SAN JOSE, CA and PALO ALTO, CA -- October 5, 1999 -- Cisco Systems and SunMicrosystems, Inc. today announced an agreement to jointly develop andmarket an end-to-end Unified Communications solution for serviceproviders. The joint solution will allow service providers (SPs) tooffer their customers consolidated voice, fax and email servicesindependent of location, time or device.
The foundation of the joint solution is an open, IP standards-basedinfrastructure for carrier-grade applications. The solution enables theseamless integration of voice and Internet applications such as unifiedmessaging, single number reach and fax capabilities. In cooperationwith systems integrators and best-of-breed application providers, thispowerful approach provides unified voicemail, email and fax messagingaccess via phone, PC and hand-held devices and the ability to develop abroad base of applications.
Cisco, Sun and the Sun-Netscape Alliance are planning to market anddeliver the solution through each company's direct sales channels, third party resellers and systems integrators. Available today, the joint solution will be featured at several venues at Telecom `99 in Geneva, including the Sun Microsystems booth (Hall 4, Booth 4263).
"The service provider market will definitely benefit from this newoffering," said Robert Flood, chief technology officer at Cable &Wireless, one of the world's leading global integratedtelecommunications companies. "Powered by such industry veterans asCisco, Sun and the Sun-Netscape Alliance, this joint solution willundoubtedly encourage tremendous new application development by systemsintegrators and third party software developers--leading to unique andcompetitive applications that service providers can bring to market morequickly and cost-effectively."
Global Systems Integrator Speeds Deployment
A major component of the joint initiative is to work with leadingglobal systems integrators to expedite the deployment of the jointUnified Communications solution. The companies also announced that CapGemini will be the first systems integrator to provide world-classsystem integration, implementation and ongoing support services for thejoint Unified Communications solution."Cisco, Sun and the Sun-Netscape Alliance offer unmatched pedigree,experience and innovation in IP network infrastructure technologies tomeet service providers' needs," said Alain Gerset, Market DevelopmentDirector, Cap Gemini Telecom. "Leveraging our 5 years of unifiedcommunications experience with global service providers, the jointsolution allows us to offer complete, reliable and scalable unifiedcommunications solutions which can be easily and rapidly integrated andsupported. Adding this total end-to-end solution to Cap Gemini's leadingsystems integration services presents a powerful value proposition toservice providers now and as they build out their IP networkinfrastructure and value-added application suite."
Service Providers Gain Competitive Advantage
The joint Unified Communication solution enables service providers tooffer value-added, cost-effective communications services across an openinfrastructure. This modular approach can help SPs aggressively competein today's IP services marketplace by reducing their total cost ofownership, shortening their service introduction cycles and reducingcustomer churn. In addition, the solution can scale horizontally andvertically as needed and accommodate application hosting, e-commerceand other new IP-based services."Leading service providers are transitioning to the New World where IPnetworks are the foundation for their network infrastructure andapplication needs," said Kevin Kennedy, Senior Vice President, ServiceProvider line of business at Cisco Systems. "Together, Cisco, Sun andthe Sun-Netscape Alliance are offering these service provider customersa robust, standards-based solution that can be cost-effectively deployedand maintained. In addition, the new relationship with Cap Geminireinforces our belief that it is the total solution -- from hardware,software and network infrastructure to consulting and professionalservices -- that makes a service providers' deployment successful. Viathese new relationships, we are offering our customers the most completeand flexible Unified Communications solution available today."
"The Next Generation Service Driven Network is all about accessinginformation anytime, anywhere, with any device--exactly what the UnifiedCommunications solution from Cisco and Sun Microsystems, building on theSun-Netscape Alliance iPlanetTM suite of products, enables," said JohnMcFarlane, president, Network Service Provider Division, SunMicrosystems, Inc. "And because the solution--in keeping with Sun'sphilosophy--is modular and based on open standards, SPs can easily addnew service offerings while leveraging existing infrastructureinvestments."
"In the next millennium, Unified Communications products will become thefoundation that service providers use to deliver the solutions needed tosuccessfully compete in the Net Economy," said Dr. Stuart Wells, senior vicepresident, Infrastructure Products for the Sun-Netscape Alliance."Consumers, small businesses and large enterprises will need to accessa myriad of messaging, calendaring, content and e-commerce services.These services, managed by leading service providers, will require acomprehensive set of reliable and scalable infrastructure components andthey are available today for the service provider that has the vision tobuild now for the future."
Unified Communications Joint Solution Components
The joint solution combines proven technologies from Cisco, the Sun-Netscape Alliance and Sun:- Cisco Universal Access Server Products - The Cisco AS5x00 Family,including award-winning Cisco remote access servers and VoiceGateways, Cisco feature cards and voice-enabled Cisco IOS software
- Cisco Unified Communications Software - An open, IP standards-basedapplication platform that enables the unification of voice and Internetapplications. In cooperation with Cisco Ecosystem partners, thispowerful approach provides unified voicemail, email, and fax messagingaccess via phone, PC and hand held devices, and the ability to enablesystems integrators and best-of-breed application providers to develop abroad base of applications.
