Rather than simply providing data and network infrastructure backup, Verizon Business wants to play a systems integrator role for enterprises addressing their business continuity and disaster recovery needs.
To position itself for that role, the company on Tuesday announced a partnership with Strohl Systems, a consulting firm that specializes in this area. Verizon Business also introduced the Business Resilience Solutions portfolio, which includes consulting services, some new storage options, and a variety of existing Verizon Business services such as resilient voice and data networking.
As part of this business continuity and disaster recovery effort, Verizon Business plans to launch a series of hurricane preparedness seminars in the Southeast starting next week. The company also mentioned it is focusing on secure remote work solutions that could be used in the event of an avian flu outbreak, for example.
Additionally, Verizon Business later this year plans to introduce more comprehensive solutions portfolios that address business issues such as collaborative services, seamless mobility and supply-chain management.
Business continuity and disaster recovery are becoming areas of growing importance for service providers and their business customers in light of the severe weather-related events such as Hurricane Katrina, the nation’s increased concerns about potential terrorism, and health issues such as the avian flu, which could keep large numbers of people at home if there were an outbreak in a major business center. Still, almost a third of firms worldwide have no formal plans to protect themselves against such disasters, according to a recent survey from AT&T Inc. and Cisco Systems Inc.
That means the opportunity related to disaster recovery and business continuity for Verizon Business or any other company out there with the right stuff is significant. While Verizon Business, previously MCI, has been very focused on the disaster recovery aspect of its network for many years. It faced some strong competitors as it pushed more into the consultative aspect of business continuity and disaster recovery. For example, the systems integration arm of IBM has been offering enterprise customers customized business continuity and disaster recovery solutions for some time and worked with customers in the Hurricane Katrina recovery effort.
Working with Strohl – which offers impact analyses, gap analyses, strategy workshops, asset inventory development and vulnerability assessments – Verizon Business said it will address initiation, business impact analysis, strategy development, plan development and testing and maintenance, all in an effort to help customers identify vulnerabilities. Strohl’s Certified Business Continuity Planners then work with customers to develop contingency plans to keep key business operations functioning and employees, customers and suppliers connected. That means Verizon has the ability to work upfront with its customers on their business continuity and disaster recovery needs, rather than just providing backup solutions, said Bill Hummel, director of resilience solutions at Verizon Business.
Also new from Verizon Business is a Resilient Network Attached Storage (RNAS) solution, which combines network transport and access from Verizon Business, network attached storage platforms and software from EMC Corp. and network equipment from Cisco Systems Inc. This allows for centralized control of data at remote locations, reducing the resources a company needs to maintain mission-critical data and ensuring that files are accessible at any time by staff working outside the main office, according to Verizon Business. The ability to access data any time, even in the event of an emergency, is now part of some new regulations, including HIPPA and Sarbanes Oxley.
The Business Resilience Solutions portfolio also consists of existing Verizon Business offerings including resilient voice and data networking such as enterprise mobility, IP VPN broadband wireless back-up, secure Internet gateway, private IP–disaster recovery ports, Ethernet private line and Centrex Custom Redirect Service. There further are security services including DoS detection, managed firewall and managed intrusion protection, as well as IT/data center solutions such as IP application hosting, remote back-up and restore, managed storage, colocation and data center outsourcing. Verizon Business also is offering network-embedded applications such as hosted IP Centrex back-up and Web Center and Integrated Communications Package; and satellite services. In addition, the company sells a variety of audio, video and Web conferencing capabilities, as well as remote access and telecommuting services.
In related news on Tuesday, DBK Concepts, a Miami-based provider of mobile data-collection systems for inventory management, said it has signed a three-year contract to use Verizon Business’ Premium Data Center in Miami to house DBK’s critical voice and data communications infrastructure to help reduce the risk of a major service disruption, especially during the hurricane season.
Verizon Business’s Internet Satellite Enterprise Service also will help ensure continuity of DBK’s Internet service in the event local landlines are knocked out. DBK is also using Verizon Business’ Hosted IP Centrex.
For more about business continuity and disaster recovery, check out xchange’s eBook on this subject at www.xchangemag.com/ebooks.
DBK Concepts www.dbk.com
Strohl Systems www.strohlsystems.com
Verizon Business www.verizonbusiness.com
