A CISCO & IP COMMAND WHITE PAPER
Modernizing and Streamlining Communications &
Collaboration for Command Center Operations
Save Time. Save Lives. Save Money.
Abstract
Command Centers have a mandate to modernize their outdated, disparate
and often obsolete voice communications and collaboration infrastructure.
As this transition begins, the maturity of IP technologies and collaboration
applications promise to revolutionize command centers. This combination,
will for the first time, offer operators a coherent and cohesive set of telephony,
radio and incident response capabilities, controlled through a single device.
Command Center teams will now be able to view and act upon multiple
streams of information in real-time through a unified interface. Whether they
need to communicate over fixed or wireless networks, with field personnel or
first-responders, on telephone or radio and without having to replace the
reliable field equipment they depend upon. Proven solutions are now available
that standardize, consolidate and integrate VoIP and RoIP communications.
A scalable console platform solution that combines telephone and radio
functions into an ultra-reliable and user-friendly device at the workstation is a
key building block for an all-IP communications world.
ipcommand-networks.com
THE LEGACY:
A CISCO & IP COMMAND WHITE PAPER
EXISTING TELEPHONE & RADIO CONSOLES
Typically, Operations and Dispatch Centers communicate with their
respective remote/field personnel utilizing separate telephone and
radio devices, systems and networks.
This means cost and complexity, for users and IT teams that negatively
impacts communication, collaboration and response times. This
jumble of applications, operating platforms and devices can
sometimes result in a “failure to communicate.” While iterative progress
in particular areas has been made, putting together a comprehensive,
scalable unified solution has remained elusive.
And as call volumes and the severity of events seem to be on the
increase, command centers are under more and more pressure to
migrate to converged session management platforms that able to
aggregate multiple , disparate communications streams into a unified
flow.
Public safety, energy utilities, transportation companies and federal,
state and local governments are just some of the institutions are who
depend on command centers to ensure rapid response to emergencies
as well as maintaining basic infrastructure and services for the public
and customers.
While IP technologies facilitate a converged information stream,
operators need the ability to quickly and easily visualize, prioritize and
act on this torrent of data without having to think about which device
or network they are communicating on.
Networks and systems must be secure, reliable, interoperable,
extensible and scalable while adhering to prevailing standards,
regulations and policies.
It is now possible to consolidate and “normalize” all real-time
communications and collaboration requirements of the command
center on a cohesive platform that combines telephony, radio,
recording and incident response capabilities.
Business & Technology Drivers
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Improve Control Center telephony
(VoIP) & radio (RoIP) reliability
Develop a sound replacement strategy
for TDM product obsolescence
NEEDgaps
THIS
IMAGE
Remediate
in existing
VoIP-RoIP
Console systems
Develop a sound Disaster Recovery
(DR) methodology
Simplify Operation Center
communications
Add features and functions to improve
user experience
Increase capacity of existing console
systems
Save Time. Save Lives. Save Money.
ipcommand-networks.com
THE TECHNOLOGY:
A CISCO & IP COMMAND WHITE PAPER
UNIFYING SIGNALS OF ALL TYPES INTO IP STREAMS: PROJECT 25
Project 25 (P25 or APCO-25) is a suite of standards for digital radio communications for use by federal,
state/province and local public safety agencies in North America to enable them to communicate with other
agencies and mutual aid response teams in emergencies.
Interoperable emergency communication is integral to initial response, public health, safety of communities,
national security and economic stability.
Of all the problems experienced during disaster events, one of the most serious problems is communication due
to lack of appropriate and efficient means to collect, process and transmit important and timely information. In
some cases, radio communication systems are incompatible and inoperable not just within a jurisdiction but
within departments or agencies within the same community.
Non-operability occurs due to use of outdated equipment, limited availability of radio frequencies, isolated or
independent planning, lack of coordination and cooperation between agencies, community priorities competing
for resources, funding and ownership and control of communications systems.
