Cisco Systems Inc. Tuesday unveiled a series of new collaboration tools based around its Spark communications platform, aimed at helping customers get better value from the cloud while making the most of their on-premises deployments.

The tools are designed to keep Cisco’s base of legacy customers content with their investments. They include the new Spark Depot, which is basically an app store for its Spark communications service (not to be confused with Apache Spark), and the Spark Flex Plan, which allows customers to choose from a mix of cloud-based and on-premises services which can be calibrated at any time.

Besides those, Cisco also introduced the Spark Hybrid Media Service, which automatically leverages cloud resources when on-premises assets are maxed out. Finally, Cisco updated its telephony services with a new cloud-managed enterprise offering called Business Edition 6000, and an alternative offering for small and midsized businesses called Business Edition 4000.

“Transitioning to the cloud is critical for companies large and small,” Rowan Trollope, GM of Cisco’s IoT and Applications groups, wrote in a blog post. “But not every company is ready to move everyone and everything to the cloud today. We want customers to transition to the cloud when and how it makes sense.”

That’s why Cisco is offering the Spark Flex Plan to accommodate those customers. It’s available on a monthly subscription payment plan, with flexibility depending on how much the customer uses cloud resources. Cisco offers on-premises, cloud and hybrid plans for the service, with the price working out the same no matter what combination is used.

That could appeal to Cisco’s legacy customers that have already made significant investments in their on-premises gear. For example, a company that’s bought a load of Cisco’s videoconferencing gear in the past would be able to add cloud-based services and pay for those on a subscription basis, with credit given for the services its already paid for.

Cisco’s Spark Hybrid Media Service offers similar flexibility for cloud deployment. The service allows for Cisco Spark meetings to be deployed on-premises, in the cloud or both at the same time – enabling the service to automatically deliver the meeting in the best way for each user depending if they’re local or not. Other features of the service include improved audio and video quality, reduced bandwidth costs and better security as all media is kept on-premises.

With the new Spark Depot app marketplace, users will be able to choose from dozens of useful applications which can integrate with Spark. Spark Depot goes live approximately one year after Cisco first introduced Spark for Developers, and will begin with around 70 standard integrations from both Cisco and third parties.

The last update around Cisco’s telephony services starts with a new offering for smaller businesses. Called Business Edition 4000 and set to launch in the coming months, the service comes with voicemail and other voice services for up to 200 devices. The kit comes with a box that sits onsite, while management is delivered via the cloud. For larger companies, the BE 6000 offering comes with an improved configuration and installation process that’s entirely cloud-based and reduces installation times by around 60 percent.

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