On-premise servers are still the best solution for video conferencing because of their technical reliability and security. Here comes a short review of some of the best products available on the market today.
Despite the fast technological development of the last years that has made cloud services and browser apps for video conferencing very popular, on-premise server based solutions are still the best for those businesses that have to respect strict security protocols. From finance to the government, the range of industries that have to comply with strict regulations on data protection is wide. Luckily, the number of producers of the necessary technical equipment is not as slim as you can expect.
Let’s start our review with R-HUB (http://www.rhubcom.com ), a producer of on-premise servers for video and audio conferencing, telepresence, remote support and remote pc control based in San Diego, California. Their suite Turbomeeting is a great example of an all-in-one solution through which it is possible to host audio and video conferences up to 3000 participants. Their strength is the ability to offer a product that has all the pros of software applications without the cons of traditional hardware. Indeed, TurboMeeting servers are self-configuring and self-updating, and they do not need any devoted IT team.
Space-saving is another important feature of this product. Being very small and silent, TurboMeeting servers can be put on a shelf of a bookcase, and cabinets and devoted rooms to store them are no longer necessary. Their GUI offers all the functionalities to engage your audience, from the raising hand button to document and screen sharing. Last, R-HUB`s flat license policy allows you to add a virtually unlimited number of participants to your conference without additional costs.
Cisco is a very well-known IT giant that owns WebEx (http://www.webEx.com) , one of the most popular products for virtual meetings around. The strong point of WebEx is its flexibility, as it is available as software. Highly scalable, WebEx is that kind of solution that could serve your firm all lifelong. Slightly less powerful than TurboMeeting, it can host up to 2000 participants and it is very rich in functionalities. Their cloud based solution is particularly interesting for those organizations that need a good product for remote collaboration, as all the necessary functionalities to hold a great virtual meeting are present, from screen sharing to polling; it is not a case that they have hosted over 1.8 billion meeting minutes per month.
However, it does not come for free. A business plan for WebEx software for virtual conferences up to 100 participants costs over 1000 $ per year. To make a comparison, consider that R-HUB`s server prices range from 995 $ to around 2000 $, and you can host up to 3000 participants.
Lifesize (http://www.lifesice.com) is another product that gives you the option between traditional infrastructure (it means on-premise servers) and software/cloud solutions. Their strength is that they are present in about 100 countries, which is important for any global business. The cons are that it is necessary to have an IT team to manage this product, which implies a sharp rise in costs.
In conclusion, there are several products available on the market for a business that is in need of an on-premise server based solution for video conferencing for security reasons. Producers like R-HUB has been able to address the issues that were traditionally linked to this technology, so that they can offer inexpensive, highly competitive and easy-to-manage servers that suit well any kind of organization; Other manufactures, like Cisco, are more oriented to offer a multiple service that leaves customers the freedom to choose between software and hardware.