Cisco to offer Quad in hosted and managed deployment model

Cisco (NASDAQ:CSCO) is planning to offer its Cisco Quad enterprise collaboration platform as a hosted and managed deployment model, delivered initially in the U.S. and Canada through Xerox's ACS, with systems integration support from Capgemini.

Cisco said it was offering the option to companies that were unable to or disinterested in deploying or managing Cisco Quad themselves.

The move, it said, extends choice and flexibility in how customers implement and use the platform, and it will create professional services and integration opportunities for channel partners, strengthening and broadening their customer relationships.

"Today's announcements further our vision and commitment to enterprise social software and unified communications," said Murali Sitaram, VP and GM of Cisco's Collaboration Software Group. "With proven global partners delivering hosted and implementation services, we will be able to help our customers accelerate adoption and realize business benefits more quickly."

Cisco also announced its upcoming release of Quad 2.5, which will include pre-built integrations with leading content management and instant messaging platforms from EMC, Microsoft, and IBM, as well as a new mobile application for the Android-based Cisco Cius tablet.

Quad was launched a year ago, and includes an array of UC functions in its platform.

For more:
- see this release

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