Network Faxing

Network faxing software gives faxing capabilities to every user without the need for a modem and phone line for every desktop computer. The benefits of a good network faxing solution are well known:

• Any electronic document can be faxed directly from the desktop as opposed to first printing it, preparing a cover sheet and then going to the fax machine. If the receiving fax is busy, more time is wasted.
• The faxing software is well integrated with Microsoft Outlook which is the same program used to process e-mail. Users have just one interface to learn.
• Outgoing faxes can be prioritized so that low priority documents can be sent when phone rates are lower.
• Incoming faxes can be viewed on the screen before printing.

Lightweight Faxing Built into BackOffice Small Business Server

• Requires a fax modem.
• Sufficient for small workgroups.
• No extra software to purchase.
• Does not support special purpose fax cards. Fax modems do not work with every type of fax machine - some faxes may not go through.
• Does not support DID routing of incoming faxes to the recipient but prints them to a system printer.
• users must wait as their computers convert documents into fax images.

Industrial Strength Faxing: ZETAfax

ZETAfax is an industry leader in faxing software for the Microsoft Windows NT platform.

• Required for larger sites.
• Supports special purpose fax cards designed to support efficient high volume faxing. A must if faxes are broadcast to a large number of recipients regularly.
• With the help of special purpose fax cards, provides incoming fax routing via DID (see below).
• More efficient at the desktop. User can continue working almost immediately after submitting the fax. The server processes the documents for faxing.

Install special fax hardware (recommended).

The actual card will be determined after analyzing the sizing information given below.

Inbound Fax Routing

There is no built-in mechanism in the fax protocol to route incoming faxes to a user's desktop. Even though the recipient's name is almost always written or typed on the cover sheet, deciphering the name through Optical Character Recognition (OCR) and then routing the fax does work but is unreliable.

In a small installation all faxes can be printed directly to a printer or routed to one user who then manually re-routes the faxes. This is not feasible in larger installations where fax volume is high and users are spread out over a larger area. In that situation it is desirable that faxes be routed to smaller departments within the company (sales, purchasing, etc.) to be printed at a nearby printer or routed to a user in the department.

Direct Inbound Dialing (DID)

This is the only reliable way to route inbound faxes. Using this technique, every user could be assigned a unique fax number if so desired. DID lines can be ordered from the local telephone company.

With DID lines a block of telephone numbers is assigned to a company. If 15 different fax destinations are required, then 15 phone numbers from the block are made to ring through to the fax card in the server. Even though the calls come in on the same physical wire, the DID line and electronics on the fax card lets the fax server know which of the 15 numbers were dialed. Routing is performed based on this information.

Sizing Information

• How many fax machines are currently installed? : ?????
• Broadcast faxing is used. Details: ?????
• How many DID lines will be used for incoming faxes? : ?????
• Fax machine phone records are available for analysis.