Recognizing and understanding this need, Project 25 (P25) was initiated collaboratively by public safety agencies
and manufacturers to address the issue with emergency communication systems. P25 is collaborative project to
ensure that two-way radios are interoperable.
The goal of P25 is to enable public safety responders to communicate with each other and,
thus, achieve enhanced coordination, timely response, and efficient and effective use of
communications equipment.
P25 was established to address the need for common digital public safety radio communications standards for
first-responders and homeland security/emergency response professionals. The Telecommunications Industry
Association's TR-8 engineering committee facilitates such work through its role as an ANSI-accredited standards
development organization (SDO) and has published the P25 suite of standards as the TIA-102 series of
documents, which now include forty-nine separate parts on Land Mobile Radio and TDMA implementations of
the technology for public safety.
Although developed primarily for North American public safety services, P25 technology and products are not
limited to public safety alone and have also been selected and deployed in other private system application,
worldwide. P25-compliant systems are being increasingly adopted and deployed. Radios can communicate in
analog mode with legacy radios, and in either digital or analog mode with other P25 radios. Additionally, the
deployment of P25-compliant systems will allow for a high degree of equipment interoperability and
compatibility. (Source: Wikipedia)
Terrestrial Trunked Radio (TETRA) is a professional mobile radio and two-way transceiver specification. TETRA was
specifically designed for use by government agencies, emergency services, for public safety networks, rail
transportation staff for train radios, transport services and the military. TETRA is a European Telecommunications
Standards Institute (ETSI) standard, first version published 1995. (Source: Wikipedia)
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Save Time. Save Lives. Save Money.
ipcommand-networks.com
INNOVATION:
A CISCO & IP COMMAND WHITE PAPER
BRINGING IT ALL TOGETHER THROUGH THE CISCO ECOSYSTEM
The Cisco® IP Interoperability and Collaboration System (IPICS)
solution now has a direct IP connection to Project 25 (P25) radio
networks using standard TCP/IP communications. Cisco IPICS also
connects smart devices such as the Apple iPhone® with
mission-critical users on the same P25 radio network. The Cisco
Inter-RF Subsystem Interface (ISSI) Gateway provides
communications interoperability, regardless of technology and
jurisdiction boundaries.
P25 standards use the proprietary Improved
Multi-Band Excitation (IMBE) and Advanced
Multi-Band Excitation (AMBE+2) voice codecs.
IP Command is a Cisco Developer
Network and SolutionsPlus
partner, offering an integrated,
extensible high-capacity turret
solution.
The IP Command turret is ideal for
dispatch professional who want a
unified, purpose-built device that
can unify communications
streams from a variety of sources,
including radio channels.
The Cisco ISSI Gateway uses TCP/IP standardized communications
to bridge P25 networks to Cisco IPICS. The Cisco ISSI Gateway
connects to the first open IP radio network standard. Customers
no longer have to be locked into a proprietary interface between
their communications dispatch system and the radio network.
The Cisco ISSI Gateway is based on the Inter-RF Subsystem
interface (ISSI) standard, issued by the Telecommunications
Industry Association (TIA) as the TIA-102.BACA specification.
The Cisco ISSI Gateway can be deployed on the Cisco Physical
Security Multiservices Platform or virtualized on the Cisco Unified
Computing System™, which represents the start of a new
generation of virtualized appliances for use with the Cisco IPICS.
(Source: Cisco Systems)
The IP Command application
integrates seamlessly with Cisco
CUCM and IPICS platforms to form
a complete command center
communications and incident
response solution.
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Save Time. Save Lives. Save Money.
ipcommand-networks.com
ENABLING THE CONTROL CENTER OPERATOR OF THE FUTURE:
A CISCO & IP COMMAND WHITE PAPER
MONITOR, MANAGE AND ACT ON INFORMATION THAT CAN SAVE LIVES
Dispatch professionals in public safety, emergency services and government and industrial command centers
rely on a combination of specialized communications systems and tools to maximize situational awareness,
collaboration and response times.
Until now, there has not been a single system that is able to unify the various streams of communication and
information to optimize the performance of command center operators.
