Ever-changing technology has brought new opportunities to the enterprise, but also the constant challenge of maintaining interdependent systems to support critical business processes. Enterprise software upgrades create compatibility and cost issues. Corporate mergers, acquisitions, reorganizations, and globalization add complexity to the IT infrastructure. Efforts to streamline business processes, keep productivity high, improve competitiveness, and ensure continued success become more difficult.

Nowhere has the impact of technological change been felt more strongly than in the exchange of business information between organizations and their customers, suppliers, and employees. But even as technology has dramatically expanded business communication horizons, one long-established technology -- fax -- has remained a predominant means of exchanging business information. As long as needs exist for secure, confirmed, and immediate delivery of business documents, or an exact reproduction of the original, fax will continue to play a vital role in business communication.

Fax has not been immune to change, however. Fax server software has displaced fax machines, desktop fax modems, and manual fax handling in many organizations -- especially where paper-intensive processes or high-volume document delivery is involved. With varying degrees of functionality, fax servers have helped organizations:

• Enable end-users to send and receive faxes from the desktop
• Integrate fax with business applications and e-mail/messaging platforms
• Automate faxing on a production scale
• Improve fax traffic management and administrative control
  

• Purchase and maintenance of fax machines
• Telephone charges for multiple fax lines
• Material and supplies including toner, fax drums, and paper
• Labor and productivity
• Late or lost faxes (and lost business)
• Manual distribution and archiving of faxed documents (inbound and outbound)
  

• Installation and maintenance headaches
• Custom programming to enable specific data and application integration
• Costs associated with proprietary fax server hardware
• Insufficient capacity for fax volume
• Support requirements resulting from compatibility issues and limitedadministration functionality
• User training requirements resulting from poorly integrated components and unfamiliar, unintuitive interfaces
• Burdens associated with managing multiple fax servers throughout the enterprise
• Time and effort spent facilitating confirmation of fax delivery
• Balancing fax workflow
• Lack of easy scalability
  

Productivity

Comprehensive fax automation capabilities can help organizations optimize use of human and material resources, with minimal resources allocated to fax communication and more resources available to support core business activities. Fax automation can also help organizations achieve unified messaging goals and improve communication efficiency throughout the enterprise.

Business process efficiency

Fax automation can help businesses reduce days sales outstanding and improve cash flow, streamlining key business processes (such as invoicing and sales administration) and shortening the cycle time of communicating with customers and trading partners.

IT simplification

Fax automation offers organizations the potential for maximum leverage of existing business information systems, including consolidation of fax infrastructure and distribution of fax workloads for highest availability, manageability, and scalability.

Selecting a Fax Server

In seeking to capitalize on the latest advancements in fax server technology, organizations can choose from many commercially available software applications for fax server functionality. Any fax server must provide reliable format conversion, telecommunications and network connectivity, and client/viewing functions as appropriate for your computing environment. While all fax servers offer these essential functions in some form, the methods and depth of functionality vary greatly. Along with specific selection criteria, there are several basic requirements to consider.

Fundamental fax server considerations

Desktop fax users need versatility and ease of use -- familiar interfaces along with rich and flexible capabilities that minimize the need for training and troubleshooting.

Fax server administrators need ease of installation and management -- convenience and control with real-time status, central management of fax servers anywhere in the network, and historical reporting. Standard administrative tools and techniques are generally preferable to proprietary interfaces.

High-volume production faxing requires seamless integration with enterprise software platforms (whether packaged commercial solutions or custom-developed applications), support for multiple operating systems and protocols, scalability, and fault tolerance for round-the-clock operations.

When choosing a fax server vendor, look for an established company with a solid reputation for innovation and service -- and customer references to back it up. Expert technical support and professional services should be readily available to help you achieve maximum benefit from your fax server implementation.

Smart fax server solutions

Beyond the essential functions, the best of fax server technology converges in "smart" fax server solutions. A smart fax server satisfies the fax requirements of the entire enterprise with comprehensive functionality, reliable operation, ease of use, and a solid yet flexible architecture. Such a solution is easy to deploy and simple to administer, receives any fax and sends any document, offers maximum leverage of your existing information systems, finds the most cost-efficient delivery paths for faxes, lets you choose the capabilities you need, and grows with you.

Application and infrastructure integration

E-mail and messaging systems -- Smart fax server solutions make faxing as easy as sending e-mail. Users can send and receive faxes directly from a familiar e-mail interface, such as Microsoft Exchange/Outlook, and have a "unified inbox" for all fax and e-mail communication. This integration employs the standard techniques and structure of the messaging platform environment.

