Voda One Goes To The Extreme

Voda One, an Avaya-focused business unit of Westcon Group, will carry Avaya's IP-based Communication Manager applications, media gateways and servers, and Extreme's Ethernet switching platforms including the BlackDiamond and Alpine chassis-type switch families with integrated Layer 3 data-switching and -routing capabilities.

Voda One, Omaha, Neb., is also distributing Santa Clara, Calif.-based Extreme Networks' Access-enabled wired and wireless switches, including the Summit 300 and Altitude 300 wireless access points.

The products let enterprises simplify the installation and operation of wired and wireless applications with a unified infrastructure, said Duncan Potter, vice president of worldwide marketing at Westcon Group, Tarrytown, N.Y.

"Just over a year ago now Avaya and Extreme entered a three-part relationship: a joint marketing agreement, a joint sales agreement and a joint development relationship. Now we're starting to see the fruits of all three starting to happen," Potter said. "Extreme has a broader offering of convergence-ready switching systems with a very good quality of service. Extreme has an open operating system that runs on the latest generation of switches. It also falls in line with Avaya's core open solutions discussion."

The partnership between Avaya and Extreme has helped produce more reliable solutions, said Jerry Verzino, senior account manager at NWComm, a Marshfield, Mass.-based solution provider.

"It makes it easier to put together a seamless solution for the customer. The R&D, the interoperability of the two products makes putting the solution together less cumbersome, and the solutions are rock solid," Verzino said.

For example, he said, the power supplies in Extreme switches take into account the necessary wattage for Avaya IP phones.

"You won't have a customer ask, 'Why do we keep losing power to the switches?' They're co-developed so that if you run a configuration, it takes into account all the different parameters," Verzino said. "It's great to be able to ship from one distributor like Voda One, but more important is to be able to design and engineer and ensure the system through one point of contact."

Voda One will provide pre- and post-sales support in designing and implementing solutions combining Avaya and Extreme products and plans to hold several Tele Track educational sessions regarding the Extreme solutions. The vendor also will be featured at Voda One's Convergence Summit, April 19-21, in Tempe, Ariz.

Extreme products are also distributed through Access Distribution, Catalyst Telecom and Tech Data in North America.