VoIP technology has revolutionized corporate communications to become one of the most efficient, flexible and affordable solutions for day-to-day business communication. Transmission quality is crucial to the reliability of VoIP, as well as data packages such as video and other streams.

Paessler AG's PRTG Network Monitor allows corporate network administrators and VoIP service providers to keep a watchful eye on the quality of these services to ensure continuous and reliable delivery of VoIP service, as well as the outstanding voice quality required by users. Employing specially-developed quality of service sensors and probes to collect and analyze network performance data, PRTG Network Monitor provides continuous monitoring of VoIP infrastructure to safeguard transmission quality.

An uninterrupted flow of data is essential to the reliable performance of VoIP and video streaming; even minimal changes to QoS parameters can have significant effects on these user datagram protocol services. If UDP packet transmission quality suffers, so too do the sound and image quality of the individual applications.

Performance measurements are made by sending UDP packages between two installed remote probes to monitor the transmission quality of VoIP and video applications at each 'end' of the connection. By analyzing the performance data, network administrators can troubleshoot the network to determine potential sources of error responsible for poor quality of service interruptions. And, when major problems occur, PRTG delivers an instant alert to the administrator immediately, via e-mail or SMS for example.

VoIP monitoring on Cisco IP SLA

PRTG Network Monitor 7.2 also includes a sensor that captures IP SLA data, the preferred method for checking the quality of VoIP applications. IP SLA is based on active network traffic monitoring technology, and therefore provides a reliable method for measuring performance. With PRTG at their disposal, administrators who work with appropriate routers and switches have the ability to analyze IP service levels for different IP applications.

Both the QoS and IP SLA sensor are included in the basic PRTG license at no additional cost.