An Open Letter to Avaya's Networking Partners
Dear Avaya Networking Partners,
On May 31st, Extreme Networks announced that it won the bid to acquire Avaya Inc.’s networking business. With the final agreement expected to close very soon, we are excited to move into the next phase of this process and have the opportunity to work with Avaya’s valued partners.
At Extreme, we have always been laser focused on nurturing our partner ecosystem because we are a channel-centric organization. We’re dedicated to providing our partners with industry leading technology and programs that drive growth and profitability for their business, which is why this acquisition is so exciting. With it, there are some incredible opportunities for partners to take advantage of as we integrate superior technology, programs, outstanding talent and a broad customer base from both organizations.
When we announced our intent to acquire Avaya’s networking business we made a commitment to our partners – both existing and potential – to be transparent with updates on the process and the status of the joint product roadmap. Having gone through this less than a year ago with the acquisition of Zebra’s WLAN business, we understood the importance of transparency and we’ve become well-versed in managing this type of transition. I’m happy to report that we are on track, as we reported in our latest webinar, and remain committed to preserving and enhancing the acquired technology and programs, with no disruption to your business during the integration process.
Specifically as this acquisition relates to partners who sell Avaya networking solutions, our strategy is to continue to support the benefits of the current Avaya Partner Program for a period of time. After that, we’ll fast track you into the Extreme Partner Network (EPN). From day one of joining our EPN program, our partners have access to Extreme’s full suite of solutions and become eligible for industry leading rebates when selling Extreme solutions, as well as Extreme Development Funds to support enablement and marketing activities. In October, I look forward to meeting many of you at our Global Partner Conference, during which we’ll officially launch a unified program.
The acquisition of Avaya Networking provides Extreme with a broader set of networking technologies and capabilities that complement our existing product portfolio and enhance our position in the marketplace. Combined with our recent acquisition of Zebra’s WLAN portfolio and intended acquisition of Brocade’s Data Center Networking business, we are moving forward with our growth strategy to be the only company in the world exclusively focused on delivering the highest quality end-to-end, wired and wireless enterprise IP networking.
I look forward to working with you closely in the near future.
This blog was originally authored by Bob Gault, Chief Revenue and Services Officer
