Verizon Business Leads Industry as First Global SAP-Certified Provider of Cloud Services

BASKING RIDGE, N.J., June 15 /PRNewswire/ -- Verizon Business announced on Tuesday (June 15) that SAP AG has certified the company's cloud-based on-demand Computing as a Service, or CaaS, platform for the delivery of SAP® business applications.  Verizon Business is the first global provider to receive SAP certification of its cloud services.

As a SAP-certified provider of cloud services, Verizon Business will provide enterprises around the globe with a new cost-effective, cloud-based delivery model in support of the entire SAP solution portfolio, including business software applications for customer relationship management, enterprise resource planning, product lifecycle, supply chain and corporate services.  

Cloud-based delivery of SAP applications will enable secure, reliable access to essential business applications by global end users while helping to contain the hardware and management costs associated with traditional application-support models.

To achieve this designation, Verizon's CaaS infrastructure went through extensive testing to validate the operational integration of the cloud-computing platform with supported applications, including portal linkages, support flows and automated service management processes enabled by e-bonding, or direct system-to-system connections between Verizon CaaS and solutions in use at end-user companies.  The audit also included a technical review of the physical and logical security processes supporting Verizon CaaS, as well as its portal and underlying infrastructure including servers, software and storage capabilities.

"Businesses that rely on SAP applications now have a new option with the certification of Verizon CaaS as a cloud delivery platform," said Joseph S. Crawford, executive director – IT solutions, Verizon Business.  "With more IT departments adopting cloud-based services, it's a natural progression to begin moving enterprise applications to the cloud, especially with Verizon's secure, high-performance computing environment.  Running SAP applications on CaaS will enable companies to streamline how applications are consumed and managed to achieve new gains in productivity and economics."

Running SAP Applications in the Cloud

Businesses that choose to outsource their deployments of SAP applications via Verizon CaaS will benefit from a high-performance computing environment.  

"SAP certification of Verizon cloud services will have a positive impact on driving the evolution of how enterprise applications are delivered and consumed," said Michael Ressemann, global head of outsourcing services and solution delivery, SAP, the world's leading provider of business software.  "Moving forward, SAP and Verizon are working together to bring new innovative cloud-based delivery models to market that can help enterprises improve business performance and become more agile."

Verizon CaaS offers enterprise clients an advanced application delivery system comprising integrated delivery centers around the globe and underpinned by the Verizon Business global IP network, one of the world's most connected.

The service, supported by a dedicated help desk operated according to an internationally recognized set of best practices called Information Technology Infrastructure Library, or ITIL, provides customers with a single point of accountability and a structured management approach for service-related matters.  Customers also have visibility into the Verizon CaaS-based SAP environment via a secure Web portal.

Verizon Support for SAP Solutions Today

In January, Verizon Business became an SAP-certified global provider of hosting services.  The company also launched a new application management service that offers enterprises end-to-end management of SAP applications and delivery platforms with custom service-level agreements that extend beyond server and application availability to include transaction and business-process metrics.

From cloud computing to IT consulting services, Verizon Business makes it easier for customers to build the right foundation to meet often complex requirements.  Visit the Verizon IT Solutions & Hosting website for more information.

About Verizon Business

Verizon Business, a unit of Verizon Communications (NYSE, Nasdaq: VZ), is a global leader in communications and IT solutions. We combine professional expertise with one of the world's most connected IP networks to deliver award-winning communications, IT, information security and network solutions.  We securely connect today's extended enterprises of widespread and mobile customers, partners, suppliers and employees – enabling them to increase productivity and efficiency and help preserve the environment.  Many of the world's largest businesses and governments – including 96 percent of the Fortune 1000 and thousands of government agencies and educational institutions – rely on our professional and managed services and network technologies to accelerate their business. Find out more at www.verizonbusiness.com.

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SOURCE Verizon Business