avaya vs. cisco: a comparison of lan and wan...
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About this research note:
Selection Advice notes offer clear
guidance in effectively managing,
optimizing, and expediting the
product and service procurement
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Avaya vs. Cisco: A Comparison of LAN and WAN Infrastructure Publish Date: April, 2010
Avaya and Cisco are two of the leading network equipment
vendors. Info-Tech’s five-year comparison of their LAN and
WAN infrastructure demonstrates that customers can save as
much as 54% by choosing Avaya. In addition to these cost
savings, their focus on delivering reliability, improving
efficiency, and increasing scalability makes Avaya a persuasive
alternative to buying Cisco.
.
© 1998-2008 Info-Tech Research Group
Selection Advice 2 Avaya vs. Cisco: LAN and WAN Infrastructure Cost Comparison
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Executive Summary IT spending is more closely scrutinized than ever, and cost has become a very important consideration
when selecting an equipment vendor. To help enterprise IT management choose between the leading
LAN and WAN infrastructure vendors, Info-Tech has compared the cost of Avaya Inc. versus Cisco
Systems.
This research note compares several scenarios, including:
» Small, medium, and large high-availability campus LAN configurations.
» Small branch, mid-sized regional office, and large regional/head office WAN configurations.
» Network performance, energy efficiency, and price discounting considerations.
In every case – six scenarios in all – the cost of Avaya infrastructure is lower than Cisco, with enterprises
saving from 27% to 54% by choosing Avaya. Enterprises of all sizes should the evaluate equipment and
support costs when making a purchase decision on networking equipment. IT managers should also be
cognizant of qualitative factors, such as a vendor’s reputation for service and support, and the solution’s
fit within existing enterprise architecture, to make a well-rounded decision.
Selection Advice 3 Avaya vs. Cisco: LAN and WAN Infrastructure Cost Comparison
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Selection Point Info-Tech recently compared the CAPEX and ongoing support costs of LAN and WAN infrastructure from
leading vendors Cisco Systems and Avaya. The evaluation examines the following components:
» List price (CAPEX) of various products.
» Annual support and maintenance contracts (assumes 8x5 technical support and Next Business
Day (NBD) advanced hardware replacement for Cisco and 24x7xNBD for Avaya. This is because
Avaya does not have an 8x5xNBD support option, and Cisco does not have a 24x7xNBD option).
» All prices are stated in US dollars.
These are the costs that can be compared, and make the most significant difference in a five-year cost
comparison. To address the difference in LAN size, and accurately reflect different products used in
varying sized implementations, the following scenarios are compared:
» A small 250 port LAN without Power over Ethernet (PoE) and with a High-Availability (HA) option
used at the network core.
» A medium 1750 port LAN with PoE and HA at the network core.
» A large 3000 port LAN with PoE, Gigabit-to-the-desktop, and HA at the network core.
Similarly, to address different WAN requirements and office sizes, the following scenarios are used:
» 15 small branch offices requiring a maximum of 2 T1s for WAN connectivity.
» 5 mid-sized branch or regional offices requiring a maximum of 8 T1s for WAN connectivity.
» 2 large regional or head offices requiring a maximum of 3 DS3s for WAN connectivity.
In all cases, product features and functionality are matched as closely as possible to ensure an apples-
to-apples comparison.
Selection Advice 4 Avaya vs. Cisco: LAN and WAN Infrastructure Cost Comparison
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Key Selection Criteria In each of the following six scenarios, a graph shows the cost elements over five years. The list of
products can be found below each graph, as well as pricing details. Info-Tech believes this to be as
complete and accurate as possible, and all assumptions have been disclosed.
Scenario Comparisons
Scenario 1: Small 250 User Campus LAN
Figure 1. 250 User Campus LAN Cost Comparison
Source: Info-Tech Research Group
Product Lists
Cisco Avaya
Edge – 6xCisco Catalyst 2960-48TC-L Edge – 6xAvaya ERS 2550T
Core – 2xCisco Catalyst C3750E-24TD-S Core – 2xAvaya ERS 5530
Selection Advice 5 Avaya vs. Cisco: LAN and WAN Infrastructure Cost Comparison
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Pricing Details
Cisco Avaya
Total CAPEX $45,960 $27,160
Maintenance & Support $15,700 $8,850
5 Year Cost Comparison $61,660 $36,010
Cost Savings 42%
In this scenario, Avaya represents a 42% five-year cost savings over Cisco.
