Protocols define the manner in which message/data packets get segregated/prioritised/transported so as to arrive safely at the destination.Speaking at a media conference here on Thursday, Satyam Infoway senior vice-president A Srinivasagopalan outlined the advantages of the new service. An ATM backbone supports applications for frame relay and has been found very good in bandwidth optimisation as also in optimising traffic whether it be in voice, data or video transmission. A frame relay allows for a virtual leased line with specified bandwidth, committed rates, and can handle `bursty traffic', offers flexibility of usage between one office and another as also scalebility.

The network is secureas a virtual private network because of the design devised for the first time in the country, Srinivasagopalan explained.

The service enables customers to take `permanent virtual circuits' of required bandwidth between any two points on the Satyam network, depending on the specific traffic requirement. This would be useful for users with a distributed application environment, where applications are residing in different locations or where all applications reside in a central location, from which information and data needs to be accessed.

This is also suited to those users who require both frame relay and IP connectivity to their local area network. The service enables the user to connect his larger offices to the central server using the permanent virtual circuit and smaller locations through the dial-up access.

The system has been on trial for three months and has been found to work satisfactorily. Satyam Infoway expects to get one-third of its income from its network services as the target segmentstarts with industries having a turnover from Rs 20 crore.

Satyam is the only private operator offering public network systems which is managed by it on behalf of corporates.

Corporates pay on the basis of port charges and use of bandwidth. Most corporates have leased their equipment from Satyam for the IP network which could be similarly replaced with equipment for frame relay. The upgradation would cost about 20 per cent of the original investment, but the benefits are far more commensurate, Srinivasagopalan said.