Avaya’s Modular Messaging supports voice, fax and e-mail messaging in a single message store whenused with Microsoft Exchange or IBM Lotus Domino as the message store. Speech access is an option.
Table of Contents
Overview
Analysis
Avaya Modular Messaging With Microsoft Exchange or IBM Lotus Domino Store
Avaya UCC Speech Access
Pricing
Competitors
Strengths
Limitations
Recommended Gartner Research
Insight
List Of Tables
Table 1: Features and Functions: Avaya Modular Messaging With E-Mail Store
The Avaya Modular Messaging product (formerly Avaya Unified Messenger) is composed of two servertypes, the Messaging Application Server (MAS) and the Messaging Storage Server (MSS). TheMessaging Storage Server (MSS) can be an Avaya Server (Avaya S3400 Message Server), MicrosoftExchange Server or IBM Lotus Domino Server. When Avaya Modular Messaging is used with MicrosoftExchange or IBM Lotus Domino as the Message Storage Server (MSS), it results in a unified messagingarchitecture providing single-mailbox storage of voice, fax and e-mail messages. In addition, the systemsupports the following:
• A single address directory for all message types,
• Single-point administration,
• Enterprisewide automatic directory updates and directory replication,
• Up to 690 analog or digital circuits connected to a single PBX and
• Access to messages by computer, phone or the Internet.
Messaging Application Servers can be supplied by Avaya, system integrators, Avaya Business Partnersor the customer. This report reflects release 1.1 of Avaya Modular Messaging and release 1.2 of AvayaUnified Communication Center (UCC) Speech Access. Table “Features and Functions: Avaya ModularMessaging With E-Mail Store)” presents a summary of unified messaging capacities and features.
Table 1: Features and Functions: Avaya Modular Messaging With E-Mail Store
Characteristic Description
Voice Ports 4 to 69 per MAS
Voice Port
Modularity
Analog—4 or 12; Digital—8 (set emulation), 24 (T1) or 30 (E1)
Mailboxes
(maximum)
More than 50,000
Hours of Storage Dependent on e-mail server’s disk capacity. For example, a 1GB disk will store 170
hours of voice with 13 Kbps voice mail encoding.
Platform Intel Pentium
Operating System Microsoft Windows 2000
Networking Up to 10 MASs can be networked at a location (690 ports maximum).
Table 1: Features and Functions: Avaya Modular Messaging With E-Mail Store
Characteristic Description
Networking Audio Messaging Interchange Specification (AMIS), Voice Profile for Internet
Messaging (VPIM); Octel Analog Networking (proprietary); Avaya Digital Voicemail
Networking (proprietary); Simple Mail Transfer Protocol/Multipurpose Internet
Messaging Extensions (SMTP/MIME)
Analysis
Avaya Modular Messaging With Microsoft Exchange or IBM Lotus Domino Store
Switch Integration
Avaya Modular Messaging with Microsoft Exchange or IBM Lotus Domino Store a Windows-basedsystem for small, medium and large businesses integrates with more than 150 key, hybrid and privatebranch exchange (PBX) systems using various signaling techniques, including digital station emulation,Q.SIG, in-band, Simplified Message Desk Interface (SMDI) and Voice over IP (VoIP). Voice paths areanalog, digital or VoIP. Due to the variety of integration techniques, as well as switch capabilities andlimitations, not all features are applicable to all switches. See Figure “Premises Integration.”
Figure 1: Premises Integration
Message Application Server integrates with a premises switch (PBX) and connects to an e-mail server and third-party fax server in a unified messaging architecture. Integration data between the MAS and PBX supports inboundand outbound voice and fax messaging. E-mail Server stores all voice, fax and e-mail messages, which aremanaged from an Outlook Inbox or Lotus Notes Client on the user’s PC.
Source: Avaya.
MAS integrates with more than 150 key, hybrid and PBX switching systems. Table “Integration Switches(Partial List)” includes some of these.
