PROJECT CHARTER

FOR

CISCO VOIP (VOICE OVER IP)

CAMPUS TELEPHONE
SOLUTION

Date: 6/17/2005
Revision: 1.1
Last Modified By: B. Vasbinder
Copyright © 2001 University at Buffalo. All Rights Reserved.
 TTAABBLLEE OOFF C
COONNTTEENNTTSS

1.0 VOICE OVER IP TELEPHONE SYSTEM INSTALLATION ...2

1.1 PROJECT OVERVIEW ..............................................................2
1.2 EXECUTIVE SPONSORS...........................................................6
1.3 PROJECT ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES .................................7
1.4 CUSTOMERS ..........................................................................8
1.5 IMPACT STATEMENT ...............................................................8
1.6 CRITICAL SUCCESS FACTORS & MEASURES ............................8
1.7 CONSTRAINTS .......................................................................9
1.8 RISKS ...................................................................................9
1.9 ASSUMPTIONS .......................................................................9
1.10 EXCLUSIONS.......................................................................9
1.11 DELIVERABLES ...................................................................9
1.12 COMMUNICATIONS PLAN ...................................................10
1.13 CHANGE MANAGEMENT PROCESS......................................10

Version 1.0 Project Charter for <Project> 1

 Voice Over IP Telephone System Installation

1.1 Project Overview

Synopsis : This document describes the project plan for the
installation of a Cisco VoIP telephone solution and subsequent
migration of existing Centrex, PBX and key system users to the
new platform. The new system has the potential to eventually
replace the existing Verizon Centrex, all PBX and key telephone
systems, and become the single telephone infrastructure used
by the entire University community. Completion of this project
will greatly reduce the overall cost to the University associated
with voice service. The initial trial phase of approximately 75
IP phone sets and supporting equipment in parts of CIT/OSS,
the School of Management, and various other nodes will allow
staff the time necessary to become familiar with the set up and
support of this new technology.
Once we deem the trial a success and staff are comfortable with
the system, the rollout to additional departments will begin.
The first phases of the project will target Centrex users, as this
is where the biggest initial cost savings will be. Migration from
existing PBX and key telephone systems will happen as
departments determine their existing equipment needs
upgrading or replacement.
Although it is difficult to predict the exact rate of deployment,
we anticipate the deployment project will have a life cycle of
about 6 years.

Goals
• Reduce the cost of the University’s voice services by
providing a single, feature-rich, telephone system that
serves the entire campus while taking advantage of the
aggregation of telephone lines.
• Take the lead in the assessment and implementation of
this new technology on behalf of the entire campus.
• Achieve the business benefits (technological and
financial) driving the project
• Make decisions with clients not for clients
• Provide continuous communication to the campus
throughout the project
• Flexibility of voice technology allowing easy, end-user
control of basic telephone set features

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 • Eliminate bureaucracy by allowing customer configuration
of local parameters.
• Potential integration with networked services, such as
directory and video applications
• Substantially reduce institutional costs
• Ensure redundancy across the university with no single
point of failure
• Benefit from the combined skill sets of staff
• Increase levels of customer service by providing faster
turn-around-time for voice service requests via central
University support rather than the various vendors used
today.
• Ensure the VoIP project is completed within scope,
schedule, and budget
• Position UB at the forefront of integrated voice, data and
video networks that could enhance partnerships,
corporate relationships and attract excellent students,
faculty and staff

Scope: The scope of this project includes the implementation of

a Cisco VoIP system, the conversion of Verizon Centrex lines,
PBX and key equipment to the new platform and includes the
rollout of IP phones with voicemail service to virtually all
University staff and faculty. Student voice service can be
provided by analog connectivity to the VoIP infrastructure.

Issues for consideration:

• Cost Model. How will this be funded, how will costs be
recovered?
• Dial Plan- the need to begin using a 7-digit dial plan
across the campus.
• Data network implementation method (QoS, VLAN,
DiffServ)
• Identify the criticality of voice services and plan
implementations and disaster recovery arrangements
accordingly.
• Come to a practical and economical decision regarding
in-line power (from the switch equipment in the closet),
versus local power (power supply from the phone to an
outlet) for the phone sets.

