Tata Communications Deploys Fortinet Virtualized Security Appliances for vUTM Service

Fortinet Enables Tata Communications Managed Security Service through Integrated and Virtual Network Security

Bangalore., Nov. 27, 2008 – Fortinet® – the pioneer and leading provider of unified threat management (UTM) solutions – today announced that Tata Communications, a leading provider of a new world of communications, has selected Fortinet’s FortiGate® carrier-class systems as the backbone for Tata Communications’ new virtualized UTM (vUTM) service. vUTM is the first of its kind in India and is exclusively powered by Fortinet’s multi-threat security appliances for a comprehensive and integrated approach to managed security services.
“Our customers were looking for an alternate and trustworthy way to protect their networks without the need to have appliances at their site, so a virtualized integrated security service, with its related capital- and operational-expenditure savings, is the right solution for many companies,” said Adam Rice, vice president SSOC, Tata Communications. “Fortinet has one of the richest security virtualization offering in the industry, so we knew that, with Fortinet, we were partnering with the pre-eminent technology leader in the field.”

Using Fortinet’s virtualization functionality, Tata Communications’ vUTM customers can look forward to increased network security without having to invest in dedicated security hardware. vUTM delivers the security features of a fully integrated multi-threat security appliance, enabling tremendous savings in recurring operational costs related to equipment maintenance and reducing administration complexities, which help customers focus on their core businesses.

Tata Communications’ vUTM service is powered by four Fortinet FortiGate-5140 carrier-class security systems, which provide a complete suite of security functions at multi-gigabit performance. Each FortiGate-5140 chassis-based system provides virtual domains (VDOMs), allowing Tata Communications to manage hundreds of customers from one hardware platform and isolate the security services offered to each customer. The FortiGate appliances will be providing firewall, intrusion prevention, antivirus, anti-spam and Web content filtering protection as part of the managed security services offering.

Tata Communications also selected Fortinet’s FortiManager™ and FortiAnalyzer™ to monitor its four FortiGate chassis and associated VDOMs. Through those appliances, the telco provider will be able to provide its customers with detailed reports on network usage and attempted attacks as well as configure security parameters based on user policies and profiles.
“Fortinet has once again been selected as the technology backbone by a world-class service provider, which is a strong testament for the integrity of our security capabilities,” said Patrice Perche, vice president of EMEA at Fortinet. “Fortinet’s virtualized security technology is allowing Tata Communications to offer a flexible and viable business model for outsourced security services that can scale to the growing needs of its customers.”

About Tata Communications

Tata Communications, a member of the $62.5 billion Tata Group, is a leading global provider of a new world of communications. The emerging markets communications leader leverages its advanced solutions capabilities and domain expertise across its global and pan-India network to deliver managed solutions to multi-national and Indian enterprises, service providers and Indian consumers.

Tata Communications’ range of services include transmission, IP, converged voice, mobility, managed network connectivity, hosting and storage, managed security, managed collaboration and business transformation for global enterprises and service providers, as well as Internet, retail broadband and content services for Indian consumers. The Tata Global Network encompasses one of the most advanced and largest submarine cable networks, a Tier-1 IP network, with connectivity to more than 200 countries across 300 Pops, and more than 1 million square feet of data center and co-location facilities.

Tata Communications’ unique emerging market depth and breadth of reach includes a national fiber backbone network and access to network in over 60 cities and 125 Pops in India, strategic investments in South African converged services operator, Neotel, Sri Lanka and Nepal and, subject to fulfillment of conditions precedent, a 50% ownership in China Enterprise Communications (CEC) providing full country VPN coverage in China.

Servicing customers from its offices in over 80 cities in 40 countries, Tata Communications is the number one global international wholesale voice operator and number one provider of international long distance, enterprise data and Internet services in India, the Company was named “Best Wholesale Carrier” at the World Communications Awards in 2006, “Best Pan-Asian Wholesale Provider” at the 2006 and 2007 Capacity Magazine Global Wholesale Telecommunications Awards and was awarded “Best Progress in Emerging Markets” at the 2008 Mobile Communication Awards.

Tata Communications Limited along with its global subsidiaries, (Tata Communications), is listed on the Bombay Stock Exchange and the National Stock Exchange of India and its ADRs are listed on the New York Stock Exchange. (NYSE: TCL)
About Fortinet (www.fortinet.com)

Fortinet is the pioneer and leading provider of ASIC-accelerated unified threat management, or UTM, security systems, which are used by enterprises and service providers to increase their security while reducing total operating costs. Fortinet solutions were built from the ground up to integrate multiple levels of security protection–including firewall, antivirus, intrusion prevention, VPN, spyware prevention and anti-spam — designed to help customers protect against network and content level threats. Leveraging a custom ASIC and unified interface, Fortinet solutions offer advanced security functionality that scales from remote office to chassis-based solutions with integrated management and reporting. Fortinet solutions have won multiple awards around the world and are the only security products that are certified in six programs by ICSA Labs (Firewall, Antivirus, IPSec, SSL, Network IPS and Anti-Spam). Fortinet is privately held and based in Sunnyvale, California.