Avaya Definity Series Mitel SX200 Series Panasonic DBS Series
Avaya Merlin Magix and Legend Mitel SX2000 Series Rolm 9751 CBX (9005)
Avaya Communication Manager NEC NEAX 2000 Series Philips Sopho
Ericsson MD-110 NEC NEAX 2400 Series Siemens Hicom 150 H,
Hicom 300 Series and
HiPath Series
GPT Integrated Services Digital Exchange (iSDX) Nortel Networks Meridian 1
Series
ECI (formerly Tadiran)
Coral Series
Intecom E Nortel Networks Norstar
Series
Telrad Si
Lucent Technologies 5ESS Nortel Networks DMS-100 Toshiba Strata Series
MAS supports all features when integrating with Avaya and Lucent Technologies switches. PBXintegration performs a number of tasks to facilitate voice communication and call handling:
• Captures dialed-party information
• Answers calls when users are unavailable
• Plays a user’s personal greeting
• Assists in routing calls
• Transfers calls to an operator or to another extension
With a capacity of 69 voice ports, a single MAS supports approximately 3,000 users. Voice ports can beseparated into reporting groups and marked for specific functions. For example, when networking withother Avaya voice messaging systems at remote locations, a group can be marked for outboundoperation only.
For reliability, MAS can be arranged in a redundant (1+1 or N+1) configuration, whereby a companion unithandles an equal share of traffic and leaves a single server to handle all traffic if the sibling is down forsome reason. Up to 10 MASs enable expansion to a maximum of 690 ports (9+1 servers in a redundantarrangement), which will support more than 50,000 users. (In such arrangements, there are also multiplee-mail servers at the location.) MASs can be added without taking the network down. If problems arisewith a specific server, the problem can be isolated and the server taken out of service while the rest of thenetwork stays up and running.
Unified Messaging Processes
MAS provides auto attendant functionality and coordinates with the e-mail server and a third-party faxserver to store voice and fax messages on the e-mail server in a unified messaging architecture. ModularMessaging with Microsoft Exchange or IBM Lotus Domino store provides computer access (local PC andthe Internet) and telephone access to all messages and reads e-mail messages over the telephone.MASs, which are inherently modular and capable of being distributed, can reside at branch offices withper-office e-mail servers, or alternatively, MASs can be located at a data center together with e-mailservers, thus reducing equipment count, maintenance and cost.
Microsoft Exchange and IBM Lotus Domino store messages as file attachments in the case of voice andfax messages or as simple text messages in the case of e-mail. Compressed voice messages are storedfor later playback, retrieval or transport. A single e-mail server may contain the entire collection of
mailboxes, or it can act as one of many message servers. In the case of multiple e-mail servers, each hasa logical group of user mailboxes. The Message Transfer Agent (MTA) transports messages between oneor more e-mail servers on a local-area network (LAN), or over a wide-area network (WAN) connectionbetween e-mail servers in distant locations. MASs and the e-mail system share a single global directory(Microsoft Active Directory with Exchange 2000, IBM Lotus Domino Directory with Domino). Within theaddress book, system managers can create distribution lists.
In case the e-mail server is down, operation continues normally from the caller’s point of view with theobvious exception that the MAS provides a standard greeting (and the subscriber’s name) rather than thecalled party’s personal greeting. The MAS holds messages until the e-mail server comes back up. Thenthe MAS streams accumulated messages to the e-mail server as part of an automatic recovery andsynchronization process.
When a caller records a voice message, the MAS compresses the voice and uses a messaging API tosend it to the e-mail server for storage. When listening to a voice message over the telephone, the voicedata is streamed from the e-mail server to a MAS, where it is decompressed in real time and played overthe phone (to a local user) or over the public network (to a remote user). Voice messages can also berecorded and played back on a multimedia-equipped PC using client software integrated with theMicrosoft Outlook or the Lotus Notes client. See Figure “Message In-Box and Playback.”
Figure 2: Message In-Box and Playback
Header data appears in Bob Matthews’ Outlook in-box for voice, fax and e-mail messages. The playback panelincludes a progress bar and elapsed time and controls to pause, stop, replay and skip. Clicking the icon to the left ofthe numeric (elapsed time) readout directs playback to Bob’s PC (shown) or to his phone.
