Nortel Enterprise Buy Could Heat Up Avaya-Cisco Duel

With Cisco Systems Inc. (CSCO) on an enterprise-focused buying spree, it might be high time for a rival to bulk up its competing portfolio. Some analysts think Avaya Inc. is just the company to do that.

Rumor already has it that Avaya is one of the companies that’s expressed interest in Nortel Networks Corp.’s enterprise unit. Such a buy would bulk up Avaya’s unified communications portfolio so much it would likely become Cisco’s most formidable rival.

There could be a twist, however. More speculation was circulating April 14 that Cisco was preparing to lay off about 10 percent of its workforce.