Microsoft Teams And Cisco

Microsoft Teams and Cisco Webex interoperability is the optimum solution for company acquisitions and mergers where one company's resources are on Microsoft Teams, and the other one uses Cisco Webex. Where Cisco Webex offers core hardware, Microsoft allows integration with leading third-party tools like Adobe Creative Cloud, Trello, Slack. To use Microsoft Teams on Cisco room kit like the SX10, follow these instructions: Dial the SIP address provided in the Join with a video conferencing device section of the Teams meeting Enter the VTC conference ID when prompted Join the Teams meeting.

Quality of Service (QoS) in Microsoft Teams allows real-time network traffic that's sensitive to network delays (for example, voice or video streams) to 'cut in line' in front of traffic that's less sensitive (like downloading a new app, where an extra second to download isn't a large deal). QoS uses Windows Group Policy Objects and Port-based Access Control Lists to identify and mark all packets in real-time streams. This helps your network to give voice, video, and screen share streams a dedicated portion of network bandwidth.

Microsoft Teams And Cisco Telepresence

If you support a large group of users who are experiencing any of the problems described in this article, then you probably need to implement QoS. A small business with few users might not need QoS, but even there it should be helpful.

Without some form of QoS, you might see the following quality issues in voice and video:

See how you can use Cisco Webex Meetings within Microsoft Teams. Easily start or join your Webex Meetings directly from Microsoft Teams. See your full meeting list and schedule meetings on your. Bring rich messaging and collaboration into your files with Cisco Webex Teams. Message in Cisco Webex Teams group and 1:1 spaces directly from your Microsoft Word, Excel, or Powerpoint file. The Cisco Webex Teams add-in allows you to create a group space or join your existing spaces. The Webex Teams add-in also provides an easy way to link a relevant space to a document.

• Jitter – media packets arriving at different rates, which can result in missing words or syllables in calls
• Packet loss – packets dropped, which can also result in lower voice quality and hard to understand speech
• Delayed round-trip time (RTT) – media packets taking a long time to reach their destinations, which result in noticeable delays between two parties in a conversation and causes people to talk over each other

Though Cisco Webex also offers a free version, in comparison, Microsoft Teams offers far more generous features in the free version. Cisco Webex's cheapest plan starts with $13.50 per user per month and calling service add-ons would be priced extra. When you must decide between Teams vs Webex with cost as a factor, Microsoft Teams wins hands.

The least complex way to address these issues is to increase the size of the data connections, both internally and out to the internet. Since that is often cost-prohibitive, QoS provides a way to more effectively manage the resources you have instead of adding bandwidth. To address quality issues, we recommend that you first use QoS, then add bandwidth only where necessary.

For QoS to be effective, you must apply consistent QoS settings throughout your organization. Any part of the path that fails to support your QoS priorities can degrade the quality of calls, video, and screen sharing. This includes applying settings to all user PCs or devices, network switches, routers to the internet, and the Teams service.

Figure 1. The relationship between an organization's networks and Microsoft 365 or Office 365 services

QoS implementation checklist

At a high level, do the following to implement QoS:

1. Make sure your network is ready.

2. Select a QoS implementation method.

3. Choose initial port ranges for each media type.

4. Implement QoS settings:

   1. On clients using a Group Policy Object (GPO) to set client device port ranges and markings.

   2. On routers (see the manufacturer documentation) or other network devices. This might include port-based Access Control Lists (ACLs) or simply defining the QoS queues and DSCP markings, or all of these.

      Important

      We recommend implementing these QoS policies using the client source ports and a source and destination IP address of 'any.' This will catch both incoming and outgoing media traffic on the internal network.

   3. Set how you want to handle media traffic for Teams meetings.

5. Validate your QoS implementation by analyzing Teams traffic on the network.

As you prepare to implement QoS, keep the following guidelines in mind:

• The shortest path to Microsoft 365 is best.
• Closing ports will only lead to quality degradation.
• Any obstacles in between, such as proxies, aren't recommended.
• Limit the number of hops:
  • Client to network edge – 3 to 5 hops
  • ISP to Microsoft network edge – 3 hops
  • Microsoft network edge to final destination – irrelevant

For information about configuring firewall ports, go to Office 365 URLs and IP ranges.

Make sure your network is ready

If you're considering a QoS implementation, you should already have determined your bandwidth requirements and other network requirements.

Traffic congestion across a network will greatly impact media quality. A lack of bandwidth leads to performance degradation and a poor user experience. As Teams adoption and usage grows, use reporting, per-user call analytics, and Call Quality Dashboard (CQD) to identify problems and then make adjustments using QoS and selective bandwidth additions.

