Video Conferencing Interoperability: Microsoft CVI vs. Synergy SKY
Fabrice Emonnet
Sales Director Synergy Sky Europe
Key takeaways
Microsoft CVI enables legacy video systems to join Teams meetings, but remains limited to the Microsoft ecosystem.
Synergy SKY offers platform-agnostic interoperability — Teams, Zoom, Google Meet, Webex, and more.
Beyond bridging, Synergy SKY unifies the user journey with OBTP, calendar integration, and centralized room management.
The choice is clear: CVI is for Teams-only setups, Synergy SKY is built for the complexity of modern enterprises.
Interoperability is no longer optional
In today’s hybrid workplace, video conferencing just has to work. Yet with employees, partners, and clients using different platforms, interoperability has shifted from a “nice to have” into a mission-critical requirement.
Microsoft’s Cloud Video Interop (CVI) and Synergy SKY represent two distinct approaches to this challenge. Both provide interoperability — but with very different scopes, dependencies, and user experiences.
Microsoft CVI: effective, but limited
Microsoft CVI allows traditional SIP/H.323 video conferencing systems (like Cisco or Poly) to join Teams meetings. It works — but only within the Microsoft ecosystem.
Runs fully on Microsoft’s cloud infrastructure.
Requires CVI licensing and Microsoft-side configuration.
Primarily supports Outlook calendar workflows.
User experience: no native One Button to Push (OBTP), dial-in is manual.
CVI is a solid solution if your organization lives entirely in Teams. But as soon as multiple platforms enter the picture, the cracks begin to show.
Synergy SKY: interoperability without boundaries
Synergy SKY takes a broader, platform-agnostic approach. Its mission is not just to connect video endpoints to Teams, but to simplify the entire user journey across platforms.
Join Teams, Zoom, Google Meet, and Webex — directly from existing SIP/H.323 endpoints.
Unified OBTP experience across all platforms.
Calendar parsing (Outlook, Google, Exchange) with no CVI-specific configuration.
Local control: works on-premise, in hybrid, or in the cloud — without full reliance on external infrastructure.
Centralized room management for IT, with visibility and control across all endpoints.
The result: one consistent, secure, and user-friendly experience — regardless of the platform.
Criteria
Microsoft CVI
Synergy SKY
Supported Platforms
Microsoft Teams (primarily)
Teams, Zoom, Google Meet, Webex, etc.
Supported Hardware
Cisco / Poly (via cloud bridge)
Cisco, Poly, etc. — reuses existing rooms & devices
User Experience
No native OBTP, manual dial-in required
Unified OBTP across all platforms
Security
Cloud-based relay (URL/MTLS exposure)
No port exposure, handled locally
Cloud Dependency
High — fully cloud-based via Microsoft
Low — works locally or in hybrid environments
Technical Complexity
Requires CVI licensing and Microsoft-side setup
Lightweight — calendar invite parsing only
Scalability
Limited to Microsoft ecosystem
Scalable across platforms, BYOD-compatible
Calendar Integration
Outlook (mainly), CVI-specific configuration needed
Outlook, Google, Exchange — automatic processing
The bigger picture
While Microsoft CVI delivers basic interoperability for Teams-only environments, Synergy SKY is built for real-world enterprises that:
Use multiple UC platforms.
Want to extend the life of existing meeting room investments.
Need greater security, flexibility, and user simplicity.
Prefer local control over full cloud dependency.
In short, Synergy SKY turns complexity into simplicity — enabling any room to join any meeting, without compromise.
Final thoughts
The future of collaboration depends on choice, flexibility, and sustainability. Microsoft CVI solves one piece of the puzzle. Synergy SKY completes it.
At Miles Distribution, we help enterprises deploy Synergy SKY to unify their video collaboration experience — securely, seamlessly, and sustainably. Contact us to learn how.