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 • Emergency Announcement (645-NEWS)
• ADA phone set options
• Public Safety- plan for critical redundancy and backup
• 911/E911- how do we handle this very important service
• Impact on network stability, security, and functionality as
a part of the IP telephone project
o upgrading wiring to some parts of campus (hubs)
o network monitoring for delay and jitter
o installing back-up equipment
o installing UPS units in closets
o space requirements
o implementing a security plan
• Off-campus locations- do we include RIA, EOC, etc.?
• Student Response Center and any other call center
operations- leave as stand-alone, provide trunking,
migrate to IP? Replacing the Rockwell ACD is not
included as part of this project scope, but the SRC needs
to be addressed as they are served by Centrex lines.

Project Stages:
• Phase One, Pilot.
o Initial staff training
o Define the role of the vendor and set expectations.
o Determine locations for trial sets within CIT and
SOM.
o Evaluate, test, and resolve technological issues
while evaluating features of IP phones.
o Physical inventory of the pilot closets/network
o Strategize on how to implement firewall, VLAN,
DHCP, QoS, DiffServ
o Make any changes necessary to the associated
data network equipment or core infrastructure.
o Provide the tools, documentation and additional
training to unify the voice and data support
resources
o Refine end user documentation
o Roll out 75 test phones

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 o Survey the client community
o Resolve the policy and technical issues that will
impact the expansion of the new service across
campus
o Identify ordering process and billing model
o Further define future phase deliverable dates
• Forecasting the remaining phases will be based on
findings in the pilot phase, decisions on the issues
detailed above, network readiness, and client readiness.
The faculty and staff Centrex users will be the first to
migrate, followed by student housing. These groups
represent not only the most cost savings, but also the
most straightforward conversion. Individual PBX and key
system users will follow with timeframe determined as
equipment replacement or upgrades become necessary.
We will have a better understanding of project
progression as we move through the pilot, gain executive
support, and begin the actual deployment of IP
telephones throughout the University.
• Phases 2- Production Ready
o Install VoIP equipment in final design with
redundancy and begin deploying IP phones,
provide documentation, end-user and
administrative training, where applicable, to:
ƒ 9,000 faculty and staff users
ƒ 5,000 Residential Hall and Dormitory users
ƒ Offsite locations?
o Ongoing progress updates
o Ongoing financial reviews
• Phase last, inventory and clean up.
o Evaluate remnants of any existing phone systems
or groups overlooked in the original scope or
purposefully delayed.
o Final financial review and report
Customer needs and requirements: the following bullet points
outline our plan for determining the business needs and
expectations of the clientele.

• Survey the existing voice clients to determine

departmental expectations and needs.

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 • Work with clients on order of implementation based on
the readiness factors.
• Hold planning meetings to review feature and
functionality requirements and determine the final design.
• Identify PBX functional requirements - understand the
migration path for voice features and functions
• Define the dial plan based on the 7-digit and new number
decisions
• Work with vendors on solutions for current voice
functions/features (i.e. E911, auto-attendant)
• Define the space and environmental requirements
• Review the order and billing processes.
• Evaluate the benefits for remote clients- could be
significant savings

Prepare the campus

• Garner support from the President, Provost , and Vice
Presidents
• Partner with Campus IT nodes
• Provide continuous communication with campus
• Distribute end user training and documentation
• Provide rollout preparation and support

Production
• Define what to monitor and measure during the pilot
stage and carry over into production
• Define the set roll out procedures and impact (i.e. timing,
outages), manage this process with a documented and
agreed to change management practice
• Ensure production equipment is managed in an
operations environment
• Ensure full lifecycle is addressed including design,
development, testing, documentation, training and
support
• Define the Change Management Process moving forward,
for upgrades, new releases, etc.

