By: Mark Reith and Jamie Ryan

Since 2020, video communication has seen a monumental shift from an on-premises luxury to an essential cloud-based service. Since then, companies have embraced the future of hybrid work. However, as more employees are asked to return to the office, the demand for reliable video conferencing systems has surged, highlighting the need for enhanced monitoring strategies. This requires integrating cloud services and internet-based user devices with a renewed emphasis on on-premises hardware. At Nectar, we recognize the crucial need for comprehensive visibility across these hybrid environments, ensuring that businesses maximize their investments and maintain seamless communication.

  

The Evolution of Video Conferencing and the Return to the Office

Video communication has been a staple in corporate environments for years, initially dominated by on-premises solutions from various vendors. With the advent of cloud technologies, platforms like Cisco WebEx transitioned to the cloud, offering greater flexibility and scalability. 2020 further accelerated this shift as organizations moved to remote work, relying heavily on additional desktop video solutions such as Microsoft Teams and Zoom.

Now, there is a noticeable trend of employees returning to the office. This transition has sparked a renewed interest in sophisticated video conference systems. Companies are now investing in comprehensive video room setups, including Microsoft Teams Rooms, Cisco WebEx Rooms, and Zoom Rooms. Additionally, third-party vendors like Poly, Mersive Solstice, and Crestron are providing a range of video room components, including monitors, microphones, and control systems.

 

The Hybrid Monitoring Challenge

The integration of advanced video conference equipment and solutions presents new challenges for IT departments. The modern video conferencing environment is more complex, requiring monitoring of both cloud-based services and on-premises hardware; possibly all from different vendors and different eras.  This hybrid approach demands a robust monitoring solution that provides end-to-end visibility across all components of the video conferencing ecosystem as well as all employees no matter where they are working.

Comprehensive Visibility

At Nectar, we understand the importance of having a single pane of glass to monitor both cloud and on-premises video conference systems. Our solution offers comprehensive visibility, ensuring that IT teams can monitor the performance and health of every component, from cloud services to room hardware. This unified approach helps in identifying issues quickly, optimizing performance, and ensuring that investments in on-premises video systems deliver their intended ROI.

 

Ensuring ROI and Utilization

With significant investments being made in on-premises video systems, organizations need to ensure these resources are utilized effectively. Monitoring tools must provide insights into usage patterns, identifying underutilized assets and optimizing resource allocation. This data-driven approach helps businesses maximize their investments, ensuring that video conference systems contribute to productivity and collaboration.

Proactive Issue Resolution

Hybrid environments can be prone to a range of issues, from network disruptions affecting cloud services to hardware failures in on-premises setups. Proactive monitoring is essential to detect and resolve issues before they impact users. Nectar’s monitoring solutions offer real-time alerts and diagnostics, empowering IT teams to address problems swiftly and maintain a seamless video conferencing experience.

Supporting a Diverse Ecosystem

The video conferencing landscape is populated with a variety of vendors and technologies. From Microsoft Teams Rooms and Cisco WebEx devices to third-party components like Poly and Crestron, IT departments must manage a diverse ecosystem. Nectar’s flexible monitoring platform supports a wide range of devices and systems, providing consistent and reliable monitoring across the entire video conferencing infrastructure.

 

Looking Ahead: Trends in Video Conference Monitoring

As the hybrid work model becomes the norm, several trends are emerging in the monitoring space:

Integration of AI and Machine Learning

AI and machine learning are playing an increasingly important role in monitoring solutions. These technologies can predict potential issues, automate routine tasks, and provide actionable insights to optimize performance. AI-driven analytics can help IT teams understand usage patterns and make data-driven decisions to improve the video conferencing experience.

Enhanced Security and Compliance

With the growing reliance on video conferencing, security and compliance are critical. Monitoring solutions must ensure that video communications are secure and comply with industry regulations. This includes monitoring for unauthorized access, ensuring data encryption, and maintaining audit trails for compliance purposes.

User Experience Focus

Ultimately, the success of video conferencing systems hinges on the user experience. Monitoring solutions must prioritize metrics that impact user satisfaction, such as video and audio quality, latency, and connection stability. By focusing on the user experience, organizations can ensure that their video conferencing systems support effective collaboration and communication.

 

Conclusion

The return to the office and the integration of advanced video conference systems marks a new era in corporate communication. The hybrid environment, combining cloud-based services with on-premises hardware, presents unique challenges and opportunities for IT departments. We are committed to providing comprehensive monitoring solutions that offer the visibility, insights, and proactive capabilities needed to navigate this complex landscape. As businesses continue to invest in video conferencing technology, our goal is to ensure these systems deliver exceptional performance, enabling seamless and productive communication. Reach out if you’d like to see more!