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When Does a Fax Server, Fax Over IP Solution or Fax Service Need to Be Replaced?

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TMCnews Featured Article


August 20, 2010

When Does a Fax Server, Fax Over IP Solution or Fax Service Need to Be Replaced?

By Erin Harrison, Executive Editor, Cloud Computing


We all get complacent when a product is in place and working. As Bert Lance, President Jimmy Carter’s director of the office of management and budget, once said “If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.”

That phrase is generally interpreted to mean that if a system is working, any attempts to improve it are pointless. However, that is not necessarily true from the perspective of saving time and money. 

In a recent interview with Max Schroeder (News - Alert) of Faxcore, he said that outdated technology is expensive to maintain and operate and may not support new technologies that are more efficient and cost-effective.


Some fax products are still anchored in the 20th century with 1990’s architectures.

“If you migrate to a 21st century fax solution common tasks like invoicing and order processing can be integrated into a modern workflow process to improve reliability, accountability and save employee time,” Schroeder said. “True 21st century fax means utilizing all of the latest VoIP, UC, FoIP solutions as well as the latest versions of Microsoft (News - Alert) applications to maximize enterprise efficiencies.”

A word of caution, however, even products that have been developed in the 21st century and have a 21st century architecture still have to be maintained and updated. For example, you may be running a fax server version running on the Microsoft 2003 Operating System when an update would allow for running on Microsoft 2008 in 64 bit mode. The same holds true for the latest versions of SQL, SharePoint or Exchange. You need to keep pace with technology, Schroeder said.

Another example, if you are running a FoIP fax solution, would be to update your Dialogic (News - Alert) SR140 FoIP drivers. Since Dialogic got into the FoIP market early on, the original version of SR140 supported the fax V.17 standard. The newer V.34 standard offers many improvements over V.17 including an improved handshake and connection process plus a faster transmission time per page, Schroeder added, equating to reduced fax-related phone bills. Of course, if you did the prudent thing and continued the recommended maintenance program, you are already running the latest version.

When trying to improve efficiencies and hold down costs in these difficult economic times, you need to update your systems regularly or consider migrating to true 21st century products if your current solution had not kept pace with technology. The saving can certainly justify the investment and provide an excellent ROI.


Erin Harrison is a senior editor with TMCnet, primarily covering telecom expense management, politics and technology and Web 2.0. She serves as senior editor for TMC's (News - Alert) print publications, including "Internet Telephony", "Customer Interaction Solutions", "Unified Communications" and "NGN" magazines. Erin also oversees production of TMCnet's weekly iPhone (News - Alert) e-Newsletter. To read more of Erin's articles, please visit her columnist page.

Edited by Erin Harrison







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