Qwest Communications International yesterday unveiled Web
enterprise hosting services that include performance management and
data storage.
Announced at the NetWorld+Interop show, the initiative will add
services to the existing portfolio of hosting and managed services
offered over Qwest's broadband Internet communications network, the
company said.
One analyst said the initiative is following a trend among
communications carriers to offer enterprises more than voice
services.
"There is movement among companies [like Qwest] from being
carriers' carriers to working closely with enterprise customers,"
said Daryl Schoolar, an analyst with Cahners In-Stat Group.
"And storage as a service is definitely getting hot these days. It
makes sense that a communications carrier would offer it," he
said.
"Managed hosting services seems to be a real sweet spot as well,
with Sprint, Cable & Wireless, and others looking to be in this
area," he added.
Sprint and Cable & Wireless have also announced managed hosting
service initiatives at the N+I conference.
Qwest Storage Services will allow enterprises to create, scale, and
protect data generated from their e-business systems, the company
said in a statement. Qwest is deploying the service with Hitachi
Data Systems and EMC. Data storage solutions will be customisable
and can be used with any of Qwest's dedicated hosting
offerings.
Storage services include managed online disc storage, managed tape
and non-disruptive backup services, and offsite archiving and
restore service. The services will be billed on a flexible
pay-per-use basis and delivered through a SAN (storage area
network).
Qwest also unveiled Performance Managed Hosting, a Web hosting
service for customers with complex Web sites that require a robust
architecture that includes dedicated equipment support. The service
includes CPU load monitoring, bandwidth utilisation, and disc space
utilisation.
Qwest already has in place several hosting offerings. They include
basic hosting services for businesses that want to perform much of
their own system management and complex support services for large
enterprises seeking tailored services.