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IBM Antes Up for SaaS Play via WebDialogs Acquisition| Analyst: Rob Arnold | Enterprise Communications | Client Access | Announcement Summary
August 22, 2007 - IBM announced it has acquired WebDialogs, Inc., a Billerica, Massachusetts-based, privately held provider of Web conferencing and communications services, with more than 500,000 users worldwide. Financial details were not disclosed. With the acquisition of WebDialogs, IBM is adding a software-as-a-service delivery model to the Lotus Sametime family of products. Terms were not disclosed. Analytical Summary • Current Perspective: Positive on IBM’s acquisition of WebDialogs, because it strengthens the company’s conferencing and collaboration offerings for SMBs with established WebDialogs channels and technology. It also will help IBM to keep pace with Cisco, Microsoft, Google, and Adobe that have recently expanded their Web conferencing applications and services. However, hosted conferencing markets are new to IBM and timelines for integration with its existing products remain unspecified. • Vendor Importance: Moderate to IBM because the WebDialogs assets complement IBM’s existing CPE-based conferencing solutions, enabling IBM to now offer Web conferencing as a service to enterprises as well. As the acquired technology is integrated with Lotus Sametime products, IBM will be better able to match its conferencing and collaboration offerings against those from Cisco and Microsoft in bids for businesses of all sizes. • Market Impact: Low to moderate on the unified communications markets because with WebDialogs, IBM strengthens its appeal among potential SMB customers. Even though there has been a lot of consolidation among conferencing solutions developers over the past few years, and IBM’s present acquisition is clearly a response to Cisco and Microsoft, there remain many dozens of options available to buyers. This healthy competition continues to drive innovation in functionality, integration capabilities and deployment flexibility, as well as drive down pricing. Verizon Business Gets HIP with Integrated Communications Package| Analysts: Amy DeCarlo, Cindy Whelan | Internet/Managed Services - U.S. Announcement Summary
August 21, 2007 – Verizon Business announces the launch of Integrated Communications Package (ICP) for Hosted IP Centrex. ICP provides a single interface where employees can access voice mail, control incoming and outgoing calls, manage their online presence, send text messages, and synchronize contacts and calendars. The service can be used on a Web-based interface, or run in conjunction with a standalone desktop client and Microsoft Outlook plug-in. ICP’s administrative console provides a Web-based tool for near real-time service control and management. Analytical Summary • Current Perspective: Slightly positive on Verizon Business’ announcement of Integrated Communications Package (ICP) for Hosted IP Centrex (HIPC) customers, because the launch represents the first phase of Verizon Business’ delivery of a unified communications portfolio for its hosted services customers, and forms the basis for future collaboration services. In its current form, ICP offers HIPC users a single interface for softphone and basic call management functions, as well as the ability to manage presence and integration with Microsoft Outlook to manage contacts and calendars. The company is also offering other collaborative capabilities such as integration with IBM Sametime instant messaging. Verizon Business plans to build on ICP over time to offer users additional conferencing mobility features. • Vendor Importance: Moderate to Verizon Business, because this first release includes relatively basic collaboration, call management and presence services. What this launch does for Verizon Business is to set the stage for the addition of more innovative services down the road. Small and medium sized businesses that are deploying VoIP solutions are coming to expect collaboration services, Verizon Business must continue to develop and enhance this package in order to maintain a strong position in a highly competitive market. • Market Impact: Low on the Internet/managed services market, because while existing Verizon Hosted IP Centrex customers will be pleased at the availability of new features, prospective business clients that are evaluating network-based services from other carriers will not have to look far to find alternative providers with feature sets that match or exceed those offered by Verizon Business. ShoreTel Checks the Black Box for Distribution| Analyst: Brian Riggs | Enterprise Communications | Client Access | Announcement Summary
