When does AVAYA Aura CM 5.2 go end of sale?
Effective January 7, 2013 Avaya will no longer sell (make commercially available) the software media, licenses, and hardware for Communication Manager (CM) 5.2.1, Mid-Size Template (MBT) 5.2.1, SIP Enablement Services (SES) 5.2.1,Call Center (CC) 5.2.1, Application Enablement Services 5.2.3, and the suite of Integrated Management 5.2.1 applications. This includes all quotations or orders for new systems or upgrades.
When is the next Avaya Communication Manager Administration Training Class?
We have one afternoon session scheduled for April 25th, 2012 @ 2:00 PM to 4:30 PM. If there is enough interest, we may add a morning session for the same day. RSVP is required by April 20th.�To reserve your spot please call Mary DeBrecht at (314)-205-7116 or email maryd@stlcom.com
What changes have taken place in licensing the Avaya Aura platform in the recent months?
Previously, customers were divided between having a system licensed as a Standard Edition system and an Enterprise Edition system. Enterprise Edition systems had various pieces of end user software that were bundled with the licensing, but Standard Edition required all software be added in an al a carte basis. In May, Avaya launched a new licensing structure called Foundation. This is a unification of previous licensing into a single license per user, with some bundling included of end user software.
What are the different levels of Foundation licensing?
All systems whether new or upgrade move to what is called Foundation Essential licensing. This is the base licensing platform for every Aura Communication Manager 6.3 and higher. Some portion of the licensing can be further enhanced by purchasing the Foundation Mobility level of licensing, which has software more targeted for a highly mobile user. Beyond that is a level called Foundation Collaboration, which includes licensing to support Video and Collaboration.
Can I get Foundation Mobility seats without purchasing Foundation Essential?
No. All users must be licensed at the Foundation Essential level before a seat can be uplifted to Foundation Mobile
Are pieces of individual software still available separately?
Yes, all pieces of software can be purchased still on an ala carte basis, but we would advise having a good understanding of the other pieces of software that may be required. Purchasing multiple pieces of software on a al a carte basis may turn out to be more expensive than the bundled solutions.
What features are included in Foundation Essential?
-Communication Manager Seat License
-Communication Manager -Messaging License
-Session Manager License
-System Manager License
-Presence Server License
-Survivability Seat License
-One-X Communicator -Softphone/Desktop -Enhancement w/ Video Enablement Seat License
-Avaya Aura Flare for Windows Seat License
-Avaya Client Applications License for Lync Desktop Integration and Microsoft Client Integration
-Avaya Agile Communications Environment License for Lync Desktop Integration
What features are added by Foundation Mobility?
The following software is added with every seat:
-One-X Mobile License w/ Avaya Client Enablement Server
-Extension to Cellular (EC500) License
-Avaya Flare for iPad License
-Aura Messaging Unified Messaging Seat License
-Session Border Controller Port License (3 to 1 ratio for purchased seats)
I am an existing Enterprise customer that is looking into upgrading our system. But, I’m seeing from what you have listed that many of the features, such as One-X Mobile and Extension to Cellular are already active on our system because of previous entitlements. Will I have to purchase those features again under the Foundation Mobility platform?
No. If you have existing software entitlements, you will continue to possess those entitlements after an upgrade. No features are lost from an upgrade.
I’m not sure I want to go to the 6.3 release yet as a new customer. Can I still purchase an earlier version? We had been looking at the 5.2.1 release which had fit a majority of our needs.
No. Avaya put in place an end of sale to releases previous to 6.3. This is for new systems only, and not for additions to existing systems.
I’m not ready to upgrade at this time. Am I still able to add licenses to my existing Communication Manager?
Yes. Avaya still supports adding additional licenses and features to systems that are Definity 9.5 and higher. Please keep in mind, though, that if you add licenses to an older system, if you choose to upgrade later, you will still need to pay to upgrade those licenses at that time.
Is hardware and implementation included to support the new features, such as presence services, Aura Messaging, etc?
No. Servers are not provided as part of the license purchase. Features that have a requirement to be implemented need to have server resources and tech time associated with them. Licensing is an entitlement to use those features, but may still require additional hardware in some cases. Many items are fully supported in a virtual server environment, reducing hardware costs.