1.2 Executive Sponsors

Voldemar Innus, Vice President and Chief Information Officer

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 1.3 Project Roles and Responsibilities

Role Primary Responsibilities

Executive Sponsor: Champions the project to the University

Voldemar Innus Liaison with senior executives;
influences change

Project Manager Resolves issues; makes decisions

Barbara Vasbinder Liaison with senior management
Manages project activities (scope,
schedule, cost) and resources

CIT Directors Champions the project to the University

Helps manage the needed resources

Project Team- Voice Provide subject matter expertise

and Data Engineers Develops and implements the technical
infrastructure
Plan and design capacity and
capabilities
Document functional processes and
design

Order and Billing Provide subject matter expertise

Processing Expert Identify interfaces, reports, and order
and billing practices
Manage and escalate issues

Campus Node Represent their respective school and

Representatives department providing input, resources,
and timelines to the project
Partners in the success of the project

Vendors Recommend design for campus-wide

deployment
Provides subject matter expertise
Participates in testing, implementation
and training

Documentation Creates process infrastructure drawings

Writers Create end user documentation
Document voice and data infrastructure
and processes for billing

System Maintenance Provides system monitoring for the

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 and Monitoring project systems
Provides troubleshooting support for the
project

1.4 Customers
The Voice over IP telephone system is a campus-wide
infrastructure service. Customers may include faculty, staff and
students.

1.5 Impact Statement

The impact of doing the project is as follows:
• Notable reduction in cost for voice services
• Single telephone platform affords the University the
ability to easily document and control costs associated
with voice services ongoing
• Voicemail can be offered to all end-users for a nominal
one time charge
• Single voice platform allows enhanced user experience,
such as name display and the ability to forward voicemail
messages campus-wide
• Leading edge technology attracts excellent faculty, staff
and students
The impact of not doing the project is as follows:
• Continued high institutional cost for voice services
• Continued inability to track and control costs associated
with voice equipment and service at the institutional level
• Continued use of disparate systems impedes the
possibilities for the sharing of improved voice technology
• UB is perceived as “behind the times” due to the nature
of its somewhat outdated voice services

1.6 Critical Success Factors & Measures

• IP pilot serves School of Management, Jacobs addition
• Financial reviews indicate projected savings were
realistic
• End-user surveys indicate satisfaction with the new
system and cut-over process

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 • Voice/data network remains highly reliable throughout
and after the project
• Simplified networking in closets and offices with the
sharing of the data network.

1.7 Constraints
• Budget/Spending Limit
• Time
• Human Resource Hours

1.8 Risks
• Executive level support is not achieved
• Funding principles not acceptable to executives
• Departmental acceptance of a centrally managed system
is not realized
• The technology proves unstable
• Configuration leaves phones sets open to denial of
service attacks

1.9 Assumptions
• VoIP is at the proper product maturity for widespread
deployment
• The University still needs phone service
• The University would like significant reduction in voice
service costs while providing a state of the art
communications system.

1.10 Exclusions
• Student Response Center Rockwell ACD
• Unified messaging
• Emergency phones (blue light, elevator)

1.11 Deliverables
• Ongoing project updates to the campus community
• Periodical financial reports that outline expenditures and
savings to date
• Formation of a Campus Advisory Committee, consisting
of representatives from various departments and schools

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 • Client surveys to gauge their satisfaction with the new
system
• IP phones and voicemail distributed according to the
project schedule with minimal interruption of service
• Built in redundancy as required
• Disaster recovery plans suited to departmental needs
• Sufficient staff and end user training

1.12 Communications Plan

• Management reporting to be prepared minimally on a
monthly basis or in the event a milestone is in jeopardy of
being completed. Content of such communications will
include specific details on specific goal status and related
problems.
• Required reviews and approvals will be compiled and
included in the management report
• Meeting schedule will be determined and published
ongoing
• Any major change in project status will be reported
immediately, otherwise status updates will be included in
the management report.

1.13 Change Management Process for Project Scope

Any request to alter the scope of this project is to be made in
writing to the Project Manager and the Project Manager’s
Departmental Director. The request should specifically detail
the reasons for such a request, including the benefit to be
realized.
The Project Manager will review and respond with information
describing the impact the requested change will have on the
project.

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