Collaboration expands Allstream’s aggressive IP strategy

Toronto, Canada, September 14, 2004 – Allstream, one of Canada’s leading communication solutions providers, today announced that it has entered into an agreement with Solace Systems, the leader in carrier-scale multiservice message routing, to develop XML networking services as part of Allstream’s aggressive IP strategy.

Allstream’s Network-Resident XML Services (NRXS) will allow organizations to harness the processing power of Allstream’s carrier-scale network to distribute components of the application traditionally performed by customer premises software servers. Since XML-based applications require greater middleware sophistication and computing power, this new approach dramatically reduces the cost and complexity of "any-to-any" connectivity at the application level without the requirement for a complex, server-based message bus infrastructure.

"Our collaboration with Solace Systems supports Allstream’s aggressive IP strategy and our objective to continue to deploy innovative technologies to enable new capabilities within our customers’ businesses, " said John A. MacDonald, President of Allstream. "Allstream’s relationship with Solace Systems and our customers to develop application-enabling networks, combined with our national strength in Infrastructure Management and IT Services, confirms Allstream’s market leader position in business integration. Not only will NRXS transform how businesses interact with one another, it will provide new revenue streams for our customers. With advanced routing technology and robust product capability, Solace Systems has clearly differentiated itself as the leading provider of next generation XML infrastructure for carriers.

"Allstream has had a national Multiprotocol Label Switching (MPLS) network in place since 2000, when the company launched the first national Business IP service in Canada . Today’s announcement represents the next phase in our strategy to deliver solutions that go beyond IP in order to meet our customers’ needs, " said MacDonald.

Allstream’s NRXS will use an open and standards-based architecture that facilitates mission critical applications, such as

  • Web services-based trading partner interconnection.

  • Financial market data distribution.

  • Supply chain automation & RFID tag tracking.

  • ‘Always-on’ wireless customer relationship management.

  • Real-time business intelligence.

  • Personalized news services.

"XML applications are increasingly playing a critical role throughout the extended real-time enterprise, " said Craig Betts, President & CEO of Solace Systems Inc. "As XML traffic continues to grow exponentially, enterprises need to intelligently process this data, allowing them to create, share and manage content and business processes throughout their value chain. We are thrilled to be working with Allstream as they have the most sophisticated expertise and experience in this arena."

Through Allstream’s richly featured XML networking layer, organizations will accelerate time-to-deployment, simplify application integration, and exploit the advantages of XML content and distributed intelligence for improved performance and efficiency.

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