Cisco Meeting Server Unites Service with Microsoft Skype

Microsoft’s battles with Apple and Google are well known in the consumer space. But they equally do battle with Cisco in the enterprise realm. Now there are some signs of thawing relations between the two tech super giants.

Monday, Cisco unveiled Cisco Meeting Server. The system connects Cisco meeting rooms with others using Skype for Business. This is a welcome, albeit unusual, unification of the two systems.  Cisco has a reputation for being the go-to option for secure, long-distance video conferencing.

This is an industry Microsoft obviously targeting after its purchase of Skype. Now, it seems Cisco and Microsoft are ready to bury the hatches, a bit, for the greater good.

“Connecting should not be hard. But it has been, because certain vendors’ technologies have not played well with standards-based technologies, like Cisco’s industry-leading video systems. We just fixed that, and the impact is huge,” said Rowan Trollope, SVP and GM of Cisco’s IoT and Applications Groups. “Just as you don’t think twice about whether an iPhone can call a Samsung Galaxy, enterprises need to know that everyone can join the meeting. And now they can.”

Besides working with Skype for Business, Cisco also promises an improved UI, better bandwidth use, lower costs and constantly improving security. You can order the new Cisco Meeting Server here.

Sign of Things to Come?

In the long run, there is hope this will influence more cooperation between the two companies. Much like Microsoft’s production of service on other platforms, Cisco appears ready to do the same. If other companies were to follow suit, all consumers would benefit. Better cooperation between services will only help to accelerate the adoption of new products and services. For example, one key issue holding IoT (Internet of Things) back is connectivity. From smart devices to smart homes, a variety of services often struggle to talk to one another. With improved universal platforms or just better business practices, we all benefit from more companies choosing to collaborate, rather than go it alone.