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SentraCloud: Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
General
- What do you mean by "managed cloud IT services"?
- What's the difference between managed cloud services and unmanaged cloud services?
- Are cloud-based services safe? secure? reliable?
- I have on-premises equipment now. What are the benefits to moving my IT/communications services to the cloud?
WorldSmart Cloud Services
- What Unified Communications services do you offer?
- What is CloudBox?
- Can I customize WorldSmart services for each of my employees?
- What if I need to add or delete users?
- Do you need to install anything on my desktop?
- Do you support Windows? Mac? Linux?
SmartBand Bandwidth
- What happens if my SmartBand connection goes down?
- Can I use my existing bandwidth connection and have you manage it?
- Can you support my remote users and small locations with QoS?
- Can I have a single bandwidth connection to carry both voice and data traffic?
- Do I need a separate local LAN?
SmartCPE On-Premises Equipment
- Who will install all the on-premises equipment?
- How do you handle multiple locations? Remote users?
- Can I use my own on-premises equipment, like my current router or switches?
- I already have IP phones. Can I use them with SentraCloud?
- What phones do you support?
- What tablets do you support?
- If my phone or other SentraCloud SmartCPE equipment breaks, what do I do?
TotalCare Customer Satisfaction
- Who will administer the services such as doing adds, moves and deletes?
- How do I get help quickly?
- If I'm having a problem and I'm not sure if it is a SentraCloud issue, what should I do?
General
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A: SentraCloud allows you to outsource many of your IT services such as PBX voice services, web collaboration services, messaging services, call center services, and file storage services and have them managed and delivered reliably and securely from the PanTerra cloud. This means that PanTerra will deliver and manage all the services, install and manage all the bandwidth connects from each of your locations and even install and manage any on-premises equipment such as routers, switches and phones. This ensures you will have the most consistent, high quality, high performance infrastructure available so that you can focus on your customers and business and not your infrastructure. It also means you gain infrastructure flexibility while eliminating asset obsolescence and reducing overall infrastructure complexity and cost.
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Q: What's the difference between managed cloud services and unmanaged cloud services
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A: Managed cloud services are IT services that are delivered from the cloud and completely managed by the service provider. This management includes managing the configuration, setup and installation of the services as well as the ongoing administration of the services. Unmanaged cloud services leave the management of the cloud service to the customer or 3rd party partner. With a managed cloud service, the customer gets a single vendor solution with experience and expertise to reliably deliver the service.
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A: Cloud-based services have come a long way in the past couple years, and provides a safe, secure, reliable and cost effective method for outsourcing IT services for large and small enterprises alike. Encryption technologies, multiple firewalls, redundancy and auto-failover technologies have matured to deliver enterprise level capabilities. Make sure you select a vendor with a proven track record of service.
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Q: I have on-premises equipment now. What are the benefits to moving my IT/communications services to the cloud
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A: There are several key benefits to outsourcing your infrastructure to cloud-based managed services:
- Lower overall operations costs by reducing IT staffing resources, maintenance contracts, and overhead associated with on-premises equipment
- Elimination of capital equipment expenses and associated obsolescence management
- Reduce IT complexity, frustration and cost
- Protection of all SmartCPE on-premises equipment through extended warranty and no-hassle replacement policies provided by PanTerra
- Allows your company to focus on your business, not your infrastructure
- Futureproof flexible infrastructure, allows for graceful expansion/adjustment of your company's infrastructure globally around the world
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WorldSmart Cloud Services
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A: WorldSmart offers the most extensive and comprehensive level of Unified Communications services in the industry, integrating over 11 key communications services including:
- Fully virtualized PBX with intelligent routing, free local and long distance calling, and toll free and international calling
- Voicemail with voice-to-text
- Multi-media conferencing
- Web meeting collaboration
- Desktop sharing
- Digital fax
- Hosted email
- Call center capability
- Remote desktop access
- Secure IM
- SMS integration
WorldSmart seamlessly integrates all these features into a single cohesive Unified Command Center (UCC) interface which works completely within an Internet browser, allowing WorldSmart to run on virtually any device anywhere in the world. Click here to learn more.
