A Basking Ridge, N.J.-based communications provider is expanding its relationship with Information technology giant IBM (News - Alert) to offer unified communications solutions supported by newly certified security products for enterprise clients and government organizations.

Under the deal, Avaya and IBM will offer unified communications solutions that let users communicate anytime from anywhere, regardless of device or network. The solutions are designed to link mission critical and complex communication systems, help companies achieve quick ROI and improve productivity, the companies said. Additionally, the two firms plan to focus support on Avaya (News - Alert) Aura, the company’s new unified communications architecture, by adding Avaya Aura into existing IBM communications services.

 

Avaya has certified the IBM Internet Security Systems' (News - Alert) Proventia GX 5208 and Proventia Management SiteProtector SP1001 to be operable with IP telephony solutions from Avaya. That will enable IBM to offer “comprehensive intrusion protection” for Avaya Aura's communication system, the companies said.

 

"As more and more companies move toward unified communications, it's important that they take a holistic approach to security that encompasses multi-vendor applications in mobile and virtual environments," said Dan Powers, vice president of brand, strategy, marketing and business development at IBM ISS, in a statement.

 

The venture will allow customers to benefit from a unified architecture that “centralizes and integrates communications in multi-platform, multi-technology provider and multi-modal environments in a cost effective manner,” the companies said in a statement. The latest effort builds off Avaya’s and IBM’s eight-year relationship.

 

"With this expansion, we can offer a breadth of business communications solutions and truly complimentary portfolios designed to meet client demands around the globe," said Laurence Guihard-Joly (News - Alert), vice-president of Integrated Communications Services of IBM, in a statement. "Together, IBM and Avaya offer robust and security rich mission critical solutions while adopting industry protocols and open standards."

 

Companies can prevent denial or interruption of service, VoIP phishing, eavesdropping, malware and overall business interruption by using the security solutions from IBM and Avaya. IBM also developed solutions designed to prevent current and emerging threats and help keep unified communications deployments secure, the company said. 
 

IBM and Avaya solutions are used by firms worldwide to reduce costs, streamline businesses and enable instant communications. Shanghai Airlines is one example of a company benefiting from IBM’s and Avaya’s solutions. The company generates regular customer interaction that improves customer satisfaction throughout the sales cycle using an integrated Customer Relationship Management Contact Center solution that consolidates fragmented areas of the business. The solution includes IBM and Avaya contact center applications, agent desktops, scheduling applications and a knowledge database.

 

As a result, the airline’s customer satisfaction rate has “improved immensely,” Wang Lu Ping, general manager of information technology at Shanghai Airlines, said in a statement.

 

Avaya offers unified communications, contact centers, and related services to global businesses and organizations either directly and via its channel partners.

 

Beyond security, Avaya’s technology is reportedly being used to keep the staff of mobile technicians and doctors connected when they’re healing dogs and cats in the field. In other news, Avaya recently unveiled a series of unified communications products, which analysts predict will generate between $4 billion and $8 billion in annual revenue worldwide by 2013, TMC (News - Alert) reported.