October 2001
 

BY MARK MALONE AND TERRY HEMPHILL

For businesses in need of a secure, reliable fax solution capable of a variety of delivery routes, server-based IP fax options should be reviewed. Server-based IP faxing is used extensively by a large segment of the market because, in addition to offering numerous cost benefits like least-cost routing and productivity gains, it also allows organizations the flexibility to tailor fax solutions to individual users and groups of users.

IN-HOUSE OPTIONS
Flexibility, cost effectiveness, and ease of use are key reasons companies choose a server-based IP fax solution. The most sophisticated fax servers assure a high level of flexibility and scalability designed to meet business objectives. Some server-based IP fax solutions include:

• Least cost routing (LCR) -- LCR is a key way in which users can leverage their internal IP networks. LCR allows medium to large enterprises to use fax servers and "dialing rules" to send faxes over their local area network (LAN) to other fax servers. LCR means organizations have the opportunity to send faxes via more cost-effective phone calls, rather than long-distance calls.
   
• Web clients -- With a Web client, fax server users are able to access fax capabilities from anywhere on the enterprise's LAN or internal network through the familiar interface of a Web browser. Because the Web browser is commonly used, the need for training to use a Web client is minimal.
   
• E-mail gateways -- An e-mail gateway on the fax server that conforms to the Internet's e-mail standards (SMTP and POP) extends faxing capabilities to Internet mail clients. In this way, users are able to send and receive faxes via their e-mail systems. Universal inboxes and outboxes can be established for both e-mail and fax messages, creating productivity increases since users can manage both message types from one place.
   
• Direct links to the Internet -- Some fax servers have a direct link to the Internet. This allows the system to perform production faxing with delivery of documents over the Internet as e-mail. The fax server extracts data from a mainframe or host computer and builds and delivers documents in a number of formats including .pdf, .gif, .tif, or .pcx. The fax server uses Multi-purpose Internet Mail Extensions (MIME) to send documents.

OUTSOURCED OPTIONS
Many organizations choose to outsource e-document delivery needs in order to more effectively reach thousands or tens of thousands of recipients. For these organizations -- such as mortgage companies and marketing organizations -- maintaining the in-house equipment needed to send such high-volume, urgent broadcasts may not be the best solution. Outsourcing to an e-document delivery service bureau addresses this business need, providing high-volume IP fax and e-mail delivery on demand.

Additionally, sending high-volume fax broadcasts over an IP network enables fax service bureaus to offer companies the most efficient routing of faxes, bypassing local PSTN networks for long-distance delivery and sending documents directly to e-mail boxes with IP gateways.

WHO SHOULD OUTSOURCE?
Examples of industries who must distribute a wide variety of business-critical information simultaneously to large numbers of recipients include mortgage lenders who need to send the latest rate sheets to large broker lists and companies who frequently broadcast product updates, event announcements and direct marketing promos to their customers and prospects.

Other industries that require similar, frequent communication include travel, publishing, associations, and distributors. Because regular internal fax and e-mail systems aren't designed to handle these urgent broadcasts directed to thousands of recipients, companies find that outsourcing enables them to effectively reach their audience while offering compelling business benefits. Outsourcing lets organizations focus on core business priorities, eliminating upfront investment in capital equipment and its associated costs for maintenance, while providing the expertise of professionals who specialize in high-volume, instantaneous e-document delivery.

MIXED BROADCASTS
IP fax remains a widely used form of e-document delivery because of its nearly universal reach. E-mail, however, is quickly becoming a preferred method of communication as an increasing number of businesses and individuals connect to the Internet. According to International Data Corporation (IDC), e-mail delivery of documents is growing so rapidly that traditional fax service providers may see e-mail-related revenue surpass fax revenue within three to four years. Outsourcing e-document delivery services enables organizations to send to lists that include both fax and e-mail recipients at the same time. Additionally, such services often include proof-of-delivery reports including IP fax and e-mail deliveries, as well as auto-retry capabilities to increase delivery rates for high-volume broadcasts.

PERMISSION E-MAIL
As e-mail becomes an increasingly popular communication method, fax service bureaus may offer valuable services such as permission e-mail, allowing recipients of e-mail messages to opt-in and opt-out of customer lists by replying to an e-mail or clicking on a link within an e-mail. Permission e-mail lets companies strengthen relationships with customers and prospects through more personalized, targeted, and responsible e-marketing.

By ensuring that messages are sent only to recipients who have given their consent to receive them, permission e-mail avoids sending unsolicited commercial e-mail. According to industry analyst IMT Strategies, "By 2002, most companies will compete on the basis of direct customer relationships and personalized marketing approaches. Therefore, no business can afford to ignore the tremendous sales and marketing potential of permission e-mail."

A HYBRID SOLUTION
While benefits for both in-house and outsourced IP fax solutions are clear, additional flexibility is sometimes beneficial to organizations. For this reason, a hybrid is available. Typically in the form of a connector attached to the fax server, an IP fax connector combines the control and flexibility of the existing fax server with the virtual capacity and high volume delivery of an outsourced fax network.

Organizations should consider using an IP fax connector if the busy periods on the fax server are unpredictable; if fax communications are disabled if the phone lines go down; if fax broadcasts sometimes cause congestion for other fax traffic; if the need exists for high-volume delivery in a matter of minutes; or if some departments within the organization are already outsourcing faxes.

IP fax connectors are controlled by the dialing rules set up for the fax server, allowing for enhanced flexibility in how and when the service is used. Some common applications for an IP fax connector include:

• Unexpected fax traffic overload -- If the fax server experiences occasional increases in fax volume that result in delays in fax transmission, an IP fax connector can be configured to automatically pick up the extra traffic and ensure all faxes are sent on time.
   
• Back up in case of fax board or phone line failures -- Even if the fax server has enough channels installed to handle all possible fax volume increases, unexpected phone line problems or scheduled switch maintenance can put an immediate stop to all incoming and outgoing faxes. A fax server can be configured to automatically divert all fax traffic to the IP fax connector when it detects fax channels are off-line.
   
• Occasional large-scale fax broadcasts -- For many organizations, it is impractical to install enough fax ports to handle only periodic increases in fax traffic or to delivery a large number of faxes in a short period of time. Offloading fax broadcasts to an outsourced fax network gives a business access to thousands of virtual fax ports for very fast transmission.

IDC predicts the overall facsimile services industry is expected to grow from $1.2 billion in 2000 to $1.8 billion in 2005. Fax service providers have responded to this growth, offering different solutions and options for those investing in IP fax solutions. Whether organizations choose to invest in in-house equipment, outsourced services, or a combination of the two, IP fax and related technologies remain essential tools for communication in today's business environment.

Mark Malone is Captaris RightFax product manager and Terry Hemphill is Captaris MediaLinq product marketing manager. Captaris specializes in developing unified communications solutions including network faxing, unified messaging, high-volume e-document delivery and mobile wireless applications. Captaris' products and services include RightFax, CallXpress, Infinite Mobile Delivery Server and MediaLinq Services.

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