Infrastructure Convergence - 4 : Terms
Let's take a quick look at two terms we'll use today.
Our first term today is IP-PBX. Another name for an IP-PBX is a PCX, which stands for private communication exchange. This is a PBX device that is able to support voice communication via an IP connection. Older PBXs may use a standalone box, called a gateway, to support IP communications. But using a gateway with a PBX does not create a true IP-PBX, as the IP capability needs to be built in. We'll talk more about this a little further on in the lesson.
The other term today is capital investment. Capital investment is the money that a company pays for products that are used by the company for a long period of time. Examples of capital investments include land for the company, buildings, office furniture, and so on. If you use it up, it's an expense; if you get to keep it, it's a capital investment. The capital investment we will be discussing today is the physical infrastructure that must be used for a converged network.