When I look back on the video communications industry in 2010, I note a marked shift among our customers toward a "single solution" model. There are literally hundreds of manufacturers delivering video streaming, video on-demand (VoD), and digital signage solutions in the marketplace. Add to that the several manufacturers delivering solutions compatible with H.323 video conferencing and for technology buyers, it's just too much. For companies that are looking to maximize the use of video communications, it's come down to the fact that there are too many vendors and technologies to manage. Now, more than ever, our clients are looking for one comprehensive solution that effectively brings all of these components together. While there are established vendors including Cisco and Polycom that can provide all the capabilities, only a few vendors, such as BurstPoint Networks, have integrated it all in one comprehensive platform. There are a whole lot more that have some catching up to do.

Frankly, the demand for a single comprehensive platform is a disruptive shift in the market. It's going to shake things up, and I look forward to the market evolution and advances that this shift will create.

Not surprisingly, this growing demand for a more comprehensive video communications solution comes at a time when the industry is experiencing significant growth in visual communications infrastructure as well as wide-scale video desktop deployment. And, globally, we're seeing an emphasis on unified communications (UC).

What's really driving the adoption of enterprise video in organizations across industries? From my perspective, the answer is the mainstreaming of HD video conferencing. Originally seen as a means for reducing travel and improving efficiency, today's forward-thinking companies are discovering how they can get more out of their investments in video conferencing technology. Big video conferencing initiatives generally come with requirements for integrated audio-visual rooms, as well as complementary solutions such as streaming and VoD - making contemplating more comprehensive video communications that much easier.

Interestingly enough, once a customer has invested in video conferencing systems, they're generally very open to adding digital signage technology to optimize their investment in displays. So, again, the vendors that are offering the "single solution" model fare well because they enable customers to build off a strong foundation with corresponding products.

Just think about this scenario. For companies that invest in a comprehensive video communications platform as opposed to a more specialized point solution, a CEO can walk into a conference room, make an HD video call, and have the entire presentation streamed live and recorded for future viewing - all while it's running on LCDs all over the company. This is just one example of the seemingly endless possibilities enterprise video brings to the innovative companies that utilize it.