For context;
MS SfB is making waves across OS platforms - and in the Cloud. The real estate/hardware from Avaya will need replacing - it won't survive in their provided contact center businesses, when it is sold off. Traditional telephony is dead in the water and won't be replaced with new hardware - SIP has won.
SfB - cloud and premise - could be the successor to any contact center hardware that needs replacing. Paul Segre has spoken very highly of MS SfB and the growing partnership between MS and G in the recent past:
http://www.genesys.com/about/newsroom/news/genesys-and-microsoft-expand-relationship-to-deliver-world-class-customer-experience
(notice the reference to SfB [b]PBX [/b]and highlighting the solution as a cloud-based "end point" for comms.)
If you view Avaya as being a provider of "old telco" (to some extent a bit like some of the Cisco, Siemens or other telco/PBX/ACD hardware...), then the logical step is for Genesys to look for a niche. Genesys doesn't necessarily "do" hardware solutions, which is why it is pushing it's Cloud offering so hard - as a[i] full [/i]replacement for [i]any [/i]premise solutions. Genesys and MS, together - whether in partnership or otherwise - has the means and the motivation to replace what Avaya leaves behind, in full.
In relation to MS looking at Genesys; it was rumoured some (years) ago. But, as with the rumour that Genesys was potentially buying out Avaya cc business, it was pushed to the side by Genesys purchasing ININ. It could well still be on the cards...
Just my thoughts, FWIW.
