Rackspace Adds VeriSign's Secure Solutions for Robust E-Commerce to Its Managed Hosting Offering
Partnership Provides One-Stop Shop Approach to Secure Communications And Transaction Processing for E-Businesses
SAN ANTONIO, and MOUNTAIN VIEW, Calif., Jan. 9 /PRNewswire/ -- Rackspace Managed Hosting, a leading provider of managed Internet hosting services, and VeriSign, Inc. (Nasdaq: VRSN - news), the world's leading provider of Internet trust services, today announced an agreement to offer VeriSign's full line of e-commerce solutions, including Web site digital certificates and Internet transaction processing services, to Rackspace's worldwide customer base.
Under the terms of the agreement, Rackspace joins VeriSign's Secure Site ISP/Web Host program as a Premier Partner and VeriSign becomes Rackspace's Preferred Provider of trust services for its rapidly growing customer base, currently numbering more than 1,800 customers. Rackspace will integrate VeriSign's Commerce Site e-commerce solutions into its managed server packages. Rackspace will now have the ability to enroll new e-commerce customers and manage their VeriSign accounts through an automated process. The VeriSign Commerce Site solution will also provide Rackspace's e-commerce customers with a fast, easy way to conduct secure online transactions. Commerce Site services combine VeriSign digital certificate technology with VeriSign Internet transaction processing technology to enable authenticated and encrypted communications between servers and browsers and secure transaction processing across the Internet. Customers will be able to work directly with Rackspace customer support to integrate VeriSign's services into their system.
``As companies move their business processes to the Web, there is a growing, legitimate concern about security, reliability and performance,'' said Steve Andrews, senior channels manager for VeriSign. ``Together, Rackspace and VeriSign provide a highly secure foundation for e-businesses. This relationship enables Rackspace to provide its customers with a single, scalable trust infrastructure, leading the way by bringing together secure communication with secure transaction processing.''
``Rackspace already provides e-commerce software on its managed servers. Introducing secure communications and transaction processing was a natural, and extremely important, next step,'' said Graham Weston, chief executive officer of Rackspace. ``Now, our customers don't have to set up digital certificates themselves or worry about installing payment gateways to create secure e-commerce sites.''
``The VeriSign name made this service offering stand out, but the decision to purchase the product through our existing relationship with Rackspace was one based on economics and efficiency,'' said Lee J. Yi, IT associate at Nexian, a full-service provider of mobile communication technology. ``We know that our customers want the ability to make secure transactions, and having VeriSign in our lineup has helped us enhance our e-commerce presence.''
The partnership with VeriSign Inc., the leading provider of Internet trust services, adds to Rackspace's already impressive service and support record. The San Antonio-based company, which provides built-to-order servers, advanced clustered server configurations and the largest range of managed security services in the industry, is renowned for its one-stop-shop approach and fanatical 24 x 7 service experience.
VeriSign's Premier Partner Program enables ISPs, ASPs and Web hosting companies to integrate VeriSign's comprehensive range of e-commerce services into their own customer offerings. Premier Partners receive volume discounts, dedicated account management, Premier technical support and co-marketing programs, as well as an online single interface to easily manage customer accounts. In order to qualify, prospective members must reach and maintain a predetermined volume of e-commerce service purchases. Providers may apply for membership in the program at verisign.com.
About Rackspace Managed Hosting
Rackspace is a leading provider of managed Internet hosting services for small-to-medium-sized enterprises worldwide. It provides its customers with a state-of-the-art data center, customized Internet servers, burstable bandwidth, operating system software, 24 x 7 management, and hardware and software expertise. Rackspace has a Cisco-Powered Network and offers monthly subscriptions to Web developers, e-businesses and application service providers with a Web hosting budget between $300 and $50,000 per month. In addition, Rackspace's SmoothScaling(TM) enables businesses to add bandwidth or server capacity upon demand. The company, which was founded in 1998, is located in San Antonio, Texas, and has customers in more than 65 countries. Rackspace was recently named the Top Dedicated Server Company in Web Server List's Hosting Awards, and voted the Top Dedicated Server Host by WebHostMagazine.com. For more information, visit www.rackspace.com, or call 800-961-2888.
About VeriSign
VeriSign, Inc. is the leading provider of trusted infrastructure services to Web sites, enterprises, electronic commerce service providers and individuals. The company's domain name, digital certificate and payment services provide the critical Web identity, authentication and transaction infrastructure that online businesses require to conduct secure e-commerce and communications. VeriSign's services are available through its Web site (www.verisign.com) or through its direct sales force and reseller partners around the world.
Statements in this announcement other than historical data and information constitute forward-looking statements that involve risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those stated or implied by such forward-looking statements. The potential risks and uncertainties include, among others, potential volatility in VeriSign's stock price, uncertainty of Internet privatization, increased competition in the domain name registration business including price competition, customer acceptance of new products and services offered by the company in addition to or as enhancements of its registration services, risks associated with the company's international business, uncertainty of future revenue and profitability and fluctuations in its quarterly operating results. More information about potential factors that could affect the company's business and financial results is included in VeriSign's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, especially in the company's Registration Statement on Form S-4 filed on April 12, 2000, as amended, Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 1999 and Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the period ended September 30, 2000.
VeriSign is a registered trademark of VeriSign, Inc. Other names may be trademarks of their respective owners. |