The MAS actions on behalf of an unanswered or busy extension include routing to a user’s mailbox anddata streaming. Table “MAS in Action” contains a step-by-step description of how MAS and e-mailsystems cooperate to record, store and retrieve voice messages.
Table 3: Avaya Modular Messaging: Message Application Server Actions
Description Comment
Caller Records a Message
1) A call to the extension rings without answer or the
extension is busy.
Call is from another extension, a branch office or the
public network.
2) The PBX forwards the call to a voice port on a MAS. Integration data from the PBX provides called-party
information to the MAS.
3) MAS plays user’s personal greeting. Greeting in compressed format streams from the e-mail
server to a MAS, where it is decompressed and sent
through the PBX to the caller.
4) Caller leaves a voice message. Caller’s voice goes through the PBX to the MAS, where
it is recorded and compressed. The MAS attaches the
recording to an e-mail message and sends it to the e-
mail server for storage in the user’s in-box.
5) E-mail server notifies the PC (via LAN) of new
message arrival.
The new voice message appears as a line item (header)
Table 3: Avaya Modular Messaging: Message Application Server Actions
Description Comment
6) Case 1—User has selected the PC for playback. Voice message in compressed format streams from the
e-mail server to the PC, where it is decompressed and
sent through a sound card to the PC’s speakers or the
user’s headset.
7) Case 2—User has selected the phone for playback. The MAS originates a call to the user’s phone. When
answered, the voice message in compressed format
streams from the e-mail server to the MAS, where it is
decompressed and sent through the PBX to the
telephone.
Message Retrieval—Telephone User Interface (TUI) Based on Aria interface for Avaya Octel 250/350
platform.
8) User dials in by phone and retrieves voice and e-mail
messages.
Voice messages in compressed format are streamed
from the e-mail server to the MAS, where it is
decompressed and sent through the PBX and the public
network to the user’s telephone. For e-mail, the MAS
retrieves the text (via LAN) from the e-mail server.
There, a TTS channel creates a full-bandwidth voice
signal, which the MAS sends through the PBX and the
public network to the user’s telephone.
Streaming enables greetings and messages to begin immediate playback, without the delays associatedwith file transfers and downloading. The MAS uses the 13 Kbps Global System for MobileCommunications (GSM) compression standard, which yields a ratio of approximately 5-to-1, compared to64 Kbps standard coding. This dramatically reduces LAN bandwidth requirements, reduces storagerequirements and improves speed of operation.
Telephone User Interface
The telephone user interface (TUI) supports access to voice, fax and e-mail messages from any touch-tone phone. In the case of e-mail, the MAS sets up a TTS channel; reads the messages (including headerinformation such as sender, date, time and other data); and indicates the presence of attachments, if any.During readout of messages, subscriber options include delete, reply, forward to another party, markread, skip, speed-up readout or call the sender (provided the sender is a Modular Messenger user). Thelatter provides a convenient way to communicate with other subscribers without having to hang up andoriginate a new call. The feature is switch-dependent, as not all switches allow the initiating party (that is,a MAS) of a conference to drop off. Even if supported by the switch, the user must hang up and redial toreach the system again. Most mobile users should choose the optional telephone Speech Access optionfor enhanced functionality and for hands-free operations.
Optional Telephone Speech Interface
With the optional Avaya UCC Speech Access application, a subscriber can use simple voice commandsto access voice, fax and e-mail messages from any phone. In the case of e-mail, the Speech AccessServer sets up a TTS channel; reads the messages (including header information such as sender, date,time and other data); and indicates the presence of attachments, if any. During readout of messages,subscriber options include delete, reply, forward to another party, mark read, skip, archive or call thesender (provided the message has a ANI phone number). Call Sender provides a convenient way to
communicate with callers who left messages without having to hang up and originate a new call. Aftercompleting the call, the subscriber can resume reading his or her messages.
The number of TTS channels equipped in a MAS depends on the number of voice ports. A minimum oftwo TTS channels is required per MAS. Additional channels can be equipped, in an increment of onechannel, to a maximum capacity of 16 channels. Table “TTS Sizing Guidelines” provides guidelines forestimating the number of TTS channels.
