OVERVIEW

The Avaya IP Office 500 is a perfect solution for companies who want big business functionality on a small business budget. The system is completely modular, meaning that you can start with one phone and one line and go up to hundreds of users (360, to be exact) and tons of lines.

THE GOOD

• Can function in tandem with 15 other units for a total of 5,400 ports

• Very reliable and well-built equipment

• Well-known brand

• Excellent companion software suite

• Powerful voicemail system

• Very flexible architecture

• Wide variety of available telephones

• OK value for the money

THE BAD

• Could be less expensive – you are paying for the Avaya name

• Can be a little touchy with programming changes (almost every change requires a reboot)

• Almost every advanced function of this system requires a special license for it to operate (This can be a good or a bad thing, depending upon how you look at it)

THE UGLY

• This switch can be a real bear to set up and program, especially the IP side of it – make sure you deal with an installer who knows this system very well.

WHAT IT IS

Hardware

1 – Avaya IP Office 500 Voice Server Unit

1 – Avaya DGTL STA 8 module

1 – Avaya ANLG TRK 4 UNI daughter board (On DGTL STA 8)

1 – Avaya PHONE 8 module

1 – Avaya VCM 32 module

1 – Dell Optiplex GX520 PC running Microsoft Windows 2003 Standard Server where the Voicemail PRO and One-X software suite reside and operate

1 – Netgear ProSafe FVS338 Firewall

Software

1 – Avaya version 5.0.8 operating software

1 – SIP Trunk 10 license

1 – OneX Portal License

1 – Voicemail PRO 4 Port License

1 – Power User Bundle License

Phones

1 – 1608 IP Phone

1 – 1616 IP Phone

1 – 5620 IP Phone (With VPN Upgrade)

3 – 5410D Digital Phones

1 – 6408D Digital Phone

4 – 6416D Digital Phones

2 – Analog fax machines

5 – Analog telephones

Service

1 – Dynamically Allocated Internet T-1

WHAT IT DOES

The IP Office platform is rather impressive to say the least. It has the capability of growing exponentially with your business, negating the need to replace the system outright should you outgrow it. This system gives you a plethora of choices for telephones – from analog single line stations to full-blown VPN-capable IP sets. Everything on the unit is IP-based – including the voicemail system. The unit can function as it's own NAT router; however, I have yet to find an application where this is a worthwhile feature.

Several options await you with this switch. Out of the box, it offers what you would expect – the ability to process calls from one station to another, caller-ID inbound, call transfer, music-on-hold, paging, and all the other standard options. Beyond that, you will need a pack of software licenses.

I have mixed emotions about this license business. On one side of the coin, the system comes out of the box with everything a growing business will need – making it an economical option. However, some features that require a license are standard equipment on switches from other manufacturers for the same or lower price. For example, if you want SIP trunks, be prepared to pay for a SIP channel license. Remote VoIP phones? Yeah, that needs a license, too. The Panasonic TDE/NCP and Vertical SBX already offer this functionality by default.

However, odds are that you will be happy to pay for the licenses (they never expire with time) to get the advanced functionality of this switch. And, the advanced functionality is something that Avaya does well – especially where call centers are concerned. This is the only small business switch that offers the bells-and-whistles of humongous call center solutions, such as wall boards, automatic call recording (in and out), and advanced supervisor functions.

If you are in the hospitality industry, you would be better served by a Panasonic or a Mitel. However, if you are a small motel, you might get away with using this system. Otherwise, be prepared to install digital phones in all of the rooms. Other than that one special industry, the IP Office is a very good fit.

A WORD ABOUT VERSION 6.0.1

At the time of this writing, Avaya has released an update for the IP Office – Version 6.0.1. Although we have yet to test it, here is what it basically offers in addition to the 5.0.8 package:

1. V2 CABINET/SD CARD: The V2 cabinet is similar to the IP Office 500 V1 cabinet, save the fact that it uses a SD Memory Chip instead of a FAC (feature access card). Thankfully, the V2 is fully backwards compatible with the V1 modules – you simply slide them in. It should be noted that a V1 cabinet can be upgraded to the 6.0.1 software; however, it cannot run Partner sets (see below).

2. PARTNER PHONE COMPATABILITY: Avaya has decided, in its infinite wisdom, to deep-six the Partner ACS. However, given the fact that so many businesses rely on this product, they have made it possible for an IP Office to run the Partner Euro telephone sets. Where this is critical is when a customer needs to upgrade or replace their Partner ACS unit, but they do not want to invest in new phones. Why anyone would want to keep these sets is beyond my comprehension, but there ya go. A V2 cabinet is required for this.