Business applications -- In addition to enabling desktop faxing from common desktop applications like spreadsheets, word processing, and presentations, smart fax server solutions offer the ability to fax directly from Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP), Supply Chain Management (SCM), Customer Relationship Management (CRM), and other enterprise applications, including custom-developed solutions. Organizations can use smart fax servers to automate business processes that rely on delivery of purchase orders, invoices, statements, reports, or other documents. A smart fax server connects with solutions such as those from SAP, Oracle, Siebel, PeopleSoft, JD Edwards, Baan, and others -- without requiring programming changes to the applications.

SAP solutions -- Customers of the inter-enterprise software company SAP have already taken a major step toward enterprise-wide automation and consolidation of business information. But when it comes to delivering that information (in the form of invoices, purchase orders, reports, and other documents) outside the organization, many companies rely on manual fax or point-to-point fax solutions. Smart fax servers integrate seamlessly into SAP R/3 and SAP NetWeaver environments. Administrators use SAP Output Determination to configure the fax server as the default output device, making it easy for organizations to fax-enable any SAP solution module. With smart fax servers, users easily send faxes through their standard SAP desktop interfaces -- no training required. Status notifications are returned directly to SAP R/3 or SAP NetWeaver, so they are accessible to users via the same interface. Smart fax servers support SAP communication and connection architectures, enabling fax directly from SAP solutions without requiring costly programming changes.

Platforms and protocols -- Today's enterprise computing environments typically consist of a diverse mix of platforms and protocols from which smart fax servers can derive significant business value. Smart fax servers support multiple operating systems, including the latest versions of server and messaging platforms such as Microsoft Windows Server and Microsoft Exchange as well as open source platforms such as Linux and Unix. And a fax server that supports legacy systems makes vital business information readily available, leveraging the power these of these systems. On the client side, smart fax servers take into account the need to support both local and remote/mobile users via PCs, laptops, or the Web. Smart fax servers support proprietary software applications for high-volume print generation, such as IBM Advanced Function Presentation (AFP). Smart fax servers also provide a rich, well-documented Application Programming Interface (API) offering multiple integration methods such as Java, C++, COM, and Visual Basic.

Connectivity -- Smart fax servers offer the breadth of connectivity that any enterprise may require, allowing fax integration without special protocols, proprietary software, or custom programming. This includes TCP/IP support to fax-enable Unix/Linux systems and IP-based applications via FTP, LPR/LPD, and SMTP; and SNA support to fax-enable IBM mainframe and AS/400 (iSeries) computing systems, including 3270, RJE, and APPC protocols.

User productivity

Fax client -- Smart fax servers provide intuitive interfaces to guide users through fax operations like sending, receiving, status checking, and fax management. Client features such as fax preview, name/address books, automated cover pages, document templates, and notification boost user productivity and minimize the need for user training.

Web interface -- Smart fax servers include a browser-based Web client to enable fax sending, receiving, viewing, and management from virtually anywhere in the world.

Advanced inbound routing -- Beyond the ability to send an incoming fax to a destination, smart fax servers can make routing decisions based on sophisticated criteria such as a combination of the dialed number and the day of the week, time of day, size of the file, date, or other attributes of the fax. This ensures secure delivery and helps prevent delays in information exchange due to lost or misrouted faxes.

Image quality -- Smart fax servers offer precise means of rendering and faxing documents. With capabilities like native file conversion for application printing and electronic merging of plain-text print files (from a mainframe, for example) with electronic forms, smart fax servers enhance fax document images -- and organizations' corporate images.

File formats -- Smart fax servers support a wide range of data formats, including files from office applications such as Microsoft Office, Lotus SmartSuite, WordPerfect Office, TIFF, PCL, PostScript, PDF, and RTF.

Administration

Central management -- Smart fax servers provide highly integrated, centralized administration of all networked fax servers, centralizing management of fax servers and other applications. With a single management entry through a familiar Microsoft Management Console (MMC) interface, administrators are able to manage smart fax servers through enterprise databases and from any network-connected computer.

Scheduling -- Smart fax servers offer fax queue management capabilities to prioritize and schedule fax jobs for sending at specified times, taking advantage of slow traffic periods and lower rates.

Least cost routing -- Smart fax servers optimize efficiency in geographically dispersed and multi-server enterprises. Least cost routing directs outgoing fax traffic to the servers in the locations that will incur the lowest cost, for maximum volume at minimum telephony charges during peak periods of high fax traffic.

