AT&T Debuts First Two Global Virtual Private Network Services
Global, Comprehensive Enterprise VPN Services Portfolio Supported by Investments in Infrastructure and Network Management Tools
NEW YORK, Jan. 23 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- AT&T today introduced two new fully managed, end-to-end global Virtual Private Network (VPN) offers. These enhanced VPN services are the latest additions to AT&T's Enterprise VPN Services Portfolio, which delivers the full range of high-value business VPN capabilities from client-managed to fully managed services.
These services are the first two of a targeted set of global offers that will be delivered to customers as AT&T focuses and integrates the services and management capabilities from its acquisitions and previous partners. They address two primary customer needs for implementing a VPN -- customers that want to upgrade their frame relay Wide Area Network (WAN) using Multi Protocol Label Switching (MPLS) and those that want to use the Internet or AT&T's IP backbone to create an Intranet using IPSec technology.
The AT&T Enterprise VPN Services Portfolio is designed to serve any level customer need, whether AT&T is called upon to fully manage a VPN solution, as announced today, or the customer takes on more of the management of their own network. The portfolio supports VPN elements, such as access, customer premises equipment (CPE), network, high-availability and security, and service level agreements.
Recognizing that customers have varying requirements for how they implement a VPN, AT&T's Enterprise VPN Services portfolio can support VPNs using AT&T's IP backbone, the public Internet, or AT&T's IP-Enabled Frame Relay (IPFR) and IP-Enabled Asynchronous Transfer Mode (IPATM) services. AT&T VPN capabilities will be delivered via the global network, based on Multiple Protocol Label Switching technology, that AT&T now is aggressively deploying throughout Europe and in other key markets. This year alone, AT&T is investing $300 million to extend the global network with the addition of 80 nodes, primarily in Europe.
In addition, they will be supported by AT&T's Integrated Global Enterprise Management System (iGEMS), which provides end-to-end management of customers' networks. iGEMS is a $200 million network and services management platform, originally conceived and developed by AT&T Labs, that predicts and solves problems before they become evident to a customer.
AT&T's Enterprise VPN Services Portfolio today supports customers implementing VPNs on IP-enabled private data networks that use MPLS technology. This service provides a secure, reliable, high-performing private global network with remote and dedicated access options, assigned bandwidth for data applications by classes of service, disaster recovery options, and market-leading data transport service level agreements. At this customer level, AT&T also provides network design, implementation, troubleshooting, and web servicing.
As part of the new fully managed, global VPN service based on MPLS, AT&T provides network design based on the applications, locations and communities of interest; provides ordering of access transport; helps assign bandwidth for both voice and data applications by classes of service; and based on the VPN application, supplies, installs and tests the CPE. This capability is scheduled for controlled availability for U.S.-based customers in the second quarter, and has been trialed over the past few months with major European customers.
The other new capability set addresses the needs of customers who want to use the Internet or AT&T's IP backbone to create an Intranet using IPSec technology. This capability set supports access options that include all forms of dial, including GSM and ISDN, dedicated, digital subscriber line and cable. AT&T provides ordering and implementation of access transport and, based on the VPN application, supplies, installs and tests the CPE. Business continuity services include AT&T's managed access redundancy options, automatic dial backup and high-availability redundancy.
This service is available in the U.S. and Canada, and selected countries in Europe, the Middle East, Africa, Asia-Pacific, and Latin America. AT&T announced domestic dedicated site-to-site VPN service in December 2001 and now is extending that capability to customers in other markets around the world.
Portfolio Enhancements
In addition to the two global offers announced today, AT&T has added new features and improved the servicing of its Managed IP Security options in the Enterprise VPN Services Portfolio. To help businesses implement and manage more secure Internet access to multiple sites, AT&T announced the trial of AT&T Managed Firewall Service -- Network Based Version 2.0. This service is a full-featured, network-based Internet security service for AT&T Frame Relay, ATM and IP-enabled private data network customers. It is scheduled to be in controlled introduction by the first quarter of 2002.
It will help businesses support and enforce sophisticated network security policies from an AT&T Internet Data Center by letting them take advantage of the center's redundant, high-security features. This means businesses can more efficiently and economically implement security solutions through a single management point.
AT&T also has enhanced its Managed Firewall Service -- Server-Based with additional high-availability, load balancing and firewall options. This VPN support capability is a fully managed firewall solution that includes all hardware and software components, configuration, installation, management and maintenance, customer support and proactive network monitoring. AT&T has added a high-availability feature to provide additional protection against hardware and software failures; a load balancing feature that will balance traffic across a single or multiple Internet connections; firewall availability reporting and firewall-to-firewall VPN support.
For more information, visit attbusiness.com.
About AT&T
AT&T (http://www.att.com) is among the world's premier voice, video and data communications companies, serving consumers, businesses and government. Backed by the research and development capabilities of AT&T Labs, the company runs the world's largest, most sophisticated communications network and is the largest cable operator in the U.S. The company is a leading supplier of data and Internet services for businesses and offers outsourcing, consulting and networking-integration to large businesses. The foregoing are ``forward-looking statements'' which are based on management's beliefs as well as on a number of assumptions concerning future events made by and information currently available to management. Readers are cautioned not to put undue reliance on such forward-looking statements, which are not a guarantee of performance and are subject to a number of uncertainties and other factors, many of which are outside AT&T's control, that could cause actual results to differ materially from such statements. For a more detailed description of the factors that could cause such a difference, please see AT&T's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. AT&T disclaims any intention or obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise. This information is presented solely to provide additional information to further understand the results of AT&T. tracking stock. On July 9, 2001, AT&T Wireless was split off as an independent, publicly traded company.
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SOURCE: AT&T
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