SBC rolls out WAN monitoring service

SBC has unveiled a network monitoring service designed to let businesses track network and application performance in multiple locations, regardless of the carrier network being used.

SBC's PremierServ Network Management Wide-Area Network View monitoring option provides real-time tracking of applications running across a network infrastructure. It is intended to help companies quickly isolate applications responsible for poor response times; optimize bandwidth for key applications; understand and trace virus traffic within a network; and validate service-level agreements and class-of-service delivery for IP applications.

The service uses Visual Networks' Visual UpTime Select, which employs so-called "analysis service element" agents to monitor a customer's local loop, port and end-to-end circuit network elements in real time. This network, server and application performance data is collected and archived in a back-end database that multiple users can view and share simultaneously to plan capacity, create reports, troubleshoot performance problems and monitor events, according to Visual.

SBC also provides help desk support for WAN View. Under a three-year contract, the service is available for $135 per month, per device, for T-1 network.

5 tiers offered

WAN View is an addition to SBC's portfolio of PremierServ managed network management services. SBC offers five tiers of network management services depending on a business' needs:

• Basic: SBC engineers assist a customer's IT staff by monitoring a network's routers, switches and hubs, and alerting the customer to any equipment problems or faults.
  
  

• Essential: SBC engineers isolate and resolve network faults, deliver 24-hour technical assistance, and provide a way for customers to open and view trouble tickets via the Web.
  
  

• Complete: In addition to Essential services, SBC provides Web-based performance reports and monthly performance summaries of contracted managed devices that indicate the current network health.
  
  

• Performance Reports Only: This option consists of the same reporting capability as the Complete tier.
  
  

• WAN View: Available as a stand-alone option for managed service customers or as an add-on to service levels outlined above.
  
  

Basic services costs $70 per month, per device, while Essential costs $100 and Complete costs $125. All prices apply to a three-year contract and, including WAN View, reflect a price reduction of up to 28%.

This price reduction, ostensibly intended to attract more buyers, comes as prices for business data services already are falling 15% to 20% annually.

"SBC recognizes that it is a buyer's market, and the company is going with the flow to increase sales of managed services . . . and gain market share at the expense of its competitors," Current Analysis says in a report on the new WAN View service.