Qwest and IBM announced last week that the two companies had signed a five-year agreement for IBM to manage Qwest services targeted to Qwest's midsize business customers including unified communications, managed security and network management. 

The managed services team approach is aimed at helping midsize businesses that may lack the IT budgets, staff or technical skills needed to upgrade existing infrastructures with the latest solutions and management tools.

IBM Express Remote Management Infrastructure Services (ERMIS) will be used to manage the network services using an automated solution that "monitors data network performance, proactively identifies issues, notifies customers, and initiates resolution", according to the companies' statement.

UC service management will also be provided by ERMIS. The solution is targeted to businesses with fewer than than 100 IP phones, although it can scale upward to more than 1,000 stations. ERMIS offers real-time monitoring and management of network connectivity, equipment and telephones.

As part of the managed services, customers will be able to monitor the performance of their network services and make changes using a Web-based portal. IBM Global Business Services will work with Qwest to design and implement the portal and the two companies will also work together to optimize clients' network performance in support of competitive service-level agreements.

"Through this partnership, clients will have access to a powerful, yet simplified ecosystem for unified communications, data protection and communications infrastructure management," said Richard Stomp, vice president and managing director for Qwest at IBM

The service is set to launch in the third quarter this year. Prices and additional product details will be released at launch.

Steve Taylor is president of Distributed Networking Associates and publisher/editor-in-chief of Webtorials. Larry Hettick is a principal analyst at Current Analysis.