Cisco Webex Cloud Video Interop (CVI) vs Pexip for Microsoft Teams

At Peak Insight, we often work with organisations that maintain a combination of Cisco and Microsoft collaboration technologies and are exploring integration options to leverage the strength of both worlds.

Whether looking to maximise the return on existing investments, improve the capabilities of a COVID-driven tactical deployment, or to align with a Collaboration Strategy, we encourage stepping back and taking a workforce experience first approach irrespective of the particular tool or vendor.

As such in this blog post will be exploring and comparing a few different options available to seamlessly join Microsoft Teams meetings using the Cloud Video Interop (CVI) service and why the Cisco Webex CVI service is the best option for Cisco video endpoints.

 

What is Cloud Video Interop (CVI)

Cloud Video Interop (CVI) is a Microsoft Qualified third-party solution that enables third-party meeting rooms (telepresence) and personal video devices (VTCs) to join Microsoft Teams meetings.

The service is offered by Microsoft CVI partners to provide interoperability between existing standards-based video conferencing and personal video device solutions on-premise or in the cloud, and Microsoft Teams. CVI services often have both cloud and hybrid deployment options.

There are currently four CVI certified providers: BlueJeans, Cisco, Pexip, and Poly. For this post, we will be comparing Cisco Webex CVI with the Pexip CVI (SaaS) solution.

 

Pexip Overview

Pexip is a cloud-based, enterprise application that enables video conferencing and collaboration across multi-vendor devices and platforms. It connects enterprise communications and collaboration solutions via Virtual Meeting Rooms or operates as a gateway between platforms.

Pexip also offers a Cloud Video Interoperability (CVI) service that allows standards-based SIP and H.323 video conferencing systems to join Microsoft Teams meetings as though they were native Microsoft Teams clients.

The Pexip CVI solution is available in two architectures, On-premise/Hybrid and SaaS.

 

Cisco Webex Overview

Cisco Webex is the world’s most popular Enterprise video conferencing service, offering highly secure integrated audio, video, and content sharing.

Cisco Cloud Video Interoperability (CVI) is a Microsoft certified service that enables on-premise registered, cloud registered/aware video endpoints or Webex Rooms, and third-party SIP endpoints to seamlessly join Microsoft Teams meetings. It does not require any on-premises components, nor software upgrades on video devices.

Cisco CVI video infrastructure and the Microsoft integration components are provided by Cisco as-a-service to customers.

 

Cisco Webex CVI vs Pexip CVI (SaaS)

Key comparison areas include the following criteria:

• Video Experience
• Calling Experience
• Collaboration Experience
• Meeting Join Experience
• Commercials

	Cisco Webex CVI	Pexip CVI (Saas)
VIDEO EXPERIENCE
Video Resolution	720p	720p
Number of Video Streams	9	9
Multi-stream Flexible Layouts	Yes	No
Multi-screen Support	Yes Dual Screen (Active Speaker + Content)	No
Video Layouts Option	Active Speaker, Active Speaker + last 5 speakers, Overlay, Equal, 3×3 Grid View Ability to adjust layout directly from Touch 10 (as per current meeting room experience)	7+1 Only
CALLING EXPERIENCE
Cisco Video Endpoints PSTN Dialling	Yes, Webex Calling and On-premise Calling	No
Mute Microphone on Cisco Endpoints	Yes, Webex registered and Cloud aware	No
COLLABORATION EXPERIENCE
Content Resolution	1080p	1080p
Content Share	Yes, HDMI/PC available, Wireless on the roadmap	No
Whiteboarding	Yes, Unidirectional from Webex Board and Desk Pro	No
JOINING EXPERIENCE
OBTP for Cisco	Yes, Webex Registered, Cloud aware and on-premise	One-Touch Join (Licensed feature). Webex registered endpoints not supported. Needs admin access to the endpoint.
Roster List	Yes, Full List	No
Touchless Meeting Join	Yes, Webex Assistant	No
Overall Meeting Experience
Misc. Feature Readiness*	Mute/Unmute Remote Participants, Drop Remote Participants, Start/Stop Recording etc.	No
Cisco Video Endpoints	Cisco On-premise and Webex Cloud-Native Support	Third-Party Integration
Locations	Australia, Singapore, East US, West US, & EMEA	Australia, Singapore, East US, & EMEA

*The features are Cisco ready and waiting on Microsoft to publish relevant APIs for implementation.

 

Why is Cisco Webex Cloud Video Interop (CVI) a Better Option?

We’ve highlighted the primary features and benefits that are often drivers when selecting a CVI vendor. These features not only improve the Microsoft Teams meeting experience, but also improve the meeting room experience by providing superior integration with Cisco video endpoints.

Cisco video endpoints natively register with Cisco Webex, unlike other vendors, automating firmware upgrades and simplifying ongoing management. New endpoint or Webex platform features are first enabled for Cisco endpoints, and may not be available for third-party vendors.

From a technology perspective, at times it can be good practice to have a multi-vendor cross-architecture environment in a campus, however, there must be balance especially when multiple vendors are within a single architecture. Challenges can include not being able to leverage the full native functionality offered due to third-party limitations and/or the delay in feature availability – impacting the user experience and return on investment.

From a support perspective, multi-vendor complexity often leads to further operational challenges such as managing the endpoints, updating the firmware, troubleshooting integration and/or performance-related issues during meetings. For example, if an organisation were to proceed with Cisco as the CVI provider the end to end vendor involvement in a Microsoft Teams meeting may be Cisco, Microsoft, LAN/WAN vendor, and the Internet Service Provider. Alternatively, if an organisation were to proceed with Pexip as the CVI provider the end to end vendor involvement may be Cisco, Pexip, Microsoft, LAN/WAN vendor and the Internet Service Provider – an additional vendor to engage and potentially delay incident resolution.

 

Are you struggling to choose a Cloud Video Interop (CVI) provider for Microsoft Teams?

Would you like to improve the meeting experience for your organisation?

Do you understand the limitations of using a non-Cisco CVI provider such as Pexip with Cisco video endpoints?

Let’s Talk.

Peak Insight is an award-winning Cisco Collaboration, Contact Centre and Connectivity provider.

We are a safe pair of hands that will take the time to understand your business, working with you to deliver extraordinary business outcomes through our project services, managed services, vendor products and software add-ons.

We take a consulting-led and adoption-driven approach, with in-house software development capabilities to maximise the value of your investment.

Interested to learn more? Let’s talk – schedule a call with our team, or call 1300 026 033 (option 1).