Avaya: Large-System Enhancements, P2P

By Sulkin, Allan

Avaya continued to apply market pressure on its competitors by using this month’s VoiceCon Spring 2006 to announce several major enhancements to its MultiVantage product line, and to introduce a peer-to-peer (P2P) offering targeted at the very-small-systems market.

The MultiVantage announcements included new and enhanced media servers, upgraded media gateways and SIP support, and several high- level redundant design and application options. Also included in the MultiVantage announcement package were enhancements to the Modular Messaging and Contact Center applications.

Of interest to a different market segment is the all-new Quick Edition offering, Avaya’s first P2P rollout since its acquisition of Nimcat Networks last October.

ACM Developments

The new Avaya Communications Manager (ACM) 3.1 generic software release closely follows last spring’s major ACM 3.0 announcement (see BCR, May 2005, pp. 58-61). An important ACM 3.1 capability is direct registration and connectivity of IP endpoints and H.248 media gateways to the S8500 Media Server.

Prior to ACM 3.1, an S8500 Media Server required a Control LAN (CLAN) board in a port network to provide IP connectivity to H.323 endpoints, H.248 gateways (G700, G300, G250), adjuncts, and IP trunks. The new Processor Ethernet (PE) functionality allows all IP connected devices that previously required a CLAN board installed in a G650 Media Gateway to connect to the main control server.

PE eliminates the need for at least one G650 Media Gateway equipped with IP Signaling Interface (IPSI) and CLAN boards when connecting IP devices and H.248 gateways (G700, G350 and G250) to a S8500 Media Server. This greatly simplifies the system design while likely reducing the overall cost. It must be noted that PE operation is not available for the larger-line-size Avaya S8700 series server.

Of note to many customers will be PE support of alternate adjunct link connectivity to call management system (CMS), call detail record (CDR) and application enablement services (CTI servers), installed in one of two survivability modes (which are described below). This option should be of vital interest to customers who wish to avoid loss of valuable application operations (such as call center) at remote sites in the event that access to the centrally- located communications resources become unavailable.

The two survivability mode options for the S8500 are Local Survivable Processor (LSP) and Enterprise Survivable Server (ESS) mode

The major advantage of LSP is that it supports a seamless switchover, i.e., all media gateway connections are preserved if control signaling is not available from the primary call telephony server; also, switching back to the primary can be done on either an on-demand or scheduled basis.

In contrast, if the S8500 is configured in ESS mode, non-IP connections are dropped and it takes several minutes for media gateways to register with the emergency server. Switchback to primary server for ESS mode is available in manual or scheduled mode.

The primary advantages of configuring a S8500 in ESS mode are greater port capacity (reaching S8700 capacity limits) and support of all Avaya media gateways, including the G650. The ability to choose between LSP or ESS mode gives customers more network design options as they balance performance and pricing requirements.

In addition to being able to configure the S8500 Media Server as an LSP for large remote customer locations, customers can also deploy it as a regional emergency call telephony server for multiple H.248 media gateways across several sites. The LSP capacity of the S8500 is 2,400 station users and 250 media gateways; the S8300 LSP option is limited to 450 station users at a single site.

For customers with very large port capacity requirements, Avaya has introduced the new S 8720 Media Server as an upgrade to the S8710 model. It is an Avaya-branded 2U Intel/Linux server that offers customers a 35 percent increase in application performance compared to the S8710, as measured by Busy Hour Call Completions (BHCC).

Design Enhancements

A new design enhancement available with ACM 3.1 is the option to use a Gigabit Ethernet LAN/MAN to link the standard dual S8720 media servers that constitute the system common control complex. This new software duplication option can be used instead of the original hardware duplication design, which required a fiber optic connection between the redundant servers.

Another core system design issue addressed by the new ACM software release is media gateway board redundancy. ACM 3.1 allows two IP Media Resource Board 320 TN2602AP circuit packs to be installed in a single port network for bearer communications duplication. In this configuration, one TN2602AP functions as an active IP Media Processor and one as standby. This duplication prevents active calls in progress from being dropped in the case of a board failure.

Another configuration design option for the customer is to have two boards operate in load sharing mode (320 channels, maximum), with either serving as back-up for the other.

