VoIP at Butler University
Butler University identified weaknesses in the existing campus communication systems. Chief Information Office (CIO) Scott Kincaid’s identified the need to upgrade or replace the Centrex system as Butler student enrollment and administrative data communication needs had outgrown its usefulness. Arguments for the Centrex system were that users found the system reliability to be beneficial. Once employees have a system that meets their current needs, some are reluctant to go embrace the next step to enhancing job capabilities. The majority of students liked having campus provided email even though 92% had cell phones.
Various problems were associated with the existing system but it was not without failure.
For no other reason than advances in technology, the current analog system had become outdated and hard to customize. Moving lines was labor intensive with student and administrative shifts. Changes become labor intensive and difficult to perform because not only is the hardware difficult to repair, at a certain point the system will be so antiquated that it won’t be compatible with new vendor technology upgrades outside of Butler. A large amount of administrative time was spent reconciling the current billing system each month showing that again unnecessary labor was a hindrance to efficiency.
Changes aren’t without risk and administrative staff viewed merging data and voice networks was viewed as risky. A major concern was regarding the voice quality of VoIP technology. The IT department also knew that network security risks were a concern addressing other data network risk concerns post 9/11. An efficient and flexible integrated emergency notification system was required to remedy this concern. Campus administration also feared virus attacks that commonly affected data networks. Unified communications is a term used to describe a system that integrates call and data communication applications that are interactive and collaborative with real-time and
Various problems were associated with the existing system but it was not without failure.
For no other reason than advances in technology, the current analog system had become outdated and hard to customize. Moving lines was labor intensive with student and administrative shifts. Changes become labor intensive and difficult to perform because not only is the hardware difficult to repair, at a certain point the system will be so antiquated that it won’t be compatible with new vendor technology upgrades outside of Butler. A large amount of administrative time was spent reconciling the current billing system each month showing that again unnecessary labor was a hindrance to efficiency.
Changes aren’t without risk and administrative staff viewed merging data and voice networks was viewed as risky. A major concern was regarding the voice quality of VoIP technology. The IT department also knew that network security risks were a concern addressing other data network risk concerns post 9/11. An efficient and flexible integrated emergency notification system was required to remedy this concern. Campus administration also feared virus attacks that commonly affected data networks. Unified communications is a term used to describe a system that integrates call and data communication applications that are interactive and collaborative with real-time and