Features deployed
The implementation procedure is crystal clear and easy to adapt. We had a team of two Microsoft certified engineers inhouse who implemented this project. However, we needed guidance from the local Microsoft of and on. In tune with our needs, we installed the following capabilities:

• Enterprise Voice

• Group Chat

• Audio/Video/Web Conferencing

• Instant Messaging and Presence

• Public Instant Messaging

• Connectivity

• Mobility

• Live Meeting

• Call management

• Desktop-sharing

• Web access for browser based clients.

End-user benefits
We have some 100+ users across 39  countries who regularly use OCS for chat & Internet calling. Mobile users use Windows enabled phones with the communicator client supported by Windows CE. A user just needs a thick/thin client on the notebook/PC/PDA or any handheld device. But the client hardware should be multimedia enabled. Our users find it very interactive and user friendly. It's integration with office products helps them  share anything, anywhere. It's their one-stop collaborative tool for all requirements.

Through this deployment we were able to slash down telephone bills to 50 percent of original costs. The training requirements for users are almost nil, as the familiar Windows interface aids self-learning. Such collaboration tools are very useful for engineering services companies as 80 percent of the work is done offshore and thus a lot of interaction is required amongst users and their counterparts geographically separated across different continents. This tool provides one virtual room for them to interact with each other.

Prior to this deployment, our total communications cost per month for ISD and STD was Rs. 3,00,000. With an initial investment of Rs. 1,00,000 for server licenses (existing hardware was used) we could achieve 150 percent of ROI starting from the day one after installation.

Deepak S Karkhanis and Pramod Kumar, Taco Faurecia