Whether by PC or phone, subscribers can reply to messages in a number of ways, including cross-media.For example:
• Reply to an e-mail message with a voice message.
• Forward an e-mail, including a user-attached document, with a voice introduction.
Languages
The MAS supports multiple languages on the telephone user interface and on e-mail reading channels(TTS). The Avaya client software supports multiple languages on the graphical user interface (GUI) usedfor self-administration.
Table 5: Avaya Modular Messaging: Message Application Server Languages
TUI Languages TTS Languages GUI Languages (User self-
administration)
Dutch Dutch Dutch
English (U.S., U.K. and Australian) English English
Any given MAS can have up to three different TUI languages, which are selectable at the Language tabon the user properties screen. Callers can select an alternate prompt language; for example, to prompt inFrench if the system is set up to provide prompts in English and French. Selection of the TTS language isautomatic based on text content of a given e-mail message. The TUI allows a subscriber to change theTTS language while listening to a message by pressing a touch-tone key.
Internet Messaging
Beyond a telephone or LAN-based PC, the Internet offers a third way for users to access messages. Theclient program of choice, Outlook Web Access for Microsoft Exchange servers and iNotes for IBM LotusDomino servers, provides an in-box and voice player with functionality similar to Outlook or Lotus Notes
(see Figure “Message In-Box and Playback” above). As with the other access methods, voice messagesare streamed to the user’s PC or laptop, ensuring immediate start of voice content.
In the other direction, MASs support creation of voice messages and sending them over the Internet toparties that have an e-mail address but do not have Modular Messaging accounts. Voice messages,conveyed as e-mail attachments, are in native (GSM-compressed) format and are playable on any PCwith GSM voice-encoding support (all Windows PC with Media Player and Macintosh computers withQuickTime, plus other computers and personal digital assistants [PDAs] that have native GSM support).
Administration
Using the e-mail server’s interface to set up and reconfigure user mailboxes, provides a single point ofadministration for voice, fax and e-mail messages. As users are added or information is modified,changes are written to the Microsoft or Domino directory and replicated to other servers across thenetwork. This enables changes to be made once for the whole enterprise, reducing administration costs.
An Administration tab enables administrative personnel to enable or disable unified messaging on behalfof individual users, as well as supply user-oriented information such as voice mail domain, extensionnumber, mailbox number, numeric address (for example, direct-dial number) and TUI password.
A Subscriber’s Options application is available to subscribers for self-administration of individual userproperties, such as language, media setup, recording greetings, handling incoming calls, telephoneaccess, fax access, call notification (including message waiting indication [MWI]) and assistant.Subscribers can also set up intelligent notification criteria according to one of three methods:
• Find me (live connect)—The MAS records the caller’s name and, in real time, calls any of severalnumbers controlled by the subscriber’s schedule. The MAS announces the caller’s name to thesubscriber, who can accept the call (live conversation) or decline and have the caller leave amessage.
• Call me—The Call Me server calls the subscriber (phone or pager) based on message-specificcriteria (type, importance and sender), subscriber’s schedule and alerting interval (for example, every20 minutes). Depending on the method of notification, the subscriber answers the call and logs on inthe usual manner or initiates a call to retrieve messages.
• Notify me—The MAS automatically records the caller’s telephone number (ANI), prompts forconfirmation or requests entry of a different callback number and then generates an e-mail messageto a subscriber-defined address (cell phone, pager or Internet). The subscriber sets up notificationcontent in terms of a user-specified text string, date and time of message (if one was left), length andimportance and whether or not to include the caller’s telephone number.
Modular Messaging also supports custom caller applications that are developed using a simple GUI-based editor.
Fax Messaging
MAS supports facsimile as a standard feature and requires that the customer supply an external faxserver. The MAS works with major vendors of third-party fax servers, such as:
Calls from fax machines are handled with a single direct inward dialing number (single DID) or,alternatively, with two DID numbers—one for voice calls and one for fax calls (dual DID). The challengeposed by single DID is resolved by the MAS listening for the presence of calling tone from the originatingfax machine; if it is detected, the MAS transfers the call, with accompanying dual-tone multifrequency(DTMF) routing information, to the fax server. After reception of the document, the fax server sends it asan e-mail attachment to the e-mail server for storage. Because dual DIDs provide a unique telephonenumber for fax machines to call, the PBX simply routes directly to the fax server, which then transfersreceived documents, again as e-mail attachments, to the e-mail server.