IP Command has introduced the industry’s most advanced platform with high-capacity purpose-built
applications and devices that enable dispatch professionals to easily communicate and collaborate with anyone
on any device over any type of network.
Our software-based, high-availability VoIP/RoIP platform is designed for round-the-clock mission-critical
environments and unlike TDM-based turret systems or specialized dispatch or radio applications offers an
integrated, extensible solution for dispatch professionals.
The IP Command application is fully-integrated with Cisco Unified Communications Manager (CUCM), a scalable,
distributable, and highly available enterprise IP telephony call-processing solution and Cisco IP Interoperability
and Collaboration System (IPICS), a complete IP-based dispatch and incident response solution.
IP Command is a high-performance, session-management platform that truly unifies
communications & collaboration across the organization, in essence, “one company, one system.”
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Save Time. Save Lives. Save Money.
ipcommand-networks.com
BRINGING IT ALL TOGETHER:
A CISCO & IP COMMAND WHITE PAPER
UNIFYING PEOPLE, PROCESSES & COMMUNICATIONS
IP Command Turret Console
The T3 Series offers command center operators a purpose-built,
high-capacity form factor with rich graphical touch screen interface
that unifies voice, video, data, and radio communications on fixed
or mobile networks for users in a single, sturdy, easy-to-use and
customizable form factor.
ULTRA-RELIABLE, SCALABLE AND EXTENSIBLE
The IP Command
Application Control Plane
The IP Command
Turret Support Server (TSS)
The Turret Proxy to Open Line
Dealing Server (TPO)
The heart of the IP Command
Solution includes two scalable,
high-availability software
applications with flexible
deployment options on standard,
converged IT infrastructure. These
applications integrate with the
Cisco CUCM and UC & C
applications to form a single,
unified communications &
collaboration environment for all
staff irrespective of location, role
or device.
The TSS is a web-based software
management application and
database that enables system
configuration and management
and acts as a central repository
for system data. It also provides
secure authentication of user
profiles and acts as a gateway to
other enterprise information
systems and applications.
The TPO is a feature controller
application with dynamic
conferencing that provides
critical workflow capabilities to all
dispatch operators; The solution
features: multiple talk paths,
shared one-touch connections
and speed dial directories,
unlimited barge-in and ad hoc
conferencing, hoot n holler,
intercom, radio channel
integration, customizable call
queuing and prioritization, and
voice recording integration.
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Save Time. Save Lives. Save Money.
ipcommand-networks.com
PASSIONATE ABOUT THE MISSION:
A CISCO & IP COMMAND WHITE PAPER
CONTRIBUTING TO A COMMUNITY BUILDING THE WORLD’S MOST
EFFECTIVE INCIDENT RESPONSE COMMUNICATIONS SOLUTIONS
The goal of any command center operator is to make informed, accurate and timely decisions that lead to
positive outcomes whatever the circumstances may be. These operators rely on a complex set of information
systems and communications and collaboration technologies to perform at peak efficiency.
In order to maximize performance, operators work together in open control center environments with an array
of monitors, information databases, radio & telephony systems, and a connection grid that enables fixed and
mobile communications on land lines, radio, satellite and cellular networks.
The challenge for control center communications managers has always been knitting together a seamless web
of tools that streamline the operator’s ability to efficiently gather information and make decisions in stressful,
time-sensitive situations.
Cisco and IP Command have developed an
IP Command is the Command and Control
integrated portfolio of powerful, usersubsidiary of IP Trade SA Global, a company
friendly solutions that optimize control
founded in 2005 to bring ultra-reliable,
center communications
feature-rich and intuitive IP solutions to the
mission-critical voice communications sector.
These ultra-reliable solutions are designed to
modernize control center communications
The company, based in Belgium, has direct
and deliver advanced functionality while
offices in Asia, Europe and the USA and presence
maximizing interoperability and adhering to
through partners in more than 100 countries.
the latest standards.
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Save Time. Save Lives. Save Money.
ipcommand-networks.com