August 21, 2007 - ShoreTel, Inc. and Black Box Corporation announced a strategic alliance in which Black Box will sell, install and support ShoreTel's IP telephony solutions to its large enterprise customers across the U.S. and Canada. With several large multi-site installations already in place, ShoreTel and Black Box have already achieved success in delivering pure IP communications solutions to FORTUNE 1000 and enterprise-class organizations. Analytical Summary • Current Perspective: Positive on ShoreTel’s channel relationship with Black Box as it gives the PBX developer a partner that may enable it to more evenly compete against rivals for large enterprise accounts across the U.S. and Canada. • Vendor Importance: Moderate to high to ShoreTel, because Black Box helps to fortify ShoreTel’s roster of resellers with footprints spanning across the U.S. and Canada whereas the company has historically relied primarily on local and regional channel partners for marketing, sales and service support of its communications systems. Low to moderate to Black Box, because adding ShoreTel solutions to its portfolio brings it a differentiated set of solutions in comparison to other large resellers. • Market Impact: Low on the U.S. and Canadian enterprise communications markets, because while the arrangement does strengthen ShoreTel’s channel network and presents Black Box with a level of differentiation versus other large resellers in North America, Black Box is also a key reseller for numerous ShoreTel competitors. This leaves it unclear as to how much priority Black Box will place on sales and support of ShoreTel solutions. IBM Prepares Sametime to Tackle Multi-vendor Voice| Analyst: Brian Riggs | Enterprise Communications | Client Access | Announcement Summary
August 22, 2007 -- IBM announced the next version of its Sametime unified communication and collaboration software, which will include integrated telephony presence, incoming call control, and multi-vendor PBX support. At the same time, Siemens Enterprise Communications announced that IBM will license elements of Siemens’ OpenScape open unified communications capabilities to enhance the IBM Lotus “Unified Telephony” offering currently planned by IBM as part of the expanded Lotus Sametime product family. Sametime 8.0 will be available with the Unified Telephony option in mid-2008. Analytical Summary • Current Perspective: Positive on IBM’s upcoming enhancements to Lotus Sametime, because they will result in a unified communications platform with a wider range of integrated telephony presence and call control capabilities than are presently available, as well as a platform that can be sold to into business applications environments with non-IBM messaging and office productivity software already in place. • Vendor Importance: Moderate to high to IBM, because the Lotus Sametime enhancements will put the company in a better position to sell its lead UC and collaboration platform, Sametime, to large enterprises with complex, multi-vendor PBX environments in place. • Market Impact: Moderate on the unified communications market, because a number of the more interesting call control features being introduced in the new Sametime editions are already available in competing Microsoft platforms, though in conjunction with third-party middleware that is separately supported and delivered to enterprise customers. Acme Packet Steps into Enterprise Communication Ring| Analyst: Steve Byars | Carrier IP Telephony | Client Access | Announcement Summary
August 21, 2007 -- With briefings at VoiceCon but no press announcement, Acme Packet expanded its efforts in the enterprise communication and call center market segments. The company rolled out four case studies based on applications with a hotel chain, a large insurance company, a hosted contact center, and a European PTT providing softphone access and IP PBX trunking. Acme Packet also pointed to new distribution channels for the enterprise market based on existing interoperability partners and close relationships with service providers. The company did not introduce any new platforms or feature sets. Analytical Summary • Current Perspective: Neutral on Acme Packet’s expansion efforts in the enterprise communication and call center arena, because while the company has attracted some enterprise customers already, it does not yet have sufficient experience in this segment to wield its technical prowess (as it has become accustomed to doing in the service provider SBC market). The company will need to incorporate enterprise-specific features and hone its messaging before it can claim technical leadership for enterprise communications. • Vendor Importance: Moderate to Acme Packet, because this foray into the enterprise market does not represent a major shift in strategy for the company, but rather an opportunistic expansion based on some early successes with large enterprise accounts. The company needed to match rivals such as AudioCodes that have expanded their market reach into the enterprise segment, but Acme Packet has not introduced a new platform or feature release to focus on this market. • Market Impact: Moderate on the session border controller market segment, as this announcement represents an expansion of Acme Packet’s existing forays into the enterprise market, but this expansion is not based on a new platform and, in any event, it could have been anticipated. However, if Acme Packet can successfully transfer its prowess in the service provider SBC market to enterprise opportunities, competitors in the enterprise segment will need to respond. Aastra Thinks Big with Enterprise Softswitch for Large Enterprises| Analyst: Brian Riggs | Enterprise Communications | Client Access | Announcement Summary