I’m not clear on how the licensing for the Session Border Controller works. Could you go into more detail?
Avaya Enterprise Session Border Controller is offered as both a hardware appliance, and as a dedicated server. It is not offered as a virtual server at this time. Licensing is required to use the SBC. The entitlement that comes with Foundation Mobility licensing is provided in the following manner: For every 3 seats of Mobility that are purchased, 1 seat for the SBC is provided. A customer purchasing 100 Foundation Mobility seats would receive 33 ports for the SBC.
Our software is fully compatible with other Session Border Controllers. What should be kept in mind is that Avaya does not require separate licensing for both the session to the Aura Communication Manager and the session connecting the remote party or trunk. This means that in our above example, 33 ports licensed are for fully usage of up to 33 simultaneous connections.
Like with other pieces of software, additional licenses can be purchased for the SBC without purchasing more Mobility Foundation seats. This allows for customers that will be taking advantage of SIP trunking, and require a SBC to secure the connection.
Is there any difference in cost to upgrade for a customer that is currently on Standard Edition versus a customer that is on Enterprise Edition?
No. Upgrade cost is based on a per seat basis. While Standard Edition and Enterprise Edition customers are charged the same amount per seat to upgrade, Enterprise customers have the advantage of maintaining their entitlements for higher level UC features that are not included in the base Foundation Essential licensing.
I am a customer that is currently on Standard Edition Release 5.2.1, with a Modular Messaging. I see with the Foundation Mobility license, there are entitlement seats for Aura Messaging. Can I still continue to use my Modular Messaging, or would it be better to upgrade my Modular Messaging to Aura Messaging
The Modular Messaging platform is compatible with the current release of Aura Communication Manager. There are some features that make Aura Messaging more flexible to manage and deploy that are not available on Aura Messaging, so there may be some reasons to look at upgrading.
A question a customer should ask is if there are other features on the Foundation Mobility platform that are needed, and compare that cost to the cost of upgrading the licensing for the Modular Messaging. Customers may find the value additions in Foundation Mobility, and the costs associated with the bundling, make a better argument to replace the Modular Messaging as opposed to upgrading.
Will I need to replace my main processor or any of the gateways that I have in place when I upgrade?
In many cases, a majority of hardware can be carried forward and reused. In some instances, there is hardware replacement required due to age and support.� Please consult with your sales rep for more information and design help in relation to this.
What sizing options are available when upgrading or purchasing a new Avaya Aura Communication Manager?
There are many different processors to support customer needs:
-S8300D, small processor that goes inside a G450 or G430 gateway. When paired with a G450, up to 450 users are supported. When paired with a G430, up to 150 users are supported. The S8300D also support Communication Manager Messaging installed on the same processor.
-DL360 Simplex, single server that supports up to 2400 users. Also supports an installation of Communication Manager Messaging
-DL360 Duplex, up to 36,000 endpoints. While this does not support an installation of Communication Manager Messaging, it does support Shadow Memory Duplication for survivability.
-Midsize Enterprise Server, based on a modified DL360. This supports up to 2000 users, and a large number of virtualized servers, including Communication Manager Messaging, Session Manager, System Manager, etc.
What gateways are supported by Aura Communication Manager 6.3?
There are several gateways supported today:
-G450 Media Gateway, currently sold
-G430 Media Gateway, currently sold
-G650 Media Gateway, currently sold
-G700 Media Gateway, end of sale, does not support a Local Survivable Processor
-G350 Media Gateway, end of sale
-G250 Media Gateway, end of sale
Some SCC and MCC cabinets if they had been previously modified to support Communication Manager. Older ones will always need to be replaced. It is recommended at this point to replace these carriers.
What types of endpoints are supported today?
Avaya has maintained support for past, legacy endpoints, and continues to add support for newer telsets. Even with this, some sets may be feature limited. Please keep this in mind when upgrading an existing system
-Any Analog Endpoint. Supported natively through analog station ports.
