Competitive Intelligence From Current Analysis - Westcon Group

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Competitive Intelligence from Current AnalysisWestcon Convergence provides access to Current Analysis – one of the most powerful marketing tools available today. Current Analysis delivers independent, timely, in-depth competitive and market intelligence with actionable analyst recommendations that enable you to continuously anticipate and counter competitive threats.

Benefits

Current Analysis competitive intelligence addresses the trends in key market segments, along with the purchasing habits of consumers and businesses.

Current Analysis enables you to:

Know what’s happening in today’s market and why ■

Provide independent vendor and product analysis ■

Establish an advantage over your competition ■

Understand how competitors are responding to changes in the market ■

Develop skills to assess and respond to opportunities and threats ■

Understand exactly how a product’s strengths and weaknesses stack up against the competitors’ product ■

Product assessments updated every six months ■

And, of course, this helps you gain an advantage over your competition! ■

To receive real-time competitive intelligence from Current Analysis simply register at westconconvergence.com. Go to the Selling Tools menu, choose Current Analysis and click the link to Access CurrentCOMPETE. Registration is simple and you can start taking advantage of this powerful tool immediately.

User Guide

The following pages of this section provide a detailed user guide to the Current Analysis tool as well as some examples of the product comparisons and reports available.

If you need help with registration or using the Current Analysis tool, please contact your Account Manager.

Take a look through the following pages and learn how to view the Company Dashboard for Avaya (or any other vendor), make a Company Assessment, make a Product Assessment, view a Market Assessment, access a Solution Assessment and use the Compare feature.

Arm your sales teams with the tools and knowledge necessary to compete effectively in today’s market.


Current Analysis Homepage

1. Browse Manager

Easier access to the analysis you need by Market area or module, Company, Hot Topic or Analyst. Your organization can choose up to 10 pre selected companies to be displayed or create your own dashboard simply by searching for a specific company in the search box.

2. Your Support Team

Contact information for your account manager and client services manager.

3. Recently Viewed Reports

Quick access to the last set of reports you viewed.

4. My Alerts Page

Contains reports from your last five alert emails, eliminating the need to refer back to your email. You can also search for an older report in the alerts tab, eliminating the need to search your inbox for a report.

5. Your subscription includes:

This is a list of market areas included in your subscription.

6. Company Quick Links

List of companies to watch, selected for your organization

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Company DashboardOne of the most popular features in CurrentCOMPETE 3.0 allows users to create one, consolidated view of all the latest analysis on any one company. To create a Company Dashboard, follow these steps:

1. Start at the Browse Manager in the top left corner of the home page. Click on the Company icon.

2. If the Company you are tracking does not have a Quick Link – type the company name in the “Other Companies” search box. In this case we’ll use Avaya as an example. Type in Avaya and hit “Go”.

3. Once you hit “Go”, all the latest event reports on Avaya will be displayed, as well as all Company Assessments from every market module where Avaya is covered. You will also have quick access to all available Avaya Product Assessments and Solutions Assessments from across all coverage areas.

Via the company dashboard you can access Company, Product or Market Assessments.


Company Assessment & Company Assessment ReportsWithin the company dashboard, you can create an assessment on your desired company in any of the markets available within the Westcon Group subscription. Simply click on the market of your choice to see the Company Assessment. Here we’ve chosen to see Avaya in the Unified Communications and Contact Center market.

The following information is included in each Company Assessment Report: Links to Current Analysis Product Assessment and Competitive Intelligence Reports for the chosen company and its competitors, a company overview, a threat index chart, threat analysis, current perspective rating and analysis, current perspective ratings by Market, company strength and weakness analysis, recommended actions and financial data and recent news and PR.

Current Threat Index

Rating Update Summary

The Nortel enterprise product roadmap will help customers formulate long-term migration plans, as well as compare Avaya�s offer with those of other communications and contact center solution suppliers.

Strategy

Avaya has a threatening corporate strategy in the business communications and contact center markets. This has focused on consolidating its position in the PBX and contact center markets, while simultaneously expanding its customer base and addressable markets. The company�s acquisition of Nortel�s enterprise operations eliminated one of its largest PBX rivals and allowed Avaya to break into data networking and security markets. It has also greatly expanded Avaya�s reseller network, providing access to carriers, as well as VARs with national and international footprints that have long built PBX resale businesses around Nortel communications products. Further, the two companies share similar cultures and vision for open SIP architectures. However, with a complex integration process still very much in its early stages, it remains to be seen how successful Avaya will truly be managing the largest acquisition of its history.

Solutions/Products

Avaya has a leading set of products and solutions in the business communications and contact center markets.

Company Assessment (Enterprise): AvayaReport Date: March 11, 2010

Analyst: Riggs, Brian

Service:Business Technology and Software

Market:Unified Communications and Contact Center


Product Assessment Under Vendor Products by Market, click on the product you would like to learn more about. Here we’ve chosen Avaya Aura Communication Manager:

Summary

Buying Criteria

Current Perspective

Avaya Aura Communication Manager (Communication Manager) is threatening to competitors in the IP PBX market. Communication Manager software runs in a number of different hardware/software configurations that provide legacy Avaya TDM PBX systems with an effective migration path to IP. A selection of modular servers and gateways provides enterprises with a wide scope of configuration options for building communications platforms. That selection is complemented by a broad portfolio of conferencing, collaboration, mobility, productivity, customer interaction, and other applications, as well as peripherals. Communication Manager allows Avaya Aura SIP Enablement Services (SES) to run natively on the platform, eliminating need for standalone servers for SIP support. Communication Manager and SES, along with other components such as Avaya Aura Application Enablement Services, System Manager, and Avaya Aura Session Manager, together create the Avaya Aura architecture which presents enterprises with means to reduce the costs and complexities in managing multivendor communications networks and more rapid rollout of applications to users. Avaya�s top-tier status in the North American PBX market in terms of customer base is a valuable source of revenues for the company as it attempts to penetrate other theaters more deeply. Though Avaya Definity customers can upgrade their system software to Communication Manager, legacy systems undergoing such a migration are unable to take advantage of all of the new functionality, such as higher performance and increased scalability. Avaya has backed away from offering Communication Manager on an IBM blade server, known as SBS3000, for service provider and enterprise data center environments. Inactivity with

Product Assessment: Avaya - Aura Communication ManagerReport Date: August 31, 2010


Service:Hot Topics , Business Technology and Software

Market:Unified Communications & Collaboration , Unified Communications and Contact Center

Class: Enterprise PBX

Current Perspective:


Market Dashboard Current Analysis Market Dashboards consolidates all of the latest analysis on an individual market in a single convenient view.

1. Start at the Browse Manager in the top left corner of the home page. Click on the Market icon, then select the Market you are interested in researching.

2. Once in the Market Dashboard, you will have access to information that will enable you to understand how to position products and services to take advantage of market drivers, increase awareness of key competitors and their relative market rankings, and stay informed of significant events within your market as soon as they happen.


Market AdvisoryThe Market Advisory report replaces the Market Assessment reports. These new reports mark the trends that are changing the market, what specific vendors are doing related to that specific topic, and what the vendor’s are doing to adapt to the changing trends.

Analytical Summary

Not long after its inception, WiMAX�s detractors wrote off the technology as an �also-ran.� Careful not to position WiMAX as inherently inferior from a technical standpoint, business issues and market realities were identified as its Achilles� heel. In the near-term, it was argued, HSPA and 3G technologies would deliver a similar experience combined with a more compelling ecosystem of devices and infrastructure. In the long run, then, LTE would emerge, with the endorsement of mobile service providers worldwide giving that technology a similar scale advantage. As operators such as T-Mobile USA position their HSPA+ implementations as �4G like� and operators around the world promise LTE deployments in the next six months (with devices beyond dongles, even!), this line of thinking would seem to be valid. Yet, if business issues have dictated the fate of WiMAX, we cannot ignore some very real facts about the technology circa 2010: WiMAX networks are up and running today; new launches are being planned; and new applications of the technology are being devised. There is no shortage of publicly available information pointing to the relative success of the WiMAX market and WiMAX ecosystem development. For its part, the WiMAX Forum has done an admirable job of highlighting his information on a regular basis: 593 deployments in 149 countries with 219 certified products as of June 2010. What these numbers fail to explain, however, is how WiMAX is exactly being used. With today�s WiMAX networks sandwiched between potential competition from 3G and LTE deployments, a look at today�s WiMAX use cases is in order. If WiMAX has any chance of surviving in the long-term, vendors and operators must identify niches it can fill and new opportunities to exploit. 3G and LTE vendors, in turn, need to understand where it is most vulnerable.