VPN considerations

QoS only works as expected when implemented on all links between callers. If you use QoS on an internal network and a user signs in from a remote location, you can only prioritize within your internal, managed network. Although remote locations can receive a managed connection by implementing a virtual private network (VPN), a VPN inherently adds packet overhead and creates delays in real-time traffic. We recommend that you avoid running real-time communications traffic over a VPN.

In a global organization with managed links that span continents, we strongly recommend QoS because bandwidth for those links is limited in comparison to the LAN.

Introduction to QoS queues

To provide QoS, network devices must have a way to classify traffic and must be able to distinguish voice or video from other network traffic.

When network traffic enters a router, the traffic is placed into a queue. If a QoS policy isn't configured, there is only one queue, and all data is treated as first-in, first-out with the same priority. That means voice traffic (which is very sensitive to delays) might get stuck behind traffic where a delay of a few extra milliseconds wouldn't be a problem.

When you implement QoS, you define multiple queues using one of several congestion management features, such as Cisco's priority queuing and Class-Based Weighted Fair Queueing (CBWFQ) and congestion avoidance features, such as weighted random early detection (WRED). Disk drill basic data recovery mac free.

Figure 2. Examples of QoS queues

A simple analogy is that QoS creates virtual 'carpool lanes' in your data network so some types of data never or rarely encounter a delay. Once you create those lanes, you can adjust their relative size and much more effectively manage the connection bandwidth you have, while still delivering business-grade experiences for your organization's users.

Select a QoS implementation method

In a global organization with managed links that span continents, we strongly recommend QoS because bandwidth for those links is limited in comparison to the LAN.

Introduction to QoS queues

To provide QoS, network devices must have a way to classify traffic and must be able to distinguish voice or video from other network traffic.

When network traffic enters a router, the traffic is placed into a queue. If a QoS policy isn't configured, there is only one queue, and all data is treated as first-in, first-out with the same priority. That means voice traffic (which is very sensitive to delays) might get stuck behind traffic where a delay of a few extra milliseconds wouldn't be a problem.

When you implement QoS, you define multiple queues using one of several congestion management features, such as Cisco's priority queuing and Class-Based Weighted Fair Queueing (CBWFQ) and congestion avoidance features, such as weighted random early detection (WRED). Disk drill basic data recovery mac free.

Figure 2. Examples of QoS queues

A simple analogy is that QoS creates virtual 'carpool lanes' in your data network so some types of data never or rarely encounter a delay. Once you create those lanes, you can adjust their relative size and much more effectively manage the connection bandwidth you have, while still delivering business-grade experiences for your organization's users.

Select a QoS implementation method

You could implement QoS via port-based tagging, using Access Control Lists (ACLs) on your network's routers. Port-based tagging is the most reliable method because it works in mixed Windows, Mac, and Linux environments and is the easiest to implement. Mobile clients don't provide a mechanism to mark traffic by using DSCP values, so they'll require this method.

Using port-based tagging, your network's router examines an incoming packet, and if the packet arrived using a certain port or range of ports, it identifies it as a certain media type and puts it in the queue for that type, adding a predetermined DSCP mark to the IP Packet header so other devices can recognize its traffic type and give it priority in their queue.

Although port-based tagging works across platforms, it only marks traffic at the WAN edge (not all the way to the client machine) and creates management overhead. Refer to the documentation provided by the router manufacturer for instructions on implementing this method.

Insert DSCP markers

You could also implement QoS by using a Group Policy Object (GPO) to direct client devices to insert a DSCP marker in IP packet headers identifying it as particular type of traffic (for example, voice). Routers and other network devices can be configured to recognize this and put the traffic in a separate, higher-priority queue.

Although this scenario is entirely valid, it will only work for domain-joined Windows clients. Any device that isn't a domain-joined Windows client won't be enabled for DSCP tagging. Other clients, such as those running macOS, have hard-coded tags and will always tag traffic.

On the plus side, controlling the DSCP marking via GPO ensures that all domain-joined computers receive the same settings and that only an administrator can manage them. Clients that can use GPO will be tagged on the originating device, and then configured network devices can recognize the real-time stream by the DSCP code and give it an appropriate priority.

Best practice

We recommend a combination of DSCP markings at the endpoint and port-based ACLs on routers, if possible. Using a GPO to catch the majority of clients, and also using port-based DSCP tagging will ensure that mobile, Mac, and other clients will still get QoS treatment (at least partially).

