Nokia Chosen as the Standard Global Network Security Solution by Hotel Chain Accor Group

The deployment of more than 30 Nokia IP network security appliances is for Accor's global network, which globally interconnects 3,700 establishments and a set of web sites requiring VPN (Virtual Private Network) and firewall functionality for Intranet and Internet access including remote mobile access by around 2,000 users. Nokia's platform management solution, Nokia Horizon Manager, and its VPN encryption acceleration technology have also been deployed.

Accor initiated its search for a higher performance network security solution due to its own network saturation challenges in 2000. After a market comparison, Accor chose Nokia as its global network security standard because of the superior performance level of the Nokia IP network security appliances integrating Check Point VPN-1/FireWall-1 software. Reliability was also a determining factor in Accor's choice. "Our global network is used 24 hours a day, 7 days a week and supports a constantly growing traffic", confirms Serge Saghroune, Head of the Security Department in Accor's Computing Division. "It was therefore essential for the solution adopted to be completely reliable."

The solution was first deployed for Accor's global reservation site www.accorhotels.com, one of the most visited sites in France, with over 10 million hits a day. Initial deployment took one night during Spring 2001 and from the outset has been assisted by integrator Axipe. Deployment has been seamless throughout and represents 90% of the equipment installed globally: around 30 Nokia IP300, IP400 and IP500 Series network security appliances.

Network management takes place centrally using the Nokia Horizon Manager platform management software providing a global real-time view of its security infrastructure and central software synchronisation. In addition, to ensure network reliability the appliances were installed in duplicate for both Intranet and Internet access and operate with VRRP (Virtual Router Redundancy Protocol), offering redundancy at hardware level. VRRP is also used to carry out maintenance operations and software updates of either Nokia's IPSO operating system or Check Point's VPN and firewall software. "We simply switch from one box to the other, without any downtime," confirms Serge Saghroune.

At French headquarters, the Nokia IP network security appliances are equipped with the Nokia VPN encryption accelerator cards securing traffic between Accor and its partners. Saghroune adds, "All our communications with our partners in France - around ten companies - pass through VPN tunnels, as do the transmissions of almost 2000 mobile users, who connect to our network from their portable PCs."

Concludes Saghroune, "Accor is very pleased with the functionality, ease of deployment and use as well as the reliability and performance of Nokia's solutions. The accorhotels.com site in particular, which has the benefit of a 2 x 10 Mbit/sec access, is protected by two redundant IP530 Nokia boxes, which handle over ten millions connections a day. As the site hosts or contains various electronic commerce applications, the firewall provides highly sophisticated protection, on a number of levels. It is essential for us to constantly maintain the highest level of security since, being so well known, we suffer a large number of attacks of all types."

"Nokia's solutions integrate the best-in-breed of firewall and VPN functionality from Check Point as well as intrusion detection. In addition, our network management system, Nokia Horizon Manager has been proved time and again to exceed customer expectations. Nokia is at the leading edge of technology and it is our commitment to provide network security assurance for mobile and fixed access," says Ernie Jones, Nokia Internet Communications vice president of sales, Europe, Middle East & Africa.

About Accor
With 147,000 associates in 140 countries, Accor is the European leader and one of the world's largest groups in travel, tourism and corporate services, with two major international activities: hotels : more than 3,700 hotels 423,000 rooms) in 90 countries, casinos, travel agencies and restaurants; services to corporate clients and public institutions: each day, 13 million people in 31 countries use a broad range of services (food vouchers, people care and services, incentive, loyalty programme, events), engineered and managed by Accor. www.accor.com

About Nokia Internet Communications
Nokia Internet Communications, headquartered in Mountain View, California, provides world-class Network Security, Virtual Private Network and Internet Traffic 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 and 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.