Develop cost-effective, long-term solutions for packetized voice Analysts agree that within the next decade virtually all telecommunications traffic will travel over packet networks. Should your packetized voice be delivered over Layer 2 networks such as ATM or Frame Relay, or over Layer 3 IP networks? Drawing upon years of practical experience with voice over data implementations, the authors of this book consider the advantages and disadvantages of IP versus traditional packet networks. The book explores the unique engineering problems posed by running voice over a connectionless network. And it supplies guidelines to help you decide when (or whether) to invest, and how to choose the best technologies for your organization. With the help of several case studies, the authors provide in-depth coverage of: * Network architectures to support voice over IP * Performance and voice quality considerations * Compression and integration methods for IP transmissions * Support protocols, including MPOA, RSVP, and RTP * Voice-over-IP technology for intranets, routed networks, and the Internet * The latest enabling technologies, such as voice characteristics, compression standards, and QoS * Internet telephony servers and other support hardware