DSCP markings can be likened to postage stamps that indicate to postal workers how urgent the delivery is and how best to sort it for speedy delivery. Once you've configured your network to give priority to real-time media streams, lost packets and late packets should diminish greatly.

Once all devices in the network are using the same classifications, markings, and priorities, it's possible to reduce or eliminate delays, dropped packets, and jitter by changing the size of the port ranges assigned to the queues used for each traffic type. From the Teams perspective, the most important configuration step is the classification and marking of packets. However, for end-to-end QoS to be successful, you also need to carefully align the application's configuration with the underlying network configuration. Once QoS is fully implemented, ongoing management is a question of adjusting the port ranges assigned to each traffic type based on your organization's needs and actual usage.

Choose initial port ranges for each media type

The DSCP value tells a correspondingly configured network what priority to give a packet or stream, whether the DSCP mark is assigned by clients or the network itself based on ACL settings. Each media workload gets its own unique DSCP value (other services might allow workloads to share a DSCP marking, Teams doesn't) and a defined and separate port range used for each media type. Other environments might have an existing QoS strategy in place, which will help you determine the priority of network workloads.

The relative size of the port ranges for different real-time streaming workloads sets the proportion of the total available bandwidth dedicated to that workload. To return to our earlier postal analogy: a letter with an 'Air Mail' stamp might get taken within an hour to the nearest airport, while a small package marked 'Bulk Mail' mark can wait for a day before traveling over land on a series of trucks.

Recommended initial port ranges

Be aware of the following when you use these settings:

• If you plan to implement ExpressRoute in the future and haven't yet implemented QoS, we recommend that you follow the guidance so that DSCP values are the same from sender to receiver.

• All clients, including mobile clients and Teams devices, will use these port ranges and will be affected by any DSCP policy you implement that uses these source port ranges. The only clients that will continue to use dynamic ports are the browser-based clients (clients that let participants join meetings by using their browsers).

• Although the Mac client uses the same port ranges, it also uses hard-coded values for audio (EF) and video (AF41). These values aren't configurable.

• If you later need to adjust the port ranges to improve user experience, the port ranges can't overlap and should be adjacent to each other.

Migrate QoS to Teams

If you've previously deployed Skype for Business Online, including QoS tagging and port ranges, and are now deploying. Teams, Teams will respect the existing configuration and will use the same port ranges and tagging as the Skype for Business client. In most cases, no additional configuration will be needed.

Note

If you're using Application Name QoS tagging via Group Policy, you must add Teams.exe as the application name.

Implement QoS in Teams on Windows using PowerShell

Set QoS for audio

Set QoS for video

Set QoS for sharing

Managing source ports in the Teams admin center

In Teams, QoS source ports used by the different workloads should be actively managed, and adjusted as necessary. Referring to the table in Choose initial port ranges for each media type, the port ranges are adjustable, but the DSCP markings aren't configurable. Once you have implemented these settings, you might find that more or fewer ports are needed for a given media type. Per-user call analytics and Call Quality Dashboard (CQD) should be used in making a decision to adjust port ranges after Teams has been implemented, and periodically as needs change.

Microsoft Teams And Cisco Webex

Note

If you've already configured QoS based on source port ranges and DSCP markings for Skype for Business Online, the same configuration will apply to Teams and no further client or network changes to the mapping will be required, though you may have to set the ranges used in Teams to match what was configured for Skype for Business Online.

If you've previously deployed Skype for Business Server on-premises, you might need to re-examine your QoS policies. Adjust the policies to match port range settings you've verified provide a quality user experience for Teams.

Validate your QoS implementation

For QoS to be effective, the DSCP value set by the GPO needs to be present at both ends of a call. By analyzing the traffic generated by the Teams client, you can verify that the DSCP value isn't changed or stripped out when the Teams workload traffic moves through the network.

Teams webex zoom comparison. Here's the full chart comparing Microsoft Teams, Skype for Business, Cisco Webex, Slack, Zoom Chat, RingCentral, and Google Chat. (Best viewed on a laptop/desktop due to the sheer volume of. Webex by Cisco, Skype (Teams) and Zoom are robust tools to build engagement and increase communication with prospects, clients, customers and coworkers. Each has distinct advantages, but we find Zoom to be the best solution for most businesses. Try it out, but the paid version is worth the extra money. Scientifically Speaking, of course.

Preferably, you capture traffic at the network egress point. You can use port mirroring on a switch or router to help with this.

