GTT Communications, Inc. has announced the virtualization of its Managed Dedicated Internet Access service, enabled through the GTT Envision platform, which connects, orchestrates, virtualizes and automates enterprise networks. Managed DIA joins Managed SD-WAN and Managed Firewall in the suite of virtualized functions GTT offers as service-chained capabilities via its EnvisionEDGE customer premise devices. 

Managed DIA provides enterprises with business-grade, reliable and cost-effective internet access. GTT's innovative approach provides flexible, on-demand internet bandwidth allocation and a foundation for future service changes, all on the same device.

The availability of GTT Managed DIA across global locations is enabled by EnvisionCORE, GTT's global internet backbone and distributed compute platform with 25 sites embedded across six continents. Through EnvisionEDGE, customers can deploy virtually across the world - whenever and however they want - directly to their premises.

More advanced services such as Managed SD-WAN and Managed Firewall can also be configured and deployed to the device remotely through the GTT EnvisionDX digital gateway. This eliminates the need to "rip and replace" on-site hardware and the associated capital expenditure and cuts out any potentially lengthy installation periods associated with traditional networking. EnvisionEDGE devices with GTT Managed DIA services are available today, supporting up to 1G bandwidth speed.

"Interoperability through service chaining between multiple vendors is difficult," said Ghassan Abdo, Vice President, Research, Telecommunications, IDC. "GTT is solving complex problems for the platform era, bringing global geographic reach and the combination of existing best-of-breed technology and its own intellectual property to deliver a simplified user experience."

"Great, reliable internet service is critical for many businesses, supporting everything from truly differentiated end-customer experiences to reaching mission-critical cloud applications," said Tom Major, Senior Vice President, Product Management and Technology, GTT. "By virtualizing delivery of our global, high-quality Managed DIA services, we are enabling simple bandwidth optimization, greater segmentation flexibility and enhanced business resilience. Moreover, our DIA customers can seamlessly and securely transition from DIA to SD-WAN in minutes - while integrating a virtual managed firewall from another vendor on top - through our service chaining capability. This development brings forward our vision to provide transformational simplicity to our customers' current and future infrastructures."