Multi-vendor Environments

Announcing the New, Certified Kurmi Integration App Available in the ServiceNow Store

Managing unified communications (UC) in a large enterprise can be complex and time-consuming, especially with multiple platforms and diverse user needs. IT teams are constantly seeking ways to optimize processes, reduce manual tasks, and ensure seamless service delivery. That’s why we’re excited to announce the launch of Kurmi’s new ServiceNow Integration App, now available in the ServiceNow Store.

A New Way to Connect Kurmi and ServiceNow

Kurmi provides a centralized platform with advanced automation capabilities to manage UC ecosystems. Through the new Kurmi/ServiceNow integration, IT teams can perform routine tasks—or automate them—across multiple UC systems directly from ServiceNow without needing individual connections to each system.

While customers have been able to connect Kurmi and ServiceNow by building their own custom integrations using Kurmi’s API, this new pre-built, certified Kurmi Integration App simplifies implementation and adoption. This integration is perfect for IT admins looking to enhance their workflows without extensive custom development.

How It Works

Day-to-day tasks can be completed for Cisco UCM, Webex, Microsoft Teams, and more, all securely from within ServiceNow. Changes made in the application are pushed to Kurmi, which then automatically applies them to the customer’s UC systems. Admins can track completed tasks from within ServiceNow’s request history or the Kurmi platform. Erroneous changes can be reversed using Kurmi’s unique rollback feature.

Out-of-the-box capabilities include:

Creating/Deleting Users
Activating Voice
Updating Phone Numbers
Resetting a User’s PIN
Updating Kurmi Package & Department for Users

Key Benefits of the Kurmi Integration App

Securely Delegate Tasks: Enable helpdesk and other employees to complete routine UC management tasks from within ServiceNow, giving them access only to what they need to resolve requests quickly.
Streamline Complex Workflows: Resolve common UC user requests, including user provisioning, PIN resets, and more, across Cisco UCM, Webex, and Microsoft Teams, with precision and speed.
Boost Operational Efficiency: Reduce manual tasks and human errors, ensuring consistent and reliable operations across your UC environment.
Simplify Integration Management: Eliminate the need for maintaining custom code or updating multiple APIs. Kurmi provides a single, managed connection to all your UC systems, ensuring seamless integration and simplified maintenance.

Choosing the Best Integration Method

The best Kurmi/ServiceNow integration method depends on your organization’s needs. The pre-built integration app is ready to deploy with minimal configuration required, allowing IT teams to get up and running quickly. With the out-of-the-box capabilities, IT teams can accomplish many of their day-to-day UC management tasks. For more advanced needs, building a custom integration using the Kurmi API might be the way to go. The Kurmi team is continuously working to add more functionality to the pre-built integration app, so contact your Customer Success or Account Manager for more information.

Wrapping it Up

The Kurmi ServiceNow Integration App combines Kurmi’s UC management capabilities with ServiceNow’s robust workflow and service management features. This integration simplifies day-to-day UC management and aligns UC operations with your broader IT service management strategy. By leveraging this powerful combination, IT admins can enhance efficiency, improve data accuracy, and ensure seamless management of IT services.

Want to see the app in action? Join us for our upcoming Virtual Roadshows or schedule a demo with the Kurmi team.

After evaluating numerous leading service management platforms, Kurmi is excited to be acknowledged by UC Today as one of the top solutions in UC service management.

As communication systems become increasingly complex, Kurmi continues to excel in helping companies manage their technologies efficiently. As part of their selection, UC Today highlights Kurmi’s capability to integrate with a wide range of solutions, including Avaya, Zoom, Microsoft, Cisco, and others, which is especially important in today’s multi-vendor environment.

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Throughout 2023, Kurmi’s teams worked diligently to further enhance our award-winning provisioning software, deploying two major product releases.

Here’s a round-up of a few key updates from those releases that simplify and automate UC end user provisioning and day-to-day management, and what they mean for Kurmi Provisioning Suite customers.

Cisco

Support for CUCM 15

The latest version of Kurmi Provisioning Suite, released in December 2023, is fully compatible with Cisco Unified Communications Manager (CUCM) 15.

Our strong relationship with Cisco gave us visibility into the product roadmap to ensure we are fully compatible at CUCM 15’s launch. With Cisco actively encouraging organizations to upgrade to CUCM 15, our updated connector supports organizations in their transition to the new version. With Kurmi’s migration capabilities and ability to manage earlier versions of Cisco at the same time, organizations can pace their move to CUCM and complete admin tasks all through the Kurmi Provisioning Suite interface.

Expanded management of Webex Calling Multi-Tenant features

We’ve enhanced the breadth of what administrators and end users can accomplish from within the Kurmi Provisioning Suite platform to manage more aspects of Webex Calling Multi-Tenant. This eliminates the need to manage these features from within Webex MT, so users can stay within one interface.

