SAN JOSE, Calif., June 12, 2006 - Cisco Systems announced today that Valero Energy Corp., the largest refiner in North America, has chosen Cisco® to provide a resilient communications system in the event of emergency or disaster. This solution combines a Cisco integrated services router with the new Cisco Internet Protocol (IP) very small aperture terminal (VSAT) network module.
With this solution, Valero can support high-performance concurrent applications while reducing operating costs. In addition, Valero can now minimize service disruptions during disasters and terrestrial wide-area network (WAN) outages by failing over communications to satellite based on the priority of the information. This helps enable Valero to maintain communications between its headquarters and each of its refineries and continue its most vital business functions.
"Organizations increasingly need to prepare for the uncertainty of disasters and emergencies," said Mark Monday, vice president of Cisco's Access Technology Group. "In many instances, the inability to communicate during network outages can severely handicap an organization and result in a significant financial loss. The Cisco optional VSAT module provides Cisco integrated services router customers with the ability to maintain highly secure voice, video, data and wireless communications over high-speed satellite links, helping to ensure that customers can remain connected and mitigating the effects of an outage."
High-Performance While Saving Money
Valero has deployed Cisco 3845 Integrated Services Routers to carry voice and business-critical data between the San Antonio, Texas, headquarters and its refineries. Cisco 7206 Routers provide services aggregation by optimizing data and voice traffic over connections from the refineries to headquarters. In addition, Valero has deployed Cisco 2801 Integrated Services Routers at its nearly 1,000 company-operated retail locations, providing employees with a wide range of Internet applications over the network, including voice over IP, which helps each retail location reduce long-distance phone charges.
Enhancing Continuity Through WAN Diversity
Valero's refinery system operates around the clock and has a throughput capacity of approximately 3.3 million barrels per day. Uninterrupted communications and operations are crucial for Valero's business. "We've learned from events such as Hurricanes Katrina and Rita the importance of a fully integrated failover system," said Hal Zesch, vice president and chief information officer for Valero. "We chose Cisco 3845 Integrated Services Routers with the VSAT module to help enable us to maintain voice and data communications in case of a network disruption. Now our refinery routers can automatically route services during failover. With over 1-megabit-per-second uplink and downlink capacity, we can also retain the most business-critical communications services such as e-mail, facilitating continuity and recovery."
Valero worked with Spacenet, a provider of managed network satellite services. The Cisco IP VSAT module is compatible with the Spacenet Connexstar broadband satellite service used by Valero, as well as other services utilizing Gilat SkyEdge satellite hub.
About the Cisco Integrated Services Router Portfolio
The multi-award-winning Cisco integrated services router portfolio consists of the Cisco 800, 1800, 2800 and 3800 Series routers and is one of the best-selling products in Cisco history. In just 18 months, Cisco has delivered more than 1 million Cisco integrated services routers to customers worldwide.
With a variety of services such as security, voice and wireless integrated into the routers, customers have the flexibility to select the right platforms and services that meet their needs. The availability of diverse WAN options including DSL, cable and VSAT allows customers to formulate highly resilient networks with a layered failover strategy. For more information on the Cisco integrated services router portfolio, visit: www.cisco.com/go/isr.
About Valero Energy Corporation
Valero Energy Corporation (NYSE: VLO), is a Fortune 500 company based in San Antonio, with approximately 22,000 employees and annual revenues of more than $80 billion. The company owns and operates 18 refineries throughout the United States, Canada and the Caribbean with a combined throughput capacity of approximately 3.3 million barrels per day, making it the largest refiner in North America. Valero is also one of the nation's largest retail operators with more than 5,000 retail and branded wholesale outlets in the United States, Canada and the Caribbean under various brand names including Valero, Diamond Shamrock, Shamrock, Ultramar, and Beacon. Please visit www.valero.com for more information.
