Critical Links' EdgeBox Creates Ample Opportunities for Solution Providers - Management and More
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Surprisingly, all of the advanced features are
easy to manage and implement—the unit’s browser-based configuration console
offers simple menus with integrated wizards and context-sensitive help. In
other words, installers and maintainers don’t have to be VOIP or PBX experts to
make the system function as desired. The IP-PBX supports SIP protocols and many
of the IP phones on the market today. What’s more, the EdgeBox fully supports a
softphone, allowing users to have their PCs become their telephone. Softphone
implementations also have the hooks to support video calls between extensions
or remote sites.
For many, the collaboration features of the EdgeBox
will be the key. The unit incorporates a full collaboration suite that includes
e-mail (POP, IMAP, Webmail) and groupware
(calendar, tasks, contacts) and can be further extended with vertical market “EdgePacks,”
which are optional productivity applications that include CMS
(content management system), LMS (learning
management system) and other applications. The collaboration features are fully
integrated, meaning that any user accounts created on the unit are
automatically shared across all of the applications.
Of course, connectivity is critical for the
advanced features of the EdgeBox to be of any use, and Critical Links includes
several features that enable and extend connectivity. First and foremost, the EdgeBox
can act as an access router, managing the traffic between the LAN
and the WAN. The routing functionality includes all of the basic network access
services, such as DHCP, NAT, DNS and VLAN.
Broadband connectivity options include ADSL, 3G and cable.
The system also features DMZ capabilities,
allowing certain features to be exposed to the Internet if needed. In addition,
the product’s advanced routing capabilities include support for QOS, which
guarantees that priority services, such as VOIP, are provided with dedicated
bandwidth to prevent call quality problems. Additional connectivity options
include embedded Wi-Fi support and an integrated access point controller that
will support external access points.