Security -- Smart fax servers take advantage of industry-standard security mechanisms to protect against unauthorized access to incoming fax documents, administrative functions, and the telecommunications facilities of the server.

Accounting and reporting -- Smart fax servers give administrators flexible reporting capabilities to measure activity and allocate costs with accounting codes. Smart fax servers also provide database support for the use of other preferred tools for customized reporting, rather than relying on a proprietary database.

Records -- Smart fax servers allow for the maintenance of a central archive of faxed documents that can serve as an easily accessed audit trail.

Notification -- Smart fax servers make it easy to monitor and correct transmission failures (such as a busy fax number, an out-of-paper condition, or a voice answer) with e-mail notification of failed transmissions and job status.

Scalability and performance

Load balancing, clustering, and monitoring -- Accommodating multi-server environments with a wide range of fax traffic and volumes, smart fax servers support load balancing, clustering, and remote monitoring. Load balancing and clustering coordinate the operation of multiple and/or geographically dispersed fax servers, improving efficiency and document delivery speed by distributing workloads among servers. A distributed, clustered environment also provides failover capabilities, redirecting resources and redistributing fax workload as needed in the event of a server failure. And to maximize uptime for uninterrupted delivery of critical business documents, smart fax servers provide network management protocol (SNMP) and print management support. Smart fax servers also provide comprehensive logging of fax events.

Fax board support -- For maximum telecommunications efficiency and cost savings, smart fax servers support intelligent fax boards, such as those from Brooktrout and Eicon, as well as TAPI modems.

Automation

Fax tags -- Smart fax servers support fax command tags for flexibility and control over document processing, associating information such as destination phone number, sender name, and alternate phone number as a means of providing fax job specifications to the system.

Intelligent automation -- For maximum benefit and return on investment with documents generated by enterprise applications, a smart fax server offers a content-based business rules engine to automate the entire fax composition and delivery process with no modifications to application-level code. This intelligent technology automatically recognizes text or print-stream content and, based on recognized criteria, enables the creation of business rules to identify the recipient, retrieve the fax number from an address book or database, format and convert the document, deliver the fax to the intended recipient, and send fax status notification back to the originating application or user.

Smart fax servers offer advanced automation capabilities.

The Future of Document Delivery: Fax and Beyond

Many of the advantages of smart fax servers can be extended to other electronic delivery media such as e-mail, Web, XML, PDF, and wireless. Combined with intelligently automated data capture/formatting/routing capabilities, this solution provides a comprehensive platform for document delivery via any combination of delivery media (including fax) -- independent of the information source. The result is more complete business process automation and more personalized service to everyone in the information supply chain.A direct migration path to this complete document delivery solution gives the enterprise a solid foundation for business information exchange into the future. In addition, hosted document delivery services leveraging this solution have rapidly gained popularity as cost-effective outsourcing options for organizations delivering moderate to high volumes of business documents on a regular basis.

Conclusion

Organizations using fax in today's world of constant business environment change and information technology evolution -- even those organizations that have been using fax automation for years -- may be missing out on the substantial benefits of the more complete automation available in smart fax server solutions. These solutions help organizations become more efficient and competitive by delivering documents faster, more directly, and for less money than conventional fax machines and fax servers. Smart fax servers accomplish this through a well-designed architecture incorporating a full range of interworking fax functions. They support many sources of documents, provide reliable operation at high volumes, integrate with messaging solutions and applications, allow cost-optimized deployment, and provide a convenient way to manage and account for the operation of the system. Smart fax servers can also take organizations into the future, extending intelligent automation advantages to a comprehensive document delivery platform or outsourced fax delivery solutions.

Esker Fax Server Solutions

Esker offers leading-edge fax server solutions to meet business needs for more efficient and effective communication. Esker Fax Server Solutions speed the delivery of time-critical documents while providing significant cost savings and competitive advantages -- regardless of document volume, technical environment, business application, or operational constraints.

