Sprint Corporate IP Dial Service

Secure Remote Access for Corporate Intranets

Private intranets, based on the Internet Protocol (IP), are rapidly becoming the corporate central nervous systems, carrying important message and other information between the various parts of an organization. Electronic mail, file transfers and internal multimedia web sites, along with custom applications, are boosting productivity through enhanced communication and access to information. So critical is this information that it is becoming increasingly important for every member of the corporation, no matter where they are located, to be able to tap in to the corporate intranet as needed.

Sprint Corporate IP Dial Service provides a secure, convenient, easy way for businesses to extend the reach of their private intranets using the standard Internet Protocol. Using a dedicated, native-IP backbone -- not part of the Internet -- Sprint's Corporate IP Dial Service provides corporations with the crucial link their employees, business associates and important customers need to conduct business on-line from virtually anywhere in the U.S. -- from home, at remote offices or while traveling. They can achieve full IP connections at any time, just as if they were linked locally to the corporate intranet, and can connect to all IP applications, such as payroll, order entry, financial reporting, claims processing, database inquiry and a variety of other corporate applications. In addition, Sprint Corporate IP Dial Service enables remote users to access the public Internet when necessary using the same local phone number.

Convenient, Easy Connections

Sprint Corporate IP Dial Service comprises two parts: A dedicated connection between the corporate intranet and the Sprint IP Dial network, and local or toll-free remote access to the Sprint IP Dial network. A dedicated, high-speed line (up to DS3 speeds) links the corporate intranet to a permanent network connection point on the IP Dial network. Alternatively, customers using Sprint's Frame Relay Service can take advantage of the frame relay gateway to link their intranets to the Sprint IP Dial network using a PVC connection. Sprint offers full-service provisioning, taking full responsibility for the connections, coordinating the dedicated access to the IP Dial network and providing all lines, transport equipment, routers and management of all communications facilitates.

Once the corporate intranet is connected to the IP Dial network, remote users simply use their computers to dial a local or toll free telephone number to gain access to the corporate network from wherever they may be in the U.S., including Alaska and Hawaii, at speeds up to 28.8 Kbps using either PPP, CSLIP or SLIP protocols. Local-call access is available now in 50 cities, and this is expected to reach 200 cities by the end of 1996. Sprint also plans to add ISDN BRI dial-up access as well as support for IPX and AppleTalk protocols in addition to IP.

Detailed accounting reports itemize the start and end times of every connection, call duration, volume and originating and terminating IP address, as well as user ID for simplified cost charge-backs to individual groups, departments or users.

Sprint is certifying several popular IP stacks and applications for compatibility with the Sprint Corporate IP Dial Service. Initially, Sprint plans to certify NetManage Chameleon, FTP Explore One-Net, Novell LAN Workplace, Windows 95 IP stack, Trumpet Winsock IP stack and MacPPP.

Security

The Sprint Corporate IP Dial Service is the only one of its kind that does not use the public Internet as part of its backbone. Sprint's IP Dial network is a physically separate, overlay backbone that does not carry Internet traffic. This crucial difference means there is a much lower risk of unauthorized access than with any other IP dial-up service available today.

Sprint's Corporate IP Dial Service lets network managers assign user IDs and passwords for basic authentication, and they can be managed easily with Sprint-supplied utilities. Using the Sprint utilities, managers can add, delete and modify user IDs and passwords with near real-time update capability. More extensive security is available through a comprehensive package of security and firewall implementation and support services offered by Sprint.

Dependability

Because Sprint owns and manages all lines and nodes on the Sprint Corporate IP Dial network, Sprint is able to provide end-to-end network management. Sprint monitors and controls its IP Dial network 24 hours a day, seven days a week to assure non-stop performance of its network switching centers, dial rotaries, transmission facilities and network hardware. With this ability to control the network, response times and performance are more predictable.

Service

With more experience than any other carrier in public data networks, Sprint knows how to provide the attentive and expert support businesses rely on 24 hours a day, seven days a week. On-site customer training, local field engineering and sales offices offer unparalleled customer support nationwide.

Sprint IP Dial Service gives corporate LANs the reach they need, providing the critical nationwide communications link necessary to boost productivity and maintain competitiveness. And Sprint's unmatched experience in wide-area networking guarantees the highest quality, reliability and service.

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