Faxes can be viewed at the desktop or reviewed by telephone. In the case of phone review, the MASannounces a message count of the number of faxes and reads envelope information consisting of sender,date, time and number of pages. Reading a fax’s text content is possible provided optical characterrecognition (OCR) software is present in the fax server. With a telephone, users can direct faxes to anearby fax machine; route them to someone, with accompanying voice introduction; or save them in themailbox for later review. In cooperation with the fax server, the MAS supports fax rendering, whereby e-mail messages and attachments are converted to facsimile format for remote viewing. This can be moreconvenient than listening to a reading of lengthy e-mail messages and even more helpful for messagescontaining attached documents that are tabular (for example, spreadsheets) or have graphical content.
MAS Hardware
MASs are supplied by Avaya, system integrators, Business Partners or the customer. Recommendationsare listed in Table “Avaya Message Applications Servers.”
Characteristic 4 to 12 Voice Ports 49 to 69 Voice Ports
*Callback notification and message waiting indication (MWI) software can run on the MAS or on outboard
hardware—see Callback Notification Server/MWI Server column of Table “Other Hardware Components
(Minimum).”
Hardware to support clients, administration clients and Call Me server/MWI server is shown in Table“Other Hardware Components (Minimum).” In addition, the Microsoft Exchange Administrator program orIBM Lotus Domino Unified Communications Software (DUCS), must be run on an Intel-based servermachine recommended by Microsoft or IBM.
Table 7: Avaya Modular Messaging: Other Hardware Components (Minimum)
Characteristic Clients Administration Clients Call Me Server/MWI Server*
Software Environment With Microsoft Exchange Store
The MAS works with Exchange 2000, Exchange 5.5 or mixed Exchange 5.5/2000 environments. Inaddition, the MAS supports the following:
• Microsoft Active directory—new records and changes go automatically to other servers when usersare added or there are changes to the user information.
• Microsoft Management Console (MMC) snap-ins—provide a single interface for voice and e-mailadministration of subscribers’ unified messaging properties.
MAS participates on the network as any other Windows-based server regarding backup, directoryoperations and network security. MASs perform voice processing locally, enabling them to answerphones, process calls and take voice and fax messages while the network, or Exchange Server, is down.
Clients can be Outlook 98 or Outlook 2000 or Outlook 2002, which are Messaging ApplicationProgramming Interface (MAPI)-compliant e-mail applications, when installed in Corporate or Workgroupmode. For applications such as word processing, spreadsheets and graphics, MAPI enables the sendingof e-mail directly from the application, with the ability to attach the document on which the work is beingdone.
Software Environment With IBM Lotus Domino Store
The MAS works with IBM Lotus Domino 5 or 6. In addition, the MAS supports the following:
• IBM Domino directory—new records and changes go automatically to other servers when users areadded or there are changes to the user information.
• Domino Unified Communications Software (DUCS 1.2) provides a single interface for voice and e-mail administration of subscribers’ unified messaging properties.
MAS participates on the network as any other Windows-based server regarding backup, directoryoperations and network security. MASs perform voice processing locally, enabling them to answerphones, process calls and take voice and fax messages while the network, or Domino Server, is down.
Clients can be Lotus Notes 5 Clients or Lotus Notes 6 Clients.
Networking
MASs can be set up as stand-alone systems or can be arranged in a centralized architecture linked tobranch offices by wide-area networks. See Figure “Centralized E-Mail.”
Figure 3: Centralized E-Mail
Branch office PBXs (bottom) send unanswered calls to MASs at a central location, where the e-mail servers storemessages for subscribers at both branches.