3. 9600 IP PHONE COMPATABILITY: This new version allows you to use the top-of-the-line 9600 series IP phones with the IP Office, where only the ACM allowed this in the past. This is a welcome enhancement, allowing users access to four different series IP phones (1600, 4600, 5600, and now the 9600). SIP phones are also possible.

4. SIP TRUNK EXPANSION: Several options have been enhanced for SIP trunking in version 6. The most important feature is the ability for the unit to register with a SIP provider using only the domain name.

5. SOFTPHONE COMPATABILITY: Finally, softphones are available for the first time starting with Version 6. This puts Avaya on par with its competition, which has had softphones for a couple of years now.

ACCESSORIES

They say that accessories make the man; and, boy, does that also hold true for the IP Office. Several options await you - none of them useless. Indeed, the most exciting option is the voicemail system. Two voicemail units are available for this PBX – EMBEDDED and EXTERNAL. The embedded voicemail resides on the IP Office 500 unit, where it utilizes a flash chip to store messages. This voicemail is as bare-bones as you can get – it will record messages and allows the use of a couple auto attendant menus. However, that is where it stops. Don't expect advanced functions – it doesn't even offer menu prompts or the ability to dial extension numbers from the auto attendant, for crying out loud – unless you use an option in the menu. It does support voicemail to email functionality, though. Surprisingly, 4 ports are included.

The embedded voicemail on the V2's SD chip might be a little better, though we have yet to test it. This version comes with two ports, but can go 4 or 6 with the proper license. Hopefully, the V2 embedded mail is a little more versatile than its V1 cousin. Still, if all you need to do is leave messages on the cheap, it is a good option. Only time will tell your satisfaction for it, however.

And then, there is the external version – Voicemail PRO. All I can say is if you are used to dealing with Audix, you are in for a treat. VMPRO is built on the Intuity platform; yet, it has shed most of the annoyances of that system. VMPRO is robust and powerful. Out of the box, it offers voicemail-to-email integration, fax transferring, multiple automated attendants, advanced call center functions, and in-mail auto attendants.

If you are feeling adventurous, you might want to invest in the UMS and/or OneX licenses for the VMPRO. The UMS (unified messaging service) allows you to check and manage your voicemail boxes via the intranet and the internet. OneX allows advanced cellular and desktop integration options. You can also invest in licenses for database integration and auto call recording – a must for any call center.

Now, it goes without saying that the VMPRO requires a stand-alone windows-based PC to operate. However, unlike the nightmare of previous PC voicemail systems, where several physical ports were required for the system's operation,VMPRO operates fully by TCP/IP protocol. What this means is that you simply need a license to upgrade the size of the system. These licenses come in 4, 8, 16, and 20 port flavors. No messy expensive hardware is required for upgrades once the system is installed – unless you outgrow the hard disk drive. Play it safe by getting one with a good quarter-terabyte.

VMPRO is also easy to set up. All you need is a PC running Microsoft Windows (VMPRO is compatible with Windows 2000 through 32-Bit Windows 7) and the downloaded software from Avaya. Oh, yeah – you also need the license, but it is SO worth it! A lesser version of VMPRO – Voicemail Lite – is also available, and is really worth looking into if you are on a strict budget.

Beyond the voicemail is OneX. This is a special web-based portal for the IP Office and VMPRO, where it allows users to interact with the system fully over the internet. Unfortunately, OneX requires Microsoft Windows 2003 Server to operate properly. In my opinion, you should leave OneX to the ACM and Aura where it is much more functional.

And, finally, there is mobile twinning. With this feature, which requires yet another license, you can have your cell-phone or home phone ring along with your office phone. This is a worthwhile feature for sales departments and busy executives on the go. You can expect to transfer calls back off the remote phone within the system.

THE BOTTOM LINE

Any small to medium sized business would benefit greatly from using the IP Office solution. It is very robust, reliable, and feature-rich. It is also a relative financial bargain for what it does. If you intend to open a call-center, by all means, get this switch! The Voicemail PRO unit is one of the most powerful voicemail systems that we have seen in recent years. Only the Panasonic TDE/NCP Series and Toshiba Strata CIX systems come close to matching the IP Office in functionality and price.

As far as size goes, you will never outgrow it; and, even if you ever did, you can upgrade to the Definity (now called ACM and Aura) and keep most of your same telephones. (NOTE: If you think that you might upgrade to this platform later on, invest in the 2400 and 6400 series phone sets – the 5400 series will not work with the Definity, at least at the time of this writing.)