What do Your Company Building and Enterprise Communications Platform have in Common?

The term architecture (from Latin “architectura” and Ancient Greek “ἀρχιτέκτων arkhitéktōn”: architect)¹ is oftentimes used in context with phone systems, referring to its PBX architecture. The underlying principle with the architecture of buildings and, accordingly IT architecture, is following: Construction is carefully planned and provides stability for the successful interaction of all components. Our innovaphone platform is based on an equally precise and well-planned overall architecture.

innovaphone VoIP Gateways: A Strong Foundation

As with our very first VoIP phone system, the basis of our myApps platform are our VoIP gateways or the virtual alternative, an IPVA installation. Just as with the foundation of a building, our gateways have been providing the lean hardware platform for our innovaphone PBX ever since the company’s founding in 1997. There are various different gateway models available, depending on the required capacity and number of interfaces. Over time, more and more VoIP gateways were added to the portfolio in order to cover different business requirements. What remains the same is the sturdy and compact housing made of stainless steel. In addition to physical stability, the innovaphone foundation also provides maximum security concerning the software: All significant security mechanisms are integrated into the VoIP gateways. The entire innovaphone system runs on an operating system developed in-house. Viruses, worms and Trojans are not known for this operating system – regardless of whether the innovaphone PBX has been set up on hardware (gateway) or as a virtual communication platform (IPVA).

innovaphone PBX: Welcome to the Phone System on the Ground Floor

Based on the VoIP gateways or an IPVA installation, we now move from the foundation to the ground floor where we find the IP phone system innovaphone PBX. This phone system for corporate communications will suit the demands of small and medium-sized businesses as well as large enterprises. It covers features for traditional telephony such as call lists, voicemail, group functions, waiting queues, call transfer, callback management, call forwarding and various reporting options for call analysis.

Do you think this is so old school? You may want to rethink. In B2B, the key to success remains personal communication and interaction. In recent years, many businesses switched their communication to asynchronous solutions. These originate from social media and focus on collaboration tools. Internal communication between colleagues or the various departments may work okay with these solutions but they often perform poorly when it comes to external contact with partners and customers. Opposed to traditional telephony solutions, it is complicated to set up reliable routing plans and intelligent call diversions. The journey of innovaphone began with telephony, and our “phone system on the ground floor” masters all telephony functions effortlessly while incorporating all features of a cutting-edge communications client. innovaphone myApps provides access to all modern UC&C functions as well as all familiar telephony functions – all in one single and intuitive user interface. Great news: the myApps client is already included within the scope of delivery of the innovaphone PBX.

Security in the Lobby: innovaphone Session Border Controller

In the lobby on the ground floor of the building, so to speak at the reception, we positioned our security services. The transition from analog communication to IP (internet protocol) requires company communication to open up towards the internet. This is where the Session Border Controller (SBC) comes into play. It protects company communication from external attacks and threats stemming from the internet. Our IP phone system – the innovaphone PBX – is already equipped by default with the SBC. Therefore, no external or 3^rd party SBC is required. The installation effort is greatly simplified, resulting in a significant cost advantage for customers.

Access to the building is also secured thanks to the innovaphone Reverse Proxy. Similar to a door intercom with video camera, access of the building is restricted.

The Lab for Creativity on the First Floor: Our innovaphone App Platform

Located on the first floor is our development lab, the innovaphone myApps platform. Constructors who would like a building that offers more than just the bare essentials (real-time communication within the company), have the opportunity to select and buy special rooms from a huge construction kit, or they can go ahead and design their own special rooms. The innovaphone myApps platform expands the upper floor of the building to ideally meet the own requirements. The open development platform myApps provides all the resources necessary to develop apps to work, communicate and administrate with, as well as specialized apps. The resources are the same ones our in-house developers use for our innovaphone apps. You will not need any skills in JavaScript, C++ or Linux. With the innovaphone SDK (Software Development Kit), constructors will receive a construction kit to expand, modernize and customize the company building at any time. Creativity knows no bounds.

Let Your Creativity Flow on the Top Floor: innovaphone myApps

The top floor is the ideal spot for creativity and colors. Constructors can design the rooms according o the very own needs. On our communication platform, this is where you will find all innovaphone apps to work, communicate and administrate with, plus all apps developed by our app partners. All apps are accessible via the unified, intuitive user interface. Users can easily switch back and forth between the different apps. Initiate or receive IP calls with the Softphone app, use the secure chat messenger, make video calls or participate in virtual meetings, write your daily to do list, document your own working times, post a comment on the virtual pinboard, order your lunch via the Lunch app or send a vacation request. Due to the efficiency and the intuitive myApps UI, users will no longer waste time on looking for the respective application in the abyss of the system. This leaves more time for the truly important work processes. innovaphone myApps – that is “more than communication.”

¹ source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Architecture