Avaya IP Office Upgrades Extend Reach, Collaboration

Avaya has updated its IP Office communications system with a new Server Edition and myriad features aimed at making it a full-solution platform perfect for the midmarket space.

IP Office Server Edition uses the same code base as IP Office standard edition but creates a larger form factor — now scaling to 1,000 users in a single location, up from 384 users.

“The new release (version 8.1) and Server Edition of IP Office opens new opportunities for partners,” said Brad Gifford, senior director of SME Go to Market at Avaya. “We are bringing the next generation of products into the midmarket space and think we will see great results because we have several classes of partners who see this as an opportunity in different ways — large enterprise partners who can move downstream into midmarket business and small-business partners who can use it to invest in their opportunities upstream.”

What’s more, the new security, mobility and networking features in IP Office 8.1 make it a true “platform” for the midmarket, Gifford said.

“The direction is to create a full-solution platform,” he said. “Now rather than go in and position IP Office as just a communications system, partners can start with what’s the customer’s issue and then try to solve the issue. IP Office is a platform that incorporates  video, security, session border control, networking needs, mobility, etc.”

Included in IP Office 81 is Flare Experience Communicator, the mobile client for Avaya’s flagship unified communications solution previously only available to large enterprises. Now users of Apple iPad or Microsoft Windows-based laptops can have mobile access to collaboration features such as business-class calling, presence, company directory search, and management of two simultaneous calls, according to the company.

As part of the rollout Avaya also is introducing IP Office Support Service, a manufacturer support service that channel partners can use to augment their existing services business, Gifford said. “We want them to brand their own services offering, and this is the ability for them to have a value statement inside of that. It gives a lifecycle proposition to that investment.”

Karl Soderlund, VP, Americas Channel Sales at Avaya, noted the latest IP Office fills a void in Avaya’s lineup and creates major opportunities in the growing midmarket space.

“Sales in the large enterprise is a long, drawn-out process that can take months, but in the midmarket space, the time to cash for partners with IP Office is approximately 90 days,” he said. “There is increased velocity. We believe there is such opportunity Avaya is firewalling off its salesforce to focus on the SME solution set because we can help our partners get a great volume of business in short time frame.”