Verizon And VMware To Launch Enterprise-Class Hybrid Cloud Solution

SAN FRANCISCO, Aug. 31. At VMworld 2010, Verizon Business and VMware unveiled a new enterprise-class hybrid cloud solution that will enable enterprises to move their applications to the cloud more quickly without compromising security or performance. The new solution, underpinned by Verizon's world-class global IP network and the industry-leading VMware vSphere(TM) virtualization platform, will help remove the major barriers to cloud computing adoption, while enabling the delivery of "IT as a Service."

The new offering joins Verizon's Computing as a Service (CaaS) portfolio of cloud computing services. Earlier this month, Verizon began field trials of this new service -- Computing as a Service (CaaS) enabled by VMware vCloud(TM) Datacenter -- that will allow enterprises to decide which applications to move to the cloud so they can react more quickly to changing business conditions. The hybrid cloud environment from Verizon and VMware will help enterprises leverage the scalability and cost effectiveness of the public cloud by paying only for IT resources consumed (server, connectivity, storage) while delivering the levels of security, performance and control available in private cloud environments.

Additionally, with Verizon's new compute service, enterprises utilizing the VMware platform can leverage their existing infrastructure, tool and skill sets without changing their underlying IT setup. Kerry Bailey, Verizon Business senior vice president for enterprise strategy, said, "Verizon is highly committed to helping large-business and government clients harness the transformative power of cloud computing so they can be more agile. With this latest addition to our cloud computing portfolio, our enterprise clients can now trial the unmatched flexibility of our new hybrid cloud solution, which builds on our relationship with VMware to deliver a new, innovative service while leading the industry to an 'everything-as-a-service' model."

IHG (InterContinental Hotels Group) with more than 4,500 hotel properties and 650,000 guest rooms in more than 100 countries and territories worldwide is the first to participate in Verizon's field trial. Being able to quickly react to changing market conditions is key to IHG's ongoing success, and one way the company is meeting this challenge is through its technology and Web capabilities. For example, IHG experiences higher booking activity during holiday and vacation periods, and the ability to meet peak capacity by clicking a mouse is extremely helpful to the hotel company.

"With the right technology behind us, we can better respond to the needs of our guests, owners and employees to deliver a superior hotel experience," said Bates Turpen, senior vice president of global operations for IHG. "By teaming with Verizon and VMware, we are able to test moving different application mixes into the cloud. We must have the elasticity in our computing infrastructure that the cloud delivers while, at the same time, use our current IT configurations and applications; that's a big win for us."Verizon's latest enhancements to its CaaS platform are built on VMware vCloud Datacenter, leveraging VMware's cloud infrastructure technology including VMware vSphere, the new VMware vCloud Director and VMware vShield(TM) security solutions. This enhanced platform provides enterprises with consistent performance and auditable security, while integrating key Verizon security features including layer 2 isolation and LDAP integration with the addition of role-based access control.

"The relationship between VMware and Verizon will bring the full benefits of hybrid cloud computing and IT as a service to our customers," said Paul Maritz, president and CEO, VMware. "The new Verizon service based on VMware vCloud(TM) Datacenter enables enterprises to improve efficiency and agility by leveraging internal and external resources in a fully compatible, compliant and flexible manner, developed and certified together by VMware and Verizon."

By using the same VMware technology as they do their own data centers, enterprises can take advantage of a compatible virtualized data center management and security model that enables application portability across internal data centers and all VMware vCloud Datacenter services, making the transition to the cloud virtually seamless. Enterprise clients also have the option to architect their hybrid cloud using Verizon's private MPLS-based network or its global IP network.

Computing as a Service (CaaS) is Verizon's flagship cloud computing solution with built-in security and high performance. CaaS is the first cloud solution to achieve PCI compliance, Verizon Security Management Program (SMP) compliance, SAP certification and VMware vCloud Datacenter certification to deliver a truly secure computing experience for enterprises around the globe. The CaaS platform is also SAS 70 Type II compliant.

Verizon Business is evolving to an everything-as-a-service (EaaS) model in which cloud-based, converged solutions are delivered with built-in security via managed and professional services over the company's global IP network. Verizon is assembling the key components of this powerful approach to serving enterprises, and this field trial of Computing as a Service (CaaS) enabled by VMware vCloud Datacenter is another step in that evolution. The EaaS platform - with Verizon's global IP network and data centers as its foundation - will enable enterprises to do business better by getting what they need, when they need it, where they need it. Visit the Verizon IT Solutions & Hosting website for more information.