Blue Coat Aids BT with Managed Security Service

British Telecommunications plc (BT), a wholly-owned subsidiary of BT Group has announced that it will incorporate Blue Coat’s (News - Alert) ProxySG appliances in its Managed Service Offering. Headquartered in Sunnyvale, California, Blue Coat Systems, Inc. specializes in WAN Application Delivery and Secure Web Gateway.

 

BT’s (News - Alert) Managed Internet Accelerator service will utilise Blue Coat ProxySG appliances to intelligently manage user requests and accelerate delivery of Web content.

 

Blue Coat ensures that ProxySG provides an affordable appliance solution for remote offices where direct Internet access requires accelerated performance of business applications and granular control of web communications. It is a powerful and flexible tool for improving both application performance and security.

 

BT Threat Reduction service is also based on ProxySG appliances which help in monitoring web surfing activity and can block or alert as necessary based on pre-defined policies.

 

Blue Coat’s explains that its security architecture addresses a wide range of requirements, including filtering Web content, preventing spyware and other malicious mobile code, scanning for viruses, inspecting encrypted SSL traffic, and controlling IM, P2P, and streaming traffic.

 

“BT now provides its customers with the ability to protect manage and accelerate Internet applications and content,” said Craig Hicks-Frazer, vice president, Service Providers, Blue Coat Systems.

 

He added, “By incorporating Blue Coat ProxySG appliances in its managed service offerings, BT can offer companies flexible and granular Internet control while accelerating important or acceptable content, rather than face the typical penalty of impaired performance. We are pleased to play an important part in the BT Managed Internet Accelerator and Threat Reduction services.”

 

Blue Coat appliances are extensively used by BT on its corporate network to secure and accelerate web traffic across its global WAN, serving 106,000 employees.

 

Ray Stanton, Global Head, Business Continuity, Security & Governance Practice, BT Global Services (News - Alert) said, “BT has a long history of working with Blue Coat. Its track record in securing and accelerating Web traffic makes them an ideal platform for our managed services and has seen strong uptake by our corporate clients.”

 

BT operates in 170 countries with networked IT services globally. It provides local, national and international telecommunications services to customers for use at home, at work and on the move with broadband and internet products and services and converged fixed/mobile products and services.