The Nortel BCM 50 is a versatile platform that provides a rich array of data services that meet the requirements of most small to medium sized sites. Local and wide area networking, Internet access, IP telephony are all data services that can be securely delivered without adding external routers.

Converging voice and data services in one platform offers several important advantages, such as lower network cost of ownership, tight integration between voice and data networking features and greater reliability and ease of management compared to solutions that rely on multiple components.

The Business Communications Manager 50 platform offers the integrated broadband router as an option (either Ethernet or ADSL) for Internet access or branch networking.

The BCM 50 provides robust, reliable and secure data services:

Create secure networks over the public Internet. Virtual private networks (VPNs) enable you to enjoy secure connectivity with branch offices, business partners and remote users far beyond the reach of private networks. VPNs carry the private data traffic on a logical connection, being a secure, encrypted "tunnel" over a public network.

Protect the confidentiality of data in transit. Business Communications Manager platforms use industry-standard IPsec protocols to protect Internet communications through encryption, authentication, confidentiality, data integrity, anti-replay protection and protection against traffic flow analysis. Communications to and from the Web can also be protected by the widely used Secure Sockets Layer (SSL) protocol, which provides data encryption, server authentication, message integrity and optional client authentication.

Extend secure access to mobile users and telecommuters. Remote users simply install IPsec client software on their laptops or use a small IPsec device such as a Nortel VPN Router 1100 so that they can securely connect to the Business Communications Manager network and access its voice and data resources. Users can work from anywhere, while satisfying even stringent government security requirements.

Prevent hackers and viruses from entering your business. A built-in firewall and intrusion detection system provide a perimeter defense to guard your internal network, computers and employees from unauthorized access. The advanced firewall with "stateful packet filtering" can grant or deny network access based on time of day, application, IP address, port range and other attributes. Ultra-granular control enables Web or data traffic to be restricted while still letting IP telephony calls pass through.

Prioritise your most important data services. Some data services, such as IP telephony, are sensitive to even the slightest delay, while others, such as email or fax, can receive secondary treatment if necessary. Business Communications Manager platforms accommodate these differences with quality of service (QoS) capabilities that recognize and prioritize voice traffic for fastest treatment, even if you are using an external router.

Conserve valuable bandwidth by avoiding unnecessary network traffic. For instance, frequently-visited Web pages, such as the business home page, can be cached on the local system and updated automatically, thereby eliminating the need to go back through the Internet every time the page is requested. An internal Domain Name System (DNS) function remembers the IP address of previously accessed Web pages, so the system doesn't even have to go through the Internet for a URL to IP conversion when a site is revisited.

Increase security and flexibility in IP addressing. Network Address Translation (NAT) converts internal IP addresses into your public IP address and vice versa. By hiding your private IP addresses from the world, NAT provides an extra layer of security. NAT can also be used to share static addresses across a group of users who need exclusive, but temporary, use of a static IP address. Since static IP addresses can be costly, this can translate into hard cash savings for your company. A Dynamic Host Control Protocol (DHCP) function within the Business Communications Manager platform automatically issues IP addresses as needed. In addition to its value for sharing IP addresses through NAT, DHCP enables mobile users to simply walk into a wireless IP hot spot, and their IP telephony-equipped laptop is automatically ready to make and receive calls.

Connect to the Internet and intranet through one link. A single physical interface can support up to five IP addresses for internal and external communications, each with its own filters and policies. For instance, on one wide area network (WAN) link, you could set up:

• An Internet connection that limits inbound traffic, so users could browse the Web for legitimate research but not download huge music or video files
• Another private virtual connection that permits free flow of traffic on your company's internal network
• A third connection for remotely managing the Business Communications Manager unit over the Web, yet thwarting hackers by permitting no internal routing from this virtual connection

Your Business Communications Manager system with embedded router makes an attractive package for small sites wishing to become Internet-capable, medium-sized sites that formerly couldn't be included in the corporate WAN because the cost was too high. The BCM is also beneficial to managed service providers who want the convenience of bundling voice and data in a single, easy-to-manage platform.

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