The Kurmi administrator or the end user can now directly manage calling features, including:

Recording Settings
Incoming/Outgoing Permissions
Enabling the Executive/Executive Assistant feature

The Kurmi administrator can now delegate the management of User Incoming/Outgoing Permissions to the site administrator. They also now are able to filter Webex users who do not have the recording feature and enable recording en masse in just a few clicks—eliminating the need to use a spreadsheet.

Streamlined Location Management for Webex MT

Kurmi administrators can now automate and onboard new sites by creating Webex Locations with numbers and default schedules. Establishing default location schedules is especially useful for streamlining the creation and management of auto-attendant features, hunt groups or call queues.

Microsoft

Updated connector permissions & authentication

To manage Microsoft Teams Phone, Kurmi Provisioning Suite must be declared as an application in Entra ID (formerly Azure AD) with API permissions to read or write data.

In 2023, we focused on updating this connection to allow for greater customization and increase security. IT teams can now configure Kurmi Provisioning Suite’s access to their Microsoft environment at a granular level, setting permissions to read and write only what is strictly necessary, in order to adhere to their organization’s workflows and policies.

Additionally, the Microsoft 365 Graph connector now supports more authentication methods including certificate-based authentication.

License reporting

Managing Microsoft licenses can be time consuming and complicated–knowing which licenses grant permissions to multiple applications, double-checking who needs access to what, etc. Kurmi offers streamlined, automated license management for Microsoft 365, including reporting widgets that show license assignment, preventing the dreaded double allocation and saving money.

Call Pickup Group management

Organizations are increasingly using Call Pickup Groups in Microsoft Teams Phones to route calls internally when an employee is unable answer their phone. Configuring these groups can involve complex provisioning activity and daily management. Within Kurmi Provisioning Suite, Pickup Groups containing up to 25 people can be created with just two clicks. So now, IT admins can delegate management of this feature to non-technical administrators, freeing themselves up to focus on more technical initiatives.

Avaya

Avaya Virtual Stations

Kurmi Provisioning Suite can manage all aspects of Virtual Stations in Avaya. Virtual Stations are assigned to the user or agent, and are used to forward calls if the user is absent for example.

Avaya CTI Stations

Additionally, admins can now manage the Avaya Computer Telephony Integration (CTI) Station from the Kurmi Provisioning Suite platform. CTI Stations are used to redirect calls to the call center agent with the most appropriate skills. CTI Stations also mean agents can accept calls directly from a computer without using a physical phone.

Zoom

Added compatibility

Zoom continues to grow in popularity as enterprises adopt more UC solutions to their tech stacks. In response, Kurmi has invested in updating our connector to Zoom environments. Now, UC administrators are able to automate provisioning for Zoom, from basic operations like adding an end user to general administration tasks, including bulk management.

Other enhancements

Connector for Enghouse Trio

In 2023, Kurmi added to its native connectors launching one for Enghouse Trio. Now, organizations that user the contact center system can manage Enghouse Trio end users and settings from the Kurmi Provisioning Suite platform – further streamlining UC administration for overtaxed IT teams.

Looking to 2024 and beyond

As we plan for the next year, we’re continuing to improve Kurmi Provisioning Suite’s feature set, leaning into our close ties with leading UC&C providers to ensure that our platform remains fully compatible with any new features that Cisco, Microsoft, Zoom, Avaya and others deploy.

To see these product updates in action, reach out to your Kurmi account manager or request a demo.

Unified communications (UC) applications are meant to streamline collaboration, but often, managing these platforms is far from unified. Many organizations grapple with a tangled web of multi-vendor, multi-system architectures, a situation exacerbated by the rapid adoption of new communication tools and the migration of legacy systems to the cloud.

In this article, featured on The Fast Mode, Eric Olson, VP of Sales – Americas at Kurmi, explores UC sprawl and discusses how enterprises can take back control. While the complexity of UC ecosystems is inevitable, a strategic approach and the right tools can pave the way for a streamlined, efficient, and future-ready communication and collaboration environment.

In an effort to both adapt to hybrid workplaces and increase employee efficiency, organizations are implementing a variety of new enterprise collaboration tools. But as they do so, managing the plethora of platforms becomes complex and tedious. A Unified Communications (UC) provisioning automation tool, like Kurmi Provisioning Suite, consolidates the administration of these applications. Implementing one reduces operational management costs by 36.9% and initial user provisioning time by 46.4% (Metrigy), making these tools essential to an enterprise IT team’s tech stack.

