Features don t live in switch hardware anymore, but are resident in server software. Vendors committed to continued industry participation responded to the changes in technology by changing the way they viewed themselves. They became system suppliers and integrators, rather than technology niche vendors. For example, both Lucent and Nortel built upon their own technologies by acquiring companies that had expertise with new data devices. Some vendors outside the traditional telephony business also decided to become participants in telephony, and adapted in a similar manner to gain new market share.
Cisco is a good example of such a company.
It grew up in the data world, but learned how to integrate telephony functions into its product mix. Technical people need to adapt in a similar manner to remain as participants in the industry. When vendors operated in niches, you could become a valued resource to your company just by understanding terminology, such as the meaning of tip and ring, and the purpose of network elements, such as switches or multiplexers. Then, you were in a position to evaluate various vendor components and optimize or troubleshoot your part of the system. Only a few systems engineers needed to know how to hook everything together.