Perspective

Beyond any vendor tactics or positioning around WiMAX vs. LTE, a discussion of WiMAX use cases is critical to the key question that�s swirled around the technology for more than a year; how likely is mobile WiMAX to survive as a wireless broadband technology? Or, put another way, what markets is it serving and how is it positioned in those markets versus the impending threat from LTE? To be sure, there is no shortage of diverse WiMAX use cases or deployment examples. 802.16e, after all, is nothing more than a wireless access technology. There are few inherent limitations on its usage. As a result, vendors have been quick to propose myriad applications and operators have even rolled some out, including smart-grid support, livestock tracking, cellular backhaul, WiFi backhaul, telematics and 3G data offload. All of this comes in addition to traditional residential and enterprise access services. Against this backdrop, three themes stand out when looking at actual WiMAX deployments versus the possible uses to it: fixed access, mobile access and vertical enterprise applications. To some extent, these are likely to be

Market Advisory Report: WiMAX Use Cases: What�s Working Today � Will it Work Tomorrow?

Report Date: September 16, 2010

Analyst: Jarich, Peter

Service:Service Provider Infrastructure , Business Network and IT Services

Market:Mobile Access , Business Network and IT Services - Europe , Business Network and IT

Services - Global Enterprise , Business Network and IT Services - US


Service DashboardNew from Current Analysis: All the Latest Intelligence in one place

Service Dashboards are now available for each of the major Current Analysis service areas, including Business Networks and IT Services, Business Technology and Software, Service Provider Infrastructure, and Mobile Device Silicon. This new feature provides links to all the most recently published analysis in each Service.

1. Analyst Team

Find contact information for all members of the team

2. Analyst Perspective

Analyst Perspective section features recent analysis on key issues

3. Intelligence Reports

Quick access to the latest set of Intelligence Reports

4. Advisories

Links to the latest Market Trend Advisories

5. Company Analysis

Find links to most recently updated Company Assessments

6. Latest Product Analysis

Find links to most recently updated Product, Solution, and Portfolio Assessments

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Solution AssessmentTo access a Solution Assessment, from the homepage, select the market you are interested in researching, then scroll down and, if available, select the solution you are interested in from the Solution Assessments by Class. Here we’ve chosen Unified Communications Solutions:

Selection Criteria Ratings

Solution Description

Description

Avaya�s unified communications solution consists of key elements of the company�s enterprise communications software and systems portfolio. It hinges on the Avaya Aura architecture for the processing of voice, video and presence; a variety of applications for mobility, unified messaging and conferencing; and Avaya�s own or third-party integrated instant messaging (IM), web conferencing and high definition video conferencing to offer a complete solution. Specific solution components include the Avaya Aura Communication Manager IP PBX, Avaya Aura Session Border Controller, Avaya Aura Presence Services for instant messaging and presence, Avaya Aura Application Enablement Services and Avaya Agile Communication Environment (ACE) for application integration and communications-enabled business processes, mobility services, and a variety of Avaya one-X client interfaces (Communicator, Portal, Mobile, Agent, Attendant, Speech and Deskphone). Other components include unified messaging (Avaya Aura Messaging and Modular Messaging), and conferencing applications that include Avaya Aura Conferencing, Meeting Exchange, Web Conferencing and Avaya Video Conferencing Solution, the latter of which comes from OEM partner LifeSize. The Avaya Aura product set aims to reduce complexity in mid-size and

Solution Assessment: Avaya Unified Communications SolutionReport Date: September 20, 2010


Service:Hot Topics , Business Technology and Software

Market:Unified Communications & Collaboration , Unified Communications and Contact Center

Class: Unified Communications

Current Perspective:

Standard View


Compare Feature

How to UseOne of CurrentCOMPETE 3.0’s most popular and unique features is the “Compare” feature. CurrentCOMPETE 3.0 provides the ability to “Compare” Companies, Products and Solutions. Please use one of the methods below to access the compare feature.

1. From the dashboard, select the market you are interested in researching

Please note that each market may not always have a solution assessment or a product assessment for that specific market.

Once in the market dashboard, you have the option of comparing companies, solutions or products.

2. Also under the market view, you can access the Compare feature by clicking on a product and solution landscape (the chart itself)

3. Within any company dashboard, you can quickly Compare two companies from the “Compare Quicklinks” feature

4. You can access the Compare feature when viewing an individual Company Assessment, Product Assessment or Solution Assessment

5. You can PDF the resulting Comparison Chart

We are sure you will benefit from the Current Analysis site’s flexible navigation options and personalized access to the specific competitive intelligence you need to win business.

Please refer to the following pages for examples of some product comparison reports.

Product Comparison #1

– Avaya Aura Communication Manager

– Cisco Unified Communications Manager

Product Comparison #2

– Avaya IP Office

– Cisco Unified Communications Manager Express

We hope these snapshot reports are of use to you and remember you can choose your own comparisons by accessing CurrentCOMPETE from onenetwork.comstor.com.


Product Comparison #1 The following pages show a snapshot summary of each section of the Product Comparison:

Analytical Comparison

Summary Avaya - EC Aura Communication Manager Cisco - EC Unified Communications Manager

Current Perspective Avaya Aura Communication Manager

(Communication Manager) is threatening to competitors in the IP PBX market. Communication Manager software runs in a number of different hardware/software configurations that provide legacy Avaya TDM PBX systems with an effective migration path to IP. A selection of modular servers and gateways provides enterprises with a wide scope of configuration options for building communications platforms. That selection is further expanded by a broad portfolio of conferencing, collaboration, mobility, productivity, customer interaction, and other applications, as well as peripherals. Communication Manager allows Avaya Aura SIP Enablement Services to run natively on the platform, obviating need for standalone servers for SIP support. Communication Manager and SIP Enablement Services, along with other components such as Avaya Aura Application Enablement Services, Avaya Aura System Manager, and Avaya Aura Session Manager, together create the Avaya Aura architecture which presents enterprises with means to reduce the costs and complexities in managing multivendor communications networks and more rapid rollout of applications to users. Avaya�s top-tier status in the North American PBX market in terms of customer base is a valuable source of revenues for the company as it attempts to penetrate European markets more deeply. Though Avaya Definity customers can upgrade their system software to Communication Manager, legacy systems undergoing such a migration are unable to

Cisco Unified Communications Manager is threatening to competitors in the PBX market. With the latest software revisions, the platform now runs on a Linux server, natively supports SIP and connects to a broad range of application servers that provide a rich set of presence capabilities. The platform is highly scalable, able to meet the needs of the largest of enterprises and scale down for positioning in the mid-market. Unified Communications Manager benefits from a wide range of IP handsets, mature remote site survivability features, state-of-the-art VoIP security and native E911. Unified Communications Manager also benefits from being part of Cisco�s broad portfolio of networking products and Cisco�s dominance in enterprise networking markets which open sales opportunities for the communications platform. Aggressive marketing and wide-ranging channel partnerships have infused Unified Communications Manager into all the major telephony channels, both in the U.S. and Europe. This lets the company leverage the Cisco brand and dominance in enterprise data infrastructure markets for increased voice networking sales. However, with its latest software updates, Cisco has abandoned plans to bring widely-deployed Windows-based versions of the Unified Communications Manager software into parity with its Linux offering. Though there is nothing inherently wrong with standardizing on Linux, for years Cisco told customers that Windows-based platforms will be brought to parity with Linux-based platforms.

take advantage of all of the new functionality, such as higher performance and increased scalability. Avaya has backed away from offering Communication Manager on an IBM blade server, known as SBS3000, for service provider and enterprise data center environments. Inactivity with SBS3000 opens opportunities for competitors to position their blade server-based alternatives. In the past year, Avaya has moved to streamline its portfolio, quietly discontinuing products. To date, this has not adversely impacted Communication Manager, but rivals may draw upon it to instill uncertainty in competitive situations. And despite making significant investments to better penetrate the European IP PBX market, Avaya remains largely under-distributed throughout much of the continent and overshadowed by its many rivals in the region.