This flexibility is useful for organizations that do not want to put e-mail servers at each branch as well asfor application service providers (ASPs) to offer fully outsourced unified messaging solutions. PBXsforward voice mail calls to MASs at the central location (one or more MASs per PBX). The e-mail serversat the data center are shared by all subscribers at all sites. Having a MAS(s) for each branch means sitesdo not need to have the same brand of PBX or have unique extensions. In addition, each site can have itsown automated attendant and zero-out operator number.
Calls forwarded from a PBX connect to the assigned MAS at the data center via digital T1/E1 or VoIP.With digital T1/E1, T1 or E1 will already be in place for handling e-mail. When unified messaging isadded, voice and data are multiplexed over the same T1/E1 connections. Voice calls are assigned onechannel per port; the remaining T1/E1 channels are used for data. Typically, a small, remote site with 50to 100 subscribers requires a minimum of four voice channels. With VoIP, voice calls are converted to IPpackets, allowing voice and data to share the same packet-switched IP WAN. Because VoIP requires anetwork designed to provide the necessary quality of service, bandwidth considerations are paramount. Aseparate serial data link (SMDI) carries integration data, which will be embedded in the IP stream in afuture release.
Voice Mail Interoperability
Modular Messaging provides voice mail interoperability with:
• Octel Analog Networking (compatible with Octel voice mail servers such as Octel 200, 300, 250 and350).
• Avaya Messaging Networking software and Avaya S3210 server—gateway provides interoperabilitywith Avaya Intuity Audix via TCP/IP connections; also provides routing and post office services forvoice and multimedia messages and supports the networking protocols of most voice mail vendorsincluding VPIM and SMTP/MIME support.
Upgrade and Migration
Upgrade from UM 5.0 to Modular Messaging (MM 1.1) is a software-only change-out, with full reuse ofhardware, administrative profiles and user databases (user profiles, directories, custom greetings,messages and other databases). Avaya UCC Speech Access is an optional add-on to ModularMessaging 1.1.
Avaya UCC Speech Access
The Avaya Unified Communication Center Speech Access (UCC Speech Access) works with MicrosoftExchange and IBM Lotus Domino to provide a speech access solution that provides mobile and remotepersonnel access to important information including messages, contact lists, calendars, calling andconferencing by simply speaking commands into any phone. With UCC Speech Access, any phonebecomes an information portal that lets users:
• Listen to e-mail messages using text-to-speech conversion,
• Reply to and forward e-mail and voice mail messages,
• Make phone calls using contacts or LDAP directories and
• Manage conference calls.
UCC Speech Access is intended to help deliver improved productivity, higher efficiency and bettercustomer service. The application employs a highly developed speech recognition technology that makesit easy to access a wide range of information and perform important functions through normal,conversational phrases, without the need for restrictive vocabularies and time-consuming menu choicestypical of other speech access solutions. The following summarizes features of UCC Speech Access, aswell as hardware and software components.
Access to Messages Anytime, Anywhere
Enables mobile and remote personnel to access and manage messages from any location using simple,intuitive speech commands for safe, legal, hands-free operation. Users can access and navigate throughmessages in their Microsoft Exchange Inbox, or IBM Lotus Notes Inbox and have e-mail messages readto them using the text-to-speech capability. This application enables users to verbally reply to and forwardmessages, including those with attachments, just as they would if using touch-tone commands or adesktop GUI.
Enables remote and mobile personnel to easily make phone calls or set up and conduct conference callsthrough spoken commands. Users can initiate a phone call simply by speaking the name or phonenumber of the person they wish to reach. The UCC Speech Access application accesses an LDAPdirectory and retrieves the information necessary to make each call. This application enables users toeasily manage conference calls and supports up to 16 call participants.
Manage Contacts, Appointments and Tasks
For Microsoft Exchange users, simple spoken commands from any phone provide quick and convenientaccess to Outlook capabilities, such as reviewing personal calendar, scheduling appointments andcreating tasks. These capabilities aid mobile and remote personnel in managing to-do lists and calendarfunctions.
Call Notification
Notification and forwarding features immediately contact users by phone or pager when phone calls ormessages are received from pre-selected people.
Exceptional Speech Recognition
A highly developed speech recognition technology makes it easy for users to access information andperform calling and conferencing functions using normal, conversational phrases, without the need fortime-consuming menu choices typical of other speech access solutions.
