Cable & Wireless readies managed VPN service

Cable & Wireless is rolling out a managed virtual private network service that will let customers securely link multiple offices or open the corporate network to business partners via the Internet.

IP VPN, which will be announced this week at Fall Internet World '99 in New York, is Cable & Wireless' first VPN service offering since it acquired MCI's Internet business just more than one year ago. The service supports 168-bit key encryption and 24-7 network management and monitoring. Users can set up their VPNs using 56K bit/sec modems up to 45Mbit/sec dedicated Internet access connections from Cable & Wireless.

Initially, Cable & Wireless will only support the use of digital certificates to authenticate network devices on a customer's VPN. The firm plans to authenticate individual users through digital certificates in the next few months. It is using Check Point Software's Firewall-1 4.0 software and Nokia's DX family of switch routers to support IPVPN.

Cable & Wireless has also set up a secure Web site from which business users can obtain real-time performance information about their VPNs, including latency and packet loss. The secure site can also be used to open trouble tickets. Each IP VPN customer will be issued two Security Dynamics SecurID tokens that display a frequently changing password so that only appropriate personnel can access information about the customer's corporate VPN.

IP VPN customers also get the benefit of out-of-band analog access to their corporate VPNs. Analog access through an IRE security modem will let Cable & Wireless engineers shut down the Check Point firewall if security is breached.

IPVPNpricing ranges from about $1,000 to $4,000 per month, per site.

Cable & Wireless has struggled with customer service and other issues since entering the Internet service arena last year. The managed VPN service is part of a broader strategy to bolster the firm's services and stature. Other parts of that plan include a three-year, worldwide network upgrade; new application service provider and Web-hosting efforts; and a new integrated billing system that will let customers receive one bill for voice, data and 'Net services.

Cable & Wireless: www.cableand wireless.com