Avaya also introduced two new G250 Media gateway models: G250- DCP and G250-DS1. The DCP model includes 12 DCP ports, 4 analog trunks, 2 analog lines (one with Emergency Transfer Relay-ETR) and 2 Fast Ethernet ports (no Power over Ethernet-PoE). The G250-DS1 includes 1 E1/T1 digital trunk port, 1 analog trunk, 2 analog lines (one with ETR) and 8 PoE Fast Ethernet ports. Improved G250 Standard Local Survivability (SLS) includes support for analog trunks, call hold, call transfer and DID service.

Other media gateway enhancements include ISDN modem backup for both the G250 & G350 (an important requirement for the European market) and a new HDMM316 40-PoE-port module for the G350.

With SIP evolving as the underlying framework for IP-telephony, Avaya unveiled several enhancements to its SIP Enablement Services (SES) solution which, along with other applications, runs on the Converged Communications Server (CCS). Enhancements include expanded SIP softphone features and functions; certified support for Cisco’s SIP telephone models; an increase to 5,000 SIP trunk interfaces; and SIP-enabled Modular Messaging. Avaya also announced it is eliminating its $25 SIP user license fee.

Also, CCS 3.1 Applications Enablement Services (AES) enhancements include new Web Services, CSTA-III XML-based interfaces, and easier Communication Manager interfaces with software-based VOIP access; link encryption; redundant links with transparent failover; and load balancing across links.

Software Features

Several of the more noteworthy ACM 3.1 software feature enhancements are:

* Wired Roaming: Station extensions that follow users while roaming around a Qsig-based network of systems; user profiles are loaded on visiting system and calls are intelligently routed.

* Increased number of Class of Restrictions (CORs), from 100 to 1,000. COR is a software feature used to determine station user calling privileges for call activation and call termination-for example, restricting access to 900 numbers or permitting international direct dial “011″ calls.

* Increased number of H.323 trunk members in a single signaling group from 31 to 255. The increase will greatly simplify administration, better utilize CLAN circuit packs and associated IP addresses, and lessen the need to increase the number of signaling groups.

* Support for Caller ID on call waiting for Type 2 Analog Phones: This feature provides visual information on an incoming call while the called party is on an existing call.

Concurrent with availability of ACM 3.1, Avaya will introduce a new software license pricing model. ACM pricing will be based on two primary factors: system size based on required station user licenses, and system configuration design.

The customer license fee for ACM software will vary indirectly with system size; user license fees are higher for small systems and lower with large systems, leveling off at 1,000 and above. Specifically, Avaya has defined several station size cell segments, with associated license fee prices. For each station size cell segment there will be two system configuration designs, classified as either standard or enterprise. Standard system designs are typically single-location with or without simple (non-survivable) remote locations. Enterprise system designs are typically intelligently networked via Qsig to other systems and/or include the Avaya LSP/ESS options for redundancy and survivability.

Application Enhancements

Avaya Modular Messaging 3.0 enhancements include a new S3500 server that offers: increased T1/E1 ports for Intuity/Serenade TUI (telephony user interface) users; increased IP port capacity (30 H.323; 48 SIP); more IMAP (Internet Message Access Protocol) clients (2,500); increased processing performance; and a smaller rack footprint (2U).

User productivity enhancements include: Web client for message retrieval; Web-based subscriber configuration option; and accessibility for disabled callers and subscribers.

Avaya Contact Center announcements included improved feature performance, ne\w peripheral management support packages, enhanced self service capabilities, and new call management system Web reports.

Avaya has increased the number of Call Vectors to 2,000, which simplifies IP contact center consolidation and facilitates more granular call reporting. The vendor also increased its ASAI (Adjunct System Applications Interface) CTI links to 64. New vector directory number (VDN) variables simplify routing logic and improve productivity.

To address operational effectiveness, Avaya is introducing new integrated agent performance management packages from market leaders Witness, NICE, and Verint. For self-service operations, Voice Portal 3.0 and Dialog Designer 3.0 tools can be used to simplify deployment of voice self-service within IP-enabled Web Services architectures.