Backing away from this stance will put the onus on Unified Communications Manager customers to begin previously unplanned for and potentially expensive migrations away from existing Windows-based communications environments. The company has begun to allow use of customer-provided servers, however its current list of supported hardware is limited, and competitors have been more aggressive with this approach. Separately, a lack of support for digital endpoints limits the product investments Cisco customers can retain when migrating to voice networks based on Unified Communications Manager. Cisco�s inability (or unwillingness) to guarantee voice quality across multi-vendor networks is a circumstance that has not been fully remedied. This, combined with a reputation for complex configuration and management as well as a high price point, weakens the viability of the Unified Communications Manager platform in large companies that have not standardized on Cisco equipment.

Strengths and Weaknesses

Avaya - EC Aura Communication Manager Cisco - EC Unified Communications Manager

Strengths � Certain components from Avaya�s legacy PBX systems can be repurposed in an enterprise telephony environment based on newer Avaya Aura Communication Manager systems. This has distinct benefits to Avaya customers seeking to minimize TCO while migrating to newer IP-based PBX platforms. � Communication Manager can be configured for most any enterprise environment. A range of server-gateway combinations can be configured for centralized or distributed environments, with numerous variants available for large enterprises, the mid-market, and branch offices to effectively match individual enterprise requirements. � A broad variety of reliability and redundancy features are offered with Communication Manager for both remote/branch sites and system-wide continuity. Avaya has continued to improve its remote site survivability options with connection preserving and fallback, local survivability enhancements for its own branch office gateways and third-party SIP gateways, introduction of and expanded configuration options for the Enterprise Survivable Server, and S8700 server software duplication. � Avaya was comparatively early in delivering an IP PBX system capable of being run on the Linux operating system deployed on industry-standard server hardware. This presents enterprises with a familiar set of server hardware and software for use in their IT departments.

� Unified Communications Manager can network with legacy PBX systems and operate in a multi-PBX environment. This offers some options to help enterprises migrate to Cisco-based enterprise telephony environments in phases. � Unified Communications Manager is part of a comprehensive Cisco-developed portfolio of voice, data and wireless networking products. This allows it to be tightly integrated into a converged communications environment. � Release 7.0 has standardized Unified Communications Manager onto a Linux-based server platform, as opposed to selling different software revisions depending on whether customers wanted to deploy on Windows- or Linux-based servers. This presents a considerably less complicated scenario for Cisco, customers, and resellers going forward. � Unified Communications Manager�s market share has grown at a rapid and substantial rate both in North America and throughout Europe. Though PBX rivals in both regions enjoy installed bases substantially more sizeable than Cisco�s, deployment of Unified Communications Manager systems threaten to eclipse rival platforms on an international basis. � A wide range of Cisco-provided server options are available for Unified Communications Manager as well as the systems applications set. In a step toward more of a software-centric model, Cisco also makes Unified Communications Manager available as

� Communication Manager has a dominant presence in the North American market. This testifies to the platform�s ability to serve as the basis for a wide range of enterprise communications needs. � Since its acquisition by private equity firms Silver Lake and TPG Capital, Avaya has provided a rudimentary level of financial information that indicates the company is in a comparatively good state of financial health. This will reassure Communication Manager customers that investments made in this and other Avaya products are generally well-founded.

a software only solution that can be installed on customer or reseller provided server hardware from HP and IBM. � Cisco is a financially stable company with a considerable amount of money in the bank and ongoing investments in both R&D and M&A. Unified Communications Manager directly benefits from this corporate stability, which reassures customers and resellers that investments made in Unified Communications Manager are well founded.

Weaknesses � Though Avaya�s many Definity customers can upgrade their system software to Avaya Aura Communication Manager, the legacy systems are not be able to take advantage of all of the innovative functions, such as higher performance and increased scalability. � Communication Manager is not supported by a comprehensive set of Avaya-developed data and wireless networking systems. Avaya has forged various partnerships with Juniper, Extreme, and HP for data networking systems that complement its communications platforms; however, lack of native data and wireless networking platforms places Communication Manager at disadvantage when compared with rival systems that are backed by more comprehensive converged communications portfolios. � Avaya utilizes industry-standard hardware for Communication Manager, but this hardware must be provided by the company, as it has not yet enabled partners and customers to source their own commercially available servers. This is in contrasts to alternatives such as Siemens Enterprise OpenScape Voice, which allows customers and partners the flexibility and efficiencies of utilizing commercial off-the-shelf servers. � Avaya has backed away from plans to offer Communication Manager on an IBM blade server for service provider and enterprise data center environments, known as SBS3000. The SBS3000 is no longer a platform that Avaya is actively marketing and developing. This opens opportunities for competitors such as Alcatel-Lucent, Aastra, and others to position their blade server-based platforms in service provider and large enterprise accounts. � Despite making significant investments to better penetrate the European IP PBX market, Avaya remains largely under-distributed throughout much of the continent and overshadowed by its many rivals in the region. Additionally, Communication

� Unified Communications Manager is unable to provide a seamless migration path in which components of legacy PBX systems can be redeployed in a Unified Communications Manager environment. This puts the platform at a distinct disadvantage when competing against IP PBX platforms from vendors that allow gateways, digital handsets, cabinetry and other components of legacy PBX systems to be re-used in an IP PBX environment. � In only delivering Unified Communications Manager 7.0 (as well as all future software revisions) on Linux servers, Cisco went going back on its word to deliver parallel Windows and Linux-based versions of Unified Communications Manager that support an identical set of features and applications. This puts the onus on customers to replace their Windows-based platforms if they want to upgrade to the latest version of Unified Communications Manager. � Customers unwilling or unable to migrate to the Linux-based Unified Communications Manager 7.0 will not have access to certain features, such as integration with a variety of communications applications both from Cisco and its partners. The older release 4.3 also does not include RSVP Agent, a tool that improves voice quality over bandwidth-constrained WAN lines, and Unicode support, which provides localization in Hebrew, Chinese, Japanese and Korean. � The implementation of Cisco telephony equipment tends to require expensive upgrades to customers� data networking infrastructures, raising the TCO of Unified Communications Manager considerably. In addition, Cisco only guarantees IP voice quality across networks built exclusively with Cisco equipment. � Though benefiting from rapidly increasing line shipments numbers compared with some rival offerings, Unified Communications Manager continues to have a comparatively small installed

Manager, though enjoying a large installed base, is suffering from declines in new line shipments compared with some rival platforms in the IP PBX market.

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Point and Counterpoint


Point1 � Competitors should note that, since its change in corporate ownership, Avaya has quietly discontinued a number of products, including phones, SMB systems, gateways and more. Though only a few of these impact Avaya Aura Communication Manager, it should raise concerns among customers and partners that the product could be negatively impacted by Avaya�s cost-cutting measures.

� Competitors should note that Cisco has abandoned plans to continue developing Unified Communications Manager deployed on Windows servers. Customers will need to migrate to Linux in order to run the latest software revisions.

Counterpoint1 � Avaya should note that it is continually evolving its portfolio for performance, flexibility, and efficiency for the benefit of enterprise customers. Retirement of some products is a natural part of this process, during which all discontinued products go through established and documented support cycles. Accordingly, Avaya offers incentives aimed at helping customers make the transition to current products in cost-effective fashion.

� Cisco should note that Linux is a more reliable and cost-effective platform for business communications software. The decision to standardize on Linux rather than Windows will ultimately result in more robust Unified Communications Manager systems.

Point2 � Competitors should note that Definity systems upgraded to the Avaya Aura Communication Manager software cannot take advantage of all of the newer system�s functionality, such as higher performance and increased scalability.

� Competitors should note that the SRST option for branch-office routers only delivers a subset of Unified Communications Manager features to users in the event of a WAN failure that cuts off access to the centralized server.

Counterpoint2 � Avaya should counter that upgraded Definity systems gain access to more innovative new functionality than they are restricted from. Customers needing all the new capabilities can purchase and deploy new Avaya IP PBX systems to do so.

� Cisco should note that SRST is designed as a low-cost reliability feature to support remote sites that cannot cost-justify a full Unified Communications Manager server implementation. Remote sites or branch offices that require full-service survivability in the event of a WAN failure are encouraged to deploy a Unified Communications Manager server.

Point3 � Competitors should note that Unified Communications Manager does not support digital handsets, requiring enterprises to purchase IP voice stations when deploying Unified Communications Manager systems.

Counterpoint3 � Cisco should note that it has no intention of supporting digital telephones, because most are based on proprietary technology. Customers will only yield the application integration, networking, and mobility benefits of IP telephony if they use IP end stations. However, analog devices are supported, should customers need inexpensive legacy endpoints for dial tone.