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A: CloudBox is PanTerra's cloud storage service providing unlimited storage of user files and data in the cloud. Both folder syncing and CloudDrive capabilities are supported, giving you flexibility in how to store, share and access your cloud data. Users can access their data from virtually any mobile device including ipads, iphones, android phones and tablets, and windows and Mac desktops. In addition, CloudBox supports file versioning and archiving, making it the most flexible unlimited cloud storage service available today.Click here to learn more.
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Q: Can I customize WorldSmart services for each of my employees?
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A: Absolutely. WorldSmart can be customized to the needs of each individual employee, groups of employees or whole company. Features adjustments can be made at anytime at the click of a mouse.
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A: SentraCloud's TotalCare customer support provides direct support to administer your account for you. Just contact PanTerra's TotalCare support and we'll handle everything!
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A: No! WorldSmart's client interface runs 100% in the browser. We don't even store any personal or confidential information on the client. We current support virtually all the popular browsers including explorer, chrome, firefox and safari.
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A: Yes. WorldSmart supports Windows, Mac, Linux and Android client OSs. We are working to provide full support for iOS.
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A: Yes. SentraCloud supports complete analog and digital faxing in and out of the network. Each user can have their own digital and/or analog fax number as well as having corporate digital and/or analog fax numbers.
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A: If your primary SmartBand connection fails, the backup connection will automatically become active provided business continuity. If there is no back up connection, SentraCloud will implement a pre-determined disaster plan which may include re-routing communications to alternative devices such as cell phones. All cloud services will continue to function.
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Q: Can I use my existing bandwidth connection and have you manage it?
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A: No, SentraCloud must be installed with SmartBand connectivity to ensure the highest level of quality, security and reliability.
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Q: Can you support my remote users and small locations with QoS?
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A: Yes. SmartBand can be delivered over DSL connection to support small locations or individual user locations.
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Q: Can I have a single bandwidth connection to carry both voice and data traffic?
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A: While this is not advisable, SmartBand can support a converged voice and data connection as it implements class of service on the connection, thus prioritizing critical communications packets above data packets.
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A: No, as long as the local network is sized correctly and appropriate QoS controls are implemented (VLANs), you can use a converged LAN.
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A: A professional PanTerra installer will configure, setup and install all SmartCPE equipment. Click here to learn more.
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A: All locations that will support SentraCloud users will have a PanTerra professional installer come onsite to install all SmartCPE equipment. Remote users that work from their home can choose to have SmartCPE equipment installed to receive the highest level of quality, security and reliability or if they have certified equipment, they can choose to run in a "best effort" mode.
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Q: Can I use my own on-premises equipment, like my current router or phones or switches?
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A: No. There may be special cases in which we may make an exception for the switch (converged LAN), but not for the router. PanTerra will install, configure and manage the router in all cases.
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Q: I already have IP phones. Can I use them with SentraCloud?
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A: In general No. There may be exceptions if the phones are identical to the approved SentraCloud phones.
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A: SentraCloud currently supports a broad product line from both Polycom and Aastra.
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A: Currently, Android tablets are supported. iPad is coming.
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Q: If my phone or other SentraCloud SmartCPE equipment breaks, what do I do?
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A: TotalCare provides a "no-hassle" replacement policy. Contact PanTerra directly and we will work to replace the device usually within 24 hours.
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Q: Who will administer the services such as doing adds, moves and deletes?
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A: A TotalCare manager will administer all your SentraCloud services. Contact PanTerra directly for assistance.
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A: Contact PanTerra's TotalCare customer support at 800.805.0558.
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Q: If I'm having a problem and I'm not sure if it is a SentraCloud issue, what should I do?
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A: Contact your TotalCare specialist at 800.805.0558. They will "own" the issue no matter what and work with you to resolve it to your satisfaction.
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SmartBand Bandwidth
SmartCPE On-Premises Equipment
TotalCare Customer Satisfaction
