Nortel Enhances Shasta Box

Nortel Networks (NYSE:NT) (TSE:NT.) is offering service providersnew, 'best-in-class' IP services 'out-of-the-box' with the latestenhancements to Nortel Networks Shasta 5000 Broadband Services Node(BSN).

Nortel Networks Shasta Out-of-the-Box Services, including selectedthird-party applications, position service providers to drive newrevenue opportunities by offering IP services previously availableonly from customer premises-based equipment, and to lower the costs ofdeployment and management of those services. Using innovative Service Delivery Interfaces (SDIs), ShastaOut-of-the-Box Services enables service providers to provision newservices from Shasta 5000 BSN without having to integrate them ontothe Shasta 5000 BSN platform. These SDIs enable third parties toprovision solutions seamlessly through Shasta 5000 BSN. "Shasta 5000 BSN was the first platform to provide network-based,value-added IP services such as personal firewalls and virtual privatenetworks, and to enable service providers to offer revenue-generatingservices at low cost," said Oscar Rodriguez, president, IntelligentInternet, Nortel Networks. "We are now the first to extend thesecapabilities beyond the boundaries of the platform." "This allows our customers to use Shasta's comprehensivesubscriber management to deliver a richer set of IP services -- suchas intrusion detection, e-mail anti-virus scanning and other primarilycustomer premises-based or client applications -- from the network,"Rodriguez said. "Out-of-the-Box Services can open up a whole new setof previously-unavailable services that end users will be able topurchase from their service providers." "Shasta Out-of-the Box Services is designed to enable serviceproviders greater flexibility in implementing new, network-basedservices previously available only as client-based solutions," saidZeus Kerravala, director, E-Networks and Broadband Access, the YankeeGroup. "This will enable service providers to respond quickly tochanging market needs while providing potentially revenue-generatingservices and market differentiation." SDIs enhance integration of Shasta Out-of-the-Box Services inthree key areas -- security services, service fulfillment, and servicemanagement. Shasta Out-of-the-Box Services includes a comprehensive securitypackage that integrates Symantec Web Security content filtering withShasta's firewall. The content filtering characteristics can becustomized for different classes of users through Shasta flexiblepolicy settings and the Symantec Web Security rating topologyimplementation. Additional new SDIs are planned to extend securityofferings to include intrusion detection capabilities from InternetSecurity Systems, Inc. Shasta Out-of-the-Box Services also simplifies automated broadbandservice fulfillment through integration of BroadJump ControlWorks andVirtualTruck, which enable service providers to offer real-timeservice provisioning. By allowing customers to provision and pay foradditional bandwidth only as needed to meet 'peak' requirements likedownloading a movie, Shasta Out-of-the-Box Services positions serviceproviders to generate additional revenue per subscriber whileimproving customer satisfaction. "BroadJump and Nortel Networks share a common vision of howbroadband networks can fundamentally change the service deploymentmodel," said Kenny Van Zant, chief operating officer, BroadJump. "By deploying an intelligent software infrastructure thatcentralizes control of subscribers, networks and content, serviceproviders can offer personalized, value-added servicescost-effectively," Van Zant said. "Automated service fulfillment alsopromises to improve the consumer's broadband experience while creatingnew revenue opportunities for service providers." Shasta Out-of-the-Box Services drives improved service management,performance monitoring, billing integration, and service levelagreement administration through an integrated accounting solutionfrom XACCT Technologies. XACCT Technologies' Network-to-Businessplatform gathers and synthesizes Shasta accounting data to feedbilling and other business and operational support systemsapplications to help carriers grow revenue. End-to-end network faultmanagement services that correlate, report and trigger internal andexternal corrective actions in the event of network disruptions can beenabled via the Netcool/OMNIbus application from Micromuse. Nortel Networks Shasta 5000 BSN enables service providers toaggregate tens of thousands of subscribers -- via DSL, cable, privateline, dial-up, wireless or any other access medium -- onto a singleplatform while enabling network-based, value-added IP services likefirewalls, virtual private networks, self-provisioning dynamicbandwidth allocation, and personalization.

Nortel Networks Corp. (NYSE/Toronto: NT)