Multivendor PBX Compatibility
Compatibility with telephone switches from Avaya as well as those from a variety of other vendorsenables customers to leverage current investments by using existing telephone system infrastructures.
Avaya Voice Messaging System Interoperability
Users can listen and reply to messages from other messaging systems in the enterprise network, whetherthey are connected via Octel Analog Networking or via an Avaya Messaging Networking gateway.
Open Accessibility and Scalability
The UCC Speech Access software offers open access and scalability by operating as a MicrosoftWindows service on any standard Intel Pentium-based PC. This application can be scaled to meet theneeds of any size enterprise with support for 96 ports per Speech Access Server and the ability toconnect multiple Speech Access Servers to a single PBX.
Microsoft Exchange/Microsoft Outlook Capabilities
Organizations can enhance the capabilities of current Microsoft Exchange/Microsoft Outlook applicationswith speech access to messages, contacts, tasks and calendar information, enabling customers toleverage their investments in existing messaging infrastructures.
IBM Lotus Domino Lotus Notes Capabilities
Organizations can enhance the capabilities of current IBM Lotus Domino/Lotus Notes applications withspeech access to messages enabling customers to leverage their investments in existing messaginginfrastructures.
UCC Speech Access is an add-on to Modular Messaging. The product supports Natural Micro Systems(NMS) Integrated Services Digital Network (ISDN) Primary Rate Interface (PRI) boards. Customers canpurchase UCC Speech Access and these boards from Avaya or one of Avaya’s Authorized BusinessPartners, or system integrators (SIs). The following hardware components are required to support UCCSpeech Access:
• Microsoft Exchange Server—contains mailboxes for voice, e-mail, faxes and other documents; andcontains Microsoft Outlook calendar, as well as tasks and contact lists.
Or
• IBM Lotus Domino Server—contains mailboxes for voice, e-mail, faxes and other documents.
• MAS—provides comprehensive telephone answering services for busy and ring-no-answer calls andinterfaces with the Microsoft Exchange Server or IBM Lotus Domino Server for complete unifiedmessaging capabilities.
• Avaya UCC Speech Access Server—provides speech access to Microsoft Exchange and MicrosoftOutlook information or IBM Lotus Domino e-mail messages.
• Voice processing boards—contained in MAS, these boards connect the telephone system and serverto capture and compress voice information, while providing touch-tone access.
• ISDN PRI boards—contained in UCC Speech Access Server, these boards allow access to MicrosoftExchange and Microsoft Outlook information or IBM Lotus Domino e-mail messages from any phoneusing spoken commands.
Software Components
UCC Speech Access is shipped with the following speech access software on CD-ROM:
• Avaya UCC Speech Access software
• Nuance speech recognition software
• ScanSoft text-to-speech software
• Language prompts in American English only
• Web client software for user self-administration
Product Architecture
UCC Speech Access operates with most major PBX telephone switches and protects investmentsthrough interoperability with existing messaging system networks. UCC Speech Access supports fromfour to 96 ports per server, as well as multiple servers per PBX system and can provide advanced speechaccess capabilities to a virtually unlimited number of users.
Requirements
UCC Speech Access requires a CD-ROM drive, monitor, keyboard and mouse, as well as the data listedin Table “Avaya UCC Speech Access Server Configuration—Minimum Requirements.”
Table 8: Avaya UCC Speech Access Server Configuration: Minimum Requirements
Up to 23 Ports From 24 to 96 Ports
Unified Messaging Support Avaya MM 1.1 or higher Avaya MM 1.1 or higher
Avaya UCC Speech Access Server License Server Software and four
ports
20,000
Speech Access Additional Port Licenses Price per four additional
ports (concurrent user)
24,000
ISDN PRI Boards (Reference only)
23-Line (T1) ISDN PRI — 5,500
46-Line (T1) ISDN PRI — 7,000
GSA Pricing
Yes.