August 22, 2007 – Aastra Intecom demonstrated Clearspan, a newly unveiled IP PBX made available through a partnership with BroadSoft. Clearspan which is based on the BroadSoft BroadWorks feature server, will be will directly marketed and sold by Aastra as a pure IP platform to enterprise accounts with 2,000 to 10,0000 users. Available only in North America, the overall solution is comprised of the BroadWorks feature server residing on IBM blade server platforms and third-party gateways, session border controllers and LAN equipment. Analytical Summary • Current Perspective: Slightly positive on Aastra Intecom’s introduction of Clearspan, a SIP-based voice solution for large enterprises, because it provides the company with a pure-IP PBX that it can immediately sell to large enterprises. • Vendor Importance: High to Aastra Intecom, because the company’s product portfolio presently lacks a pure-IP PBX, so the company can start bidding on deals that are presently closed to it. • Market Impact: Low to moderate on the enterprise PBX market, because Aastra will be presenting potential enterprise customers with a communications solution based on carrier-centric solution architecture that will be rather unfamiliar to them. It remains to be seen how positively enterprises will respond to a solution requiring session border controllers and other elements more at home in a carrier’s IMS-based network than in enterprise data centers and wiring closets. Dialogic Reveals a Deeper Connection to OCS| Analyst: Rob Arnold | Enterprise Communications | Client Access | Announcement Summary
August 21, 2007-- Dialogic Corporation announced the imminent availability of the Dialogic 4000 Media Gateway Series (DMG4000 gateways), a set of integrated systems designed to connect Microsoft Office Communications Server 2007 to existing PBX systems and PSTN networks. Based on a standard rack-mount server running Microsoft Windows Server 2003, the DMG4000 gateways are designed to provide both the media gateway function and the Mediation Server role of Office Communications Server 2007. The DMG4000 gateway products are scheduled to begin shipping worldwide in September 2007. Analytical Summary • Current Perspective: Slightly positive on Dialogic’s new media gateways, because they provide not only reductions in server hardware and operational costs, but also help reduce the amount of installation and integration services required of enterprises to create a Microsoft-based unified communications environment. • Vendor Importance: Low to moderate to Dialogic, because the DMG4000 adds to the company’s existing line of gateways designed to enable Microsoft Office Communications Server interworking with legacy PBX platforms. Compared to its existing line, the new gateways will make Dialogic a more appealing option for customers considering OCS deployment. • Market Impact: Low on the unified communications markets, because the Dialogic solution joins a range of available alternatives designed to connect legacy PBXs to Microsoft OCS. With OCS adoption among enterprises expected to be wide following general availability, Dialogic’s approach will be well suited to specific types of greenfield OCS accounts, but it will leave plenty of room for alternative developers to market their solutions. Verizon Business Enhances Hosted IP Centrex with Unified Communications Features| Analyst: Cindy Whelan | Business Network Services - U.S. | Client Access | Announcement Summary
August 21, 2007 – Verizon Business announces the launch of Integrated Communications Package (ICP) for Hosted IP Centrex. ICP provides a single interface where employees can access voice mail, control incoming and outgoing calls, manage their online presence, send text messages, and synchronize contacts and calendars. The service can be used on a Web-based interface, or run in conjunction with a standalone desktop client and Microsoft Outlook plug-in. ICP’s administrative console provides a web-based tool for near real-time service control and management. Analytical Summary • Current Perspective: Slightly positive on Verizon Business’ announcement of Integrated Communications Package (ICP) for Hosted IP Centrex (HIPC) customers, because the launch represents the first phase of Verizon Business’ unified communications portfolio for customers of its hosted services and the basis for future collaboration services. Verizon Business plans to build on ICP over time to offer users additional conferencing and mobility features. In its current form, ICP offers HIPC users a single interface for softphone and basic call management functions as well as the ability to manage presence and integration with Microsoft Outlook to manage contacts and calendars. • Vendor Importance: Moderate to Verizon Business, because this first release includes relatively basic call management and presence services. What this launch does for Verizon Business is to set the stage for the addition of more innovative services down the road. Small and medium sized businesses (SMBs) that are deploying VoIP solutions are coming to expect collaboration services, Verizon Business must continue to develop and enhance this package in order to maintain a strong position in a highly competitive market. • Market Impact: Low on the business services market, because this first release includes basic collaboration features such as instant messaging, softphone and call management. Existing Verizon Hosted IP Centrex customers will be pleased at the availability of new features, but businesses that are evaluating network-based services from other carriers will not have to look far to find alternative providers with feature sets that match or exceed those offered by Verizon Business. Microsoft Monitors MOS with Voice Management Software| Analyst: Brian Riggs | Enterprise Communications | Client Access | Announcement Summary
