SMAC model has redefined the enterprise ICT infra, says Vishal Agrawal of Avaya India

This interview abstract is from a qualitative questionnaire administered as part of market survey for GoldBook 2017. GoldBook is a resource guide for communications infra buyers. It is published as March 2017 issue of the Voice&Data monthly magazine.

Vishal Agrawal, MD India & SAARC, Avaya India

On redefining to align with demand for the digital:

Digitization has completely transformed the way companies interact with their customers these days, and technologically empowered digital native companies are disrupting the way business is done. Digital transformation requires us to continue to evolve and simplify our portfolio of solutions and services to prioritize the quality, speed, accuracy and security of every experience when engaging with or within an enterprise.

Going digital requires not only a commitment to user-defined engagement but also a commitment to an all-software development platform. The number one driver for the move towards software and services are the customers, who are looking for platform-based solutions, not standalone products.

We are seeing a melding of customer and team engagement solutions, and also see acceptance of collaboration solutions. With this commonality in mind, we are building all of our customer and team engagement solutions on the same platform, Avaya Breeze. Some of our other key solutions are Avaya Oceana and Avaya Equinox.

On digital technologies that are of immediate relevance for Indian enterprises:

It is the synergy created by technologies working together that creates true competitive advantage for enterprises, so it would be difficult to distinguish which element of SMAC will be an immediate beneficiary for enterprises. The SMAC model has already become the business model for enterprises and is expected to play an important role in maintaining and increasing the global relevance of the Indian ICT industry. Adoption of SMAC provides huge opportunities for enterprises by enhancing their customer experience and by bringing in operational efficiency. Dynamics like social media, mobility, analytics and cloud computing have collaboratively boosted the fundamentals of business infrastructure. It is considered to be the future enterprise technology.

SMACs are redefining the IT solutions available in the ecosystem by delivering a holistic service backed by the unification of multiple disruptive technology enablers and entrepreneurial approaches. While previously the most sophisticated solutions were only available to the largest enterprises, these are now available via an Internet connection. The utility model means companies can significantly increase their time to market, giving them more control over pricing and service models and delivering competitive advantage.

Awareness-related issues that are holding enterprises from harnessing digital benefits:

Technology has become a fundamental driver behind the dominant forces that are shaping the global economy. Today, the modern consumer is connected and is looking at end-to-end solutions that provide top level of experience. In order to cater to this new consumer, enterprises are relying extensively on digital technology to reshape themselves internally and offer a seamless, convenient solutions and services to their customers.

India is a significant market; we see immense opportunity for growth here as India goes through momentous digital change’. The Government is playing a major role in driving internet growth in the country through initiatives like ‘Digital India’, ‘Smart City’ and ‘Make in India’.

We believe ‘Experience’ is a crucial element in the new business scenario, it is expected that by end of this year, 90 percent of companies will be competing on “Customer Experience”. We can clearly see that customer experience is driving every major business decision for most enterprises, and for good reason. Leading with User Defined Experience in the Digital World is very important & it takes experience in creating solutions for enterprise clients across every industry. We aim to achieve that with our current portfolio of solutions.

NFV and SDN roadmaps for enterprises:

Although the virtualization landscape in India is still at a very nascent stage nevertheless it has made strong inroads in the enterprise segment. SNS Research estimates that service provider SDN and NFV investments will grow at a CAGR of 46% between 2016 and 2020, eventually accounting for over $18 billion in revenue by the end of 2020.

Network Function Virtualization (NFV) and Software Defined Networking (SDN) have emerged as key technologies that will lead transformation for the Indian enterprises. These technologies will play an important role in the transformation of Indian networks by reducing cost and optimal utilization of resources. But in order to make these technologies accessible the government and industry together have to pay importance to the foundation of the infrastructure. This way these virtualized networks will be at the core of enterprise industry’s digital transformation.

Avaya’s open SDN architecture helps companies create the agile networks required by today’s dynamic applications industry, and all other verticals need to pay more importance to the foundation of the infrastructure. Our technology seamlessly extends from the Data Center into the campus core, wiring closet and across the WAN to interconnect branches and Data Centers while creating a single continguous service layer from application to user or IoT device.

On relevance of emerging technologies like AI and IoT vis-à-vis cloud, big data, et al:

The adoption of AI and IoT technologies is growing at an unprecedented pace amongst enterprises. Artificial Intelligence has already become a differentiating factor for the enterprises and has already become a dominant enterprise technology. Technologies such as AI and IoT are being used by enterprises to enhance the customer experience. It helps in analyzing the vast amount of data to let businesses make more informed decisions. A report by Infosys suggests organizations that have already deployed or have plans to deploy AI technologies expect to see a 39 per cent increase on an average in their revenues by 2020, alongside a 37 per cent reduction in costs.

With artificial Intelligence becoming the new consumer expectation, we are already working with digital disruptors to harness the power of AI to push the boundaries of digital services, and create compelling customer services.

On tackling enterprise mobility complexities in a digital era:

In the last few years, the security concerns over cloud deployment have contributed to slower growth not only in India, but across the Asia-Pacific and Middle East and African regions. This trend is changing however: businesses are increasingly open to considering cloud in all its forms as a viable option for digital transformation. We believe that India needs to address challenges related to data privacy, security, intellectual property rights and cyber-crime to make the market conducive for adopting cloud-based services. Basic infrastructure in terms of stable and continuous power and bandwidth is necessary for adoption of cloud-based services. With these factors being catered to, the cloud computing industry will have a bright future for growth in the Indian market.

Our objective in India is to build solutions and service that help accelerate the digital transformation of the country and its businesses, large and small. India is ready to migrate to cloud-based solutions and services and its business decision makers are eager solve their challenges today with lowest risks and highest potential growth, while still be on the right path to transform.

(This interview abstract is from a qualitative questionnaire administered as part of market survey for GoldBook 2017. GoldBook is a resource guide for communications infra buyers. It is published as March 2017 issue of the Voice&Data monthly magazine)

You can pick up a copy of GoldBook 2017 here