Selection Advice 6 Avaya vs. Cisco: LAN and WAN Infrastructure Cost Comparison
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Scenario 2: Mid-Sized 1750 User Campus LAN
Figure 2. 1750 User Campus LAN Cost Comparison
Source: Info-Tech Research Group
Product Lists
Cisco Avaya
Edge – 37xCisco Catalyst C3560-48PS-S Edge – 37xAvaya ERS 4550T-PWR
Core – 2xCisco Catalyst 4506 Chassis
(WS-C4506-E) 10x46cm Resilient Stacking Cable
2xCisco Catalyst 4500 Power Supply (Data
Only PWR-C45-1400AC)
Core – 2xAvaya 8300 Series 6 Slot
Chassis (ERS 8306)
2xCisco Catalyst 4500 Supervisor Module
(WS-X45-SUP6-E)
2xAvaya 8301 AC Power Supply
(DS1405A14)
2xCisco Catalyst 48 Port Gb Module (WS-
X4448-GB-SFP)
2xAvaya Switch Fabric Module (ERS
8393SF)
2xAvaya 48 Port SFP Fiber Module (ERS
8348GB)
Selection Advice 7 Avaya vs. Cisco: LAN and WAN Infrastructure Cost Comparison
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Pricing Details
Cisco Avaya
Total CAPEX $326,275 $223,725
Maintenance & Support $110,420 $49,400
5 Year Cost Comparison $436,695 $273,125
Cost Savings 37%
In this scenario, Avaya represents a 37% five-year cost savings over Cisco.
Selection Advice 8 Avaya vs. Cisco: LAN and WAN Infrastructure Cost Comparison
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Scenario 3: Large 3000 User Campus LAN
Figure 3. 3000 User Campus LAN Cost Comparison
Source: Info-Tech Research Group
Product Lists
Cisco Avaya
Edge – 64xCisco Catalyst C3750G-48PS-S Edge – 64xAvaya ERS 5520-48T-PWR
16x1 Meter Stacking Cable (CAB-STACK-
1M) 16x1 Meter Return Cable
Core – 2xCisco Catalyst 6506 6 Slot
Chassis (WS-C6506-E)
Core – 2xAvaya 8600 Series 6 Slot
Chassis (ERS 8006)
2xCisco Catalyst 6500 Power Supply (WS-
CAC-6000W) 2xAvaya ERS 8000 Routing Switch SW Kit
Selection Advice 9 Avaya vs. Cisco: LAN and WAN Infrastructure Cost Comparison
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Product Lists (Continued)
Cisco Avaya
2xCisco Catalyst 6500 Supervisor Module
(WS-SUP720)
2xAvaya Power Supply Unit (ERS 8005
PSU)
4xCisco Catalyst 48 Port Gb Module (WS-
X6548-GE-TX)
4xAvaya Switch Fabric Module (ERS
8692SF)
4xAvaya 48 Port Gb Module (ERS
8630GBR)
Pricing Details
Cisco Avaya
Total CAPEX $1,118,280 $696,340
Maintenance & Support $401,640 $167,700
5 Year Cost Comparison $1,519,920 $864,040
Cost Savings 43%
In this scenario, Avaya represents a 43% five-year cost savings over Cisco.
Selection Advice 10 Avaya vs. Cisco: LAN and WAN Infrastructure Cost Comparison
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Scenario 4: 15 Small Branch Office WAN
Figure 4. 15 Small Branch Office WAN Cost Comparison
Source: Info-Tech Research Group
Product Lists
Cisco Avaya
15xCisco ISR G2 2901 (includes 2xT1/E1
WIC - WIC-1DSU-T1-V2 and Advanced
Security Bundle - CISCO2901-SEC/K9)
15xAvaya SR 1002 (includes 2xT1/E1
Interface and Stateful Firewall)
Pricing Details
Cisco Avaya
Total CAPEX $73,425 $37,425
Maintenance & Support $26,325 $8,625
Selection Advice 11 Avaya vs. Cisco: LAN and WAN Infrastructure Cost Comparison
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Pricing Details (Continued)
Cisco Avaya
5 Year Cost Comparison $99,750 $46,050
Cost Savings 54%
In this scenario, Avaya represents a 54% five-year cost savings over Cisco.