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Buying Criteria and Metrics Comparison

Architecture and Protocols



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To obtain the full report of this Product Comparison or any other comparison, go to Access CurrentCOMPETE at: onenetwork.comstor.com


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Architecture and Protocols � Avaya Aura Communication Manager can be

deployed in either a centralized environment or a distributed network, providing customers with flexibility in how they implement the system. Multiple call processing servers are networked together via Avaya�s proprietary Distributed Communications System (DCS) protocol as well as industry-standard protocols: SIP or H.323 trunking over IP, or Q.SIG for legacy systems. � Five primary server options provide customers with reasonable flexibility in how they deploy Communication Manager platforms and add capacity without completely replacing system hardware. Two of the server platforms are blade servers, while two are standalone. The lower-end S8300 runs on a blade that can be resident in a G700, G450, G430, G350, or G250 gateway and has a maximum capacity of 450 endpoints. The mid-market S8400 blade server for the G650 gateway (and older legacy gateways) supports up to 900 endpoints. The S8500 is a standalone, simplex server with capacity up to 2,400 endpoints,and the high-capacity S8730 provides capacity up to 36,000 endpoints plus server duplication. The S8800 is a new high-performance server for Communication Manager and other Avaya products that scales to 36,000 endpoints. � Communication Manager servers run on modified Linux operating systems. Linux has become increasingly common in enterprise IT departments and is appreciated for its reliability, security, and cost-effectiveness. � Communication Manager uses a variety of media gateway options. They include the G250, G350, G430, G450, and IG550 for branch offices and the G450, G650, and G860 for large site or campus environments. The G250 (for 14 stations), G350 (for 72 extensions), G430 (for 150 users), and G450 (for 192 stations) branch office gateways can be outfitted with an internal S8300 server to act as a local survivable processor. The IG550 Integrated Gateway fits into a Juniper J-Series branch office router, combining IP telephony, security, and routing in a single platform for branch offices with up to 100 users. VPN Remote software affords any Avaya phone with a direct broadband line connection without a remote site gateway. Communication Manager branch options are numerous; however, several alternatives match the portfolio. � Communication Manager supports both H.323 and SIP over IP. H.248 provides gateway control. SIP trunking is supported natively by

� Unified Communications Manager can be deployed either in a centralized environment or in adistributed network, providing customers with flexibility in how they implement the system. Cisco utilizes its proprietary Skinny Client Control Protocol (SCCP), as well as industry-standard protocols for IP phone and gateway control in both centralized and distributed implementations. � The Unified Communications Manager software runs on five models of Cisco�s rack-mount Media Convergence Servers (MCS): the 7815 (tower version), 7816, 7825, 7835 and 7845, as well as on the 7828 appliance for mid-market businesses. This provides customers with many platform options when deploying Unified Communications Manager solutions. Customers can also run the Unified Communications Manager software on select IBM (xSeries x3250-M2 and x3650) or HP (DL380-G5 and DL320-G5p) servers. This offers customers a certain amount of flexibility in server options. � Unified Communications Manager 7.0 software and above runs on Linux-based servers. The Linux operating system increasingly is common in enterprise IT departments and appreciated for its openness, security and cost-effectiveness. � The Cisco EGW 2200 Enterprise Gateway provides interworking for Unified Communications Manager with legacy digital private network signaling system (DPNSS)-based PBXs for the interoperability of a basic features set. Unified Communications Manager Express can also act as a branch office gateway for up to 200 users. � Unified Communications Manager 7.x natively supports both trunk and line-side SIP. Unified Communications Manager interfaces to H.323 gatekeeper (also acting as a SIP proxy) are used for scalability, call admission control, and redundancy. Video is supported via SCCP, SIP and H.323, while MGCP, H.323 or SIP is used for gateway control, except for the VG248 gateway, which uses Cisco�s SCCP. � Unified Communications Manager 7.1, made available in 2009, was a maintenance release delivering IPv6 dual-stack support, new call handling features (enhanced abbreviated dialing, reverse callback and simultaneous ring and conference control enhancements), Q.SIG variant provisioning, Open LDAP support, as well as video and administration enhancements. Release 7.0, introduced in 2008, delivered the communications software solely on a Linux-based appliance rather than providing options for use of Windows-based

Communication Manager via an internal SIP back-to-back user agent. Other SIP capabilities are delivered through Avaya Aura Session Manager and Avaya Aura SIP Enablement Services, recently available in a co-resident configuration on the S8300 server. Either Session Manager or SES is required to let Communication Manager use SIP-based handsets and applications. Avaya Aura Presence Services provides telephony presence and IM services to Communication Manager customers.

� In April 2009, Avaya introduced the Avaya Aura branding and Avaya Aura Architecture as well as Communication Manager 5.2 with functionality enhancements including: extension of processor Ethernet capability for S8720 and S8730 duplicated critical reliability servers; integrated voice messaging support on the S85x0 media server; the ability to configure S8400 as an Enterprise Survivable Server (ESS) to provide enterprise-wide disaster recovery; increased endpoint and trunk capacity on S8700-series servers; the G430 media gateway for branch offices; support for small, low-cost third-party SIP gateways for Avaya 96xx phone survivability; new telephony user features for EMEA markets; and the ability to configure a single S8510 server to host multiple Avaya Aura components.

servers; improved SIP support, mobility enhancements, and support for Unified Communications Manager Business Edition for distributed offices.

Clients Avaya - EC Aura Communication Manager Cisco - EC Unified Communications Manager

Clients� Avaya Aura Communication Manager supports Avaya�s 2400 and 6400 series of digital handsets, allowing customers with legacy voice systems to utilize existing end station investments when migrating to IP telephony. Though Avaya is streamlining its current terminal portfolio, the company presently maintains separate lines of digital handsets for its different communications platforms, making it impossible for customers to leverage existing end station investments when migrating from one platform to another. � Avaya has been an innovative IP end station developer. The 9600 Series IP Deskphones with Avaya one-X Deskphone SIP or H.323 firmware are comprised of eight IP sets spanning advanced, basic, and executive assistant models. The 1600 Series IP Deskphones with Avaya one-X Deskphone or H.323 firmware are available in one of three models (i.e., a version for everyday users, a version for navigator users, and a SIP version for contact center agents). VPN software is embedded into the 9600 series phones, allowing their remote deployment with broadband connection to centralized PBXs. � Avaya has a number of solutions to meet a

� Unified Communications Manager does not support a native line of digital handsets, preventing many customers with legacy voice systems from utilizing existing end station investments when migrating to IP telephony. � The 7900 Series of IP phones includes a very impressive lineup of 14 different desktop models. The portfolio includes an inexpensive, low-end model, a number of units featuring context-sensitive soft keys and support for XML applications, and a high-end unit with a high-resolution color touch-screen display. The newer 6900 series features three models, all with multi line support, ergonomic design, power-save options and made with recyclable plastics. � Unified Communications Manager supports two WiFi handsets that Cisco developed in-house. Polycom wireless IP handsets are also supported. Developing its own wireless IP phone gives Cisco greater control over product development in this area in comparison to competitors that rely on partners for WiFi handsets. Unified Communications Manager supports a dual-mode cellular-WiFi solution that can support both types of networks and can handoff calls between them. Unified

variety of mobility requirements. Avaya has also been very aggressive in its development of wireless IP handsets. In addition to supporting a variety of WiFi handset models (from partners Polycom SpectraLink and Samsung), Communication Manager also supports the Avaya one-X Mobile soft client that can run on a variety of cellular phones and PDAs. The company has a partnership with DiVitas Networks to support Communication Manager and Modular Messaging services on dual-mode cellular-WLAN handsets. DECT handsets are available in Europe and North America. � Communication Manager supports a rich set of soft clients. These include Avaya one-X Communicator, which delivers not only soft phone, video, and presence functionality, but also integrations with IBM, Microsoft, and applications from other third-party software developers, as well as Avaya one-X Portal, a Web-based interface to Communication Manager, Modular Messaging, Meeting Exchange, and enterprise directories.

Communications Manager does not support DECT. � Unified Communications Manager supports two software clients that can operate as soft phones: Cisco IP Communicator and Cisco Unified Personal Communicator. The two support quite different feature sets. For example, IP Communicator supports XML and MeetMe conferencing, while Cisco Unified Personal Communicator provides a GUI for access to multiple communications services such as conferencing, collaboration, and video as well as presence services.

