Another day, another partnership deal in the world of enterprise
wireless LANs.
Startup Colubris Networks Inc. has hooked up with Avaya Inc. (NYSE: AV -message board), through the firm’s DeveloperConnection program.
“Colubris is both an innovator member and Avaya compliance-tested,” Bob Olson, PR
director at Colubris, told Unstrung today.
Olson wouldn’t comment further on what could result from the partnership.
But Avaya is definitely working with Colubris — along with Meru
Networks Inc. and other partners — on supporting voice calls over both cellular
and 802.11 networks, which suggests that some further VOIP capabilities
could be in the pipeline (see Moto Ramps Up Convergence).
A spokeswoman for Avaya confirmed that Colubris has joined the
DeveloperConnection program, but did not offer details concerning
product development. “Our DevConnect members are an important part of our
strategy,” she tells Unstrung.
Colubris already has a long-term deal with another one of Avaya’s new
partners, Juniper Networks Inc. (Nasdaq: JNPR – message board). (See
Juniper, Avaya Sign MOU.)
The pair are working on developing products combining Avaya’s enterprise
VOIP know-how and Juniper’s security and routing smarts. Meanwhile,
Colubris has been working with Juniper on wireless LAN hotspot
front-ends for its DSL products in the carrier space (see Colubris Finds Juniper’s
Hotspot).
Olson says that Colubris is now also working with Juniper on the
enterprise security side of the house. “We expanded our relationship with Juniper
to include their Netscreen Enterprise product line,” he says.
On the enterprise wireless LAN front, Avaya already has an access point
deal in place with Proxim Corp. (Nasdaq: PROX – message board). But it
is now questionable how much longer Proxim will be in the WLAN business
(see Proxim Has a Debt Dilemma and Proxim on the Ropes).
