XO Communications Launches New Solution to Help Businesses Build More Scalable, Secure and Intelligent Networks

HERNDON, VA -- (Marketwire) -- 03/04/13 -- As organizations face the challenges of managing the growth of virtualization, mobility, and big data, and enabling cloud-centric connectivity and services across networks, IT and network managers are finding it increasingly difficult to support business strategies as well as the demands of new technologies with traditional network designs.

To help organizations build networks that are simple, secure and scalable to support multiple services, XO Communications today announced the launch of the XO Intelligent WAN which provides the network performance, security and visibility IT and network managers need in order to stay ahead of daily challenges and enhance their ability to provide a superior technology experience to end users. The XO Intelligent WAN solution offers a comprehensive and integrated approach to meeting the demands placed on networks today through tomorrow by combining intelligent networking, integrated security, and end-to-end visibility of the performance of applications across the network.

According to a recent survey by Forrester(1) sponsored by Juniper Networks, 86% of businesses said that they have not been able to provision new services or support business demands because the network was not up to the task. As demands on networks to support multiple services and technologies such as big data, cloud computing, mobility, virtualization, and social networking have increased, traditional network designs have not been able to keep pace with the performance, security, and scalability requirements necessary to deliver a superior experience for end users.

The XO Intelligent WAN helps IT and network managers stay ahead of these challenges with a unified approach to total network management that provides the performance, security and visibility they require through three key capabilities:

• Intelligent Networking: Connect offices, data centers and branch locations while unifying employees, suppliers, and customers with seamless access to applications and services leveraging the intelligent networking capabilities of XO MPLS IP-VPN. This private, application-aware network service enables IT and network staff to prioritize applications and network traffic and build a more scalable network infrastructure that can easily add new locations and services with the intelligent routing capabilities of MPLS.
• Integrated Network Security: Monitor network threats and provide secure access to the network with round-the-clock surveillance and unified threat management capabilities of the XO Intelligent WAN's integrated Hosted Security. With network security hosted in the XO cloud and fully integrated with the enterprise WAN, organizations can more cost-effectively provide network security for each location as well as implement uniform security policies across the network with robust firewall, web and content filtering, and secure remote access capabilities.
• End-to-End Visibility of Application Performance: Get real-time application performance insights that help IT and network staff monitor application performance and end user experience with the XO Intelligent WAN's powerful reporting engine, XO Applications Performance Management. This potent capability provides better insights into network traffic that can help optimize the WAN with enhanced application visibility and analytical tools.

Businesses can easily manage their XO Intelligent WAN solution online through the XO Business Center, which provides customers with a single, secure portal to view reports and data and make configuration changes concerning their network, security and application performance management services. With end-to-end control and visibility into the performance and security of the network, the XO Intelligent WAN serves as the platform for IT and network staff to unify WAN, data center, and communications networks. This makes it easier to efficiently deploy and deliver cloud computing, unified communications and collaboration, and other network services to employees, customers and suppliers.

Supporting Quotes

• Don MacNeil, Chief Marketing Officer, XO Communications
  "Increasingly, the executive suite is seeing the network as creating business value and being central to achieving business objectives. The XO Intelligent WAN can help IT and network staff plan better for tomorrow's business environment by providing greater agility for exploiting market opportunities, delivering on customer-centric principles, and conquering the two biggest barriers to cloud services adoption: security and application performance."
  
  
• Brian Washburn, Research Director, Network Services, Current Analysis
  "Traditionally, enterprise IT departments could make performance issues go away by throwing more bandwidth at the problem. But enterprises now run many more key applications across their networks and data centers. Addressing these more complex networks requires visibility into what's happening. Network planners and IT staff benefit from tools that scale the network, provide visibility, and secure sensitive applications."

Supporting Resources

• Visit the XO Intelligent WAN web site and see how XO can help put network worries in the past
• Watch the XO Intelligent WAN video and learn about XO's Three-Tiered Approach to Wide Area Networking
• View the XO infographic on the Forces That Are Disrupting Today's Business Networks
• Visit the XO blog The Pulse and read the XO Intelligent WAN blog post

Tags/keywords: XO Communications, intelligent wan, wide area networks, WAN, MPLS IP-VPN, network security, applications performance management, cloud computing, cloud services, virtualization, mobility, big data, social networking

About XO Communications
XO Communications is a leading nationwide provider of advanced IP communications, managed network and hosted IT services for business, large enterprise and wholesale customers. These customers include more than half of the Fortune 500, in addition to leading cable, mobile wireless and domestic and international telecommunications companies. XO offers a superior customer experience through its innovative solutions, its employees' focus on customers and the proven performance of its advanced network. To learn more about XO Communications, visit www.xo.com or blog.xo.com. XO Communications is also on Twitter, YouTube, Facebook and LinkedIn.

(1) Forrester Consulting, Building for the Next Billion: What the New World of Business Means for the Network, October 2012