Two carriers, MCI and Qwest, run the data over their own networks, while Virtela and TManage rely on other carriers and Tier 1 networks to tunnel data. In addition, Virtela can service only those areas that are near one of its PoPs (points of presence). We thought this setup might be a problem for the Wichita office, but Virtela had no issues with any of our addresses. TManage doesn't place its own equipment at the PoPs, but instead places equipment at the customer premises to handle the data tunneling. Although this method of doing business has placement and price benefits, the up-front equipment costs were a little higher than we would have liked.
After considering WAAP's requirements, we gave the Editor's Choice nod to Virtela. Its combination of security, ease of migration and a comprehensive SLA offered the best value.
As the youngest company to take part in our RFI, Virtela came out fighting. In addition to offering good value, the vendor also provided us with the most comprehensive and information-packed RFI response we could ask for.
Founded in April 2000, Virtela has created an IP VPN infrastructure that spans 190 countries. The company's approach to providing VPN services reminds us of Savvis in its early days, which lacked a network of its own but provided access to those of other carriers. Virtela operates in a similar manner, by placing traffic on the best network available. Because Virtela's VPN hardware remains at the PoP, not the customer premises, WAAP would not require any equipment changes. This method of deployment also makes software upgrades easier as Virtela only needs to upgrade its own PoPs, not the customer premises, with new VPN technology. And the initial installation fee is low--just $2,700, followed by a $4,130 monthly charge, based on a two-year contract.
For actual network traversal, Virtela interconnects its PoPs from multiple Tier 1 backbone providers, which deliver network resiliency and the best path between two points. Virtela chooses the optimal path for each customer connection based on latency, packet loss and jitter.
Virtela leverages the vast amount of unused bandwidth on Tier 1 networks around the country for its solution. Creating a worldwide network without laying any fiber or paying for huge network operations enables the vendor to keep its prices down.
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