While it may appear Avaya is going after the partners of a rival that's in dire straits, Whittle said this program has actually been developed in response to Nortel partners that have been approaching Avaya since the creditor protection filing.

"The situation for Nortel is causing them concern and that's why they're reaching-out to us," said Whittle.

When Nortel made its bankruptcy announcement, Whittle said Avaya made a conscious decision not to immediately go after Nortel partners but rather wait, examine what the impacts would be on both the end-user community and the channel, and consider Avaya's ability to play a role.

"We took a bit of a step back to wait and look at it, but the Nortel partners came to us," said Whittle.

She said the fast-tracking program has been well-received by Nortel partners. Globally, 120 former Nortel and Siemens partners have joined the Avaya partner program. In Canada, since she came on board earlier this year, Whittle said three former Nortel partners have joined Avaya and they're currently negotiating with a two others.