Measurement Specialties Chooses Virtela For Superior Network Performance

Virtela's Managed Services Eliminate Network Downtime for Global Sensors Manufacturer

DENVER, December 17, 2008 - Virtela, the global network solutions company, today announced that Measurement Specialties, a global designer and manufacturer of sensors, is using Virtela's Multi-Protocol Label Switching (MPLS) network services to connect its operations worldwide. The company classifies Virtela's global footprint, network availability and proactive customer service as "rock solid" and integral to the manufacturer's successful global expansion.

Prior to Virtela, Measurement Specialties was challenged with degrading network performance through a single carrier using a point-to-point approach that had the company measuring network downtime in days per quarter. With heavy data transfer over the network and four different business groups distributed throughout the U.S., Europe and China, the company approached Virtela with a need for the greatest network availability and global reach available to meet their strategic business objectives.

Virtela's managed MPLS network leverages hundreds of best-in-class network providers around the world to provide Measurement Specialties with the most direct and cost-efficient connectivity available by region. Via Virtela, the company has experienced significant performance improvements in their critical centralized applications and benefits from 99.99% network availability, with a DSL back-up network that takes over so seamlessly the company does not realize any transition has occurred.

"Before Virtela, we'd lose all two-way communication for as long as 24 hours, and we didn't have DSL back-up, so we'd stay down for far too long," said Bob Andreini, global director of IS/IT for Measurement Specialties. "With sales, manufacturing, distribution and engineering in locations across the globe, we just couldn't afford that downtime. Now, we almost don't need to measure downtime because it's infrequent and unnoticeable. If something happens, communications go directly over the DSL back-up so I'm usually not even aware of it until I get an alert from Virtela." The back-up network serves a dual role, handling day-to-day Internet traffic to offload primary circuits for more strategic communications.

The company evaluated several carriers when looking for a solution nearly a year ago and chose Virtela based on its world-class MPLS service, carrier-agnostic approach that offers greater network resiliency, and superlative end-to-end management capabilities. Andreini noted that implementation went smoothly, with an excellent level of intelligence and transparency between Virtela's Global Operations Centers in the U.S. and India. He added that the initial network configuration and ongoing support and performance have been "rock-solid."

"With a small IT staff and disparate locations using a variety of network devices, Measurement Specialties needed a provider that could take care of network set-up and management for them, and that's the beauty of managed services," said Virtela CEO Steve King. "We're seeing more companies turn to managed services in this challenging economy because they get the latest technology and the high-touch support they need even when budgets are tight."

In the future, Measurement Specialties plans to leverage Virtela's remote access services as well as traffic reporting capabilities for improved network intelligence. With Virtela, the company has increased availability and reliability, enhanced security through an integrated managed firewall service, and doubled its available circuits without doubling costs. As the company looks to continue its global expansion, Virtela will play a key role in bringing new sites onto the network.

About Measurement Specialties

Measurement Specialties is a global designer and manufacturer of sensors and sensor-based systems which measure pressure/force, position, vibration, temperature, humidity, and fluid properties. Our products are used as embedded devices by original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) or as stand alone sensors for test and measurement to provide critical monitoring, feedback and control input. We are at the heart of many everyday products and provide a vital link to the physical world. For more information visit www.meas-spec.com.

About Virtela

Virtela, the world's largest independent managed services company, offers award-winning managed services including MPLS and IP-based Virtual Private Networks (VPNs), Security, Remote Access, and WAN/LAN Device Monitoring and Management, to some of the most competitive multinational companies in the world. Offering services in 190 countries, Virtela integrates and manages best-of-breed service providers through partnerships with 500+ carriers, to address the unique needs of its customers. Virtela is headquartered in Denver, Colorado, with Global Network Operations Centers in Denver, Mumbai, India and Manila, Philippines. For more information, please call +1 (720) 475-4000 or visit www.virtela.net.

Media Contact:
Jane Morrissey
Virtela
720.475.4012 (office)
303.808.7671 (mobile)
jmorrissey@virtela.com