What is REDCOM Sigma?
REDCOM Sigma is a complete software-based Command & Control solution with voice, video, chat, conferencing, and transcoding. Built to support DoD network modernization strategies, REDCOM Sigma® increases the warfighter’s operational flexibility while reducing size, weight, and power (SWaP) requirements at the tactical edge. REDCOM Sigma is based on open standards, delivering interoperability, flexibility, and ease of use to users at the tactical edge.
What is Cisco Unified Communications Manager?
Cisco Unified Communications Manager (CUCM) is an enterprise call and session management infrastructure that aims to streamline team communication and collaboration for today’s hybrid workforce. CUCM provides centralized management, allowing for the administration of all communication devices and services.
What Advantages Does REDCOM Sigma Have Over Cisco Unified Communications Manager?
1. Military-Grade Security
In mission-critical and defense environments, secure communication is paramount. The risk of cyber threats and unauthorized access necessitates robust security measures that go beyond traditional enterprise requirements. A system optimized for security ensures the integrity and confidentiality of communications, even in contested environments.
Sigma Advantage
REDCOM Sigma is designed with a strong emphasis on security. REDCOM takes a holistic, multi-layer approach to security that goes beyond typical measures such as encryption and validation. Sigma offers robust security features, including built-in security measures such as Suite B, FIPS 140-2, IPsec, TLS/SRTP, STIGs, NSA/ACC Compliance, and certificate management functions to ensure operational security. REDCOM is consistently enhancing its security measures, most recently incorporating a zero-trust architecture within its systems.
CUCM Drawback
While CUCM supports encryption and other security protocols, it may require additional licenses or configurations to fully enable these features. Furthermore, CUCM is primarily enterprise-focused and lacks the same level of security optimization for mission-critical or military-grade applications as Sigma.
2. Integration with Tactical and Specialized Environments
Effective communication in military and emergency response operations requires seamless interoperability with both emerging and legacy technology. Integrating natively with specialized applications ensures operators can maintain situational awareness and operational effectiveness without cumbersome workarounds.
Sigma Advantage
Seamless integration with tools like ATAK (Android Team Awareness Kit), IP radios, and legacy systems, including analog and digital, makes Sigma versatile in tactical and specialized deployments. Rather than taking an enterprise solution and trying to make it excel in those environments, REDCOM built Sigma from the ground up to be a lightweight tactical C2 platform.
CUCM Drawback
CUCM is not natively designed for tactical or military environments. Integrating with specialized tools like ATAK or legacy analog systems often requires additional gateways or middleware, which can introduce complexity and increase deployment time.
3. Lightweight and Scalable Deployment
Deployments at the tactical edge often have strict size, weight, and power (SWaP) constraints. A solution that can operate efficiently on minimal hardware, scale as needed, and adapt to various deployment environments is essential for ensuring continuous and reliable communications in the field.
Sigma Advantage
REDCOM Sigma is lightweight and runs efficiently on smaller hardware or virtual instances, supporting flexible on-premises or cloud deployments without significant infrastructure requirements. Sigma is hypervisor agnostic, and adding Sigma to your compute environment is straightforward and seamless.
CUCM Drawback
CUCM has higher infrastructure requirements and typically needs Cisco-specific hardware for optimal performance. Due to its size and dependency on larger hardware setups, deployments in resource-constrained environments, such as tactical field operations or small offices, can be cumbersome.
4. Customization and Flexibility
No two mission environments are the same, and rigid, one-size-fits-all solutions can hinder operational efficiency. A highly configurable platform allows organizations to tailor communications to their specific workflows, ensuring adaptability in rapidly evolving situations.
Sigma Advantage
Sigma offers high configurability and can be tailored to meet the specific requirements of defense, government, and emergency communications. Sigma was designed to integrate with legacy systems, technology, and endpoints, eliminating the need to rip-and-replace perfectly functional systems. From the software’s Conferencing capabilities to its Channels feature, there is almost no scenario where Sigma doesn’t improve your communication capabilities.
CUCM Drawback
CUCM is optimized for the enterprise and has limited flexibility in adapting to specialized workflows. Customization is often restricted to predefined modules or requires additional components, making it less agile in environments with rapidly changing requirements.
5. Unified Communications with C2 Capability
In defense and emergency operations, communication is more than just voice and video—it’s about command and control (C2). A solution that natively integrates with C2 systems enhances coordination, decision-making, and response times, providing a strategic advantage in mission execution.
Sigma Advantage
Sigma was designed and created specifically for the tactical edge. It integrates directly with Command and Control (C2) systems, providing unique capabilities for defense, emergency response, and critical infrastructure scenarios. Sigma eliminates the need for extra hardware and software, such as call managers, RoIP gateways, video conferencing systems, chat applications, audio conferencing, and PTT apps. This careful integration streamlines network architecture and strategically converges capabilities.
CUCM Drawback
CUCM is not designed for integration with C2 systems. While it can effectively handle enterprise UC needs, it lacks the specialized tools and interfaces required for direct command and control applications.
6. Ease of Use and Management
In high-stakes environments, personnel must focus on the mission rather than complex system administration. A user-friendly, easy-to-learn interface and intuitive management tools reduce training time, minimize errors, and ensure that communication systems remain operational with minimal overhead.
Sigma Advantage
Sigma features a streamlined user interface and intuitive management tools, reducing training time and administrative overhead. New users can be trained on Sigma in hours or days — not weeks. Due to its user-friendly configuration and easy-to-use interface, the cognitive burden on the warfighter is diminished, and the level of support required is greatly reduced.
CUCM Drawback
While powerful, CUCM’s management interface is more complex and requires specialized training or certifications (e.g., Cisco Unified Communications certifications) to manage effectively. Routine configurations can be time-consuming, increasing the operational burden for administrators.
7. Comprehensive Protocol Support
Interoperability is critical when working across different networks, devices, and agencies. Broad protocol support ensures seamless communication across diverse endpoints, preventing vendor lock-in and allowing organizations to integrate their existing infrastructure without costly upgrades.
Sigma Advantage
It supports a wide range of protocols (SIP, RTP, SRTP, etc.) and is compatible with diverse endpoint types, ensuring interoperability across networks.
CUCM Drawback
While CUCM also supports multiple protocols, its reliance on Cisco’s ecosystem can limit full compatibility with non-Cisco endpoints or third-party systems. Advanced features may require proprietary endpoints or additional configuration.
8. Redundancy and Resilience
Communication systems must remain operational even in the face of network failures, harsh environments, or infrastructure disruptions. Built-in redundancy and resilience ensure critical communications persist, supporting operational continuity in unpredictable conditions.
Sigma Advantage
Sigma offers robust failover and redundancy capabilities, ensuring continuous operation in critical environments. It is built to perform reliably in harsh conditions and austere deployments.
CUCM Drawback
While CUCM has redundancy options, these are typically enterprise-focused and may not account for environments with unstable infrastructure or extreme conditions. Deployments in field operations or disaster response scenarios require additional planning and resources to achieve the same level of resilience as Sigma.
Next Steps: Schedule a Demo to Learn More
REDCOM Sigma was explicitly designed and built to meet the communication needs of modern warfighters and first responders. Because of our focus on effectiveness in those scenarios, Sigma boasts considerable advantages over Cisco Unified Communications Managers in use at the tactical edge. If you would like to learn more or schedule a demo, contact a REDCOM solution advisor today.
