For small and medium businesses that are looking to reach, serve, and retain customers, Cisco has introduced the Smart Business Communications System. This affordable, complete system extends voice, data, video, and wireless networking to small and medium offices. It makes anytime, anywhere secure access to information possible, enabling more effective, efficient ways of communicating with customers and employees. This purpose-built business communications solution is easy to deploy and use, while allowing for business growth. Award-winning support and easy financing, delivered through local partners, complements the solution.

The first release (1.0) of Cisco Smart Business Communications System was announced in April of 2007. In this initial release the following was made available:

• The Cisco Unified Communications 500 Series
• The Cisco Catalyst® Express 520 Switch
• The Cisco Mobility Express Solution with the Cisco 521 Wireless Express Access Point and the Cisco 526 Wireless Express Mobility Controller
• Cisco Unified IP phones
• Business productivity applications from Cisco and third parties
• System configuration and monitoring capabilities including Cisco Configuration Assistant and the Cisco Monitor Manager and Cisco Monitor Director

In Release 1.1 of the Cisco Smart Business Communications System the following new platforms, features, and software updates and applications will be available. Product hardware availability timeframes through Cisco channels are based on the time Cisco begins shipping the product and the time it takes distribution to stock products in inventory in the various global regions.

Hardware

• New Cisco Unified Communications 500 Series models supporting 32 and 48 users-shipping targeted for September 2007
• Support for Channelized T1/E1 interface on all Cisco Unified Communication 500 Series Models (fixed option on the 48 user model, interface card for the expansion slot in the 32, 16, and 8 user models)-Support targeted for September 2007
• Four new switches, each with 24 ports with various configurations of Power over Ethernet (PoE) ports, added to the Cisco Catalyst Express 520 Series-shipping targeted for September 2007

Software Enhancements

• Cisco Unified CallConnector Server for Presence functionality with Single-Number Reach features (targeted for availability in October 2007)
• Customizable Guest Access Web Portal in the Cisco 526 Wireless Express Mobility Controller, with Cisco Configuration Assistant to simplify configuration (targeted availability in October 2007)
• Software migration tool in Cisco Configuration Assistant to enable standalone Cisco 521 Wireless Express Access Point upgrades to controller-based mode (targeted availability in October 2007)
• Cisco Configuration Assistant will have two updates, one in September and one in October. Release 1.1 (September posting on Cisco.com) will include localization of Cisco Configuration Assistant in eight additional languages (French, Italian, German, Spanish, Chinese, Japanese, English, and Russian) and support for the full line of new Cisco Unified Communications 500 Series and Catalyst Express 520 Series models. Cisco Configuration Assistant Release 1.5 adds voice configuration features, troubleshooting enhancements, and ease-of-use enhancements. Availability from Cisco.com is planned for October 2007.
• Monitoring of third-party devices such as printers or servers with Cisco Monitor Manager /Director and increased support of up to 100 customer networks. Availability from Cisco.com is planned for October 2007.

Third-Party Applications

• Skype Gateway functionality (through third-party applications from Stonevoice)-targeted for October 2007
• Support for Dual-mode cellular/802.11 phone from Nokia planned for October 2007
• For more information about the Cisco Smart Business Communications System, please visit http://www.cisco.com/go/sbcs.