Course 308: PBX Fundamentals

A Private Branch Exchange (PBX) or a Private Automatic Branch Exchange (PABX - which is out of fashion since all modern day PBXs are automatic), is a phone switch serving a business or organization and is usually located on the organization's premises. The PBX provides phone services including internal calling, and access to the public switched telephone network. It allows a small number of outside lines to be shared among all of the people of the organization. Advanced PBX phone switches sometimes provide auto-attendant, voice-mail, and ACD (automatic call distribution) services for the organization. 

Upon completion of this course, the attendees will :

• Understand Private Branch Exchange (PBX) and Key Telephone System (KTS) 
• Learn about integration of PBX with ACD, CTI, and IVR
• Understand PBX Systems and Technology
• Understand major innovations, including the shift from analog to digital transmission and switching, the introduction of stored program-controlled PBX systems, and advances in KTS/Hybrid systems
• Understand residual value assessment for VoIP equipment
• Learn about Centrex services

PBX Technology Basics

• Telephone System Fundamentals
• Key Telephone System Technology
• KTS/Hybrid System Technology
• PBX Technology
• PBX Components
• System Control
• System Overview
• Switching Network Design
• Switching Matrix
• PBX Call Processing Designs
• Cabinet Design
• Circuit Cards
• Wiring/Cabling Fundamentals
• Environmental Issues
• System Redundancy
• Trunk Interfaces
• PBX Peripherals
• Attendant Consoles
• Maintenance and Administration
• PBX Architectures
• Centralized Versus Distributed
• Availability
• Security
• Capacity
• Open systems
• Technology Alternatives
• Technology Leaders
• Trends

Technology Analysis

• Business Use
• QoS Issues
• Port Capacity
• Traffic Handling
• QoS issues
• Trunk traffic engineering
• System Sizing Analysis
• Call Centers/ACDs
• A PBX vs. ACD Comparison
• Evaluating the differences between a PBX with Automatic Call Distributor (ACD) capabilities
• Taking Advantage of PBX Switch Integration in Computer Telephony Applications
• Voice and Call Processing
• Unified Messaging
• PBX Networking
• PBX Telemanagement Systems
• Wireless PBX Communications
• Standards
• Price vs. Performance
• Selection Guidelines
• Current Telephone System Analysis
• Gathering Data
• Current Equipment Inventory
• The Local Service Provider
• New System Specification
• Feature Selection
• New Telephone System Selection
• PBX Terminal Equipment
• Basic Call Processing Features
• PBX Networking
• Computer Telephony Integration (CTI)
• Advanced Call Center Concepts
• Systems Management
• Administration and Maintenance 

PBX Total Market

• Enterprise Voice Equipment Markets
• PBX Systems Market
• Key Telephone Systems Market
• Wireless PBX Systems Market
• IP-Based PBX Add-on Market and Server-Based PBX Market
• Market Revenues
• Installed Base Profile
• PBX, KTS Summary - Revenue, Lines, Systems

 PBX and Key Telephone Systems Market

• Status Quo of PBXs
• Installed base/shipments/forecasts
• Who's buying PBXs, and why
• Unique PBX capabilities/applications
• Major market space suppliers
• IP-enabled legacy PBXs
• Definition and examples
• PBX Directions
• Design Issues
• Application Issues
• Pros/Cons
• Definition and examples
• Pros/Cons
• Cost Issues

PBX Installed Base

• PBX Installed Base Summary
• PBX Installed Base Growth by Size Segment
• PBX Installed Base by Size Segment
• PBX Installed Base by Industry and Line Size Segment
• PBX Installed Base by Region
• PBX Installed Base Aging and Investment Protection

IP-PBX Market

• IP-PBX Summary
• IP-PBX Shipments by Vendor

PBX Trunks

• PBX/CPE Basics
• Trunk Features
• PBX Trunk use in Hotels and Motels
• Direct Inward Dial (DID) Overview
• Features and Functions
• Start Signaling
• Hunting
• Optional Services
• Restrictions
• Hotel/Motel Trunk Options
• Direct Inward Dial (DID) Features

Building an End-to-End IP PBX System

• Technologies and implementation considerations for planning and building a converged enterprise, converged, IP telephony network
• IP addressing, dial plan, network infrastructure, quality-of-service (QOS) strategies, admission control, voice messaging and legacy migration
• Network Infrastructure
• LAN and metro considerations
• High Availability and QOS in the campus
• Inline power and IP addressing scheme
• WAN considerations (QOS, topologies)
• Telephony Infrastructure
• Call processing agent provisioning
• Call Admission Control (locations, H.323 gatekeeper)
• Survivable remote site telephony
• Gateways and DSP resources
• Dial plan
• 911 and E.911
• Applications
• LDAP directory
• Voice mail, Interactive Voice Response
• IP phone services
• Legacy Migration and Integration