Rob’s Ragg…. Tech Talk & Cool Toys for Grown up Boys - All Comments

How to install Microsoft Hyper-V Server 2008

The things that are better left unspoken — Fri, 03 Oct 2008 09:48:45 GMT

Microsoft released a new server hardware virtualization product yesterday: Microsoft Hyper-V Server 2008.

re: Now that you've seen Response Point, what do you think?

rwagg — Thu, 02 Oct 2008 14:46:51 GMT

Dave,

Thanks for your thoughts on this. I can understand your concern, but we are adding new SIP trunk providers as we “speak”. As far as a "closed" system. We only support a limited number of handsets since we do require that the handsets offer the "Blue Response Button", but we are open to working with any OEMs that would like to use our software platform. The Blue Button, is part of our differentiator, and we do require its presence on every Response Point (RP) certified device. This button is part of what provides our differentiated value.

As far as your 'cake' analogy, Response Point can send SMTP voicemail to any email server, not just Exchange. It's a configuration setting that your customer, or you, can define on a PER USER basis. You can configure RP so that most people receive their VMs in the traditional way where they dial the VM number and access their VMs via phone. OR you can configure RP to email the VMs to your users via the SMTP email server and DELETE THEM from the RP unit so they do not reside in two places. OR you can choose to email the VMs to the users AND store the VMs on the RP device.

We've tried very hard to offer flexibility in this area on a per user basis. If you need assistance in configuring this for your users, please let me know and I’ll be happy to provide the detail on configuring this feature.

Our intent is to not create a proprietary solution, we’ve opened our specifications to anyone that wants to develop against them, but our specifications do require minimum requirements to ensure that the user has a consistent, and excellent, experience. Our goal is to avoid sub-par hardware so that we can avoid some of the frustrations in the SIP arena that have plagued us in the PC arena.

Your last point was cost. Our offering does provide consistent pricing, our intent is that our partners will generate revenue on the RP devices through their services offered. There are plenty of customization extensions our partners can provide to our customers. Our goal is to provide an offering on a consistent and extensible platform. RP runs on Windows, so any Windows developer can easily extend their skill set to developing for RP. Our intent is to help lower the VOIP entry costs for our small business customers. The Syspine RP device is offered at Costco, and the pricing is very aggressive (~$1799). Here is the current URL to the response Point device offered at Costco:

www.costco.com/.../Productgroup.aspx

I do not see that our offering will raise customer costs, we expect that offering additional choice for our customers will help drive down their costs.

This is our first entry into the small business VOIP offering and we continue to enhance the platform based on our users’ and OEMs feedback.

Thanks for sharing your thoughts and please let me know if you have any questions.

Until next time!

Rob

re: Now that you've seen Response Point, what do you think?

Dave Day — Thu, 02 Oct 2008 01:39:34 GMT

As a small business systems integrator, I have also sold/installed/serviced phone systems for many years.

I now sell VoIP solutions, using various products.

I see the beauty of VoIP/SIP is its universality. I can choose among multiple ITSP (trunk) vendors and PBX (phone system) and SIP phone suppliers to get the solutions I want at the right price. It's open system.

Response Point is (at the moment) is a closed system. Currently I buy ITSP trunks and resell them at a markup of my choosing. For RP, my clients get the rate and I get the commission the few ITSP vendors decide for me.

I can choose among lots of VoIP PBX devices. I can even choose between two or more software-only apps that run under Windows. But I have only four or five choices with RP; that implies higher price.

I can't even choose the phones I want to use--they have to be RP 'custom' (make that more expensive). And they don't even use true SIP (or standard CODECs).

There's not even a supported soft phone!

Bill says the real 'differentiator' is voice recognition. That's a neat feature, but to SMB it's the frosting on the cake. The 'cake' in this case is integration with MS products--Exchange. And that doesn't yet exist. Many existing VoIP phone systems can send SMTP voicemail or status messages.

Either RP is premature in this market, or MS is trying to lock up a proprietary segment of a market whose virtue is diversity. Dave

re: I passed my CISSP!

Donnovan — Thu, 25 Sep 2008 09:43:53 GMT

Congrats!!

Studying for cissp myself atm

Worked through 4 domains, will take the cramm exam next week. and the exam itself like in november

Any hints are helpfull!

re: That was Embarrassing!

Lstark — Wed, 24 Sep 2008 06:53:23 GMT

Or was that Rob misbehaving? LOL !

re: That was Embarrassing!

Lstark — Wed, 24 Sep 2008 06:52:11 GMT

I thought it misbehaved rather well today in Memphis!

re: Eliminate UAC for Printer Driver installation

Apply food stamp — Tue, 23 Sep 2008 15:51:42 GMT

I wanted to research this subject and write a paper. Your post what a thousand words would not. Nice job.

______________________________________________________________________________________

http://applyfoodstamp.com

re: Eliminate UAC for Printer Driver installation in a Domain

Apply food stamp — Tue, 23 Sep 2008 15:47:41 GMT

I wanted to research this subject and write a paper. Your post what a thousand words would not. Nice job.

______________________________________________________________________________________

http://applyfoodstamp.com

re: I'm a PC

billfitz — Mon, 22 Sep 2008 18:06:29 GMT

I was a bit worried about the Seinfeld ad's, but after seeing the new I'm a PC ad's I really like them. My only question was why MSFT waited so long to do something creative in response. I think the relationship with Apple is important and appreciated, so I think MSFT had an opportunity to have fun with it, the same way Apple did.

re: Let's answer a few questions...

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re: What the heck is Dynamics?

name — Mon, 01 Sep 2008 01:56:44 GMT

Good day!,

re: Eliminate UAC for Printer Driver installation

rwagg — Fri, 29 Aug 2008 13:18:00 GMT

I took a quick look at your question this morning and ran across support.microsoft.com

It says that Administrator Credentials are require in Windows XP. I do not think we can do this in XP, that was one of the big pushes for Windows Vista. If I find anything more encouraging, I'll pass it on.

Thanks for the comments!

Rob

re: Eliminate UAC for Printer Driver installation

Rui Araujo — Fri, 29 Aug 2008 08:54:38 GMT

It's a huge step forword in Administration Security. Now we don't need to give Local Admin rights to Domain Users on their PCs, having the excuse of printer installation.

Just need this feature also on Windows XP...

Do you have any hint on this?

re: Other Forms of Encryption You Need to Consider...

Yasmine — Fri, 29 Aug 2008 02:05:23 GMT

Hello:

Could you please provide me with some information on the application of current forms of encryption, their role in society and the issues that surround their use.

It would be very much appriciated

Regards

Yasmine

P.S my Email address is spoiled_citi_gurl@hotmail.com

re: Let's answer a few questions...

rwagg — Mon, 25 Aug 2008 11:56:13 GMT

I'm glad you asked, please feel free to keep asking questions, that's what I'm here for. Is there anything else I can help you with?

Thanks!

Rob