Say Goodbye to the Headaches of Managing an Internet Protocol Telephony Network

NEW YORK -- Concordia University no longer has the burden of monitoring and managing the school's voice and data network. The college, in Ann Arbor, Mich., has turned the job over to Verizon, a move that is giving the school more time and resources for educating its students.

Verizon is managing the school's voice and data network with a service called IPT Watch, a first-of-its-kind offering from a major U.S. communications company.

Verizon created IPT Watch, a remote management service, to monitor customers' Internet protocol (IP) networks -- those that converge formerly separate voice, video and data networks into a single communications infrastructure. The service monitors all IP telephony hardware and software powered by Cisco's Architecture for Voice, Video and Integrated Data (AVVID), as well as voice traffic flowing over the customer's network. Customers pay a single monthly fee.

"IPT Watch helps Concordia concentrate on providing an affordable education to our students while someone else worries about the day-to-day management of the technology we use," said Brian Heinemann, dean, information technology, Concordia University, one of the first customers to use the new service. "This protects Concordia's investment in our network and eliminates the need for us to spend more developing specialized expertise and systems."

Customers choose the level of service that best meets their requirements and comfort level. Management can be restricted to IP telephony network hardware and software or can be expanded to monitor the quality of service (QoS) standards established for voice traffic traveling on the converged network. QoS establishes the traffic priority for all types of traffic -- voice, video or data -- traveling over the network. The most comprehensive level of management includes reporting on the performance of the IP telephony network. Concordia University is using the mid-level of IPT Watch management support, with Verizon monitoring the QoS standards established by the customer.

"More and more of our customers are embracing convergence, bringing voice and data services together on their private networks. Those networks need specialized management," said Edward F. McGuinness, senior vice president, marketing, Verizon Enterprise Solutions Group. "IPT Watch saves our customers the expense and responsibility of hiring their own IP telephony-trained technicians and developing their own management systems."

Three Levels of IPT Watch Service

Customers choose one of three levels of IPT Watch service:

• Device Management -- The basic IPT Watch service. Verizon manages the Cisco CallManager and Cisco Unity voice mail software. CallManager is the software-based call-processing product enabled by Cisco AVVID that extends enterprise telephony features and capabilities to packet telephony network devices such as IP phones and multimedia applications.

• Fault Monitoring -- The second level of IPT Watch management includes the basic device management plus additional features. Verizon manages the voice QoS priorities established by the customer and reports on situations that cause or could potentially cause network congestion or degradation. Fault monitoring helps assure customers that quality levels are maintained for critical voice traffic.

• Performance Monitoring -- The most comprehensive level of IPT Watch service includes the features of basic and second-level service plus additional features. Verizon provides customers with reports on how the IP telephony network is performing. This information is used to fix situations affecting the flow of information over the network. Information required for network forecasting and planning is also provided.

Verizon and Cisco have developed a free Web-based seminar to educate customers on the benefits of IPT Watch. Customers can view the seminar by registering at the following Web site: http://www.cisco.com/go/semreg/verizon/107585_125.

Verizon's Managed Services

IPT Watch is one of three managed network services offered by Verizon that enable large business, government and education customers to shift day-to-day responsibilities for management of their networks to a third-party. SiteWatch^SM is a maintenance and management service for devices such as routers, hubs and switches and FrameWatch^SM is a comprehensive frame relay network management service designed to meet all equipment, management and maintenance requirements.

Verizon Enterprise Solutions Group manages the design, operation and maintenance of end-to-end total network integrated solutions for large business and government customers across the United States. With over 14,100 employees in 45 states, Verizon Enterprise Solutions Group offers a complete range of basic and advanced communications products and services to meet the voice, video, data and IP-related needs of its customers. For more information on products and services available through Verizon Enterprise Solutions Group, visit www.verizon.com/enterprisesolutions.

Verizon Communications (NYSE:VZ) is one of the world's leading providers of communications services. Verizon companies are the largest providers of wireline and wireless communications in the United States, with 135.1 million access line equivalents and approximately 30.3 million wireless customers. Verizon is also the largest directory publisher in the world. With more than $67 billion in annual revenues and nearly 241,000 employees, Verizon's global presence extends to more than 40 countries in the Americas, Europe, Asia and the Pacific. For more information on Verizon, visit www.verizon.com.

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