Cisco® Unified MeetingPlace® for Microsoft Outlook integrates rich-media conferencing into Microsoft Outlook.
PRODUCT OVERVIEW
Cisco Unified MeetingPlace conferencing-part of the Cisco Unified Communications family of products-is a complete rich-media conferencing solution that transparently integrates voice, video, and Web conferencing capabilities to make remote meetings as natural and effective as face-to-face meetings for increased productivity. The Cisco Unified MeetingPlace solution is deployed on-network, behind the firewall and integrated directly into an organization's private voice and data networks and enterprise applications, to provide significant cost savings, security, and a superior user experience.
The Cisco Unified Communications system of voice, video, and IP communications products and applications helps organizations communicate more effectively-helping them streamline business processes, reach the right resource the first time, and increase profitability.
Cisco Unified MeetingPlace 5.4 for Microsoft Outlook integrates Cisco Unified MeetingPlace rich-media conferencing into a Microsoft Outlook user environment. The solution makes it simple to set up and attend integrated voice, video, and Web conferences directly from an Outlook calendar. By integrating powerful collaboration capabilities directly into the desktop tool that is already being used for messaging and calendar management and providing simple, single-step setup, Cisco Unified MeetingPlace 5.4 for Microsoft Outlook promotes adoption of rich-media conferencing and improves communication and collaboration.
KEY FEATURES AND BENEFITS
Simple Rich-Media Conference Setup
Cisco Unified MeetingPlace for Microsoft Outlook integrates with Outlook calendar and meeting scheduling functions so that users can reserve voice, video, and Web conferencing resources at the same time as they invite people and reserve conference rooms (Figure 1).
Figure 1. Cisco Unified MeetingPlace Conference Scheduling in Outlook
To set up a Cisco Unified MeetingPlace rich-media conference, a meeting organizer simply checks the "Make this a MeetingPlace meeting" box on the MeetingPlace tab of the Outlook meeting request form. When the organizer sends the meeting invitations, Cisco Unified MeetingPlace for Microsoft Outlook reserves resources on the Cisco Unified MeetingPlace system and provides Outlook with all the Cisco Unified MeetingPlace information to send to invitees (Figure 2). If the Cisco Unified MeetingPlace conference cannot be set up because of a lack of available resources, the meeting organizer can click the Check Availability link to view a full schedule of the day and other times that the Cisco Unified MeetingPlace system could accommodate this meeting. After successfully setting up the meeting on the Cisco Unified MeetingPlace platform, Outlook sends an invitation containing the Outlook meeting details, and the Cisco Unified MeetingPlace conference information-for voice, video, and Web-to all invitees.
Cisco Unified MeetingPlace for Microsoft Outlook offers extensive support for recurring meetings. When a user sets up a recurring meeting in Outlook, that sequence of meetings is carried over to Cisco Unified MeetingPlace conferencing. If a user cancels or reschedules one meeting of the sequence, the change is replicated automatically in the Cisco Unified MeetingPlace system.
Figure 2. Outlook Calendar Entry and Meeting Details
Easy Attendance for Rich-Media Conferences
Cisco Unified MeetingPlace for Microsoft Outlook allows users to attend rich-media conferences with a single click on the Outlook meeting reminder. The Outlook meeting reminder for a Cisco Unified MeetingPlace meeting includes a Connect Me button together with the user's phone number and, optionally, a video number (Figure 3). Clicking this button automatically dials out to the user's telephone (or video system) and simultaneously connects to the voice, video, and Web conference. Users are ready to meet and collaborate using voice, video, and Web, all with one click.
The ease of attending a rich-media meeting helps meetings start on time-no more spending important meeting time struggling with the remote control to start the video meeting or dialing into multiple disparate meetings for voice, video, and Web.
Figure 3. One-Click Meeting Connection in Outlook
Enterprise-Proven Integration into Microsoft Outlook
Cisco Unified MeetingPlace for Microsoft Outlook has been shipping since 1999 and is used by hundreds of organizations. The application is proven and mature, offering both users and administrators a rich and dependable user experience.
PRODUCT ARCHITECTURE
Cisco Unified MeetingPlace for Microsoft Outlook consists of two software components: a Cisco Unified MeetingPlace software add-in for the Outlook desktop client and the Cisco Unified MeetingPlace for Microsoft Outlook Server software. Other components of the solution architecture are the Microsoft Exchange Server and the Cisco Unified MeetingPlace 8100 Series Audio Server platform.
