Close
  • Latest News
  • Big Data and Analytics
  • Cloud
  • Networking
  • Cybersecurity
  • Applications
  • IT Management
  • Storage
  • Sponsored
  • Mobile
  • Small Business
  • Development
  • Database
  • Servers
  • Android
  • Apple
  • Innovation
  • Blogs
  • PC Hardware
  • Reviews
  • Search Engines
  • Virtualization
Read Down
Sign in
Close
Welcome!Log into your account
Forgot your password?
Read Down
Password recovery
Recover your password
Close
Search
Menu
Search
  • Latest News
  • Big Data and Analytics
  • Cloud
  • Networking
  • Cybersecurity
  • Applications
  • IT Management
  • Storage
  • Sponsored
  • Mobile
  • Small Business
  • Development
  • Database
  • Servers
  • Android
  • Apple
  • Innovation
  • Blogs
  • PC Hardware
  • Reviews
  • Search Engines
  • Virtualization
More
    Home Latest News
    • Networking

    IT Managers Cant Afford to Ignore Skype

    By
    Scot Petersen
    -
    October 30, 2006
    Share
    Facebook
    Twitter
    Linkedin

      Voice over IP is here, sort of. In one of the few cases of enterprise and carrier technology being way ahead of consumer IT, VOIP is being deployed in some of the largest companies in the world, but home and individual use is still lagging, the popularity of Vonage and Skype notwithstanding.

      PC-to-PC VOIP calling with Skype and other services such as Gizmo was to be the tipping point for VOIP, pushing plain old telephone service networks into the scrap heap of history. eBay was so certain it would that it paid $2.5 billion for Skype. But poor voice quality and other annoyances, and lack of a clear vision of what eBay wanted to do with Skype, slowed the hysteria somewhat. But things are changing. Like all viral technologies, Skype ultimately will not be stopped at the enterprise door, and IT managers cant afford to ignore it.

      As many as 30 percent of Skypes 113 million users use Skype for business communications, according to Technical Analyst Andrew Garcias analysis and review package. Many of those users have installed and use Skype without IT supervision. Skype is aware of that situation and is set to release new administration tools to rein Skype in, but, as Garcia writes, that may not be enough, and he offers a checklist of items users and administrators should be pushing for from Skype.

      Garcia is not so keen on technological advancements such as the new Skype phones that are starting to emerge. Garcia tested Wi-Fi-enabled VOIP phones from Netgear, SMC and Belkin and found that they dont hold signals well and dont allow users to roam around an office network without losing connectivity. The idea of freeing VOIP users from their PCs is a good one, but a lack of mobility provided by these early devices will keep Skype users chained to their desks, for now.

      Its clear now that a big part of “Dell 2.0,” which CEO Kevin Rollins coined in mid-September as a plan to snap the company out of its downward spiral, involves Advanced Micro Devices. Dell on Oct. 23 rolled out its first servers built around AMDs Opteron processor, reports Senior Editor Jeff Burt. This is a significant move by Dell, which stuck by Intel as its sole supplier too long. Its not so much that AMDs chips are better, cheaper or faster than Intels, because those points can be debated ad infinitum, but for Dell to acknowledge change in the market and give its customers new choices—well, that really is a new Dell.

      Contact eWEEK Editor Scot Petersen at [email protected].

      Check out eWEEK.coms for the latest news, views and analysis on voice over IP and telephony.

      Scot Petersen
      Scot Petersen is a technology analyst at Ziff Brothers Investments, a private investment firm. Prior to joining Ziff Brothers, Scot was the editorial director, Business Applications & Architecture, at TechTarget. Before that, he was the director, Editorial Operations, at Ziff Davis Enterprise, While at Ziff Davis Media, he was a writer and editor at eWEEK. No investment advice is offered in his blog. All duties are disclaimed. Scot works for a private investment firm, which may at any time invest in companies whose products are discussed in this blog, and no disclosure of securities transactions will be made.

      MOST POPULAR ARTICLES

      Android

      Samsung Galaxy XCover Pro: Durability for Tough...

      Chris Preimesberger - December 5, 2020 0
      Have you ever dropped your phone, winced and felt the pain as it hit the sidewalk? Either the screen splintered like a windshield being...
      Read more
      Cloud

      Why Data Security Will Face Even Harsher...

      Chris Preimesberger - December 1, 2020 0
      Who would know more about details of the hacking process than an actual former career hacker? And who wants to understand all they can...
      Read more
      Cybersecurity

      How Veritas Is Shining a Light Into...

      eWEEK EDITORS - September 25, 2020 0
      Protecting data has always been one of the most important tasks in all of IT, yet as more companies become data companies at the...
      Read more
      Big Data and Analytics

      How NVIDIA A100 Station Brings Data Center...

      Zeus Kerravala - November 18, 2020 0
      There’s little debate that graphics processor unit manufacturer NVIDIA is the de facto standard when it comes to providing silicon to power machine learning...
      Read more
      Apple

      Why iPhone 12 Pro Makes Sense for...

      Wayne Rash - November 26, 2020 0
      If you’ve been watching the Apple commercials for the past three weeks, you already know what the company thinks will happen if you buy...
      Read more

      eWeek has the latest technology news and analysis, buying guides, and product reviews for IT professionals and technology buyers. The site’s focus is on innovative solutions and covering in-depth technical content. eWeek stays on the cutting edge of technology news and IT trends through interviews and expert analysis. Gain insight from top innovators and thought leaders in the fields of IT, business, enterprise software, startups, and more.

      Facebook
      Linkedin
      RSS
      Twitter
      Youtube

      Advertisers

      Advertise with TechnologyAdvice on eWeek and our other IT-focused platforms.

      Advertise with Us

      Menu

      • About eWeek
      • Subscribe to our Newsletter
      • Latest News

      Our Brands

      • Privacy Policy
      • Terms
      • About
      • Contact
      • Advertise
      • Sitemap
      • California – Do Not Sell My Information

      Property of TechnologyAdvice.
      © 2021 TechnologyAdvice. All Rights Reserved

      Advertiser Disclosure: Some of the products that appear on this site are from companies from which TechnologyAdvice receives compensation. This compensation may impact how and where products appear on this site including, for example, the order in which they appear. TechnologyAdvice does not include all companies or all types of products available in the marketplace.

      ×