintaining this communication system is demanding for the customer and binds capital expenditure (CAPEX).

According to a second prior art, for example described in US 8467354 or in US 20110096762 or in WO 2011100744 or in WO 201397457, only a small part of needed communication services, most often only VoIP (Voice over Internet Protocol), is remotely implemented within a cloud. Hence, for most of needed communications services within the enterprise, the proposed solution is no better than first prior art. Besides, managing this remote implementation of VoIP is not so simple for the customer.

None of prior arts of record proposes a communication services solution which would be complete for the customer, that is which would meet most of his needs, while remaining relatively simple and cheap in operational expenditure (OPEX) and without capital expenditure (CAPEX) costs, which can be considered as excessive. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The object of the present invention is to alleviate at least partly the above mentioned drawbacks.

The invention proposes, for a customer, a global solution, which is both wide in offered communication services scope while keeping a high quality level in these offered communication services, and still remaining, for this customer, easy and efficient to use and consume.

More particularly, the invention proposes a global solution offering at customer’s premises within the same enterprise for instance in the cloud attached securely to the enterprise corporate Wide Area Network (WAN), that includes not only most of or even all of communications services usually available within an enterprise, but also with a high quality level, as well as simple to implement for the customer and fully adapted to this customer.

The solution proposed by the invention offers to the customer a minimized involvement in its implementation, since this solution is remotely implemented, in a cloud. This cloud is advantageously a private cloud, but it can also be a public cloud shared by many different customers with comparable communication profiles.

This object is achieved with a network architecture providing for : automatic deployment and configuration of customer terminals at customer’s private branch exchange (PBX), so as to access, through customer personalized session initialization protocol (SIP) trunking, a cloud integrating alone : unified communications as a service (UCaaS), with enterprise grade voice.

This object is also achieved with a method of implementing a communication system using a network architecture providing for : automatic deployment and configuration of customer terminals at customer’s private branch exchange (PBX), so as to access, through customer personalized session initialization protocol (SIP) trunking, a cloud integrating alone : unified communications as a service (UCaaS), with enterprise grade voice. This automatic deployment and configuration of customer terminals at customer’s private branch exchange (PBX) is performed in a secure manner.

Preferred embodiments comprise one or more of the following features, which can be taken separately or together, either in partial combination or in full combination, with either of preceding objects of the invention.

Preferably, the network architecture according to the invention comprises cooperation of a redirect server and a deployment server to configure said customer terminal, including: determining, by said customer terminal, via said redirect server, said deployment server dedicated to said customer terminal, requesting, by said customer terminal, configuration made by said determined deployment server. The deployment server configures remotely the customer terminal. The request, by said customer terminal, of the configuration made by said determined deployment server, is performed in a very secure manner.

This way, a full remote deployment and configuration of customer terminals can be performed to the cost of a low level of customer’s involvement.

The distinction made between redirect server, always known to user terminal and deployment server not always known and often unknown to user terminal, helps to automatize the deployment despite user terminals often not knowing in advance where their deployment server is located.

Preferably, said customer terminals are connected to said cloud via a specific carrier dedicated to said private branch exchange.

This way, both security level and capacity and availability level are increased and therefore improved. Piracy and system’s breakdown will be both more often and more efficiently avoided.

Preferably, unified communications as a service is performed with enterprise grade voice by: communicating between cloud and private branch via a secure MPLS link, tagging packets transferred over said secure MPLS link, agreeing in advance SLAs with said secure MPLS link for VoIP traffic. For VoIP traffic, different classes of traffic may be used. MPLS link may be replaced by any other connection protocol which permits quality of service to be delivered via pre-agreed SLAs.

Thereby, QoS (Quality of Service) can be provided between the cloud and the branch office of the customer on customer’s network.

The use of MPLS (Multi Protocol Label Switching) or any other technology providing classes of service, as well as this specific way to use it, especially the SLAs (Service Level Agreements) executed in advance for part of the future communications to be performed, allows for keeping cloud flexibility while notably increasing quality of service, usually low on the internet, and while notably decreasing latency, often high and uncontrollable on the internet.

Preferably, predetermined amount of bandwidth is reserved in advance at least for critical real-time VoIP traffic or for critical real-time traffic.

This precaution allows for warranting quality of most important communication, while not needing too many resources which could otherwise increase too much the price of using the communication system.

Preferably, a single cloud integrates all services of unified communications as a service for several different private branches preferably respectively for several different customers.

This efficient network architecture, implemented at the level of one customer, may be, all the same, easily shared and mutualized between several customers, provided these customers have sufficiently close needs and sufficiently similar communication system structures. This efficient network architecture may also be totally separated from one another as with a private cloud model.

Further features and advantages of the invention will appear from the following description of embodiments of the invention, given as non- limiting examples, with reference to the accompanying drawings listed hereunder.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Fig. 1 shows an example of a part of a communication system using network architecture according to an embodiment of the invention.

Fig. 2 shows an example of another part of a communication system using network architecture according to an embodiment of the invention.

Fig. 3 shows an example of different available blocks in a communication system using network architecture according to an embodiment of the invention.

Fig. 4 shows an example of different externalization levels when deploying a communication system using network architecture.

