"With Office Communications Server 2007, business associates seem like employees of the college. Our actual locations are irrelevant. I can be in my office or at home and still conduct business." Russell Wood, Director of Technology, Hinds Community College

1. Microsoft Office System
Customer Solution Case Study
Community College Reduces Travel, Improves
Collaboration with Unified Communications
Overview “With Office Communications Server 2007, business
Country or Region: United States
Industry: Education—Community colleges
associates seem like employees of the college. Our
actual locations are irrelevant. I can be in my office or
Customer Profile
Based in Raymond, Mississippi, Hinds
at home and still conduct business.”
Community College has approximately Russell Wood, Director of Technology, Hinds Community College
1,100 employees and 17,000 students. It
offers more than 170 academic and With six campuses spread across central Mississippi, Hinds
occupational programs.
Community College wanted better ways for its 1,100 employees to
Business Situation communicate and work together. For example, it sought to reduce
Administrators at Hinds Community College
wanted to reduce travel and collaborate the need for time-consuming and increasingly costly travel.
more efficiently with each other and However, the college’s existing tools, which included e-mail and
external partners.
phone communications, provided limited interaction. To improve
Solution collaboration, Hinds implemented Microsoft® Office
The college implemented Microsoft® Office
Communications Server 2007 and Communications Server 2007. Administrators use Web
integrated the solution with its existing conferencing to share documents and presentations with remote
infrastructure, including its IP-PBX system
and Microsoft Exchange Server 2007. colleagues, which saves time and reduces costs. They also use
presence information and integrated communications tools to
Benefits
 Reduced travel costs and improved
collaborate more efficiently with external partners and to streamline
return on investment routine tasks. The college expects that Office Communications
 Extended collaboration
 Improved workflow
Server 2007 will enhance the education and services that it offers
 Enhanced services students.

2. Situation also wanted a solution that would help
Established 90 years ago in Raymond, employees share information and work
Mississippi, Hinds Community College now together more efficiently. For example, to
serves five counties and a diverse student collaborate on a document, a Hinds
population of approximately 17,000. In employee typically faxed a paper copy or sent
addition to the main campus in Raymond, the an e-mail attachment to colleagues. People
college has five other campuses located in then made changes individually and merged
central Mississippi. Hinds is part of a network the changes later into a single document. The
of 15 community colleges in the state process was tedious, and it slowed projects.
dedicated to providing high-quality, affordable The college hoped that better
education. It offers both occupational training communications tools would bring multiple
and academic programs for students benefits, including improved workflow.
planning to pursue baccalaureate degrees at
universities. Solution
Hinds Community College administrators
Staff members from the college’s six discussed several products and services―
campuses meet regularly to discuss ideas for including GoToMeeting―at their annual
improving administration. At an annual meeting. However, they wanted a solution
conference held in October 2007, the that the college could manage as part of its
meetings themselves were a discussion topic, own IT infrastructure, one that would include
according to Russell Wood, Director of multiple collaboration options, including
Technology at Hinds Community College. “It audio, video, and Web conferencing. Hinds
was just a brainstorming session, but one of was still looking for a solution for its
the results that came from it was an initiative communications needs when administrators
to explore other avenues for conducting attended EDUCAUSE 2007 in Seattle,
business,” he says. “We asked, ‘How can we Washington. While attending the event, which
meet better? How can we facilitate a better brings together educators from across the
use of time?’” country, Wood learned about Microsoft®
Office Communications Server 2007.
The problem concerned not just annual
meetings, but monthly meetings with other “There were several options with Office
colleges as well. To reduce the need for Communications Server 2007 that were
travel, a different college hosted the meeting really attractive to us, especially in this age of
each month. However, for most of the year, $4 per gallon gas,” he says. “These included
administrators spent more time traveling the ability to host Web conferences, show
than talking. “Anything would be better than video presentations, and make phone calls.
driving six hours roundtrip for a three-hour We saw the potential to conduct business
meeting,” says Wood. without actually having to go anywhere.”
And since the annual meeting in 2007, rising With help from Enabling Technologies, a
fuel prices have added to the pressure to find Microsoft Gold Certified Partner, Hinds moved
a solution. Wood says, “Times have changed, forward with the implementation in January
and the college increasingly has to review the 2008. The IT services provider specializes in
way we do business.” helping higher education institutions take
advantage of new communications
Hinds wanted to reduce travel time and technologies. “Enabling Technologies was the
costs, but that was not the only concern. It facilitator,” says Wood. “It coordinated the