Evaluating UC provisioning automation tool features

UC provisioning automation tools aren’t all built the same – they vary by UC connectors, additional application integrations, configuration capabilities, and more. When selecting a tool, it’s important to identify which features are mission-critical to your organization and which are added perks. Below are some common features you’ll find in UC provisioning automation software:

Communication Services Integration:

Integrate with various communication platforms (e.g., VoIP, video conferencing, messaging, email)
Configure user accounts and settings for each integrated service
Set up phone extensions, SIP trunks, and other telephony-related configurations
Manage and provision communication devices (e.g., phones, headsets, video conferencing equipment)

2. User Profile Management:

Create, edit, and delete user profiles
Define user attributes (e.g., name, email, phone number, job title)
Assign user roles and permissions

3. Directory Services:

Synchronize with LDAP or Active Directory for user authentication and attribute retrieval
Define user groups and organizational units

4. Security and Compliance:

Implement security policies (e.g., password policies, calling policies)
Control access to UC services based on roles and permissions

5. Call Routing and Forwarding:

Define call routing rules (e.g., call forwarding, voicemail settings)
Set up hunt groups, call queues, and auto-attendants

6. Conferencing and Meeting Management:

Configure virtual meetings and web conferences
Define conference room settings and resources
Manage integration with calendar systems (e.g., Microsoft Exchange, Google Calendar)

7. Device and Endpoint Configuration:

Manage and provision communication devices (e.g., phones, headsets, video conferencing equipment)
Configure device settings and profiles for users

8. Integration with Third-Party Applications:

Integrate with other business applications (e.g., CRM, HRIS, ServiceNow and other helpdesk software).

9. Self-Service Portal:

Allow end users to manage and adjust their own UC profiles and settings

10. Customization and Branding:

Customize the management tool’s interface and branding to match your organization’s identity.
Define custom templates and settings for different departments or teams.

Selecting the UC provisioning automation tool that’s right for your organization

UC provisioning automation tools aren’t one-size-fits-all – the various tools on the market all have slightly different capabilities, meaning businesses can choose the one that best aligns with their needs. Organizations ultimately should implement the UC provisioning automation tool that integrates with all or most of their current and planned UC/UCaaS applications and has the features that will have the greatest impact on their IT team’s operations.

Kurmi Provisioning Suite offers IT teams all of the features above and more, like Role Based Access Control for task delegation or Rollback for swiftly fixing errors. To see how Kurmi can streamline your UC workflows, reach out for a customized demo.

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Kurmi’s Head of Product, Bruno Guirardel, attended Zoomtopia—Zoom’s annual conference held on October 4 & 5^thin San Jose, California. Below, he shares his top insights from the two-day event that highlighted new developments and strategies from the video conferencing leader.

AI: Pioneering the Future of Collaboration

The overarching theme of Zoomtopia 2023 was clear: AI is the future of enterprise collaboration. Multiple sessions were dedicated to showcasing how Zoom is embracing AI, unveiling new features enhanced with artificial intelligence, and discussing how organizations can harness this transformative technology. From AI Companion to Zoom Docs, Zoom has fully embraced AI to power its enterprise collaboration suite.

Zoom’s approach to AI is particularly noteworthy, too. It’s not just about boosting productivity; it’s about enhancing human connections. This human-centric perspective on technology sets Zoom apart, emphasizing the importance of technology that not only simplifies tasks but also enriches interactions and relationships in the workplace.

The Imperative of Flexibility in the Workplace

Flexibility emerged as a cornerstone in Zoom’s vision for the future of work. As organizations continue to reimagine their workspaces, Zoom emphasizes the importance of designing offices that cater to both in-person work and seamless collaboration with remote teams. This involves a focus on application diversity within unified communications ecosystems and ensuring that meeting spaces can flex to user needs. The message is clear: the workspace should adapt to its users, not the other way around.

“Zoom and…”: A Complementary Approach to Enterprise Collaboration

Creating flexibility in the office leads to another key message coming from Zoomtopia – the notion of “Zoom and…”. Zoom isn’t aiming to replace existing collaboration tools but rather position itself as a complement to an organization’s UC toolkit – and the more diverse the UC toolkit, the more organizations can lean into how teams work best, increasing productivity and collaboration. Zoom has built out many native connectors, but also has a robust API that organizations can leverage to truly customize how they use Zoom’s products, including embedded in other applications. Several conference sessions showcased how Zoom works in tandem with other applications, like Microsoft Teams, ServiceNow, Salesforce, and Zendesk.

Practical Implications for Unified Communications Management

The ”Zoom and…” message is a trend we’re seeing more of – organizations are increasingly taking a multi-vendor, multi-system approach to designing their UC ecosystems. While this increases user adoption and productivity, it creates a challenge for IT teams, often necessitating robust management solutions. Kurmi’s multi-vendor management emerges as a crucial player in this scenario, providing a unified platform for IT teams—a single pane of glass to oversee UC deployments that encompass Zoom and other tools. Kurmi’s approach alleviates the burden on IT teams, enabling efficient management and monitoring of the evolving UC landscape.

Parting Thoughts

Zoomtopia 2023 offered a captivating glimpse into the future of enterprise collaboration. Zoom’s commitment to AI and the imperative of flexibility sets an inspiring benchmark for collaboration platforms. Moreover, the “Zoom and…” emphasis on complementary integration rather than replacement highlights the need for effective multi-vendor UC management solutions like Kurmi, ensuring a seamless and efficient unified communications experience for organizations navigating the evolving landscape of work.

See how your IT team can leverage Kurmi Provisioning Suite as a single-pane-of-glass to manage your entire UC ecosystem – schedule a demo today.