The 2006 10 Start-ups To Watch

With cool technologies and growing business opportunities, these start-ups may one day be eligible for the NW200.

BlueNote
Tewksbury, Mass.

What does the company offer?

To continue reading, register here and become an Insider. You'll get free access to premium content from CIO, Computerworld, CSO, InfoWorld, and Network World. See more Insider content or sign in.

BlueNote
Tewksbury, Mass.

What does the company offer?

SessionSuite, an open IP telephony platform that runs on Red Hat Linux servers in a distributed model; call control and processing, messaging, applications, and gateway functions run as XML-based Web services applications and are decentralized across the network for flexibility and redundancy. The software also can integrate with legacy voice equipment via XML.

Why is it worth watching?

Not only does BlueNote run SessionSuite on standard hardware and open source software, it also takes a service-oriented architecture (SOA) approach to enterprise IP telephony. SessionSuite runs an entire business VoIP network or integrates with legacy gear, the vendor says. This SOA approach, which turns VoIP into a network service or application, places the company ahead of traditional telephony vendors and even IP PBX companies. BlueNote's strategy runs opposite to established vendors' business models of selling IP telephony-specific hardware, which uses proprietary transport and signaling protocols, or tying users to legacy TDM switching gear with IP-hybrid upgrades and extensions.

How did the company get its start?

It was founded by Fidelity Ventures, part of Fidelity Investments, where the technology was partly developed by the financial company's telecom/IT staff. Fidelity's IT staff was looking for a software-based way to tie together its legacy phone systems, Centrex service and a few pockets of softphone clients among its various offices.

Founded: January 2005 Funding: $23.4 million CEO: Tom Burkardt Customer: Fidelity Investments The name: Blue note is a common term in jazz, of which Burkardt and Brian Silver, CTO, are aficionados.

Quick HITS

Who's using the product?

Fidelity Investments is piloting SessonSuite as a platform for supporting remote offices with IP telephony, and for tying together legacy voice gear and Centrex services with a converged applications layer.

How did the company get its name?

Blue note is a common term in jazz, of which Burkardt and Brian Silver, CTO, are aficionados.

-- Phil Hochmuth