Competitors
Avaya Modular Messaging with Microsoft Exchange or IBM Lotus Domino Store competes with systemssuch as the following:
• Active Voice Repartee UC, Repartee LX and Kinesis
• Avaya INTUITY Server
• Applied Voice and Speech Technologies (AVST) CallXpress*
• Cisco Systems Unity
• Key Voice Interchange
• Nortel Networks CallPilot**
• Siemens HiPath Xpressions v.3.0
• TOPCALL Unified Messenger
*CallXpress product line sold to AVST in September 2003 by Captaris.
**Does not support integration with third-party PBX systems, such as those from Avaya, Mitel, NEC andSiemens.
Strengths
Architecture and Administration
MM with Microsoft Exchange or Lotus Domino store unified messaging architecture takes advantage ofthe e-mail server’s strengths regarding storing all message types in a single mailbox, single-pointadministration and single address directory.
Avaya UCC Speech Access
Provides a speech access solution that gives mobile and remote personnel access to importantinformation that includes messages, contact lists, calling and conferencing, and calendars by simplyspeaking commands into any phone.
To support more than 150 key, hybrid and PBX switches, tools and translation capabilities are includedthat enable sales channels dealers (typically Business Partners and system integrators) to tailorintegration according to switch software version, capabilities and limitations.
Voice Streaming
Streaming avoids the delays inherent in file downloads and transfers, enabling voice messages to beginplayback immediately.
Voice Compression
Compressing voice to 13 Kbps dramatically reduces LAN bandwidth requirements, reduces storagerequirements and improves speed of operation. MM uses GSM voice encoding, which is a standardsupported on Windows PCs with no additional software required to play voice messages. GSM is alsosupported on most other computers and even many new PDAs such as those supporting Microsoft’s CEoperating system.
Scalability/Growth
MASs can be added without taking the network down. If problems arise with a specific server, the problemcan be isolated and the server taken out of service while the rest of the network stays up and running. AnMM system can range from four ports to 690 ports, connected to a single switch.
Fax Implementation Options
The faxing feature integrates with a variety of third-party fax systems.
Backup for Voice Messages
If the e-mail server should be out of service for some reason, users have the ability to retrieve all voicemessages from outside callers even when e-mail messaging is temporarily unavailable.
Centralization
The ability to centralize the MASs at a data center can avert the equipment and maintenance costsassociated with branch office deployments and improve overall reliability.
Interoperability
Using industry standards such as AMIS, VPIM and SMTP/MIME, Modular Messaging is capable ofoperating with other vendors’ voice and e-mail systems.
Simplified Pricing
MASs and client-side software come complete with all functionality, including networking and the ability towork with a fax server. The only options relate to the number of TTS channels to be equipped on theserver, external fax hardware and Avaya UCC Speech Access.
Aria User Interface
With an Aria Interface, customers migrating from the Avaya Octel 250/350 platform can continue usingprompts with which they are familiar. This allows Avaya Octel customers, including those with locationsworldwide, to have a standard user interface, regardless of the Avaya voice mail platform in use.
The MAS supports TTS for eight languages, as well as prompts and announcements for 11 languages.
Limitations
Fax
Outboard fax equipment (third party) tends to increase costs compared to internal fax boards.
Self-Administration on the Internet
User self-administration on the Internet is absent. Functions such as changing a personal greeting orsetting up notification criteria must be performed at a LAN-based PC or from a telephone, which can beinconvenient.
Call the Sender
The system’s capability to originate, at the user’s request, a call to the sender of a message works onlywhen the sender is a subscriber on the same system. Calls to nonsubscribers are not supported.However, full support for calling the sender is delivered with Avaya UCC Speech Access.
Other E-Mail Applications
The two major enterprise e-mail applications (Microsoft Exchange and IBM Lotus Notes) are supported;however, Novell GroupWise and Netscape Messenger are not supported.
Recommended Gartner Research
“Gartner Voice Mail and Unified Messaging Systems: Comparison Columns,” Note Number DPRO-90249.
Insight
Release 1.1 of Modular Messaging with Unified Messaging, reaffirms Avaya’s commitment to providing aplatform that enhances the functionality associated with multimedia messaging, unified messaging andunified communications, while supporting multivendor compatibility and interoperability.
