Avaya Unveils Virtualised Unified Communication Offering

Unified communications (UC) provider Avaya has released a single-server virtualisation UC solution, and says it can achieve a significant reduction in both hardware, power and cooling.

The Aura system platform, a real-time virtualisation technology enables unmodified versions of Avaya Communication Manager, Voice Messaging, SIP Enablement Services, Application Enablement Services, Utility Services and Media Services to be deployed on one server. The company is aiming the solution at mid-sized companies with up to 2,400 staff.

Avaya said Aura saves up to 75 percent reduction in hardware, power and cooling and maintenance requirements and provides a simplified installation and ongoing management with integrated services for administrators. Features include built in remote monitoring and an optional backup server for redundancy.

The Aura mid-size solution for enterprises comes in both Standard and Enterprise Editions. Enterprise Edition includes the Avaya Unified Communications All Inclusive end-user package, a single license that provides access to corporate communications, while companies using Standard Edition can purchase the package for $60 (£38) per user. The solution would be available worldwide beginning in November, the company said.

Avaya Customers can also add Avaya Contact Center Express (CCE), a multi-channel contact center solution providing customer service capabilities using a unified desktop display, advanced multimedia tools and integration to CRM software (including Microsoft Dynamics CRM). The company said CCE would soon be enhanced to let businesses manage the contact centre-related data and capabilities of Avaya Aura Communication Manager from within CCE.

Rob Dodson, IT manager of US Helicopter, a subsidiary Bell Helicopter, said that with a two-person IT staff and customers who include multiple civilian and military agencies, the need for simplicity, security and dependability is critical.”

“We had the Avaya Aura midsize solution for enterprises with telephony, messaging and other applications up and running in a matter of hours – about a tenth of the time it used to take for traditional implementations,” he said. “The solution is so easy to use and administer, we won’t have to add more IT staff to support a new facility we’re building on the other side of town. Users love the messaging and phones, plus if they move to a different building to work on a different project, they just take their phone with them and plug in.”

Avaya’s senior vice president and president of global communications systems Alan Baratz said when the company launched Avaya Aura in May, it “provided a breakthrough solution” “With the release of Avaya Aura mid-size solution for enterprises, we provide the same, high-performing functionality to even more businesses.” for large enterprises looking to run their unified communications and contact centre systems with greater efficiency.