Unisys unit selects StorageTek Networking Systems Group for secure backbone, remote site and disaster recovery network

Business Wire, March 19, 1997

MINNEAPOLIS--(BUSINESS WIRE)--March 19, 1997--StorageTek Network Systems Group has implemented a comprehensive, secure networking solution for the Outsourcing Division of Unisys Corporation's Information Services Group valued at over $600,000.

The solution, which comprises backbone, remote site, and disaster recovery networking, is fully operational.

The Unisys Outsourcing Eagan Service Center, located in Eagan, Minn., is the hub of the newly installed network. With more than 70 successful, uninterrupted client transitions and migrations, the state-of-the-art Eagan Service Center supports more than 100 systems and 900 major applications on multi-platforms to clients located throughout the globe.

With stringent security and service goals, such as 99.5% uptime, Unisys Outsourcing required a network solution that met several demanding requirements: industrial-strength security, scalability, redundancy, data integrity, and multi-application functionality. Equally important, the network had to be backed by responsive service and support.

Gary Vogt, Unisys Outsourcing manager of network support services, said, "Our networking support issues cannot wait for days to be resolved. If there is a problem, it needs immediate attention from the vendor to ensure we are not missing important service-contract targets."

The winning solution encompasses Passport network switches, BorderGuard(TM) encryption hardware, Remote Device Support channel networking products, and NetSentry(TM) filtering software.

Walt Hinton, vice president of marketing for StorageTek Network Systems Group, noted several reasons why Unisys made this choice. "Their first criterion was security. Unisys chose StorageTek Network System Group's BorderGuard technology to deploy secure virtual private networks (S/VPNs), enabling them to securely combine internal and external customers on a single physical backbone."

Second, the Passport switch has a powerful expansion capability. "Competing solutions lacked that scalability and would have required a forklift upgrade in a little over a year," Hinton said.

Third, the Passport switch offered telco-strength dynamic redundancy. "Other vendors required duplicate boxes, an expensive approach that offers only static redundancy This would have cost Unisys an additional $500,000 now and much more over the next three to five years," said Hinton. "And with fewer units, network management is also simplified."

Finally, support was a decisive factor. "StorageTek Network Systems Group offered a single-vendor, systems-oriented solution, with responsive, round-the-clock support," Hinton said, "which met Unisys Outsourcing's rigorous client requirements."

With over 30 years outsourcing experience, Unisys Outsourcing provides traditional computer operations outsourcing support, application management, network integration and business processing services in mult-vendor environments. For further information on the full range of outsourcing services provided by Unisys Outsourcing, access the Unisys Outsourcing Web site at http://www.corp.unisys.com/outsourc/.> Unisys is one of the select group of companies with the portfolio of services, technologies and third party alliances needed to deliver the benefits of information management -- helping clients use their information asset to enhance their competitiveness and responsiveness to customers. Their expertise in information management is founded on the strengths of their three global businesses: consulting, solutions, systems integration and outsourcing; industry-leading technologies; and comprehensive services and products supporting distributed computing environments. Access the Unisys home page on the World Wide Web -- http://www.unisys.com -- for further information.

StorageTek is the preeminent provider of network computing storage. The company's products and services are used to store, transport and secure more than 100 petabytes of the world's information, ranging from mainframe data to client/server applications to video and audio. The company, based in Louisville, Colo., reported earnings of $180.3 million on revenue of $2.04 billion in 1996. StorageTek Network Systems Group is based in Minneapolis, Minn. Information on StorageTek is available on the World Wide Web at http://www.storagetek.com and http://www.network.com.

Trademarks: Product or company names mentioned are used for identification purposes only, and may be trademarks of their respective owners.

CONTACT: StorageTek, Louisville

David Reid, 303/673-4815

david_reid@stortek.com

Tom Gau, 612/391-1198

tom.gau@network.com