- Sun's NetraTM Carrier-Grade Servers - The Netra t 1120 and Netra t1carrier-grade servers are specifically designed for easy deployment innetwork environments that require continuous application availability.Both have been designed for the rigorous environmental standards fortheir class (NEBS Level 3 certification and ETSI compliance), which helpsensure continued reliable operation, even under the most severeconditions. A variety of rack-mount options enable the systems to beintegrated easily into existing communications equipment. Sun's Netrasystems are based on the robust, scalable SolarisTM OperatingEnvironment and the industry proven SPARC® chip technology to meetcustomer needs from development to deployment.
- Sun-Netscape Alliance Universal Messaging and Directory Solution -This platform includes the integration of iPlanetTM Messaging andiPlanet Directory Server products, the industry leading platform forscalable, reliable high performance solutions with iPlanet Web Server,iPlanet Calendar Server, iPlanet Webtop (for encrypted on-demand virtualprivate network and remote access), security and encryption productsand a broad range of e-commerce applications.
- Cap Gemini consulting and system integration practices and servicesoffer integration with SS7 signaling protocols, depth of experience inlarge-scale unified messaging and voice mail systems for wireline andwireless service providers, bundled services for rapid launch, IP OSSintegration, and tailored IP billing.
About Cap Gemini Group
The Cap Gemini Group is a leading global management consulting and ITservices group. Designing and delivering strategic change through ideas,people and technology, the Group provides management consultancy (GeminiConsulting) and systems design, integration and outsourcing (CapGemini's I.T. services). With a workforce of 40,000 operating in Europe,the United States and the Far East and revenues of 4 billion euro (about$4.4 billion) in 1998, the Group is among the world's largestinformation technology providers. News and information are available athttp://www.capgemini.com.About the Sun-Netscape Alliance
America Online, Inc. and Sun Microsystems, Inc. formed theSun-Netscape Alliance to provide easy to deploy, comprehensiveenterprise and e-commerce solutions to business partners and othercompanies competing in today's Net Economy. The alliance productportfolio provides customers with the industry's most scalable,integrated infrastructure software and a family of production readye-commerce applications. The products are offered on the industry'smost widely available product platforms, including DEC, HP, IBM,Linux, SGI, Microsoft Windows, and Sun. The alliance software productportfolio includes messaging and calendar, collaboration, web,application, directory, and certificate servers. The alliance alsooffers a family of production-ready applications for e-commerce,including commerce exchange, procurement, selling, and billing.Additional information on the Sun-Netscape Alliance and iPlanet products isavailable at www.iplanet.com or by calling 888-786-8111.
About America Online, Inc.
Founded in 1985, America Online, Inc., based in Dulles, Virginia, isthe world's leader in interactive services, Web brands, Internettechnologies, and e-commerce services. America Online, Inc. operates:two worldwide Internet services, America Online, with more than 18million members, and CompuServe, with more than 2 million members;several leading Internet brands including ICQ, AOL Instant Messengerand Digital City, Inc.; the Netscape Netcenter and AOL.COM portals; theNetscape Navigator and Communicator browsers; and AOL MovieFone, thenation's largest movie listing guide and ticketing service. Throughits strategic alliance with Sun Microsystems, the Company develops andoffers easy-to-deploy, end-to-end e-commerce and enterprise solutionsfor companies operating in the Net Economy.About Sun Microsystems, Inc.
Since its inception in 1982, a singular vision, "The Network Is TheComputerTM," has propelled Sun Microsystems, Inc. (NASDAQ "SUNW"), to itsposition as a leading provider of hardware, software, and services forestablishing enterprise-wide intranets and expanding the power of theInternet. With more than $11.5 billion in annual revenues, Sun can befound in more than 150 countries and on the World Wide Web athttp://sun.com. See Sun Microsystems at Telecom 99, Hall 4, Booth4263.Cisco Systems
Cisco Systems, Inc.(NASDAQ:CSCO) is the worldwide leader in networking for the Internet.For more information visit Cisco PR Contacts
Cisco, Cisco Systems and the Cisco Systems logo are registered trademarks of Cisco Systems, Inc. in the U.S. and certain other countries. All other trademarks mentioned in this document are the property of their respective owners.
Sun, Sun Microsystems, the Sun logo, Solaris, Netra, iPlanet and TheNetwork is the Computer are trademarks or registered trademarks of SunMicrosystems, Inc. in the United States and other countries.
SPARC is a trademark or registered trademark of SPARC International,Inc. and is used under license.
Netscape and the Netscape N are registered trademarks of NetscapeCommunications Corporation in the United States and other countries.Other Netscape logos, product names, and service names are alsotrademarks of Netscape Communications Corporation, which may beregistered in other countries. Other product and brand names are trademarks of their respective owners.
