SaaS over NGN from NTT Communications—
BizCITY for SaaS Providers

1. Introduction

A joint project to develop a service platform for software as a service (SaaS) providers was launched by NTT Communications (NTT Com), NTT DATA, and NTT on September 2, 2008. Providing SaaS over the Next Generation Network (NGN) has many interesting facets. For example, NTT Com and NTT DATA will combine their respective strengths to develop a SaaS-platform business, NTT Information Sharing Platform Laboratories will provide technology, and the features of the NGN will enhance the SaaS functions [1]. Here, the role of NTT Com is to provide the infrastructure-related portion of the SaaS platform (Fig. 1). This portion, called “BizCITY for SaaS Providers”, supports the type of business activities that SaaS providers perform.

Fig. 1. SaaS platform achieved through coordination between NTT Com and NTT DATA.

2. Secure SaaS platform

Various communications operators and system integrators have been providing SaaS platforms since 2007, but the strong point of the SaaS platform to be provided by NTT Com is the provision of a secure network environment as part of SaaS. Although SaaS generally refers to the use of various types of applications over the Internet, companies are often reluctant to transfer important information over the Internet and may prohibit the use of SaaS as a company security policy. This is especially true in the Japanese corporate world. Of course, there are many SaaS services that make good use of Internet features and many applications that find new meaning by being used over the Internet. Nevertheless, if the data in question includes customer information, the fact remains that many companies will refrain from introducing SaaS if that requires use over the Internet. Against this background, NTT Com is proposing that SaaS be used not over the Internet but over a closed network such as the NGN, an Internet protocol virtual private network (IP-VPN), or broadband Ethernet to achieve, in essence, a secure SaaS environment.

BizCITY for SaaS Providers is a platform that connects directly to various VPN services provided by NTT Com such as ArcstarIP-VPN, eVLAN, and GroupVPN. It enables SaaS providers to provide their applications in a secure network environment to corporate end users of NTT Com VPN services. And for corporate end users, it provides a network environment in which SaaS applications can be used in a seamless manner just as if the SaaS servers were deployed inside their own company.

In a sense, this newfound ability to use SaaS applications in a safe, secure, and stress-free manner is like opening up a bridge to a small island on which important data is stored. This data, which could previously be transported only by boat, can now be transferred in person by simply walking across the bridge.

This advantage of using SaaS over a closed network should also apply to its use on the NGN. For this reason, a study on connecting BizCITY for SaaS Providers to the NGN is now underway. However, there is another reason why SaaS over NGN is so appealing: the wealth of features unique to the NGN will become available. We envision a SaaS platform that can provide a wide variety of sophisticated SaaS applications in a safe and secure manner.

3. Extensive platform functions

In addition to gateway functions to enable applications to be provided on a VPN, the SaaS platform will provide a server-hosting function using virtualization technology to facilitate the provision of applications. It will also provide hardware such as routers, firewalls, and load balancers, data-backup and system-management services, and fee-collection services that can collect application services fees additional to NTT Com VPN services. There are also plans to add other key functions such as user authentication, single sign-on, and billing services (Fig. 2).

Fig. 2. BizCITY for SaaS Providers—SaaS platform services.

4. Mobile SaaS support

There is a growing need to use SaaS applications outside the office via a mobile terminal. However, while the office side benefits from a VPN environment, an outside location in an Internet environment may not be satisfactory to customers. Taking this into account, NTT Com is proposing a solution called “Secure Mobile” that enables SaaS to be used in a closed, mobile environment without going through the Internet (Fig. 3).

Fig. 3. Secure Mobile.

5. Applications being provided

6. Joint activities with MIJS

NTT Com recently announced that it will be conducting SaaS technology trials together with the Made in Japan Software Consortium (MIJS), which consists of 27 leading domestic software vendors. Of these 27 member companies, 13 will participate in these trials, which will begin with the verification of application operation and VPN connectivity on the BizCITY for SaaS Providers platform and will continue with the verification of platform functions such as virtual servers and single sign-on. Once the results have been analyzed and fed back to the development team, sales trials to corporate end users will begin.

7. Future developments

Preparations are also being made to form collaborative relationships with a variety of application providers. We expect a number of new applications designed for provision on BizCITY for SaaS Providers to be announced shortly. A diverse range of applications should make this SaaS platform increasingly attractive. We aim to achieve an environment in which an NTT Com VPN service user can access any application in a secure manner over his or her own VPN for a reasonable monthly fee (7000 yen, about $US75 per company). NTT Com plans to put a great deal of effort into the field of SaaS over NGN so that the abovementioned new business areas and existing VPN services can progress in a mutually beneficial cycle.

References

	Mikimasa Nakayama Director, Business Network Services Division, NTT Communications. He joined NTT Communications in 1990 and has been engaged in sales promotion and marketing for various VPN, cloud computing, and mobile services.

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