Verizon helps defend Australia with $50 million

David Swan
Tuesday, 26 July 2011 18:12

IT Industry - Deals

Australia's Department of Defense has gone with a distinctly American company to help manage its internet environment in a $50 million deal.

The Department of Defense, encompassing the Australian Army, Navy and Air Force, has signed a five-year agreement with Verizon worth more than AU$50 million.

 

Verizon will provide the department with a managed, dual internet gateway solution and professional services support to link the department's 110,000 employees, other government agencies, industry partners and the general public.

The Verizon solution offers the department, according to Verizon, a "streamlined, optimised Internet environment, with enhanced visibility into usage and costs."

The system also has the flexibility to acommodate new functionality and expansion.

In addition, to further reinforce system availability and security, each gateway will apparently be housed in a separate, secure data centre location.

Chief Information Officer Greg Farr of the department's Chief Information Officer Group said: 'The Department of Defense manages one of the largest information and communications technology networks in Australia. It is our job to ensure that this network offers a dependable, secure and integrated information environment to support Defense military and business operations."

"It is imperative that we provide simple and secure access to information for our internal and external stakeholders.'

Verizon's headquarters are located in New York City, but the deal itself follows a long line of deals involving Australian Defence forces utilizing American facilities and technology.