BellSouth Unveils Disaster Planning Software for Businesses

📅 August 8, 2001 - BellSouth (bellsouth.com) today announced the release of an interactive businesssoftware package designed to help companies identifypotential network failure points, allowing businessesto develop strategies to protect data communicationsagainst service interruptions due to natural orman-made disasters.

The automated disaster-planning tool is the latestaddition to BellSouth's portfolio of solutions thathelp safeguard and optimize business communications.
Natural disasters, power outages, hardware andsoftware problems and human error can cost companiesmillions of dollars. The United States Bureau ofLabor reports that 93 percent of companies sufferingsignificant data losses are out of business withinfive years. BellSouth's consultative, interactivesoftware explores virtually every aspect of acompany's voice and data network by asking questionsabout the survivability of its infrastructure. Theanswers provide the key to help prevent data losses.
BellSouth's software educates customers about:
Planning: Vulnerability analysis, communicationsconsulting and network monitoringProtection: Self healing network designs, managednetworks and back-up protectionEmergency: Emergency Operations CentersRecovery: Pre-planned disaster recovery execution
After assessing the vulnerability of a company'sbusiness communications, a member of BellSouth'saccount team assists the customer in devising andimplementing a complete disaster planning and recoverysolution that protects critical communications.
BellSouth's portfolio of business optimizationsolutions includes:
Intrusion Detection and Response: Provides trackingand control of unauthorized access or use of systemsManaged Security Services: Enables organizations toestablish and maintain security across Internet,intranets and extranetsWeb Hosting Co-Location Services: Offers securedenvironment conditions (power, HVAC, etc.) to ensureuninterrupted business operationsIntelligent PVCs: Reroutes PVCs automaticallywithout the customer intervention or extensiveprogramming of customer routers
According to the Disaster Recovery Journal, every yearcompanies protect their buildings from the threat ofhurricanes and other natural disasters. Only 72percent of all businesses protect core data andInternet infrastructures adequately, and nearlyone-third of U.S. companies have no prevention andrecovery plan in place to ensure reliable customerconnections.
BellSouth's e-business centers in Atlanta and Miamihouse customers' vital Web hosting and e-businessapplications. The fortified e-business centers arebuilt in existing BellSouth structures that haveweathered hurricanes Hugo, Andrew and Floyd. TheBellSouth e-Business Centers are equipped withredundant power supplies, four OC 12 connections, a5,680-ton capacity chiller, and a round-the-clocke-business solutions monitoring staff.
Because many BellSouth customers are in disaster-proneareas, the company has formed a cooperativerelationship with the Federal Emergency ManagementAgency's (FEMA) Project Impact, a program that helpsbuild disaster resistant communities. FEMA andBellSouth work with communities to providecomprehensive disaster planning thatencourages businesses to take a proactive approach toprotecting their physical and communications infrastructures.