Design Zone for Collaboration

Deploying collaboration solutions

Learn about the preferred architectures and system designs for implementing Cisco collaboration technologies.

    Cisco collaboration solutions include technologies for:

    • Voice and video communications
    • Voice messaging
    • Conferencing
    • Instant messaging and presence
    • Business-to-business communications
    • Public switched telephone network (PSTN) access
    • Mobile and remote access

    Cisco offers two main types of design guidance for collaboration solutions: Preferred Architectures and Solution Reference Network Designs.

    Preferred Architectures

    Cisco has developed, tested, and documented Preferred Architectures for specific market segments. These deployment models incorporate a subset of products from the Cisco collaboration portfolio.

    Preferred Architectures are prescriptive, out-of-the-box models based on common use cases. They are designed to scale with an organization as its business needs change. This approach simplifies the integration of multiple system-level components.

    Preferred Architectures are tailored to two main market segments:

    • Midmarket: small and medium-sized businesses with up to 1000 users
    • Enterprise: Large businesses with more than 1000 users

    Preferred Architectures are documented in presales design overviews and postsales Cisco Validated Design (CVD) guides. Both are available on the Collaboration Preferred Architectures page.

    Solution Reference Network Designs

    Cisco Solution Reference Network Designs provide detailed design guidelines, recommendations, and deployment models. They help sales teams and customers design their own solutions to meet requirements that may be outside the scope of a Preferred Architecture.

    While a Preferred Architecture presents a single solution design and deployment model, a Network Design explores various options and offers recommendations on which design works best in a specific deployment scenario. Solution Reference Network Designs are broader in scope but less specific in deployment details than Preferred Architectures.

    The Solution Reference Network Design (SRND) guides are available on the Collaboration Solutions Design Guidance page.