Global Crossing Ltd. (NYSE: GX) announced its suite of IP VPN services. Designed to run over the company's extensive global optical network backbone, the Global Crossing IP VPN Service links global businesses and delivers content-rich multimedia services through a single, efficient connection. This suite of capabilities is designed to meet the specific communications and collaboration demands of global enterprises and service providers with unprecedented reach and flexibility.
Internet Protocol Virtual Private Networks (IP VPNs) provide the performance and security of a private network while capitalizing on the flexibility, scalability and economics available only in a shared network environment. Global Crossing offers a converged end-to-end IP VPN solution for corporations worldwide, integrating video, voice and data services, and supporting industry-specific community extranets.
The Global Crossing IP VPN Service is delivered over the company's seamless, fiber optic network. Service intelligence and functionality are built into the Global Crossing network, thereby reducing network complexity while maximizing scalability, flexibility, and economic advantage for the customer and its end-users. Global Crossing IP VPN customers enjoy greater efficiencies by linking multiple business locations, remote users, key suppliers, vendors and customers. Additionally, users can modify their IP VPN service configurations to quickly integrate or eliminate locations, as business needs change.
The Global Crossing IP VPN Service helps global enterprises overcome networking challenges by eliminating geographic issues for dispersed work groups. Customers receive industry leading Quality of Service (QoS) guarantees that are supported by Service Level Agreements covering availability, packet loss, latency, and jitter, based on the selected service option.
SURFnet, a Netherlands based network operator, has chosen the Global Crossing IP VPN Service to connect its points-of-presence in Amsterdam and Chicago. SURFnet is a key partner in the innovative Gigaport project, designed to give the Netherlands a lead in the deployment of next generation Internet technology.
The Global Crossing IP VPN Service consists of three complementary offerings that allow customers to select the capabilities that enable them to best leverage existing network architectures and address individual application needs. They include:
SmartRoute IP VPN Service: This tailored wide-area networking option gives enterprises the ability to identify and prioritize data traffic based on various criteria, including traffic origination or termination sites or nature of the business application. Customers can decide whether to prioritize traffic as "Premium," "Enhanced," or "Basic" to ensure that appropriate network resources are available to satisfy their requirements. Differentiated performance for each class of service is backed by robust Service Level Agreements. SmartRoute is a policy-based VPN that provides a range of network-based security measures including IPSec tunneling as well as a fully integrated firewall service to protect sensitive and privileged information. Specific IPSec customer tunnels are established to segregate each customer's traffic and ensure full traffic privacy. Remote access capabilities for mobile workers and Internet access will also be available with the SmartRoute IP VPN service option. Available connection speeds range from sub-T1/E1 up to DS3/E3.
ExpressRoute IP VPN Service: As with SmartRoute IP VPN, ExpressRoute IP VPN provides traffic routing and management intelligence maintained within the core of the Global Crossing network. ExpressRoute IP VPN uses MPLS technology (RFC 2547) and advanced edge routers to create customer-specific private tunnels across the Global Crossing IP backbone. The ExpressRoute IP VPN Service option is ideal for enterprises and service providers with high bandwidth requirements (up to OC-12/STM-4 as well as Gigabit Ethernet) that require maximum networking efficiency and scalability. ExpressRoute IP VPN provides customers with a flexible usage-based billing model, allowing them to effectively pay only for the traffic volume they utilize.
Premises-Based IP VPN Service: The Premises-Based IP VPN Service option provides enterprises with IP VPN capabilities with integrated security services and end-to-end network management. It is ideal for companies seeking a highly secure, site-to-site IP VPN solution, with low to medium transport bandwidth requirements, and a limited number of regionally deployed sites. Access and routing hardware are purchased by the customer and reside at the customer's premises, and are managed by Global Crossing. The Premises Based IP VPN Service is in addition to the software-based IP VPN offering announced by Asia Global Crossing in September 2001.
The Global Crossing IP VPN Service is currently available in North America, Europe, Asia, Australia, Latin America and the Caribbean.
ABOUT SURFnet
SURFnet is a subsidiary of the SURF Foundation and is an important partner in the GigaPort Project. Within this project SURFnet manages SURFnet5, a new research backbone in the Netherlands, with international connections and tests new access technologies. For more information, visit www.surfnet.nl/en.
About Global Crossing:
Global Crossing provides telecommunications solutions over an integrated global IP-based network. Global Crossing provides managed data and voice products and services. For more information, visit www.globalcrossing.com.