As part of the solution, Cisco has also announced the SME-class Cisco Catalyst Express 500 Series of switches and additions to its IP communications portfolio, including IPC Communications applications and an expanded line of XML-enabled IP phones -- all part of the Cisco Business Communications Solution.

Cisco Business Communications Solution system for SME customers with 20 to 250 employees is based on the Cisco Catalyst Express 500 switch and the IP Communications Express Solution, featuring Cisco CallManager Express and Cisco Unity Express within the Cisco Integrated Services Router (ISR).

The Cisco Catalyst Express 500 Series switches are built specifically for SMEs that want to run converged networks. As a family of wire-speed Layer 2-managed Fast Ethernet and Gigabit Ethernet switches, it aims to provide a secure network foundation optimized for data, wireless and voice.

Together with the Cisco Network Assistant 3.0 application, customers can now configure their networks and enable technologies such as wireless LANs and IP communications, Cisco says.