British Telecom (BT) has launched its BT Connect Intelligence IWAN, an innovative managed service that enables organisations to automatically route and optimise network traffic and gain visibil­ity of the performance of applications without spending more on bandwidth. BT Connect Intelligence IWAN integrates the Cisco Intelligent WAN (IWAN) solution into the BT Connect portfolio of network services.

The new launch builds on BT’s existing intelligent network capabilities by using a hybrid environment and managed software defined wide area network technology. It brings new options to reduce the cost of customer networks while securing the perform­ance of applications. The services offered as part of Connect Intelligence IWAN also help customers reap the business benefits of the “Cloud of Clouds” by taking advantage of broader virtualised functions like application performance management and security.

The first version of Connect Intelligence IWAN will bring the following benefits to BT customers:

  • Virtual private network (VPN) capabilities across globally dispersed sites and different transport technologies. This enables organisations to reduce costs by securely interconnecting remote sites over hybrid network options, such as MPLS VPNs, private and public internet, and mobile, and to transfer information using powerful encryption technology;
  • Applications are routed across the best path in the customer’s hybrid network, based on real-time network performance;
  • Faster performance for applications, which will improve productivity and user experience. It will also identify underperforming business processes and accelerate web-based traffic like showing online catalogues to customers in retail stores, or allowing access to employee training videos;
  • Enhanced application visibility and analytics via centralised, user-friendly reporting, giving customers a deep insight into their application and network performance. This will also allow BT to enhance its monitoring and incident management service for customers.

In addition, BT offers customers a fully managed IWAN service that includes comprehensive design, set-up and configur­ation. It also includes monthly reports from an application specialist on how networks and applications are performing, with recommendations on how to improve performance.

BT and Cisco have been marketing and selling the managed solution to their respective enterprise customer bases in the UK, Europe, Asia, the Middle East, Africa and Latin America since December 2015. Customers with the right hardware will be able to avail of a free 90-day trial of Connect Intelligence IWAN’s application visibility service in the near future.