First things first with VoIP

One of the biggest challenges in implementing a VoIP solution is making sure you have all the necessary components. This can be especially daunting if you're new to VoIP. This tip gives a quick list of things you'll need. For the sake of brevity, we assume you already have a functional data-network and related environmental concerns, like adequate conditioned power sources and rack-space, and of course, someone to configure it all.

There are two primary uses for VoIP. The first is "toll-bypass" where you have two geographically separate locations connected by voice and data circuits, and you want to combine these circuits so voice rides over your data network, but your users still use their old phones and they remain connected to your old PBX or key-system.

For this scenario, you'll simply ne

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ed a gateway at each location. A gateway is typically a module inserted in a router, or it can be a dedicated piece of hardware. It is usually physically connected to your PBX and your data network via Ethernet or a WAN interface such as a T1, depending on your needs. This allows it to convert the voice from the PBX into IP packets (and back on the far end). An example is Avaya's appropriately named Media Gateway line.

The second type of VoIP, which we'll call "IP Telephony", is when users have IP phones that are plugged into Ethernet switches. In this scenario, you'll typically need a lot more, but you won't need any legacy equipment:

Thomas Alexander Lancaster IV is a consultant and author with over ten years experience in the networking industry, focused on Internet infrastructure.