San Francisco Museum Installs Converged Network and IP Telephony Solution from Avaya and Extreme Networks

San Francisco Museum of Modern Art reduces costs and improves communications with a simple-to-manage network and easy-to-use applications for voice and data

For Immediate Release: 08-Mar-2005

SANTA CLARA, Calif., US
The San Francisco Museum of Modern Art (SFMOMA) is one the country’s largest modern and contemporary art museums and a top attraction in one of the nation’s most visited cities. To better serve its 50,000 members, local patrons and scores of visiting tourists, SFMOMA has implemented an Internet Protocol (IP) telephony and data network solution from Extreme Networks®, Inc. (Nasdaq: EXTR), a leader in open converged networks, and Avaya (NYSE: AV), a leading global provider of business communications software, systems and services.

The combined IP network supports all of the Museum’s bandwidth-intensive data applications and voice communications, including, messaging and mobility applications. This removes the burden of managing separate networks for voice and data, enabling streamlined administration.

“Simpler management of the communications system is helping us lower costs,” said Leo Ballate, IT director for SFMOMA. “I estimate that each member of my staff saves about three hours per week, time previously spent managing phone locations, diagnosing network performance and managing support for two separate networks. This translates to about $9,000 a month that our team can redirect toward more vital business challenges. In addition, our maintenance costs are predicted to drop by half with the new converged solution.”

SFMOMA’s fast and reliable network is based on Extreme Networks’ Unified Access Architecture™ (UAA) solutions, consisting of the Summit 300 network edge switches, providing reliable Layer 3 connectivity with integrated Power over Ethernet (PoE) ports, network resiliency and authentication capabilities to secure network access. The entire network is managed and monitored with Extreme Networks’ EPICenter™ management suite, which automates common configuration tasks and automatically discovers and checks status of networked devices.

The solution employs powerful software from Avaya to provide flexible, easy-to-use communications tools to Avaya IP phones. Avaya MultiVantage™ Communications Applications, including Avaya Communication Manager and Avaya Modular Messaging, enable workers in the museum and its three call centers to respond more quickly to customers and stay in touch with colleagues. Associates who are handling events or managing activities can take their desk phone with them and plug it in where they are working so that calls aren’t missed — without reprogramming the system for a new location or going through the hassle of forwarding calls. Avaya Modular Messaging makes it easy for workers to share information and manage email, voice mail and fax communications from a single, unified on-screen interface.

Building on the successful implementation of the network, communications and messaging applications, SFMOMA has also implemented applications to enhance mobile communications. Avaya’s Unified Communication Center for Speech Access to enables curators, top museum administrators and other highly mobile workers to access email, voice mail and fax communications, use directories and launch conference calls from any phone, by using natural language speech commands. In additions, SFMOMA has also implemented Avaya’s Extension-to-Cellular capabilities which allow the user’s cellular phone to ring simultaneously when the desk phone is dialed, reducing missed calls and time spent waiting by the phone.

“Providing a cost-effective, simple-to-use solution was imperative for this non-profit organization, which has a high profile and extensive interaction with the public,” said Jim Burns, alliance director, Avaya. “Working with our alliance partner Extreme Networks, we were able to craft a total solution that met the museum’s need to operate more efficiently and deliver capabilities that help workers respond quickly to customers.”

SFMOMA relied on the integration expertise of Quagga, a Gold certified Avaya BusinessPartner and an Extreme Networks Solutions Partner, to help design and integrate the new network and IP telephony communications infrastructure. The new network features wireless networking access on a highly reliable network infrastructure backed with numerous design redundancies that enhance continuous operation of the network.

“Extreme Networks is delivering on the critical requirements of converged networks by providing solutions that are highly available, simple to manage and enhanced by integration with leading IP telephony solutions from Avaya,” said Suresh Gopalakrishnan, vice president of worldwide marketing for Extreme Networks. “This allowed Extreme Networks and Avaya to present the museum with a superior network and communications solution.”

About Avaya
Avaya Inc. designs, builds and manages communications networks for more than one million businesses worldwide, including over 90 percent of the FORTUNE 500®. Focused on businesses large to small, Avaya is a world leader in secure and reliable Internet Protocol telephony systems and communications software applications and services.

Driving the convergence of voice and data communications with business applications — and distinguished by comprehensive worldwide services — Avaya helps customers leverage existing and new networks to achieve superior business results. For more information visit the Avaya Web site: http://www.avaya.com

Extreme Networks, Inc.
Extreme Networks is a leader in open converged networks. Its innovative network architecture provides Enterprises and Metro Service Providers with the resiliency, adaptability and simplicity required for a true converged network that supports voice, video and data, over a wired and wireless infrastructure, while delivering high-performance and advanced security features. For more information, please visit www.extremenetworks.com.

Extreme Networks, Summit and Unified Access Architecture are either trademarks or registered trademarks of Extreme Networks, Inc. in the United States and other countries. Other names and marks are the property of their respective owners. © 2005 Extreme Networks, Inc. All Rights Reserved.