3. “It’s just a tremendous project and provided the resources to do the June 2009. The features that employees are
integration.” using include instant messaging (IM) and
timesavings to be able voice over IP (VoIP), conferencing, and
to see if someone is Hinds and Enabling Technologies installed presence awareness, which is integrated
Office Communications Server 2007 on HP throughout the Microsoft Office
available and ask a ProLiant DL360 server computers running Communicator 2007 client and Microsoft
quick question using the Windows Server® 2003 Enterprise Edition Office applications, including the Microsoft
operating system. The solution integrates Office Outlook® 2007 messaging and
one of the tools with Microsoft Exchange Server 2007 collaboration client. With presence
available in Office Enterprise Edition, which runs on Windows information visible, employees can quickly
Server 2008 Enterprise. Exchange Server see who is online and available for
Communications Server 2007 Unified Messaging delivers e-mail, collaboration.
2007. We can … realize voice mail, and faxes to one inbox.
Through federated communications, the
much faster turnaround The unified communications solution also college also sees presence information for its
as a result.” interoperates with the college’s Private vendors and partners. Federation allows
Branch Exchange (PBX) solution from Mitel. Hinds employees to securely collaborate with
Russell Wood, Director of Technology, Hinds “Last year, we consolidated our PBX systems people located outside the collegiate firewall
Community College from six vendors to just the Mitel 3300 IP as if they all shared the same network. Edge
Communications Platform,” says Wood. “The servers in the network perimeter provide
consolidation gave us features such as four- connectivity for federated partners, public IM
digit dialing across the entire school district, connections, and the college’s external users.
and the ability to keep the same number
when we changed locations.” The school Employees are using a variety of devices for
district retained those benefits with the new calls, including Polycom CX200 desktop
solution because “fortunately for us, our PBX phones and Jabra GN9350 headsets. Wood
works with Office Communications Server says, “I have one of the Polycom desktop
2007.” phones at home, so that on weekends when
I’m working I can look down and see who is
When Hinds began deploying Office logged on to Office Communications Server
Communications Server 2007, it used an 2007. In effect, my office is extended to my
AudioCodes Mediant 1000 gateway. home.”
However, it now plans to remove the product
and instead use its existing Mitel IP-PBX Hinds has also started using the Microsoft
system as an application services gateway at RoundTable™ conferencing and collaboration
all campus locations. Wood explains, “Mitel device, and Wood says that its panoramic,
and Microsoft work together, so the software 360-degree view is an improvement over
that handles the media services is built into traditional conferencing systems that the
the IP-PBX. It simply performs a Session school has used. “With RoundTable, everyone
Initiation Protocol conversion between Office is more engaged because you’re looking at
Communications Server 2007 and the PBX.” people across the table, instead of looking at
a camera and screen at the end of the room.”
After successfully finishing the first pilot with
20 users, Hinds rolled the solution out to 250 Wood plans to take advantage of the new
administrators at the college. The second conferencing capabilities to improve
phase was complete by May 2008, and the collaboration with other institutions. For
college expects to include all employees by example, Hinds has established a