-Older 4 Wire (2 Pair) digital endpoints, including 74XX and 84XX sets. This is only true for older G650 and SCC/MCC gateways types due to supported card interfaces
-2 Wire (1 Pair) digital endpoints, such as 64XX, 24XX, 14XX, and the newest 94XX sets. The 54XX series manufactured for Avaya IP Office are not supported.
-H.323 IP Sets, including 46XX, 16XX, and 96XX and 96X1 sets. The 56XX series manufactured for the Avaya IP Office are not supported
-Any SIP based endpoint through Session Manager. Some additional programming maybe required, but Session Manager observes the open SIP standard.
What does an Aura Communication Manager Seat License provide for?
The Seat License provides support for an Analog, Digital, IP, or SIP device to be registered to the system. A seat License is required for every physical and virtual device.
On what platforms is Aura Communication Manager supported?
Aura Communication Manager is appropriate for all Avaya physical media servers, and also may be virtualized on customer provided equipment.
On what platforms is Session Manager supported?
Session Manager is supported by all Avaya communication platforms. It is avaliable as a virtualized server on the Midsize Enterprise Server, as a physical Avaya Server, and as a virtual server on customer provided hardware.
On what platforms is Communication Manager Messaging avaliable?
Communication Manager Messaging is avaliable on the S8300D Small System Platform, the DL360G7 Simplex Platform, and the Midsize Enterprise Server Platform.
What does a Session Manager Seat License provide for?
The Seat License provides for one administered endpoint on the Session Manager Server. Session Manager is leveraged when SIP stations or trunks are required. It allows for features of the Aura Communication Manager to be delivered to SIP endpoints, and also provides a higher level of centralized call control and routing across disparate systems.
What does a System Manager Seat License provide for?
System Manager seats allow for centralized manager of users and endpoints. System Manager is a unified management platform for a majority of Avaya applications. Much like Session Manager, it is avaliable as virtualized server on the Midsize Enterprise Server, as a physical Avaya server, and as a virtual server on customer provided hardware.
What does a Presence Server Seat License provide for?
Presence Server provides for a centralized point for unified presence services across Avaya and third party endpoints registered to the Avaya solution. It allows for integration to other platforms such as Microsoft Lync, IBM Sametime, and Goodle Talk to allow for cross platform messaging and presence. Much like Session Manager and System Manager, it is avaliable as virtualized server on the Midsize Enterprise Server, as a physical Avaya server, and a virtual server on customer provided hardware.
What does the Survivability Seat License provide for?
On previous releases of Aura Communication Manager, locations that were supported by a Local Survivable Processor had to have server and seat licenses that were sold at a lower cost than full seat licenses in order to operate in a survivable mode. Foundation Essential provides a license for every user to be able to operate in a temporary, survivable mode.
What does One-X Communicator provide?
One-X Communicator is software that allows for desktop integration services for endpoints. It can also act as a full softphone, eliminating the need for physical device. One-X Communicator also provides an avenue for simple, in system video calling.
What does Avaya Flare for Windows Seat License provide?
Avaya Aura Flare is an alternate desktop software to enhance the end user experience. This particular license allows for installation of Flare on a Windows PC. It includes presence features, drag and drop conferencing, and upcoming Video support. It is also compatible with the Scopia Video desktop environment.
What does Avaya Client Applications License for Lync Desktop and Microsoft Client integration provide for?
ACA for Lync provides a native plugin for the Lync Desktop Application to allow for Avaya Presence services to be propagated to the Lync solution. It is supported on both Lync standard and enterprise CALs. It allows for call control to your Avaya Desktop Phone, including screen notification of callers, click to dial, conference, and other items. Lync Desktop Application must be installed at each desktop that wishes to take advantage of the feature.
ACA Microsoft Client Enablement allows for click to dial from Microsoft applications, including Internet Explorer, Word, Outlook, and Powerpoint. This is also done through a plugin that must be installed at each desktop that wishes to take advantage of the feature.
What does Avaya Agile Communications Environment for Lync Desktop Integration provide?
Avaya ACE provides for an alternate integration method to Lync clients through a server side backend integration, as opposed to the ACA for Lync. Depending on environment requirements, it may be better to pursue this method. ACE core licensing is also provided to allow for support of other application integrations and features. Please contact your Sales Representative for more information
