Avaya and IBM announced an expansion of their alliance relationship to deliver unified communications solutions backed by newly Avaya-certified security products for enterprise clients and government organizations, worldwide. The two companies also plan to focus support on Avaya Aura-Avaya's new unified communications architecture-by incorporating Avaya Aura into existing IBM converged communications services.

As part of the expanded alliance, the companies will jointly deliver unified communications solutions that streamline mission critical and complex communication systems, achieve rapid return on investment and improve productivity by helping to allow users to communicate anytime from anywhere, regardless of device or network. In addition, Avaya has certified the IBM Internet Security Systems' Proventia GX 5208 and Proventia Management SiteProtector SP1001(TM) as compliant with IP telephony solutions from Avaya, enabling IBM to offer comprehensive intrusion protection for Avaya Aura's communication system.

"As more and more companies move toward unified communications, it's important that they take a holistic approach to security that encompasses multi-vendor applications in mobile and virtual environments," says Dan Powers, vice president of brand, strategy, marketing and business development at IBM Internet Security Systems (ISS). "Individual workers will assume security comes from the core, but they can be one of the most vulnerable points of entry if it does not. IBM has created solutions in our Intrusion Prevention Systems designed to help prevent current and emerging threats and help keep unified communications deployments secure."

The combination of IBM ISS and Avaya solutions, companies is intended to help companies more proactively prevent attacks such as denial or interruption of service, VoIP phishing, eavesdropping, malware and overall business interruption. The solutions can assist customers to assess security needs, protect, remediate and even outsource security network operations if desired.

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