NTAP--Network Appliance and Portal Software Enable New Revenue-Generating Services for Next-Generation Content Delivery Networks
SUNNYVALE, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Nov. 16, 2000--Network Appliance, Inc. (Nasdaq:NTAP - news), the leading provider of network-attached data access and content delivery solutions, and Portal Software, Inc. (Nasdaq:PRSF - news), a leading provider of customer management and billing software for Internet and next-generation communications services, today announced an agreement to enable content management, distribution, and billing for emerging content delivery networks (CDNs). The two companies will collaborate to develop a seamless integration between Network Appliance(TM) solutions and Portal's Infranet® customer management and billing platform. The integration enables CDNs and service providers to catalogue server usage, create flexible business models and develop new revenue streams from their networks.
Network Appliance solutions address the expanding requirements of today's content delivery network infrastructure -- from content staging, deployment, and delivery to distribution management and reporting. Portal Software provides real-time customer management and billing that enables the monetization of distributed content and services.
CDN platforms based on the Network Appliance suite of content management and delivery products coupled with Portal's Infranet billing software provide tools for revenue generation from value-added services such as video on demand and localized ad insertion. This solution allows service providers to distribute rich media to their networks using Network Appliance filers, content delivery appliances and ContentDirector software; and manage and track content usage via ContentReporter software. Portal's Infranet will enable management of subscriber accounts and will facilitate the development and billing of a wide range of pricing models including pre-paid, subscription-based, usage-based or quality-of-service-based models designed to maximize revenue generating opportunities.
``Service providers depend on Network Appliance for seamless data management from their data centers to the edges of their networks,'' commented Amit Pandey, director of marketing for the content delivery business unit at Network Appliance, Inc. ``Compiling content usage for billing purposes can be a long and arduous task requiring custom-designed software. By integrating our content delivery and reporting solutions with Portal's billing platform, the process is automated enabling our customers to focus on what they do best -- provide value-added services to their customers.''
``Accounting and billing solutions that easily allow service providers to move from billing based on bandwidth delivered to billing based on a multitude of real-time services is crucial,'' said John Janetos, director strategic alliances at Portal Software. ``Portal's flexible real-time customer management and billing software enables service providers to package content and rich media services in ways that are targeted to the customer's needs. Teaming with Network Appliance solutions reinforces Portal's strategy of partnering with technology leaders to provide the best possible services to our customers.''
About Portal Software
Portal Software, Inc., is building business infrastructure for the Internet. Based in Cupertino, Calif., Portal is the leading provider of customer management and billing software for Internet and emerging, next-generation communications services. The company's real-time solution enables service providers to manage customers, support services and collect money. Portal's customers include Qwest Communications, Covad, Deutsche Telekom's T-Online, Telenor Mobil AS, Juno Online and France Telecom. For more information about Portal visit www.portal.com.
About Network Appliance
Network Appliance, Inc., a veteran in network file serving and caching, has been providing data access solutions since 1992, and is a member of both the S+P 500 and NASDAQ 100 index. Major corporations and ISPs, including Lycos, Yahoo! Citicorp Securities, Siemens, Lockheed, Cisco, Motorola, and Texas Instruments have deployed NetApp solutions. NetApp Internet caching solutions (NetCache(TM) appliances) and file servers (filers) deliver fast, simple, reliable, and cost-effective access to network-stored data and enable simultaneous shared file services for UNIX®, Windows NT®, and the World Wide Web.
The company pioneered the concept of the 'network appliance,' an extension of the industry trend toward dedicated, specialized products that perform a single function. Network Appliance filers and NetCache appliances are based on the company's innovative data access software known as the Data ONTAP(TM) operating system and standards-compliant hardware.
Note to Editors: NetApp and the Network Appliance logo are registered trademarks and Network Appliance, NetCache, and Data ONTAP are trademarks of Network Appliance, Inc. in the U.S. and other countries. Windows and Windows NT are registered trademarks of Microsoft Corporation in the U.S and other countries. UNIX is a registered trademark, licensed exclusively through X/Open Company Limited. All other brands or products are trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective holders and should be treated as such. |