Pricing Avaya - EC Aura Communication Manager Cisco - EC Unified Communications Manager

Pricing� For the PBX system and software in a 250-user configuration, per-user pricing ranges from $167 to $263, not including phones. � For the PBX system and software in a 1,000-user configuration, per-user pricing ranges from $198 to $298, not including phones. � For the PBX system and software in a 5,000-user configuration, per-user pricing ranges from $228 to $288, not including phones.

� The list price for the PBX system and software in a 250-user configuration is approximately $534 per user. � The list price for the PBX system and software in a 1,000-user configuration is approximately $534 per user. � The list price for the PBX system and software in a 5,000-user configuration is approximately $534 per user.

Reliability and Security


Reliability and Security � As a standard Avaya Aura Communication

Manager feature, signaling and voice traffic is encrypted between end stations, including soft phone clients. The encryption of media streams and packets between gateways is also supported, with gateways handling encryption natively. � The S8730 and S8800 can be deployed in duplicated server pairs, with one always active and one in standby. The S8510 and S8800 servers use standard RAID hard drive redundancy. The S8400 and S8300 do not support redundant processors; however, distributed architectures can provide inherent failover in multiple server configurations. Other branch survivability options include G250, G350, G430, G450, IG550, and G700 connection-preserving failover to alternate servers and gateway auto-fallback to primary servers.

� Unified Communications Manager supports the encryption of signaling and media for approximately ten models of Cisco IP phones. Cisco�s low-end IP phones and IP SoftPhone do not support encryption. Encryption of signaling and media for SRST and MGCP gateways is also supported. � Unified Communications Manager supports multiple call processing servers for redundancy. Unified Communications Manager servers can be optionally configured in either a primary/secondary/tertiary design or a load sharing design, where each server would have active registered devices plus capability to handle failover from non-primary registered devices. Not all MCS models support redundant disk drives or hot-swap power supplies.

variety of mobility requirements. Avaya has also been very aggressive in its development of wireless IP handsets. In addition to supporting a variety of WiFi handset models (from partners Polycom SpectraLink and Samsung), Communication Manager also supports the Avaya one-X Mobile soft client that can run on a variety of cellular phones and PDAs. The company has a partnership with DiVitas Networks to support Communication Manager and Modular Messaging services on dual-mode cellular-WLAN handsets. DECT handsets are available in Europe and North America. � Communication Manager supports a rich set of soft clients. These include Avaya one-X Communicator, which delivers not only soft phone, video, and presence functionality, but also integrations with IBM, Microsoft, and applications from other third-party software developers, as well as Avaya one-X Portal, a Web-based interface to Communication Manager, Modular Messaging, Meeting Exchange, and enterprise directories.

Communications Manager does not support DECT. � Unified Communications Manager supports two software clients that can operate as soft phones: Cisco IP Communicator and Cisco Unified Personal Communicator. The two support quite different feature sets. For example, IP Communicator supports XML and MeetMe conferencing, while Cisco Unified Personal Communicator provides a GUI for access to multiple communications services such as conferencing, collaboration, and video as well as presence services.

Pricing Avaya - EC Aura Communication Manager Cisco - EC Unified Communications Manager

Pricing� For the PBX system and software in a 250-user configuration, per-user pricing ranges from $167 to $263, not including phones. � For the PBX system and software in a 1,000-user configuration, per-user pricing ranges from $198 to $298, not including phones. � For the PBX system and software in a 5,000-user configuration, per-user pricing ranges from $228 to $288, not including phones.

� The list price for the PBX system and software in a 250-user configuration is approximately $534 per user. � The list price for the PBX system and software in a 1,000-user configuration is approximately $534 per user. � The list price for the PBX system and software in a 5,000-user configuration is approximately $534 per user.

Reliability and Security


Reliability and Security � As a standard Avaya Aura Communication

Manager feature, signaling and voice traffic is encrypted between end stations, including soft phone clients. The encryption of media streams and packets between gateways is also supported, with gateways handling encryption natively. � The S8730 and S8800 can be deployed in duplicated server pairs, with one always active and one in standby. The S8510 and S8800 servers use standard RAID hard drive redundancy. The S8400 and S8300 do not support redundant processors; however, distributed architectures can provide inherent failover in multiple server configurations. Other branch survivability options include G250, G350, G430, G450, IG550, and G700 connection-preserving failover to alternate servers and gateway auto-fallback to primary servers.

� Unified Communications Manager supports the encryption of signaling and media for approximately ten models of Cisco IP phones. Cisco�s low-end IP phones and IP SoftPhone do not support encryption. Encryption of signaling and media for SRST and MGCP gateways is also supported. � Unified Communications Manager supports multiple call processing servers for redundancy. Unified Communications Manager servers can be optionally configured in either a primary/secondary/tertiary design or a load sharing design, where each server would have active registered devices plus capability to handle failover from non-primary registered devices. Not all MCS models support redundant disk drives or hot-swap power supplies.

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produced from Avaya R&D, the company relies more heavily on partners for richer functionality than do rivals with respect to rich presence, more advanced mobility, and multimedia conferencing (i.e., video and Web) tools for their platforms. Avaya relies on DevConnect partners to supply the �gateway� and applications for integration to desktop applications/IM/rich presence, potentially raising the cost and complexity of implementation, maintenance and management. � Avaya's Multi-Site Network Option capacity has been doubled to support 32 connected sites, but its maximum capacity tops out at 1,000 total users across those sites. This also means that the Resilient Multi-Site Network Option supports a maximum of 1,000 users. While sufficient for many accounts, these IP Office capabilities trail those of several alternatives. � IP Office features a solid state architecture - there are no redundant or hot-swappable hardware elements, such as hard drives and power supplies, for the IP Office platform. However, this may also equate to longer system downtime compared to alternatives that support hot-swap of mission-critical elements.

competing systems, the application leaves room for improvement. For example, only one-to-one instant message sessions are currently supported, limiting use of the software as a workgroup productivity and collaboration tool. Furthermore, the SME presence and instant messaging software does not integrate with Cisco�s other presence engines, Unified Presence and Jabber, nor with CallConnector for Windows productivity applications. � While Unified Communications Manager Express can be implemented as a branch/remote site solution within larger Cisco Unified Communications Manager networks, a lack of support for all of the same applications, features, and peripherals by the two platforms may limit appeal for enterprises looking to standardize their solutions across sites.


Avaya - EC IP Office Cisco - EC Unified Communications Manager Express

Point1 � Competitors should note that IP Office lacks redundant system elements for improved reliability.

� Unified Communications Manager Express is only available with integrated data routing functionality, and as such, it may not be as effectively priced as a standalone PBX or key system.

Counterpoint1 � Avaya should not hesitate to point out the numerous IP Office reliability options. These include automatic failover to PSTN, IP phone resiliency, auto failover to alternate nodes with full survivability, and Preferred Edition Messaging backup. The system alsooperates without a hard drive, which increases its reliability. Additionally, the absence of redundant system components keeps IP Office priced competitively for SME customers, and this is not uncommon positioning for its class.

� With many SMEs leaning towards running multiple services on a single platform, integrated data routing functionality is something customers should consider when making a purchasing decision for just a voice solution. Furthermore, TCO on a routing-plus-UC system is much lower compared to maintaining separate data, security, WLAN, and voice infrastructures.

Point2 � Competitors should note that IP Office utilizes a proprietary operating system and hardware, while many alternatives currently utilize more cost-effective and open Linux OS software along with commercially available servers.

� The fact that Unified Communications Manager Express is tightly integrated in data networking equipment will have a tendency to intimidate some SMB buyers and the telephony (but not necessarily convergence)-savvy resellers that support them.

Counterpoint2 � Avaya should respond that IP Office is designed as an all-in-one turnkey system � an architecture and form factor that has proven highly successful for SMB and SME customers seeking robust communications solutions that are easy to manage, maintain, and use. The proprietary operating system and hardware is optimized to support IP Office environments, making it arguably more secure,

� Cisco has delivered tools such as the Cisco Configuration Professional (CCP), as well as partner solutions that can setup a complete solution without requiring the customer or the reseller to have knowledge of Cisco data networking features.