DETAIFED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

In a same cloud 1 offering communications services to user terminals

7 and 8, for example for each user at least a mobile phone terminal 7 and a personal computer 8, there are many possible options 6 which are supported by this cloud 1 which can be a public cloud, an hybrid cloud or a private cloud. This cloud 1 offers enterprise grade voice 2 and ecosystem integration 5, as well as communication platforms 4 on top of which workflow based real time collaboration 3. In a nutshell, there is Unified Communication as a Service (UCaaS) combined to a carrier grade voice which is the high quality of enterprise grade voice, especially with respect to quality of service, security, user mobility, high availability and reliability, and advantageously low total cost of ownership. Security includes data confidentiality and integrity and user authentication and access control, as well as intrusion detection and prevention. User mobility includes voice session roaming with seamless bridge and access point handover with imperceptible disruption to a voice session. High availability and reliability includes fail over mechanisms in case of outage and device level power management. Quality of service includes lowering latency, providing for mechanisms to prioritize and synchronize voice packets transmission, and providing for mechanisms optimizing radio available bandwidth to minimize contention and traffic congestion. Lowering total cost of ownership implies among others lowering cost of converged voice and data infrastructure (CAPEX) notably as compared to traditional voice and data separate infrastructures.

For each user, several terminals may be managed by the communication system based on the network architecture provided by the invention. For example, each user or part of users may have, at his disposal, a main mobile phone terminal 7 as well as other mobile phones or smartphones 71 and 72, and a main personal computer 8 as well as another mobile computer 81. All these user terminals are synchronized together and can indifferently access other enterprise applications 11 as well as other cloud services 83. Communication services they use may also be embedded in other applications 12. In a nutshell, the single cloud used to encompass all these capabilities not only offers complete unified communications as a service (UCaaS), but also offers all these communication services with enterprise grade voice, while simultaneously allowing users for bringing their own session initialization protocol (SIP) connectivity. Each such single cloud can offer one dedicated and personalized session initialization protocol (SIP) connectivity to each users’ enterprise wishing to adopt the communication system based on the network architecture according to embodiments of the invention. This communication system integrates voice and team collaboration, combines enterprise grade voice with collaboration as a cloud service, enabling a real digital workplace which becomes an open communication digital journey platform for smart workflows with people, data and things.

The communication system using network architecture according to an embodiment of the invention presents a single platform enabling complete cloud journey options. There is a cloud 1 standard subscription which offers a complete communication services pack including voice. This is based on a collaboration service 20 allowing for connection to the users’ existing environment. This collaboration service 20 may propose different options, either a mediation device 21 with a Unify private branch exchange or a mediation device 22 with a non-Unify private branch exchange, or even without a private exchange 23 at all. The session initialization protocol trunk 31 allows user to connect to public switch telecommunication network (PSTN). The communication Platform as a Service 32 (cPaaS) allows the user to connect to his application landscape. The Managed Communication as a Service 33 (MCaaS) presents several managed options: public, hybrid, virtual private, or private.

There could be three implementations 41, 42 or 43, of a communication system.

In implementation 41, user terminals 52 could be connected to telecommunication session initialization protocol trunk 50 through circuit 56 first and through private branch exchange 55 second. This implementation 41 is not at all integrated.

In implementation 42, user terminals 52 could be connected to telecommunication session initialization protocol trunk 50 through private branch exchange 55, as well as to cloud 1 now integrating circuit 51. This implementation 42 is still not enough integrated.

In implementation 43, user terminals 52 are connected to cloud 1 fully integrating simultaneously not only circuit 51 but also session initialization protocol 53 and private branch exchange 54. This implementation 43 is fully integrated in a completely satisfactory way.

The communication services offered to users by the communication system based on the network architecture according to invention embodiments can be provided in different voice and collaboration packages, depending on users’ needs. These packages may be, essential oriented, being then focused on communication and collaboration, team oriented, being then focused on cost effective solution but with more immersive conversion capabilities, professional oriented, being then focused on inclusive and immersive solution for more integrated and interactive customer and employee collaboration within the enterprise, or enterprise oriented, being then focused on communication and collaboration as a strategic imperative with practically unlimited conferencing, integration and support capabilities.

Communications services may include all, one or more, among following services : voice, voicemail, presence, instant messaging, social collaboration, call management, phone system administration, high definition audio and video calls, screen sharing, search, web and mobile clients, meeting and dial in guest access, outlook plugin, language support.

The invention has been described with reference to preferred embodiments. However, many variations are possible within the scope of the invention.

Claims

1. Network architecture providing for :

automatic deployment and configuration of customer terminals at customer’s private branch exchange (PBX) (21, 22, 54), so as to access, through customer personalized session initialization protocol (SIP) trunking (31, 53), a cloud (1) integrating alone :

o unified communications as a service (UCaaS) (32, 33), o with enterprise grade voice (2).

2. Network architecture according to claim 1, wherein it comprises :

Cooperation of a redirect server and a deployment server to configure said customer terminal (7, 71, 72, 8, 81), including: o Determining, by said customer terminal (7, 71, 72, 8, 81), via said redirect server, said deployment server dedicated to said customer terminal (7, 71, 72, 8, 81), o Requesting, by said customer terminal (7, 71, 72, 8, 81), configuration made by said determined deployment server.

3. Network architecture according to any of preceding claims, wherein : said customer terminals (7, 71, 72, 8, 81) are connected to said cloud (1) via a specific carrier dedicated to said private branch exchange (21, 22, 54).

4. Network architecture according to any of preceding claims, wherein :

unified communications as a service (32, 33) is performed with enterprise grade voice (2) by:

o communicating between cloud (1) and private branch exchange (21, 22, 54) via a secure MPLS link,

o tagging packets transferred over said secure MPLS link, o agreeing in advance SLAs with said secure MPLS link for VoIP traffic.

5. Network architecture according to claim 4, wherein predetermined amount of bandwidth is reserved in advance at least for critical real-time VoIP traffic.

6. Network architecture according to any of preceding claims, wherein a single cloud (1) integrates all services of unified communications as a service (32, 33) for several different private branch exchanges (21, 22,

54) preferably respectively for several different customers.

7. Method of implementing a communication system using a network architecture providing for :

8. Method of implementing a communication system using a network architecture according to claim 7, wherein it comprises :