Verizon Positioned as a Leader in Top Analyst Firm's 2010 'Cloud Infrastructure as a Service and Web Hosting' Report

BASKING RIDGE, N.J., Jan. 14, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Gartner Inc. has positioned Verizon in the Leaders quadrant of the industry analyst firm's 2010 report, "Magic Quadrant for Cloud Infrastructure as a Service and Web Hosting."

The report (Gartner Research: "Magic Quadrant for Cloud Infrastructure as a Service and Web Hosting," L. Leung and T. Chamberlin, Dec. 22, 2010) examines 20 global providers of infrastructure-as-a-service and Web-hosting solutions and cites Verizon for its completeness of vision and ability to execute.

"We believe our placement in this report confirms Verizon's focus on delivering secure, high-performance cloud-based computing solutions to help enable better business outcomes for our enterprise clients," said Joseph S. Crawford, chief cloud strategist, Verizon Business.  "Whether we are enabling businesses to be more agile or to find new ways of serving customers through the cloud, Verizon's 'everything-as-a-service' strategy continues to provide new benefits for companies moving beyond traditional IT-delivery models."

During 2010, Verizon accelerated its investment in cloud capabilities, including an expansion of its global cloud computing footprint.  In August, the company announced field trials of Verizon Computing as a Service enabled by VMware vCloud™ Datacenter and is one of five cloud providers chosen by VMware worldwide to offer its new hybrid cloud technology.  In September, the company introduced Verizon Computing as a Service, SMB, an online cloud service for small and medium businesses. The pay-as-you-go service is billed via a credit card.  In November, the company announced Verizon UC&C with Microsoft Online Services, a cloud-based collaboration solution.  

In addition, in July, the company announced the Verizon Health Information Exchange, a cloud-based service that enables the sharing of patient data.

Converged IT Services Via a Cloud Model

Verizon is evolving to an everything-as-a-service IT delivery 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 unique and powerful approach to serving enterprises.  The everything-as-a-service platform – with Verizon's global IP network and data centers as its foundation – is at the heart of the company's strategy.  Visit the Verizon IT Solutions website for more information.

About the Magic Quadrant

The Magic Quadrant is copyrighted 2010 by Gartner Inc. and is reused with permission. The Magic Quadrant is a graphical representation of a marketplace at and for a specific time period. It depicts Gartner's analysis of how certain vendors measure against criteria for that marketplace, as defined by Gartner. Gartner does not endorse any vendor, product or service depicted in the Magic Quadrant and does not advise technology users to select only those vendors placed in the Leaders quadrant. The Magic Quadrant is intended solely as a research tool and is not meant to be a specific guide to action. Gartner disclaims all warranties, expressed or implied, with respect to this research, including any warranties of merchantability or fitness for a particular purpose.

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