Product Comparison #2 The following pages show a snapshot summary of each section of the Product Comparison:

Analytical Comparison

Summary Avaya - EC IP Office Cisco - EC Unified Communications Manager Express

Current Perspective Avaya IP Office is threatening to SME PBX

competitors. The IP Office system is an IP migration path for Avaya�s large base of key systems customers in the U.S. and Europe. A scalable integrated communications platform, IP Office supports IP, SIP, digital or analog lines in equal measure and utilizes a variety of handsets compatible with other Avaya systems. The present centerpiece of the portfolio, IP Office 500, was introduced in early 2007 to bring to the IP Office line an architecture allowing modular scalability and migration. Launched in early 2010, IP Office 500v2 offers hardware efficiencies that improve the system�s cost competitiveness for sub-20 user accounts. The present IP Office 500 options enabled Avaya to effectively discontinue the less-flexible IP Office Small Office Edition, 403, 406 and 412 models, thereby concentrating its resources on a single offering for SMB and SME markets. Regular networking and applications enhancements, including doubled multi-site networking capacity, new reliability capabilities, expanded mobility options, support for desktop productivity software and third-party SIP terminals, have kept IP Office competitive in its class. Simplified sales, marketing and deployment through a streamlined IP Office catalog and the availability of editions-based software packages add to the arms at the disposal of an already strong and capable Avaya channel. Avaya remedied notable scalability shortfalls with IP Office 500�s modular architecture, an attribute that is increasingly required by customers. However, with

Cisco�s Unified Communications Manager Express is threatening to the competition in the SME PBX market. Unified Communications Manager Express software runs as a call processing application that lets Cisco Integrated Services Routers act as PBX platforms for SMBs and enterprise branch offices. The same Integrated Services Router can also provide data connectivity, firewall and VPN functionality, voicemail, basic ACD, wireless LAN, Ethernet switching, power over Ethernet, and other services in a single platform. If a customer outgrows a particular hardware configuration, the Unified Communications Manager Express software can be run on a different platform and the previous router redeployed as a non-telephony device elsewhere in the network. Adding further versatility, routers with Unified Communications Manager Express enabled can be reconfigured as Cisco Unified Survivable Remote Site Telephony (Unified SRST) nodes off a centralized Unified Communications Manager PBX. With release 7.0, the system received unified messaging, mobility contact center, E911, productivity, and presence applications enhancements that make it more competitive on the basis of communications features. However, Unified Communications Manager Express is only available with integrated data routing functionality, and as such, it may not be as effectively priced as a standalone PBX or key system. The fact that the solution is tightly integrated in data networking equipment may also be intimidating to some SMB buyers and the

the company introducing and discontinuing several other SMB-focused systems (IP Office Small Office Edition, one-X Quick Edition) and subsequently introducing IP Office 500v2, rivals will characterize Avaya as unable to deliver a solution that small businesses want to buy. Furthermore, rival developers have turned to support for Linux operating systems and enabling support for commercially available hardware, however IP Office remains reliant on a proprietary operating system and Avaya-supplied hardware. This may limit appeal for the system among IT personnel that are increasingly influential or responsible for selecting and maintaining communications systems within smaller accounts.

telephony (but not necessarily convergence)-savvy resellers that support them. These attributes may drive customers and resellers toward Cisco�s UC500 or Unified Communications Manager Business Edition offers, or to similar all-in-one system packages from competing developers that are designed in principle to fulfill traditional SMB/SME buying criteria of being easy to configure, install, manage, and use. Additionally, in side-by-side comparisons, competitors will point out limited native conferencing capacities, the absence of digital station support, a lack of DECT support for cost-effective on-site mobility options, and the failure to offer embedded messaging as a standard feature.

Strengths and Weaknesses


Strengths � With R6.0, Avaya launched the new IP Office 500v2 option for sub-20 user accounts. IP Office 500v2 reduces the number of components to be more cost effective and easier to order compared to IP Office 500 in the small business space. The v2 platform�s combination card does the work of four dedicated cards for digital station, analog trunk, analog port and IP endpoint support. Dedicated smart licensing cards and Flash messaging cards are likewise consolidated into a single SD card. The result is a v2 system offering that is a 31% list price decrease and 30% reduction in part numbers compared to a ten-user IP Office 500 system. � IP Office flexibility allows the system to be deployed in an increasingly wide array of environments. The platform supports a range of LAN/WAN interfaces to accommodate the varying requirements of small and mid-sized customers. The hybrid IP/TDM system can serve as a standalone, turnkey SME solution. For distributed environments, the networking capacity supports a mesh of 32 IP Office systems. Furthermore, IP Office can serve as a remote site solution networked back to a centralized Avaya Aura Communication Manager PBX. � IP Office offers highly competitive reliability options for its class. High availability can be assured via IP phone resiliency and PSTN failover. Multi-Site Network Option enables IP Office to failover to other active, distributed IP Office nodes with full survivability for users. Resilient Multi-Site Network Option licensing also enables back up for Preferred Edition messaging. Preferred Edition software licensing supports messaging backup across sites, and deployment of distributed messaging servers for sites with heavy voicemail usage to minimize bandwidth consumed by messaging backup in networked configurations.

� The Unified Communications Manager Express software is embedded into Cisco IOS and runs on routers as an optional feature. The software can be configured to provide a key system feature set, a PBX feature set, or a combination of the two to meet the needs of a particular business. The same router can provide data access, VPN services, voicemail, ACD, wireless LAN, power over Ethernet, robust H.323 or SIP voice networking, and WAN networking functionality to enterprise branch offices and SMBs. This flexibility built into Cisco access router platforms allows users to change their capabilities by simply installing different software or hardware modules. � Unified Communications Manager Express software can run on 11 Cisco router hardware variations with scalability spanning from eight to 250 stations. This gives Cisco a broader demographic of accounts to which it can market its solutions and offers customers a broad selection to match to their needs.

� Routers configured to run Unified Communications Manager Express can be reconfigured to operate as Unified SRST nodes off a centralized Unified Communications Manager PBX if the SME outgrows the 250-station limit of the Express solution. Unified Communications Manager Express licenses are convertible to Unified SRST licenses at no extra cost, adding more flexibility to the platform and allowing it to fit squarely into an enterprise�s Cisco-based voice network architecture. � Cisco�s command of the access router market givesit a vast installed base into which it can sell Unified Communications Manager Express. Moreover, though rebranded several times (formerly CallManager Express and IOS Telephony Services before that), Unified Communications Manager Express has been shipping since 2002. In that time,

� Avaya has simplified its IP Office applications licensing bundles. Multi-Site Network Option previously offered in base, add-on and advanced four-channel packages at four different prices, is now offered as a single four-channel package at a single price. Seven role-based applications packages (Office Worker, Power User, Mobile Worker, Teleworker, Receptionist, Customer Service Agent and Customer Service Supervisor) likewise help reduce cost and remove some complexity from matching communications solutions to specific users.

� The browser-based Avaya one-X Portal for IP Office has replaced Phone Manager Pro as the primary IP Office multimedia soft client. one-X Portal for IP Office allows users to access call control, unified messaging, directory, call logs, telephony presence, instant messaging, audio conferencing and other IP Office features from the desktop. The thin client is comparatively easier to provision and maintain than its predecessor, is better optimized for telecommuters, and serves as the foundation for the Power User, Teleworker and Office Worker software bundles. � About 170,000 IP Office systems have shipped worldwide to provide ready upgrade opportunities to existing accounts. IP Office also serves as a VoIP migration path for a number of widely deployed legacy platforms including PARTNER ACS, 30,000 MERLIN MAGIX and MERLIN Legend systems, 1.3 million Partner systems shipped in the U.S. and CALA, and 180,000 Tenovis Integral 5 units shipped in EMEA. Furthermore, the INDeX Media Gateway provides a direct VoIP migration path for Avaya�s INDeX key systems in Europe.

its feature set has improved through consistent software updates. The feature set is focused on the target SMB or enterprise branch office needs and, as such, it delivers a robust solution for these segments. Over 30 languages (up to five per system) and country locales are supported today on the product. � Software release 7.0 greatly enhanced the Unified Communications Manager Express applications set. With it, the Unified CallConnect Suite of productivity applications introduced numerous new desktop call control features, enhanced CTI, single-number reach, presence software, native E911 integration, Unity Express messaging enhancements, and integration with Cisco Unified Communications Contact Center Express. These enhancements keep Unified Communications Manager Express competitive on an applications basis with recent upgrades introduced to several rival systems.

Weaknesses � Avaya has made moves necessary to streamline its SMB/SME product portfolio for efficiencies. However, retirement of IP Office Small Office Edition and one-X Quick Edition and subsequent launch of IP Office 500v2 leaves room for rivals to characterize Avaya�s efforts in the SMB space as lacking direction. � Avaya�s proprietary IP Office OS creates potential disadvantages against solutions based on Linux and supporting commercial off-the-shelf server hardware, which are proving to be important characteristics for IT personnel within SMB/SME accounts that are increasingly responsible for procuring and maintaining communications systems.

