Annapolis, Md. -(July 25, 2002)-FTI Consulting (NYSE:FCN), a professional services consulting firm acknowledged earlier this year by both Forbes and Fortune as an outstanding small business, has chosen Nokia's (NYSE:NOK) IP network security appliances integrating VPN-1®/FireWall-1® software from Check Point Software Technologies (NASDAQ: CHKP) for its virtual private network (VPN). Each one of FTI's 33 branch office locations in the U.S., hundreds of traveling employees, multiple client "war rooms" (temporary, situational networks) and extranet hosting clients are connected securely via the integrated Nokia/Check Point security solution and easily managed by a single, centralized Nokia Horizon Manager (NHM) console. In contrast to FTI's previous costly and inefficient frame relay network, this solution paid for itself in less than a year with substantial cost savings.
"We have a team of driven, entrepreneurial business leaders who are committed to maintaining a consistently high annual growth rate. In such a dynamic environment, providing seamless and secure network services can become a major challenge," said Greg Wills, FTI's Director of Information Technology. "A private network with leased lines, frame relay or ATM was just too expensive and lacked the flexibility we wanted. Fortunately, we had some experience with Nokia security appliances and Check Point VPN-1®/FireWall-1® through a managed service offering. The system was solidly secure and we noticed how easy it was for the service provider to manage everything remotely."
FTI provides support to distressed companies, and its unique business needs call for a secure, affordable solution that can be rapidly deployed, easily configured and operated from its headquarters as required. In addition to connecting its own offices and more than 600 traveling employees to the company's private intranet, FTI also needs to connect temporary, ad hoc networks to a separate, secure extranet for hosting client data. The aging "hub and spoke" frame relay configuration used prior to Nokia's solution only connected 10 out of 33 office locations and created a debilitating bottleneck at FTI's headquarters - the company's sole Internet connection.
In migrating to the Nokia system, FTI has taken advantage of Nokia's wide range of IP security appliances that address differing performance demands at different locations -- for smaller offices, larger remote offices and the extranet hosting network. The FTI headquarters deploys the Nokia IP650, which delivers carrier-class throughput and advanced capabilities like clustered load-balancing and hot-swappable components - all while standing only two units high. The Nokia IP650 integrates Check Point's market-leading VPN-1/FireWall-1 security software. For its temporary networks requiring immediate response, FTI employs Check Point's VPN-1 SecureClient (TM) software, which is easily configurable, allowing users access to either the intranet or the extranet.
Notes Wills, " The ability to pre-configure an appliance allows us to drop a system into a corporate or client site and quickly establish a secure connection. By using the same systems for both our intranet and extranet needs, we can substantially lessen our management tasks and do more with fewer resources."
FTI leverages the Nokia Horizon Manager (NHM), to efficiently manage multiple platforms individually or in logical groups as required to maintain effective security without placing unnecessary burden on administrators. Without NHM it would have taken FTI months to upgrade 36 firewalls distributed over 33 nationwide locations - instead the job was complete in just a few days without requiring travel to individual sites. The entire network is now easily managed from FTI's Annapolis headquarters.
"The FTI implementation of Nokia's security solution is an excellent example of the enormous benefits yielded by a VPN design, "said Dan MacDonald, vice president of product marketing and management, Nokia Internet Communications. "FTI has realized the full spectrum of VPN advantages - the company now has an inherently secure, flexible and easily managed system at a fraction of the cost it was paying previously. We look forward to continuing our relationship with FTI to ensure the security and integrity of its network operations."
"We are deeply satisfied about the cost/benefit of our Nokia solution," stated Wills. "We now base our entire networking strategy-both the corporate intranet and our client extranet-on our VPN design using the Internet as the backbone, and our savings allowed us to achieve a complete return on investment within a year."
About FTI Consulting
FTI Consulting is a multi-disciplined consulting firm with leading practices in the areas of bankruptcy and financial restructuring, litigation consulting and engineering/scientific investigation. Modern corporations, as well as those who advise and invest in them, face growing challenges on every front. From a proliferation of "bet-the-company" litigation to increasingly complicated relationships with lenders and investors in an ever-changing global economy, U.S. companies are turning more and more to outside experts and consultants to meet these complex issues. FTI is dedicated to helping corporations, their advisors, lawyers, lenders and investors meet these challenges by providing a broad array of the highest quality professional practices from a single source. For more information, please visit www.fticonsulting.com.
About Nokia Internet Communications
Nokia Internet Communications, headquartered in Mountain View, California, provides world-class Network Security, Virtual Private Network and Internet Traffic and Content Management solutions that ensure the security and reliability of corporate enterprise and managed service provider networks. Nokia is committed to enhancing the end user experience by bringing a new level of security and reliability to the network, enabling an Internet transaction that is personal and trusted-each and every time.
For more information, please visit www.nokia.com and click on Secure Network Solutions. Nokia Internet security and virtual private network appliances span the spectrum of price/performance points, and secure the widest range of network environments-from the smallest branch office to the largest Internet data center. The expansive product line, backed by world-class global support and services, provides customers the ability to deploy multiple solutions from a single product to secure all elements of a distributed enterprise.
About Nokia
Nokia is the world leader in mobile communications. Backed by its experience, innovation, user-friendliness and secure solutions, the company has become the leading supplier of mobile phones and a leading supplier of mobile, fixed broadband and IP networks. By adding mobility to the Internet, Nokia creates new opportunities for companies and further enriches the daily lives of people. Nokia is a broadly held company with listings on six major exchanges.
For More Information: (Media and Industry Analysts Only Please)
Nokia Internet Communications:
Americas (California based)
Amy Grenier, Interactive Public Relations for Nokia Internet Communications
Tel. + 1 415 975 3354
Email: amy@ipri.com
EMEA (UK based)
Claire Backhurst
Tel. +44 7788 145460
Email: claire.backhurst@nokia.com
APAC (Singapore based)
Bonnie Datta
Tel. +65 67231046
Email: bonnie.datta@nokia.com
www.nokia.com