4. “Office Communications relationship with Bridgewater College in the Extended Collaboration
United Kingdom, and the schools regularly With its unified communications solution,
Server 2007 will work together and share instructors. He says, Hinds has transformed its work environment.
continue to add to the “I envision my department using RoundTable Before, its network confined employees to
with Office Communications Server 2007 in physical locations and limited communication
collaboration that our quarterly technology conference calls, to with colleagues. Now, Hinds administrators
education is really all update each other and discuss new can share IM communication and presence
solutions.” information with other institutions and
about. It can only get enterprises from any location. “I can see
better.” Benefits presence information for salespeople, my
By implementing Office Communications support representatives at Microsoft, and
Russell Wood, Director of Technology, Hinds Server 2007, Hinds Community College is other companies.” Wood says. “Office
Community College reducing costly travel while it expands its Communications Server 2007 has extended
collaboration capabilities. Employees can the way we communicate with our support
work easier from any location, and they use companies and the people we work with. It’s
integrated communications tools to simplify a tremendous advantage.”
workflows and expedite results. Ultimately,
Hinds expects to improve collaboration for He continues, “With Office Communications
students as well as administrators. Server 2007, business associates seem like
employees of the college. Our actual
Reduced Travel Costs and Improved locations are irrelevant. I can be in my office
Return on Investment or at home and still conduct business.”
By taking advantage of Office
Communications Server 2007 Web Improved Workflow
conferencing capabilities, Hinds expects to When Hinds administrators discussed their
reduce the inconvenience and cost of collaboration needs, they agreed they wanted
traveling to meetings. Instead of driving to tools that could help them use their time
meet with other college administrators in more efficiently. They wanted to streamline
person, Hinds administrators can collaborate routine tasks, and get answers and resolve
and share information remotely. Wood is problems quickly. Office Communications
encouraging colleagues in other institutions Server 2007 helps them meet those goals
to adopt the unified communications solution because it integrates communications tools
as well. “The more organizations that deploy and presence information with their
Office Communications Server 2007, the productivity applications. For example,
more we can benefit from conducting instead of sending out multiple copies of a
meetings online.” document for separate revisions, employees
can make changes together more quickly.
The college also expects to save money
because it can use its existing IT “Just yesterday, a coworker and I were having
infrastructure, including the Mitel IP-PBX. an IM conversation with Office Communicator
That integration will help the college achieve 2007, and we realized that we needed to
a better return on investment than it would by escalate it and look at a common document,”
using a solution that requires additional Wood says. “So we just jumped into a Web
hardware. Wood notes, “Our PBX system meeting, and we marked up the document
talks directly to Office Communications together in real time as our conversation
Server 2007, which eliminates the need to continued.”
buy gateways for each of our six locations.”

5. “Office Communications “It’s just a tremendous timesavings to be
able to see if someone is available and ask a
Server 2007 will quick question using one of the tools
continue to add to the available in Office Communications Server
2007,” he adds. “We can move seamlessly
collaboration that between an IM conversation and a video
education is really all conference, and realize much faster
turnaround as a result.”
about. It can only get
better.” Enhanced Services
With help from Enabling Technologies, Hinds
Russell Wood, Director of Technology, Hinds implemented better ways to communicate
Community College and share information. The services provider
helped the college take advantage of both
new technologies and its existing
infrastructure.
Next, Hinds is investigating possibilities for
extending its unified communications
solution to students. In 2007, Hinds provided
students with a central e-mail service through
Microsoft Live@edu, a set of hosted
communication and collaboration services
that includes Microsoft Exchange Labs e-mail.
Wood hopes to integrate Office
Communications Server 2007 presence
information with the Live@edu services,
which also include social networking tools
such as IM communication and blogs. Wood
says, “I can see instructors sitting at their
home computers, available to students for
discussion, counseling, or exam review. Office
Communications Server 2007 will continue to
add to the collaboration that education is
really all about. It can only get better.”

6. For More Information Microsoft Office System
For more information about Microsoft The Microsoft Office system is the business
products and services, call the Microsoft world’s chosen environment for information
Sales Information Center at (800) work, providing the programs, servers, and
426-9400. In Canada, call the Microsoft services that help you succeed by
Canada Information Centre at (877) transforming information into impact.
568-2495. Customers who are deaf or
hard-of-hearing can reach Microsoft text For more information about the Microsoft
telephone (TTY/TDD) services at (800) Office system, go to:
892-5234 in the United States or (905) www.microsoft.com/office
568-9641 in Canada. Outside the 50
United States and Canada, please contact
your local Microsoft subsidiary. To access
information using the World Wide Web, go
to:
www.microsoft.com
For more information about Enabling
Technologies, call (800) 923-4310 or visit
the Web site at:
www.enablingtechcorp.com
For more information about Hinds
Community College, call (800) 446-3722
or visit the Web site at:
www.hindscc.edu
Software and Services Hardware
 Microsoft Office  AudioCodes Mediant 1000 gateway
− Microsoft Office Communications  HP ProLiant DL360 server computers
Server 2007  Jabra GN9350 headsets
− Microsoft Office Communicator 2007  Microsoft RoundTable
 Microsoft Server Product Portfolio  Mitel 3300 IP Communications Platform
− Windows Server 2008 Enterprise  Polycom CX200 desktop phones
− Windows Server 2003 Enterprise
Edition Partners
− Microsoft Exchange Server 2007  Enabling Technologies
Enterprise Edition
This case study is for informational purposes only. MICROSOFT
MAKES NO WARRANTIES, EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, IN THIS
SUMMARY.
Document published June 2008