	FAX SERVER ENVIRONMENT
	Enterprise applications and messaging	Enterprise applications and IBM Lotus Notes	Unix/Linux-based applications
	ESKER SOLUTION
	Esker Fax	Esker Fax for Notes	Esker VSI-FAX
Key Features	High-volume production fax and enterprise-wide desktop fax with email integration Advanced Inbound Routing Microsoft Clustering support Esker DeliveryWare Rules available for intelligently automated document formatting and delivery Least Cost Routing Supports direct migration to Esker DeliveryWare Platform Unlimited users included	Desktop or production fax for Notes users Native Notes/Domino integration Advanced Inbound Routing Domino clustering support Esker DeliveryWare Rules available for intelligently automated document formatting and delivery Least Cost Routing Supports direct migration to Esker DeliveryWare Platform Unlimited users included	Multi-platform desktop fax for Unix, Linux, and Windows Integrate with any application Advanced Inbound Routing LDAP directory support Remote management Least Cost Routing Terminal Server support Complete Integrator's Toolkit Unlimited users available
Data Inputs and Integration	Text (from any Windows application, IBM mainframe, host, AS/400 or XML) Fax (TIFF) Print (PostScript, PCL, or PDF) IBM InfoPrint Manager SAP R/3 and SAP Netweaver TCP/IP (LPR/FTP) SNA	Text (from any Windows application, IBM mainframe, host, AS/400 or XML) Fax (TIFF) Print (PostScript, PCL, or PDF) IBM InfoPrint Manager SAP R/3 and SAP Netweaver TCP/IP (LPR/FTP) SNA	Text TIFF, PostScript, PCL or PDF XML-F Tags Command Line CAPI SDK (COM) Autosend
Email/Messaging Integration	Microsoft Exchange/Outlook SMTP Novell GroupWise HP OpenMail Lotus cc:Mail Microsoft MS Mail	Lotus Notes/Domino SMTP	Microsoft Exchange/Outlook client only SMTP
Desktop Support	Windows XP, 2000, Me, 98, NT 4.0	Windows XP, 2000, Me, 98, NT 4.0	Windows XP, 2000, Me, 98, NT 4.0
Server OS Support	Windows Server 2003, Windows 2000 Server	Windows Server 2003, Windows 2000 Server	Unix on RISC, Unix on Intel, Linux, or Windows
Fax PortsIincluded (Additional ports available)	2 fax ports	2 fax ports	4 fax ports
Esker ProSM Maintenance and Support Plan	1-year Esker Pro Premium included (renewable annually)	1-year Esker Pro Premium included (renewable annually)	1-year Esker Pro Premium included (renewable annually)

Esker DeliveryWare Solutions

Many organizations use Esker Fax Server Solutions to automate delivery of purchase orders, invoices, reports, acknowledgements, credit applications, quotes, notifications, contracts, and account statements. For additional delivery capabilities, Esker solutions provide a direct migration path to Esker DeliveryWare Platform for automated delivery via any combination of media -- fax, e-mail, Web, XML, PDF, outsourced fax or mail services, wireless, print, and archive.

Solution Examples

Esker Fax

A leading distributor of outdoor power equipment tools chose Esker Fax for electronic delivery of time-critical invoices and order acknowledgements. With Esker Fax invoices are processed nightly, with e-mail or fax communications generated according to the customer's stated preference. Order acknowledgements are sent as soon as orders enter the system by fax, voicemail, or e-mail -- so customers have the invoice when they receive a shipment. Averaging 600 documents per day, the company has reduced the cost of document delivery from an average of $0.63 per document for physical mail to only $0.06 via automated fax.

"It used to take two or three days to get an order out during the busy season. Today, an order in by 4 p.m. is out the same day."
-- V.P. of Operations

Esker Fax for Notes

When a leading global provider of financial information and decision support services faced the challenge of consolidating 12 fax numbers into a existing office, they chose Esker Fax for Notes to enable high volumes of faxes carrying financial information to be delivered directly to and from users' desktops. In order to maintain high levels of customer service, they wanted a solution that would integrate quickly and easily in their Notes/Domino environment. In Esker Fax for Notes they got a fax server that enabled them to send faxes securely and directly from their Notes Address Book, and they have been able to increase productivity, cut labor costs, and reduce telephony charges.

"After evaluating numerous solutions, we decided on Esker Fax for Notes due to its seamless integration with IBM Lotus Notes, easy administration, and instant familiarity to Notes users."
-- Lotus Notes Administrator

Esker VSI-FAX

A large computer retailer chose VSI-FAX to relieve an enormous burden on its AS/400 computers by offloading the faxing both to Unix-based computers at corporate headquarters and via WANs to RS/6000 computers at each store. In sales alone, they average between 200 and 300 quotes daily per store -- and more during peak periods. VSI-FAX saves salespeople time by enabling them to fax quotes to customer with just a few keystrokes, quickly and automatically. In addition to increased productivity, they also save on labor, since dedicated employees are no longer required to perform the manual faxing.

"At minimum, VSI-FAX saves each salesperson an hour a day in not having to prepare the faxes individually, walk them to the fax machine, and then have them faxed manually."
-- Project Supervisor