IBM Inks Services Deal With AvayaIBM Inks Services Deal With Avaya

IBM is continuing to build momentum in the business-consulting market. The company Tuesday said it signed a three-year deal to provide a range of IT services to telecom infrastructure vendor Avaya Inc.

Under the deal, terms of which weren't disclosed, IBM will help Avaya integrate business systems, develop self-service customer Web sites, and consolidate servers. IBM also will assist Avaya in the construction of a computerized supply-chain network that will let the company manage business transactions with suppliers in real time.

The deal represents further vindication of IBM's decision last year to purchase the consulting operations of PricewaterhouseCoopers. Now known as IBM Business Consulting, the unit has been instrumental in helping IBM secure a number of major services and outsourcing contracts in recent months. In its most recent quarterly report, IBM said that sales of business-consulting services had increased 63% year-over-year to $3.1 billion as a result of the PWC Consulting acquisition.