Virtela Introduces First Global Cloud-Based Remote Access Solution With 100% Availability Guarantee

DENVER, Feb. 17 /PRNewswire/ --

Key Enterprise Benefits:

• Unique global load balancing design delivers highest reliability – guaranteed
• Worldwide coverage with no upfront capital expense
• Self-service portal for instant service turn up plus moves, adds and changes

Virtela, the world's largest independent managed network services company, today announced the industry's first cloud-based remote access solution backed by a 100% global availability guarantee. Virtela's cloud-based SSL VPN service now features the ability to dynamically load balance remote access network traffic within and between regions on a worldwide basis, leveraging a unique design to deliver the highest availability and performance on the market.

SSL VPNs have grown in importance as companies strive to find a simple, secure and cost-effective way to provide anytime, anywhere remote access to increasingly centralized applications and resources. Whether enabling telecommuting, supporting traveling employees or connecting trusted business partners, a strong remote access strategy provides significant corporate benefits ranging from cost savings and productivity gains to disaster recovery preparedness and more satisfied employees.

Virtela's cloud-based SSL VPN service enables businesses to more easily and inexpensively exploit these well-known benefits.  By hosting SSL gateways securely within its multi-carrier MPLS network, Virtela relieves customers of the capital expense and ongoing management of SSL equipment while delivering optimized performance benefits for their network applications. Customers benefit from a unified and flexible remote access solution that can dynamically scale as needed, with same-day service turn up via a seat reservation option to ensure business continuity.

More than two-thirds of large North American enterprises are implementing or expanding their use of remote access SSL VPNs, according to Forrester Research, with two-thirds of these companies using or considering a managed services provider for remote access VPNs. The top drivers for moving to managed telecom services: simplifying operational management, focusing on core competencies and helping with overall cost savings(1).

"Using Virtela's cloud-based SSL service enables our employees travelling on a regular basis throughout Europe, Asia and Russia, for example, to easily access centralized network applications in the U.S. without the need to maintain our own remote access systems and infrastructure," said Paul Nutter, network engineer of Williams Controls, the leading maker of electronic throttle controls for commercial vehicles. "We avoid sizeable costs associated with the equipment and can rely on Virtela's expert management of a network-based platform that delivers excellent performance and uptime at an attractive price."

"As the first managed service provider to launch an SSL remote access solution, Virtela offers customers unparalleled expertise and processes that deliver the highest return on their investment," said Vab Goel, Virtela CEO and partner at Norwest Venture Partners. "We continue to invest in technologies and tools that lower the barrier to entry for any company needing to securely connect employees and partners at a faster rate and lower cost."

Virtela offers a complete suite of managed SSL solutions, including cloud-based and Customer Premises Equipment (CPE)-based services, featuring high availability options. User connectivity is optimized as users are seamlessly routed to the closest Virtela managed SSL gateway in the U.S., Europe or Asia Pacific regions – benefitting from regional failover if necessary – and exploit Virtela's high-performance MPLS network to connect back to their corporate data centers. Virtela's Service Level Agreements (SLAs) range from 99.9 to 100%, depending on gateway configuration, with the 100% availability guarantee offering an SLA credit of up to 100% of the customer's monthly service fee.

For enhanced security, the service can be integrated with Virtela's suite of managed security services, such as security event monitoring, managed firewall, real-time IPS (Intrusion Prevention System) malware protection, and two-factor authentication. Customers also have detailed session-level visibility into their SSL network performance and policies and can perform moves, adds and changes through the VirtelaView customer portal.

See below for additional SSL VPN remote access resources now available on www.virtela.net:

• For a limited time, Virtela is providing four special offers for cloud-based SSL VPN customers, including a free 60-day trial and $5 per user per month options. For more information, please visit www.virtela.net/SSLoffer.
• On Tuesday, February 23 at 2:00 p.m. ET, Virtela will host a live webinar entitled "Global VPNs are Different: Is Cost Effective, Always Available and Easy-to-Use Remote Access Even Possible?" featuring Forrester Principal Analyst Brownlee Thomas, Ph.D.  The webinar will uncover the latest workplace mobility trends and the requirements each enterprise should consider in deploying global remote access solutions. To register, please visit www.virtela.net/SSLwebinar.
• For the free whitepaper "How to Improve Remote User Satisfaction and Maximize ROI by Using SSL VPNs for Mobile Access, Telecommuting, and Partner Extranets" please visit www.virtela.net/SSLpaper.

Virtela's cloud-based SSL VPN service is one solution in an extensive suite of managed services – including MPLS and IP network, security, remote access, device monitoring and management, and application acceleration – leveraging a unique infrastructure that aggregates and integrates the best local, regional and global networks to offer unparalleled geographic reach. By adding a unique overlay of intelligence that performs optimal routing and automatic failover for customer network traffic, Virtela's multi-carrier Global Service Fabric(SM) gives enterprises an inherently higher performing, more resilient and cost effective alternative than traditional carrier networks. Virtela is the single point of contact for expert design, implementation and 24x7 proactive monitoring and management worldwide.

About Virtela

Virtela, the world's largest independent managed services company, offers award-winning managed services including MPLS and IP-based Virtual Private Networks (VPNs), Security, Remote Access, and WAN/LAN Device Monitoring and Management, to some of the most competitive multinational companies in the world. Offering services in 190 countries, Virtela integrates and manages best-of-breed service providers through partnerships with 500+ carriers, to address the unique needs of its customers.

Virtela is headquartered in Denver, Colorado, with Global Network Operations Centers in Denver, Mumbai, India and Manila, Philippines. For more information, please call +1 (720) 475-4000 or visit www.virtela.net.

(1) Forrester Research Inc., Enterprise and SMB Networks and Telecoms Survey, North America And Europe, Q1 2009

SOURCE Virtela