To enhance proactive contact functions, a new software-based dialing architecture simplifies and extends use of capabilities like cruise control automation (Avaya’s term for automated dialing and routing functions for optimal customer service levels). New Web reports include browser access to management system text-based reports and real-time, historical, integrated split/skill based on interval data

P2P Announcement

In its other major announcement, Avaya debuted its new Quick Edition P2P solution, based on technology originally developed by Nimcat Networks before last year’s acquisition. The system will be marketed to customers with port requirements up to 20 stations, and will be positioned by Avaya as an entry-level solution for price- conscious customers with limited performance requirements.

The initial release will not support networking capabilities to other systems (Quick Edition, IP Office, or MultiVantage models), although Avaya is planning to include SIP networking in future releases. Remote IP telephones, however, can currently be supported using multicasting VPN service connections.

The P2P design is based on software downloads in select SIP- based telephone models and an Avaya-branded media gateway-there’s no call server. Benefits to this architecture include: simplicity of system configuration design; lower total cost of ownership (minimal hardware equipment, customer-installable software); increased level of survivability (no single points of failure); and ease of upgrade and expansion (software downloads, plug-and-play telephone installations when needed).

The basic Quick Edition system design consists of Avaya SIP- based 4610/4621 IP telephone instruments and an Avaya G10 PSTN Gateway. The 4610 and 4621 telephones are high performance multi- line models with large pixel-based display fields. The new GlO PSTN Gateway includes the following:

* Four Analog loop start lines

* 10/100Base-T port

* External Paging jack

* Music on hold jack

* Analog telephone (bypass) port for power failure transfer operation to the PSTN

* Two power options: IETF 802.3af Power over Ethernet and 12V- 1.0A Adaptor port

The system uses SIP and RTP, with G.711 or G.729a codecs; integrated voice mail messages and auto attendant announcements are stored using a G.729a codec. The initial list of telephony features is limited compared to other Avaya small system offerings, but should suffice for customers with basic communications requirements. The accompanying sidebar (see above) includes current Quick Edition features.

Avaya plans to expand the current feature set in future releases to include more of the traditional small key telephone system features that customers likely have on their current installation.

Basic voice mail features and functions are included with the system. Each station user mailbox supports 20 minutes of message storage on the phone, backed up on other phones in case of telephone instrument failure. The integrated automated attendant feature is user-programmable, and multiple configurations are allowed using a secure Web-based administration interface. A default greeting is standard, but two customized greetings are available. Features include Call Detection, Blind Transfer, Transfer by Extension, Transfer by Name, and Escape to Operator.

Two password protected Web-based administration interfaces are available: station user and system administrator. The station user interface allows individuals to program their telephone instrument, e.g., speed dial numbers, and coverage options, call forwarding assignments, do not disturb.

The administrator interface gives network managers access to higher level system programming operations, such as auto attendant configuration, group assignments, and dialing rules, all of which are stored in the phone sets.

The Quick Edition product will be available in North America only, at time of its first release. Avaya has not issued pricing at this writing.

Quick Edition is the second small system based on P2P technology recently announced, shortly following Cisco’s Linksys One, but there are major differences between the two offerings: Quick Edition is being marketed and sold as a customer premises solution; Linksys One bundled as part of a hosted service provider solution.

Until recently, P2P technology for telephony systems was not considered ready for prime time by many industry observers, but following product announcements by two of the global IP-telephony system market leaders, it must now be looked at as an alternative solution to server-based systems for at least the small systems market

Companies Mentioned In This Article

Avaya (www.avaya.com)

Cisco (www.cisco.com)

NICE Systems (www.nice.com)

Verint (www.verint.com)

Witness (www.witness.com)

Quick Edition Telephony Features

* Call Forward

* Call Hold

* Hold Alerts

* Call Log

* Call Return

* Call Transfer

* Caller Name and ID

* Conference Calling

* Direct Inward Line

* Private Outgoing Line

* Corporate Directory

* Personal Directory

* Do Not Disturb

* Group Ringing

* Dialing Rules By Group

* Music on Hold

* Last Number Redial

* Missed Call Indicator

* Multiple Call Appearance

* Mute

* Paging (internal/external)

* Speed dialing

Allan Sulkin is president of TEQConsult Group and a member of the BCR Board of Contributors.

Copyright Business Communications Review Mar 2006