� As noted, regular enhancements have kept the IP Office applications portfolio competitive, particularly in the areas of optional contact center, productivity, mobility, unified messaging and audio conferencing. However, while IP Office supports baseline presence, instant messaging and mobility applications directly

� Since Unified Communications Manager Express runs on Cisco access router models, integration with data networking infrastructure is an integral element of the solution. Though this will appeal to certain SMEs and resellers with a Cisco background, all customers in the market for a voice system will not necessarily want integrated data capabilities. � In late 2008, release 7.0 greatly strengthened Unified Communications Manager Express on the applications front; however, it still offers limited native conferencing capacities compared to alternative SME PBXs, lacks support for cost-effective DECT on-site mobility solutions, and does not support digital terminals to allow reuse of existing equipment. Rivals developers will argue that these factors drive up TCO for the Cisco platform. � Though optional support for presence and instant messaging software differentiates Unified Communications Manager Express from many other

























stable, and reliable than systems that are not purpose-built to support real-time communications,

Point3 � Rival developers should stress that Avaya relies heavily on partners for richer functionality, such as rich presence, more advanced mobility and multimedia conferencing (i.e., video and Web) tools for their platforms. Avaya relies on DevConnect partners to supply the �gateway� and applications for integration to desktop applications/IM/rich presence, potentially raising the cost and complexity of implementation, maintenance and management.

� Unified Communications Manager Express cannot run on a number of older Cisco router platforms, such as the widely adopted 2600 series.

Counterpoint3 � Avaya should respond that the IP Office portfolio consists of a highly competitive range of applications that are developed specifically for use with the IP Office system. However, not all customer requirements are satisfied by single-source providers. Avaya DevConnect allows customers to deploy best of breed solutions leveraging partner expertise and products that are certified to meet IP Office specifications. In fact, this technology partner ecosystem approach is commonplace and Avaya DevConnect is among the market�s leading programswith respect to the breadth and scope of solutions that it can provide.

� The Unified Communications Manager Express software runs on a wide range of router platforms, including the Cisco ISR 1861, 2800, and 3800 series routers. This broad portfolio ensures that a wide base of Cisco customers will be able to use the Unified Communications Manager Express capability. The latest 2800 and 3800 Integrated Service Router family has encompassed many voice as well as security, wireless, and switching-specific architectural improvements to offer a very robust product at a very effective price point. Cisco offers customers with older router models a clear upgrade plan with technology migration credits.

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Architecture and Protocols � IP Office is an integrated communication platform

that provides a variety of networking and applications capabilities. Integrated components include a 128-port audio conference bridge, firewall, call accounting, voicemail, H.323 gatekeeper, router, DHCP server, remote access server, and WAN interface module. This makes it easy and cost-effective for businesses to purchase

� Unified Communications Manager Express is a Cisco Integrated Operating System software option on a wide range of Cisco access routers and is actively being promoted for use with the 1861, 2801, 2811, 2821, 2851, 3250, 3270, 3825, and 3845 Integrated Services Routers, as well as the 2430 Series Integrated Access Devices.






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To obtain the full report of this Product Comparison or any other comparison, go to Access CurrentCOMPETE at: onenetwork.comstor.com






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and deploy the solution. � Avaya has consolidated the IP Office line to the IPOffice 500. The system supports a common set of external expansion modules that are also supported by older IP Office models (406 and 412) to increase analog trunks, and digital and analog extensions. � IP Office utilizes SIP and H.323 for VoIP signaling, H.450 for call control (transfer, hold, park etc.), and QSIG for wide area networking and interoperability. Quality of service (QoS) is achieved through DiffServ for routing and 802.1p for traffic prioritization. TDM trunk connections are available for analog, T1/E1 CAS, and ISDN. � IP Office runs on a proprietary Avaya operating system (IP Office OS). This differs from a variety of competing platforms that make use of VxWorks or those that are moving toward UNIX or Linux operating systems for their server-based SMB communications platforms. � Avaya introduced Release 6.0 of IP Office in March 2010. R6 features new UC capabilities including advanced collaboration tools using voice, instant messaging, presence and video to drive a more productive and flexible workforce. Additionally, R6 introduced the IP Office 500v2 platform for businesses with less than 20 employees.

� Unified Communications Manager Express is part of an integrated communications system that can feature an access router, data switching, call server, firewall and encryption capabilities, wireless, and VPN services. All common PSTN gateway interfaces are supported including BRI, PRI, E1, T1, analog FXO, analog FXS, and E&M. Routers running Unified Communications Manager Express can be converted into Unified Survivable Remote Site Telephony routers for centralized call processing, allowing businesses to leverage their investments in IP telephony systems without necessarily replacing entire systems. � Unified Communications Manager Express can be networked with a centralized Unified Communications Manager processor using H.323 or SIP networking as well as between an unlimited number of Unified Communications Manager Express systems, but it cannot be made part of a cluster of Unified Communications Manager servers. � Unified Communications Manager Express can support either Cisco�s proprietary Skinny Client Control Protocol (SCCP) for call control of Cisco IP phones or SIP for Cisco or third-party IP phones. � In 2009, Unified Communications Manager Express 7.1 feature release introduced support for Cisco VG202 and VG204 Analog Voice Gateways; single-number reach in Cisco IOS software; transcoding with G.711, G.729a, and iLBC; video over SIP trunk with H264 codec support; numerous user call control enhancements; and more.

Clients Avaya - EC IP Office Cisco - EC Unified Communications Manager Express

Clients� IP Office supports Avaya�s 1400, 2400, 4400 and 6400 series digital handsets and Tenovis T3 digital phones, allowing customers to retain some of the value of their legacy components while migrating to IP. IP Office also supports Avaya�s 1600 and 4600 series IP phones; three models of 5400 digital phones designed for use only with IP Office; and four models of the 5600 IP desk set series and five 9600 SIP desk phone models designed for both IP Office and Aura Communication Manager. For teleworkers, IP Office supports Avaya�s VPNremote software for the 4600 and 5600 IP phone series. A range of third-party (i.e., Polycom, snom, Grandstream, Teledex) SIP terminals are also supported. � IP Office can be outfitted with optional support for the 3641 and 3645 wireless IP handsets developed by Polycom SpectraLink and modified to

� Unified Communications Manager Express supports more than a dozen Cisco IP handsets in executive, manager, business, and basic versions, several 802.11 wireless models, and the 7985G personal desktop videophone, which are all also supported by Cisco Unified Communications Manager. Power over Ethernet (PoE) can be supplied either by a Cisco Catalyst switch or a module in 2800, 3700, and 3800 series routers or from local power supplies. � Analog phones are also supported using standalone analog to IP gateway or ports on the Cisco router. However, Unified Communications Manager Express systems do not natively support digital handsets, preventing customers with an investment in legacy phone systems from leveraging their previous investments in digital end stations.

support Avaya communications platforms. Ascom SIP WiFi sets are also supported. This helps customers leverage their WiFi networking investments in deployment of IP telephony solutions. Avaya�s WiFi solutions are available globally. � IP Office supports the IP DECT wireless system, including the 3701 and 3711 telephones in both Europe and North America. In the U.S., Avaya offers single-line digital solutions, such as the Avaya 3810 digital wireless products. � one-X Portal for IP Office allows users to access call control, unified messaging, directory, call logs, telephony presence, instant messaging, audio conferencing, telecommuter mode and other IP Office features from the desktop using a browser-based client. The one-X Communicator softphone for Avaya Aura Communication Manager is not compatible with IP Office. The IP Office Video Softphone supporting softphone and peer-to-peer video conferencing is included with the Teleworker and Power User software bundles. IP Office also supports the Windows-based Phone Manager thick client which offers feature party with one-X Portal for IP Office.

� Unified Communications Manager Express supports Cisco Unified IP Communicator as its soft phone client for use with Windows PC. � Cisco has developed its own WiFi IP phones, with the 7920 802.11b, 7921G 802.11a/b/g, and 7925G 802.11a/b/g complementing the company�s full line of wireless infrastructure gear. Developing its own wireless IP phone line gives Cisco greater control over product development in this area compared with competitors that rely on partners for WiFi handsets.

Pricing Avaya - EC IP Office Cisco - EC Unified Communications Manager Express

Pricing� The list price for PBX system and software in a 50-user configuration is $18,689 ($374 per user). � The list price for PBX system and software in a 100-user configuration is $42,855 ($429 per user).