Implement QoS for other devices

Read these topics for information about implementing QoS for Intune, Surface, iOS, Android, and Mac

Related topics

Collaboration, efficiency, and transparency are essential to the modern workplace experience. And since working from home has become the new normal in today's business landscape, technology is bridging the gap to ensure employees stay more connected and engaged than ever.

Opera gx gaming browser review. Thankfully, there are plenty of collaboration platforms to choose from, whether you're focused on communication or project management. However, the ones that have stood the test of time come from two of the world's top tech heavyweights—Cisco and Microsoft.

From large feature sets to tiered pricing plans, each tool has something to bring to the table. In this article, we will explore how both platforms compare based on key features, what the future of these tools holds in store, and how to select the right one for your business.

Get ready for the ultimate showdown of Microsoft Teams vs. Cisco Webex.

Microsoft Teams vs. Cisco Webex Teams Features and Capabilities

When searching for a new digital workspace solution, you want it to be robust and feature-rich. The more benefits you can derive from a single application, the better. Let's take a look at some of the basic features that Cisco Webex and Microsoft Teams offer.

Microsoft Teams

Group Conversation: In Microsoft Teams, users can organize chats according to groups of people or topics. These conversations live in the application and are not automatically deleted once you log out. You can access your history from the previous day, week, or month, plus images, files, links, emojis, and GIFs will be retained as well.

Meetings: The consensus regarding Microsoft's meetings is that they're simple and intuitive. You can either instantly launch meetings or schedule them out for a later time. Microsoft Teams also lets you customize your backgroundand add live captions during meetings.

File-Sharing: Microsoft Teams allows you to share, save, and organize files your way. Users can even work collaboratively on Word documents or PowerPoint presentations right from inside the application. What's more, you can share files in several locations like Chat, Teams, and Meetings.

Integrations: By supporting more than 250 third-party integrations like ServiceNow, Trello, Polly, and Jira, Microsoft Teams can help boost your staff's productivity and simplify workflows.

Video Conferencing: Microsoft offers video conferencing for both mobile and desktop users, supporting up to 250 participants. However, integrating Microsoft Teams with non-Teams room systems does require installing additional software from partners such as BlueJeans, Pexip, or Poly.

Audio Conferencing: With Microsoft Teams' audio conferencing services, attendees can join meetings using their smartphones instead of the Teams app on desktop or mobile. These meetings also include a dial-in number, making it easier for mobile users and those with spotty internet connections.

Cisco Webex

Group Conversation: Similar to Microsoft Teams, you can have ongoing conversations categorized under various topics or agendas in Cisco Webex. These conversations are saved in the application and can be referred to later.

Meetings: With Webex Meetings, you can either communicate one-on-one or in groups, with users inside or outside your company network. Though, the relationship between WebEx Teams and WebEx Meetings isn't 100% consistent. After all, using two different tools for meetings and team collaboration can disrupt overall meeting cohesion. But, what sets Webex Meetings apart is the ability to host online events like webinars.

File-Sharing: WebEx allows you to share files with others, all while ensuring your information is secure and encrypted. You can even share documents in a chat with your team, and refer back to them whenever you want.

Integrations: Like Microsoft Teams, Cisco Webex allows seamless collaboration byintegrating with popular productivity, project management, and social applications—over 2,000+ to be exact.

Video Conferencing: Cisco is a market leader in online meetings and video conferencing solutions. Currently, Webex Meetings supports up to 200 video users and offers a host of AI capabilities spanning real-time transcriptions, automated closed captioning, voice commands, note-taking, and recorded transcripts.

Audio Conferencing: Cisco is known for its in-depth audio conferencing features. Using Webex's cloud-based PSTN audio option, audio can operate on a wide range of devices, such as smartphones and IP phones.

Security and Compliance

Microsoft Teams

Since Microsoft has already been developing large-scale solutions for decades, it's no wonder that security has become second nature. Overall, you can expect the same level of protection that you receive with the rest of the Office365 platform. According to Microsoft, Teams 'meets ISO 27001 and 28018 Standards, is both SAAE 16 SOC 1 and 2 Compliant, HIPPA Compliant, and meets EU Model Clauses compliance regulations.'

In addition to the standard two-factor authentication and encryption tools, Microsoft also offers what is called eDiscovery. It is defined as 'the electronic aspect of identifying, collecting, and producing electronically stored information in response to a request for production in a lawsuit or investigation.'

