Avaya is filling two gaps in its Aura unified communications product line versions for mid-size enterprises and for branch offices.
Mid-sized enterprises and branch offices need collaboration solutions with smaller footprints than what is available from Avaya Aura Core, as well as easier management, said Ingrid Tremblay, director of unified communications product marketing for Avaya Aura Core at Avaya, told Channel Insider. It's something that both partners and customers have been requesting, she said.
Both the Avaya Aura Solution for Midsize Enterprise (ME) 6.1 and Avaya Aura B5800 Branch Gateway are based off the existing Aura technology, but were designed to be more in line with the requirements of mid-sized businesses and branch offices, so partners currently integrating Aura will already be up to speed on the technology and its capabilities.
“We’re making sure we keep this simple for the partner,” Tremblay said.
As with Aura Core, Aura ME and B5800 support Avaya’s various collaborative capabilities, including messaging, Flare Experience, telephony, and other applications and services. Avaya’s goal is to extend Aura’s capabilities across the entire enterprise.
“Very specifically, both of those solutions are really about extending collaborative communications out to all users, irrespective of their location,” Tremblay said.
Aura ME puts Aura applications and services on a single virtualized HP server. Designed for businesses with 250 to 1,000 users, ME 6.1 provides management of all SIP endpoints, presence between Avaya and third-party vendor applications, the ability to secure connections between SIP-based and IP-based devices, smartphones and applications (both in and out of the firewall), and Avaya Flare Experience and videoconferencing capabilities.
Messaging and Collaboration 
