U.S. General Services Administration Taps Verizon Business for Cloud Computing Services

ASHBURN, Va., Oct. 21 /PRNewswire/ -- Verizon Business will provide federal government agencies with secure on-demand cloud computing services -- including server, network and storage capacity -- under a new award announced by the U.S. General Services Administration.

Verizon Business was among awardees selected by the GSA to negotiate with government agencies and provide services under a blanket purchase agreement that is valued at as much as $76.5 million over five years.

The company will provide infrastructure as a service (IaaS) offerings via a cloud computing platform that will help fundamentally change the way the U.S. government delivers IT services.  Verizon Business also will help agencies meet virtualization and data center consolidation requirements.    

Under the new award from the GSA, government customers will be able to implement on-demand computing via virtual server farms that consist of virtual and physical servers, storage services, backup services, and application support services. By converging computing and networking resources, Verizon can manage -- in real time -- the capacity, security, performance and availability of infrastructure and applications for the agencies served.

"The Verizon on-demand cloud computing platform will help federal government customers maintain availability of critical systems and offer a way to transition to a service-based cost model where customers pay only for resources used – enabling agencies to conduct business more effectively by getting what they need, when they need it and where they need it," said Susan Zeleniak, group president, Verizon Federal.

"With the cloud, government agencies can gain considerable flexibility in how they consume IT resources while achieving better economies, greater agility and broader access to information.  Evolving federal requirements are in lock-step with our strategy to deliver everything-as-a-service," Zeleniak said.

Using Verizon's global IP network and data centers as a foundation, Verizon Business is a leader in providing cloud services globally.  Last month, Verizon announced it is expanding its global data center footprint, including building new cloud centers tailored specifically for federal customers.   The centers, located in Miami, Fla. and Culpeper, Va., will come online during the first quarter of 2011 and will be compliant with Federal Information Security Management Act (FISMA) guidelines.

Verizon Business is a leading provider of communications services to the U.S. federal government and one of the largest providers of advanced communications and information technology services globally.  

About Verizon Business

Verizon Business, a unit of Verizon Communications (NYSE, Nasdaq: VZ), is a global leader in communications and IT solutions. We combine professional expertise with one of the world's most connected IP networks to deliver award-winning communications, IT, information security and network solutions.  We securely connect today's extended enterprises of widespread and mobile customers, partners, suppliers and employees – enabling them to increase productivity and efficiency and help preserve the environment.  Many of the world's largest businesses and governments – including 96 percent of the Fortune 1000 and thousands of government agencies and educational institutions – rely on our professional and managed services and network technologies to accelerate their business. Find out more at www.verizonbusiness.com.

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SOURCE Verizon Business