 telephony main processor Next-Generation Data Centers: Virtualization and Gigabit Speeds and adjunct services such as voicemail and conferencing services at external sites. It also hands off voice traffic to carriers that route outgoing and incoming local and long- distance traffic. After years of stalled adoption, Unified Communications (UC) is now commonly implemented when organizations purchase new IP telephone systems. UC applications integrates with desktop e-mail and other functions such as calendaring and address book applications. This gives users the ability to access voicemail, e-mail, instant mes- saging, collaboration software, and conferencing from a single interface on their com- puters. Because IP telephone systems are part of an organization's LAN, integration is simpler than when older-style systems had to be adapted for LAN connections. The impetus for saving money on travel and technological improvements in desk- top videoconferencing has also created interest in and growing use of desktop and group videoconferencing. (Group videoconferencing systems, also referred to as room- type videoconferencing, are commonly deployed in conference rooms.) In addition, the cost to use desktop videoconferencing has dropped, more computers are equipped with video cameras, and the quality has improved. Moreover, including desktop vid- eoconferencing in UC has increased its availability. The fact that video is often trans- mitted over data networks is a major factor in its convenience and lower usage costs. NEXT-GENERATION DATA CENTERS: VIRTUALIZATION AND GIGABIT SPEEDS A data center is a physical location where an organization's data and voice telephony applications such as e-mail and accounting applications reside. Most data centers have special accommodations for cooling, fire alarms, secure entry, and duplicate power sources. Data centers are located in private and public organizations, at cloud facilities, and in carrier networks. Next-generation data centers support: Gigabit-speed communications between 