FLORHAM PARK, N.J. -- Global Crossing (NASDAQ: GLBC) today announced Applications Performance Management (APM) as the latest addition to the company's fully managed, converged IP services portfolio. APM strengthens the portfolio by adding end-to-end, real-time performance monitoring, robust troubleshooting and one-second increment data gathering at every site throughout a converged IP network.

Enabled through a strategic partnership with Fluke Networks that incorporates its Visual UpTime® Select™ solution, APM provides network managers the ability to identify performance issues and determine if they are application specific or network based, resulting in faster resolutions. Armed with historical data and class of service (CoS) measurements, network managers now have the information to optimize network applications configuration and utilization and to plan for future network design changes that support a mix of applications.

"The convergence of data, voice and video onto a single IP-based platform yields simplicity in network design and reductions in total network operating expense," said Anthony Christie, Global Crossing's chief marketing officer. "Converging latency-intolerant VoIP and video applications with other high-bandwidth applications mandates the end-to-end, real-time network monitoring and managing capability that our new managed solution delivers."

Global Crossing Applications Performance Management™ services enable enterprises to reliably and securely manage the performance of any application including Global Crossing VoIP Services and Global Crossing IP Video across their converged IP networks. These services increase application and network availability, optimize the use of bandwidth across the network and reduce operating costs across traditional and IP-based infrastructures.

"The introduction of Global Crossing Applications Performance Management is an important step toward ensuring that network and application performance levels are rigorously monitored and maintained, especially as enterprises migrate to a converged IP service environment," stated Taher Bouzayen, senior analyst at The Yankee Group. "This service capability strengthens Global Crossing's MPLS-based IP VPN service offerings and makes it one of the most comprehensive ones on the market."

Global Crossing (Nasdaq: GLBC)