Cisco sets its sights on small business

Cisco's system will combine the voice, networking and data-sharing aspects of a typical small-business network

Cisco has made a move to boost its presence as a networking equipment provider for small and medium-sized businesses.

The company will be offering a new system designed to bring together all forms of business communication into one box.

The Smart Business Communications System (SBCS) will comprise three networking devices and two new administration applications.

A C500 Ethernet switch, wireless access point and controller will allow users to plug in up to 16 VoIP phone systems, as well as local area and wireless networks.

Eren Hussein, unified communications manager at Cisco, said that the system will combine the voice, networking and data-sharing aspects of a typical small-business network.

"Small businesses typically have a number of different network systems," Hussein told vnunet.com. "The SBCS replaces all these networks with a single platform." 

The system is also designed to simplify the management of software on a network, allowing for integration with customer relationship management software, such as call centre applications.

Cisco also hopes to make the system easier to administrate. SBCS will include a local 'manager' software client and a 'director' application for a third-party companies to administrate the systems.

The 'partner' companies will help small business customers to install the system and oversee maintenance of the network.