Selection Advice 12 Avaya vs. Cisco: LAN and WAN Infrastructure Cost Comparison
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Scenario 5: Five Mid-Sized Branch Office WAN
Figure 5. Five Mid-Sized Branch Office WAN Cost Comparison
Source: Info-Tech Research Group
Product Lists
Cisco Avaya
5xCisco ISR G2 2951 (Includes 4x2 Port
WICs - VWIC2-2MFT-T1/E1 and Advanced
Security Bundle – CISCO2951-SEC/K9)
5xAvaya SR 3120 (Includes 8 Port T1/E1
Medium Module and Stateful Firewall)
Pricing Details
Cisco Avaya
Total CAPEX $94,475 $44,475
Maintenance & Support $29,925 $17,250
Selection Advice 13 Avaya vs. Cisco: LAN and WAN Infrastructure Cost Comparison
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Pricing Details (Continued)
Cisco Avaya
5 Year Cost Comparison $124,400 $61,725
Cost Savings 50%
In this scenario, Avaya represents a 50% five-year cost savings over Cisco.
Selection Advice 14 Avaya vs. Cisco: LAN and WAN Infrastructure Cost Comparison
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Scenario 6: Two Large Regional/Head Office WAN
Figure 6. Two Large Regional/Head Office WAN Cost Comparison
Source: Info-Tech Research Group
Product Lists
Cisco Avaya
2xCisco ISR G2 3945 (Includes 3xDS3 NM
- NM-1T3/E3 and Advanced Security
Bundle - CISCO3945-SEC/K9)
2xAvaya SR 4134 (Includes 3xDS3 Medium
Interface Module and Stateful Firewall)
Selection Advice 15 Avaya vs. Cisco: LAN and WAN Infrastructure Cost Comparison
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Pricing Details
Cisco Avaya
Total CAPEX $79,790 $58,140
Maintenance & Support $17,350 $13,080
5 Year Cost Comparison $97,140 $71,220
Cost Savings 27%
In this scenario, Avaya represents a 27% five-year cost savings over Cisco.
The above scenarios compare the features and functionality of the products as closely as possible;
however, there will be some differences in performance even in comparable models.
Performance, Energy, and Discounting Considerations
With respect to energy efficiency, Avaya seems poised to take the lead in greening enterprise networks.
In recent testing completed by The Tolly Group (titled “Converged Data Network Solutions”, published
March 2010), it was found that the Avaya ERS 8600 saves up to 40% on power consumption cost versus
comparable Cisco Catalyst 6500s. Energy costs to operate enterprise LAN and WAN infrastructure are a
significant component of cost evaluations, as today’s energy costs continue to skyrocket. A 40% savings
on power consumption goes a long way towards helping to reduce data center operations costs.
Purchasing more energy efficient products today will lead to a significant payoff in the coming years.
Selection Advice 16 Avaya vs. Cisco: LAN and WAN Infrastructure Cost Comparison
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Recommendations Info-Tech consistently recommends that enterprises carefully consider lifetime costs prior to making
purchasing decisions. In the case of LAN and WAN infrastructure, focus on the following cost drivers:
1. Up-front CAPEX is the largest cost comparison component. The cost of the equipment is,
and will continue to be, the most significant contributor to overall costs. CAPEX typically
represents over 80% of the five-year costs when using list pricing, so enterprises should closely
scrutinize the up-front cost of the equipment.
2. Maintenance and support is not insignificant. Use caution when selecting vendor support
plans. In this analysis, Info-Tech assumed support to be 8x5xNBD for Cisco and 24x7xNBD for
Avaya, but premium support packages such as 24x7x4 On-Site (4 hour on-site hardware
replacement) can be over 50% more expensive.
3. Power consumption is becoming a consideration. While LAN and WAN infrastructure does
not consume power like servers and HVAC, as the price of energy continues to increase and as
more PoE enabled devices are attached to the LAN, power consumption should be considered in
purchasing decisions. The efficiency of a solution is an important component of the overall cost of
ownership.
Bottom Line Avaya and Cisco are two of the leading network equipment vendors. Info-Tech’ five-year comparison of
their LAN and WAN infrastructure demonstrates that the premium paid for Cisco products can be over
100%. In addition to cost-savings, their focus on delivering reliability, improving efficiency, and increasing
scalability makes Avaya a persuasive alternative to buying Cisco.
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