Cisco Unified MeetingPlace for Microsoft Outlook Client
The Cisco Unified MeetingPlace for Microsoft Outlook add-in installs in the Outlook client and provides the user interface for Cisco Unified MeetingPlace meeting features during appointment and meeting setup. When an invitation is sent, the add-in communicates with the Cisco Unified MeetingPlace for Microsoft Outlook Server, which in turn communicates with the Cisco Unified MeetingPlace 8100 Series platform to reserve the required voice, video, and Web resources. If resources are not available, the add-in sends a message to the user and postpones the invitation until the user takes action to resolve the schedule conflict.
Cisco Unified MeetingPlace for Microsoft Outlook Server
The Cisco Unified MeetingPlace for Microsoft Outlook Server runs on a Cisco Media Convergence Server (MCS) as a part of the Cisco Unified MeetingPlace system. The Cisco Unified MeetingPlace for Microsoft Outlook Server communicates between the Cisco Unified MeetingPlace add-in and the Cisco Unified MeetingPlace 8100 Series platform to exchange Unified MeetingPlace login, conference setup, and conference join information.
SYSTEM CAPACITY
Each Cisco Unified MeetingPlace for Microsoft Outlook Server supports one Cisco Unified MeetingPlace system and supports the same number of maximum users as the Cisco Unified MeetingPlace system.
FEATURES
Conference Setup
• Integrated scheduling-Users can set up Cisco Unified MeetingPlace rich-media conferences directly from the Outlook meeting request form and the Outlook appointment form.
• Meeting ID-Users can select their own meeting IDs or allow the system to provide IDs for them. Meeting IDs also can be specified in which numbers are used to spell out a word or mnemonic on the dialpad. An example is computer, which the user enters on the dialpad as 26678837, the telephone dialpad keys that correspond to each letter.
• Resource availability-When Cisco Unified MeetingPlace resources are not available at the user's requested time, one click on the Check Availability link displays other times when Cisco Unified MeetingPlace resources are available, providing the user with the option to reschedule.
• Recurring meetings-Meetings can be set to recur on a regular basis for a specified number of occurrences. Options are daily, weekly, biweekly, monthly by date, monthly by day of week, and weekdays only.
Notification
• Automatic notification-Meeting information and a link to the Cisco Unified MeetingPlace Web conference are automatically included in invitees' calendar entries.
• Meeting changes-Invitees are automatically notified whenever a meeting is updated or canceled.
Attendance
• Outlook calendar-Notifications automatically populate participants' Outlook calendars.
• Joining conference-Participants join the voice or video and Web conference directly from the Outlook calendar entry.
• Configurable-Users can configure the data entry and notification message forms.
System Features
• Automatic update-If the system manager changes parameters or settings for the Cisco Unified MeetingPlace for Microsoft Outlook software add-in, or if a new version of the add-in is available for download, users see an Update link in the Cisco Unified MeetingPlace window that automatically downloads and installs new software.
• Configuration-The administrator can configure all Cisco Unified MeetingPlace forms for scheduling and attending Cisco Unified MeetingPlace conferences as well as the Cisco Unified MeetingPlace information contained in the meeting notifications distributed by Outlook.
• Reservationless option-Users can conduct voice, video, and Web meetings by using a personal meeting ID, without the need to schedule resources.
Click-to-Attend Meeting Options
• One-click attendance-Participants can click the Connect Me button on the Outlook MeetingPlace tab to dial out to a voice or video conference and launch the browser for the Web conference.
• Attend from the Outlook calendar-Participants can click the URL in the Outlook Calendar Appointment window to launch the browser for the Web conference.
Language support
• Language options-Cisco Unified MeetingPlace for Microsoft Outlook supports English and Japanese.
SYSTEM REQUIREMENTS
Table 1 lists the Cisco Unified MeetingPlace for Microsoft Outlook system requirements.
Table 1. System Requirements
Component
Requirement
Voice conferencing platform
• Cisco Unified MeetingPlace 8100 Series
• Cisco Unified MeetingPlace Conference User Interface
MCS server platform
Cisco 7835 or 7845 MCS (refer to the Cisco Unified MeetingPlace Web Conferencing data sheet for details)
Application software
• Microsoft Outlook 2000, 2002 (XP), or 2003
• Microsoft Exchange Server 2000 or 2003
ORDERING INFORMATION
To place an order, visit the Cisco Ordering Home Page. Table 2 provides ordering information for the Cisco Unified MeetingPlace for Microsoft Outlook application.
Table 2. Ordering Information
Product Name
Part Number
Cisco Unified MeetingPlace for Microsoft Outlook
MP-OUTLOOK-5.4
SERVICE AND SUPPORT
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FOR MORE INFORMATION
For more information about Cisco Unified MeetingPlace conferencing, visit http://www.cisco.com/go/meetingplace or contact your local Cisco account representative.