August 21, 2007 — Microsoft announced the Office Communications Server 2007 Quality of Experience Monitoring Server, a software tool to monitor voice and video quality. It can be used to troubleshoot voice and video performance issues on Microsoft’s upcoming corporate instant messaging and VoIP server. The server provides real-time updates, alerts and detailed analysis of network performance to reflect users’ experience based on the endpoint they’re using. Quality of Experience Monitoring Server will ship as a standard on Office Communications Server, which will be generally available on October 16, 2007. Analytical Summary • Current Perspective: Positive on Microsoft’s introduction of Quality of Experience Monitoring Server, because it provides a means of ensuring voice quality in Microsoft-specific environments. However, with no native tools to also monitor PBX environments it is unclear well how a combined OCS-PBX voice network can be effectively and consistently managed in a straightforward manner. • Vendor Importance: High to Microsoft, because monitoring and managing voice traffic handled via Microsoft servers, applications, and end stations is presently lacking in the company’s unified communications solutions portfolio. The introduction of this functionality will be a stepping stone toward the Microsoft offering a more well-rounded voice platform. • Market Impact: Low on the enterprise communications market, because Quality of Experience Monitoring Server is for a Microsoft product that is not yet shipping and is in the earliest of stages of competing as a system for business voice communications. This being said, companies deploying Office Communications Server will find QoE Monitoring Server an invaluable tool for managing OCS-based voice solutions. Cisco and Microsoft Collaborate in Many Areas, Even as They Compete in Others| Analyst: Glen Hunt | Carrier Infrastructure | Client Access | Announcement Summary
August 20, 2007 -- Cisco and Microsoft shared their views on the future of technology and discussed their plans to strengthen their collaboration to meet customer demands for improved interoperability between the network and software solutions that the two companies provide. The announcement outlines ongoing efforts that began over four years ago. Although enterprise-focused, the move should also yield positive momentum to Cisco’s service provider positioning. Analytical Summary • Current Perspective: Positive on Cisco and Microsoft’s announcement that they are taking their collaborative partnership to the next level to assist their customers’ transition to a Web 2.0-enabled environment and to support the convergence of voice, video, and data over IP. The announcement establishes a framework that includes a roadmap showing how they will work together, plans to promote consultancy with customers to better meet and understand requirements, and plans to facilitate industry standards, as well as how they will offer competitive but interoperable solutions for their customers. The partnership does not preclude continued competition between the two giants, but it does offer customers assurances that they will be able to mix and match solutions from either vendor. • Vendor Importance: High to both Cisco and Microsoft, since the next wave of Internet applications such as Web 2.0 and continued network convergence represent a significant market opportunity in the industry. To achieve the greatest level of success, the network and application infrastructures need to work together as seamlessly as possible to minimize complexity and conflicting approaches that could leave the customer stranded or frustrated. • Market Impact: High on the enterprise and residential networking and application markets, since both Cisco and Microsoft command market-leading positions in these segments. The impact on the service provider market segments will be high, because a high quality of experience will need to be preserved over the transport and IP infrastructures. Enterasys Provides VoIP Security| Analyst: Charlotte Dunlap | Enterprise Security | Client Access | Announcement Summary
August 20th, 2007 - Enterasys announced a comprehensive approach to secure IP telephony solutions from leading voice vendors. The Enterasys Secure Open Convergence solution delivers a way to sense and automatically respond to security threats against the IP telephony infrastructure; enforce network access control policies; and comply with regulations such as CALEA and E911. Analytical Summary • Current Perspective: Slightly positive on Enterasys announcement to provide VoIP security as part of its IDS/IPS Dragon technology, because the company is leveraging its IDP, NAC and policy-based QoS to enter into this emerging market. • Vendor Importance: Moderate to Enterasys’ addition of VoIP security, because enterprises will increasingly add IP telephony applications to their networks, and the addition of VoIP security enhances the company’s Dragon IPS and NAC technologies. • Market Impact: Low on the VoIP security market, because Enterasys will have some hurdles to cross including competing against IPS leaders, such as TippingPoint, that have already established themselves in the VoIP security space.
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