� The list price for PBX system and software in a 250-user configuration (or with the maximum number of users, if less than 250) is $106,420 ($426 per user).

� Price for a solution that includes a PBX system, data routing, Ethernet switching, voicemail, and software in a 50-user configuration: approximately $679 per user. � Price for a solution that includes a PBX system, data routing, Ethernet switching, voicemail, and software in a 100-user configuration: approximately $618 per user. � Price for a solution that includes a PBX system, data routing, Ethernet switching, voicemail, and software in a 250-user configuration: approximately $595 per user. � Cisco Integrated Services Router Unified Communications bundles combine, in a single part number, the Cisco Integrated Services Router hardware platform, Cisco IOS software features including routing and security, Unified Communications Manager Express call processing, Unity Express voicemail and auto-attendant, Unified Border Element for connecting to SIP telephony providers, Unified CallConnector Personal Edition for Microsoft Windows desktop integration, and phone user licenses for Cisco IP phones. The bundles also provide separate part numbers for

customers that want to deploy like firewall, intrusion detection, and VPN along with the unified communications features on the same hardware.

Scalability and Performance


Scalability and Performance � IP Office 500 supports up to 384 analog, digital,

or IP or SIP devices, a comparably high number for an all-in-one SME PBX. Additional analog trunks can be provisioned using the Analog Trunk 16 module for all IP Office platforms. Up to eight T1/E1 trunks can be provisioned on IP Office 500, and up to 128 SIP trunks. � IP Office can serve as a remote site solution networked back to a centralized Avaya Aura Communication Manager PBX using Session Manager. � Using Avaya Multi-Site Network Option, up to 32 IP Office controllers can be linked together with full feature transparency between systems for up to 500 total users. Feature transparency is compromised after the 32-controller threshold is surpassed. Systems can also be clustered together creating their own Multi-Site Network Option. These can be linked together with Q-SIG offering basic call services between them.

� Unified Communications Manager Express is moderately scalable as an SMB platform, able to support from eight to 250 users. Scalability is tied directly to the router in which the software is resident. Unified Communications Manager Express running on an 1861 router, for example, supports a maximum of 15 users, while the 3845 router can support up to 250 users. � Unified Communications Manager Express supports no digital phones. � Unified Communications Manager Express systems can be networked to support customers with distributed networks. There is no practical limit to the number of systems that can be internetworked.

Security and Reliability


Security and Reliability � IP Office runs on a proprietary Avaya operating

system that is potentially less prone to malicious attack than more prevalent operating systems, such as Windows. � IP Office Manager can be used to administer all IP Office components and associated applications from a Windows-based interface. IP Office has no Web-based management console. IP Office systems deployed as remote-office solutions can be managed by a centralized Avaya Integrated Management system. Avaya Integrated Management for IP Office works with Avaya IP Office Manager to provide a complete management solution for enterprises with distributed IP Office deployments. The IP Office System Status Application for local and remote performance and resource monitoring is available for customer and reseller use. � IP Office configurations and user data utilize automated functions to archive the system to external PC stores. RAID devices for voicemail, contact center, and voice recording software are supported. IP Office 500 has an internal power supply and no hard drive. With no redundancy or

� A second Cisco router can be configured as a redundant call processor, providing full warm standby redundancy for voice and data, as well as call survivability. � Cisco IOS software can run on the same router platform as Unified Communications Manager Express, providing branch offices with 802.11 wireless, firewall, VPN, intrusion protection system security, URL filtering, proxy authentication, and other security services. When running on Cisco 2800 and 3800 series routers, the Unified Communications Manager Express platform can support advanced security features such as VPN and voice security. � Unified Communications Manager Express supports redundant power supplies when running on 3800 series platforms. A redundant hard drive option is not available since there are no hard drives on the router. However, configuration and data can be backed up across the network to servers automatically. � Support for transport layer security (TLS) encryption on signaling traffic, as well as media

customers that want to deploy like firewall, intrusion detection, and VPN along with the unified communications features on the same hardware.

Scalability and Performance


Scalability and Performance � IP Office 500 supports up to 384 analog, digital,

or IP or SIP devices, a comparably high number for an all-in-one SME PBX. Additional analog trunks can be provisioned using the Analog Trunk 16 module for all IP Office platforms. Up to eight T1/E1 trunks can be provisioned on IP Office 500, and up to 128 SIP trunks. � IP Office can serve as a remote site solution networked back to a centralized Avaya Aura Communication Manager PBX using Session Manager. � Using Avaya Multi-Site Network Option, up to 32 IP Office controllers can be linked together with full feature transparency between systems for up to 500 total users. Feature transparency is compromised after the 32-controller threshold is surpassed. Systems can also be clustered together creating their own Multi-Site Network Option. These can be linked together with Q-SIG offering basic call services between them.

� Unified Communications Manager Express is moderately scalable as an SMB platform, able to support from eight to 250 users. Scalability is tied directly to the router in which the software is resident. Unified Communications Manager Express running on an 1861 router, for example, supports a maximum of 15 users, while the 3845 router can support up to 250 users. � Unified Communications Manager Express supports no digital phones. � Unified Communications Manager Express systems can be networked to support customers with distributed networks. There is no practical limit to the number of systems that can be internetworked.

Security and Reliability


Security and Reliability � IP Office runs on a proprietary Avaya operating

system that is potentially less prone to malicious attack than more prevalent operating systems, such as Windows. � IP Office Manager can be used to administer all IP Office components and associated applications from a Windows-based interface. IP Office has no Web-based management console. IP Office systems deployed as remote-office solutions can be managed by a centralized Avaya Integrated Management system. Avaya Integrated Management for IP Office works with Avaya IP Office Manager to provide a complete management solution for enterprises with distributed IP Office deployments. The IP Office System Status Application for local and remote performance and resource monitoring is available for customer and reseller use. � IP Office configurations and user data utilize automated functions to archive the system to external PC stores. RAID devices for voicemail, contact center, and voice recording software are supported. IP Office 500 has an internal power supply and no hard drive. With no redundancy or

� A second Cisco router can be configured as a redundant call processor, providing full warm standby redundancy for voice and data, as well as call survivability. � Cisco IOS software can run on the same router platform as Unified Communications Manager Express, providing branch offices with 802.11 wireless, firewall, VPN, intrusion protection system security, URL filtering, proxy authentication, and other security services. When running on Cisco 2800 and 3800 series routers, the Unified Communications Manager Express platform can support advanced security features such as VPN and voice security. � Unified Communications Manager Express supports redundant power supplies when running on 3800 series platforms. A redundant hard drive option is not available since there are no hard drives on the router. However, configuration and data can be backed up across the network to servers automatically. � Support for transport layer security (TLS) encryption on signaling traffic, as well as media






analysis.



Tel: 877-787-8947

Fax: +1 (703) 404-9300



Tel: +33 (1) 41 14 83 17


Maximum Participants per Session

64 (support for two sessions of 64 is possible) 8 Party ad-hoc, 32 party Meet-Me.

Management Server Operating System

Windows Optional HTML GUI Management solution with Cisco Unified Provisioning Manager or Cisco Technology Developer Windows or Linux OS.

Web-based Management Console

No (Windows-based, which can be run over the Internet)

Included for single site management, and quick configuration. Cisco IOS CLI also supported.

Built-in/Custom Reporting

All call logs are output in real time over the LAN B-ACD Reports via Excel Macro or CSV files. Detail call accounting available through Cisco Technology Developer Program.

Real-Time Status Monitor

Yes, System Status application Available though IOS debug and show commands, Cisco IPC Operations Manager, or partner products

Time-of-Day Policy Management

Yes Night service bell, Time of day call blocking built-in. ToD call routing available via TCL script or Cisco Unity Express.

Hot-pluggable Hardware

No Network module online insertion and removal (OIR) supported

RAID Support Yes - on 3rd party server platform running IP Office voicemail, contact center or voice recording software

Not applicable

Automated Backup/Client Log-on

Yes Automated backup available using CiscoWorks or partner products. Auto-registration and configuration support for IP Phones.

Call-detail Recording

Yes - Datel, Veramark, Proteus, Oak, and other DevConnect Partners

Yes - CDR export to standard syslog or Radius server or export CSV file to FTP server. Export to database or Excel.

Accounting/Billing Platform Support

Via third parties, SMDR provided Cisco Technology Developer Partners for CDR billing solutions from ISI-Info Systems, Stonevoice, MindCTI.

Competitive Intelligence From Current Analysis - Westcon Group

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