CIOIN

Polycom, Inc. announced it received Unified Capabilities Approved Product List (UC APL) certification from the U.S. Department of Defense for several components of its Unified Communications (UC) Intelligent Core infrastructure platform - the Polycom RMX 2000 and RMX 4000 scalable multipoint conferencing platforms and the Polycom RMX Serial Gateway for connecting Polycom and standards-based telepresence and video conferencing systems to serial (V.35/RS-449/RS-530) networks.

The UC APL, as tested under the authority of the Joint Interoperability Test Command (JITC), certifies that the product in question has passed a stringent set of security-based information assurance and interoperability tests to ensure the solution can be placed on the Defense Switched Network (DSN). UC APL certification is one of the strongest security certifications specific to UC devices anywhere in the world.

Polycom RMX 2000 and RMX 4000 support telepresence and video teleconferencing (VTC) applications from desktops to conference rooms, and are designed with intelligence built-in-including dynamic resource allocation, network flexibility and reliability, and cost-effective scalability. The Polycom RMX Serial Gateway is a new solution developed specifically for Federal government applications that require secure connections over ISDN and serial networks.

The U.S. Federal government uses telepresence and VTC solutions to enable communication among strategy planners, command and war fighters in the field. VTC is widely used for distance learning, disaster preparedness, telemedicine, and to enable a remote workforce in response to BRAC and telework initiatives. The use of immersive telepresence for remote training and logistics is used throughout many theatres of operation.

"Use of video communications within the Department of Defense, and the Federal government as a whole, continues to grow. The ability to effectively communicate face to face at a distance adds value to many applications," said Terry Peck, IT Specialist, and member of the Polycom Federal Customer Council. "It is important for us to meet application requirements and achieve the required certifications for operating video communications in secure network environments."

"The U.S government has some of the most progressive and extensive video communications applications anywhere in the world. Polycom is committed to delivering fully integrated solutions that meet the stringent scalability, interoperability, quality and security requirements of this important market," said Barry Morris, vice president of Polycom Federal. "The Polycom UC Intelligent Core infrastructure platform offers unrivaled scalability and resiliency for mission-critical applications, along with flexibility to integrate with core unified communications environments. Today's announcement includes several key certifications in a roadmap that will bring these unique benefits to our Federal customers."

Polycom recognizes that implementing secure communication technologies, validating standards and interoperability is, in many cases, a mandatory requirement for government customers and has created the Polycom Government Security website to provide easy access to related information and resources, including a new whitepaper on video conferencing security.