Truly converged networks are gaining significance. Converged IP-PBX networks bring together not only voice and data on the same network, but also unified messaging and other desktop applications on a single, manageable solution.

There is an array of IP-PBXs such as: traditional PBXs with add-on VoIP cards, PC-PBXs with VoIP add-on cards, and routers/switches with embedded VoIP functionality. Classically, these routers/switches were designed with IP at their core and then telephony/voice was added on top. On the other hand, traditional PBXs and PC-PBXs were designed with telephony/voice at their very core and then IP was added on top.

A truly converged enterprise communications system architecture ensures linear scalability, cost resiliency and reliability, ease of administration and management, a wide variety of end-points and network elements (no vendor lock-in), support for legacy equipment, and a fully enabled end-user experience all in a single system that runs on an existing heterogeneous network environment.