Protection Tools:

• eDiscovery
• Compliance content search
• Review
• Export
• Hold

Cisco Webex

Cisco boasts general features like TFA and SSO. Plus, it includes eDiscovery and other security features that promise to deliver a secure web conferencing experience like flexible password management capabilities, advanced encryption options, individual and unique device PINs set by users, and adjustable retention of content. Unlike Microsoft Teams, Cisco Webex aimsto put the users in the driver's seat, giving them ultimate control over what content is stored, how it is stored, and when.

In addition to physical security, role-based access has proven to be effective in reducing cyber threats. With Cisco giving hosts and administrators more permissions, they can choose to grant or revoke access to content and control what specific users do.

Protection Tools:

• eDiscovery
• Encryption technologies
• Firewall compatibility
• Transport layer security
• Single sign-on

Pricing Structure

The adage goes that 'nothing in life is free.' This doesn't ring true here. Like many other team collaboration solutions on the market, Microsoft and Cisco offer varying pricing plans for their respective platforms, as well as a free option.

Microsoft Teams

Because Microsoft Teams is part of the Office365 Business platform, there's no need to worry about accessibility.

For no cost at all, you can invite up to 300 users. Members of your team can be grouped into channels that include audio and video calling, as well as 10 GB of cloud storage.

If you're looking for a plan that offers more storage, improved security, and integrations with other Microsoft Office applications, expect to pay $5 per user per month.

Beyond that, access to desktop versions of Outlook and Word, along with higher data caps, will cost $12.50 per user per month.

For $20 per user per month, you can install Office mobile apps on up to five Macs or PCs, five tablets, and five mobile phones per user.

These prices can go up if you opt for a monthly subscription instead of renewing annually.

Pricing Plans:

• Microsoft Teams Plan: Free (no-commitment)
• Office365 Business Essentials Plan: $5.00/user/month (annually)
• Office365 Business Premium Plan: $12.50/user/month (annually)
• Office365 E3 Plan: $20.00/user/month (annually)

Cisco Webex

When compared side-by-side to Microsoft Teams, Cisco's pricing set-up is a bit easier to break down.

The Starter is the baseline plan for smaller teams and individual users, offering up to nine host licenses and1 GB of file sharing storage for $13.50 per host per month.

Next is the Plus Plan, which is ideal for mid-sized teams, providing up to 50 host licenses, 5 GB of file sharing storage, and unlimited integrations all for $17.95 per host per month.

For optimal storage and premium support for larger teams, you can't go wrong with the Business Plan. One hundred host licenses, 10 GB of file sharing storage, and interactive whiteboarding are just a few features that come with this option, costing you $26.95 per host per month.

Finally, Enterprise offers flexible subscription plans best for larger meetings, events, training, and support. Users can enjoy unlimited messaging and file sharing, end-to-end encryption, and administrative controls like single sign-on and organization analytics.

Pricing Plans:

• Starter Plan: $13.50 per host/month (annually)
• Plus: $17.95 per host/month (annually)
• Business: $26.95 per host/month (annually)
• Enterprise: Requires Quote

Compare Features, Security, and Pricing for Teams vs. Cisco Webex

Microsoft Teams vs. Cisco Webex: What does the Future Hold?

As we've demonstrated, both tools have a lot to offer and remain at the forefront of innovating and improving the current state of remote work. In the months and years to come, Cisco and Microsoft will stay head-to-head in the race for the most popular collaboration platform.

There's no doubt that each tool offers excellent team collaboration applications that can be an asset to any business, regardless of size or industry. Both are built and maintained by world-leading developers and provide an intense levelof reliability, security, and features.

But in the battle of Microsoft Teams vs. Cisco Webex, who will emerge victoriously? When it comes time to choose, your decision ultimately boils down to which factor(s) matter(s) most to your team. Going with Microsoft Teams is a no-brainer for organizations that are already utilizing Office365 and its related software. If your company places a strong emphasis on meetings, conferences, and visual collaboration, your workforce might prefer Cisco Webex.

With NextPlane, You can Connect. Any Team. Any Platform

Our recent survey shows 79% of companies are operating in a mixed collaboration environment, which can include legacy UC platforms such as Microsoft Skype for Business and Cisco Jabber.

NextPlane enables mixedcollaboration environments to deliver the same seamless functionality as email; users can send messages, share presence status, participate in channels, or share files, without leaving their preferred clients.

By using NextPlane, companies with mixed environments, such as IBM, Merck, Nokia, and others, have reduced their total cost of ownership and administrative burden by 50%.

This video shows users on Microsoft Teams and Cisco Webex Teams communicating while the two platforms can share the same domain.