Verizon Business debuts WAN optimization service

Network Optimization This newsletter is sponsored by Radware Is Your Network Letting You Down? When your business-critical applications aren't working, neither are your users. Radware's APSolute(tm) integrated application delivery solution ensures your networked and Web-based applications are available 24/7, run fast and stay secure. Maximize profitability by making your network application-smart. Network World's Network Optimization Newsletter, 10/18/07 Verizon Business debuts WAN optimization service By Ann Bednarz Plenty of companies want to speed application delivery to far-flung users, but aren’t up for buying and installing WAN optimization gear at all their corporate outposts. For them, managed services provide a welcome alternative. The latest player to target that market is Verizon Business. Last week, Verizon Business announced a new managed service that it says will help customers ensure enterprise applications such as e-mail, ERP and file transfers are delivered more quickly to end-users. The Verizon Managed WAN Optimization Service provides visibility into applications, improves their performance, and fine-tunes network controls to maintain performance, the company says. At the heart of Verizon’s WAN optimization service is technology from Juniper Networks for improving application performance. Juniper’s WXC gear is deployed at customer premises as part of the service; Verizon Business manages the gear on behalf of the customer. The WXC platform includes tools for eliminating redundant transmissions; accelerating TCP and application-specific protocols; prioritizing and allocating access to bandwidth; and ensuring high application availability at sites with multiple WAN links. Storage Trends Explained Learn how IT shops can optimize their current storage systems with new tools and practices in this informative Webcast, Storage Trends and Options. Listen to industry experts explain the latest developments and address the hype surrounding future storage platforms. Click here for more information. For application monitoring purposes, the service uses Verizon Business' IMPACT network management platform. With monthly performance and trend analysis, enterprise customers can track how their applications are doing. The managed WAN optimization service joins Verizon Business’ existing lineup of application and performance management services, which include managed network and security services. Verizon Business isn’t the first carrier to offer managed WAN optimization services, but by using the Juniper WXC platform to deliver a “packaged experience” and cutting down on customization, it should be able to offer a product that is less expensive to deploy and maintain and better able to tie in with its other managed services, according to Brian Washburn, a research director at Current Analysis. In a research brief, Washburn noted that Verizon Business’ Managed WAN Optimization Service provides not only application performance data, but also information about the health of the customer's enterprise network since the platform is integrated into Verizon’s existing network management and operations support systems. Still, Verizon Business is missing some important components for its Managed WAN Optimization Service, according to Washburn. “First, though the service's coverage is global, the company is currently selling the service only to its accounts based in the U.S. Second, Verizon Business has not yet established basic SLA guarantees for its service, an important step in convincing customers that its new service will solve their applications headaches,” he wrote. Availability to non-U.S. customers and standard SLAs are both on the roadmap, Washburn added.   What do you think? Post a comment on this newsletter

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Contact the author: Ann Bednarz is an associate news editor at Network World responsible for editing daily news content. She previously covered enterprise applications, e-commerce and telework trends for Network World. E-mail Ann. This newsletter is sponsored by Radware Is Your Network Letting You Down? When your business-critical applications aren't working, neither are your users. Radware's APSolute(tm) integrated application delivery solution ensures your networked and Web-based applications are available 24/7, run fast and stay secure. Maximize profitability by making your network application-smart. ARCHIVE Archive of the Network Optimization Newsletter. BONUS FEATURE IT PRODUCT RESEARCH AT YOUR FINGERTIPS Get detailed information on thousands of products, conduct side-by-side comparisons and read product test and review results with Network World’s IT Buyer’s Guides. Find the best solution faster than ever with over 100 distinct categories across the security, storage, management, wireless, infrastructure and convergence markets. Click here for details. PRINT SUBSCRIPTIONS AVAILABLE You've got the technology snapshot of your choice delivered to your inbox each day. Extend your knowledge with a print subscription to the Network World newsweekly, Apply here today. International subscribers, click here. SUBSCRIPTION SERVICES To subscribe or unsubscribe to any Network World newsletter, change your e-mail address or contact us, click here. This message was sent to: networking.world@gmail.com. Please use this address when modifying your subscription. Advertising information: Write to Associate Publisher Online Susan Cardoza Network World, Inc., 118 Turnpike Road, Southborough, MA 01772 Copyright Network World, Inc., 2007