TEANECK, N.J., and NEW YORK, Jan. 10, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Cognizant (Nasdaq: CTSH), a leading provider of consulting, technology, and business process outsourcing services, and ASCAP (the American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers), the leading U.S. performing rights organization, announced today that Cognizant has been selected for a multiyear engagement to provide ASCAP with a range of remote IT infrastructure management (RIM) services to drive operational efficiencies, enhance the quality of service, and enable virtualization.

As part of the agreement, Cognizant will manage a broad spectrum of ASCAP's data servers, networks, databases, messaging platforms, and BlackBerry devices. Cognizant will assume end-to-end ownership and responsibility for all in-scope services and will implement high levels of automation to streamline operations, with robust metrics to provide ASCAP full visibility on the health of operations.

Cognizant's innovative managed services model is based on guaranteed productivity gains and business outcomes delivered. ASCAP will leverage the resulting cost savings to fund additional projects, including upgrading its cloud computing environment and building an enterprise virtual desktop infrastructure.

Cognizant uses ITIL-based processes, a pre-built catalog of productized services, a sophisticated operations maturity model, and its proprietary RIM 2.0 managed services framework to reduce ASCAP's total cost of ownership and ensure high quality and consistency across its IT infrastructure portfolio.

"ASCAP exists to ensure that music creators are compensated fairly, promptly, and accurately when their works are performed publicly," explained Tina Barber, Senior Vice President and CIO, ASCAP. "Last year, ASCAP launched its new state-of-the art royalty distribution system, allowing members unprecedented entree to their works, performances, and statements through Member Access. Cognizant is now helping us to adopt virtualization and consolidation strategies to enable additional operating efficiencies and add to our competitive advantage with the rapid deployment of new applications. As a result of this, we will be able to provide even better service for our 400,000 members worldwide."

Gajen Kandiah, Senior Vice President and Head of the Communications, Information, Media and Entertainment Practice at Cognizant, said, "In an era of digital transformation in the music industry, ASCAP is leveraging technology extensively to provide enhanced member access to performance and royalty information. Cognizant is pleased to provide ASCAP with optimized infrastructure management solutions using a global delivery model, leveraging the latest technologies to manage its performance royalty platforms."

Robert Boles, Senior Vice President, IT Infrastructure Services practice, Cognizant, added, "ASCAP is committed to making technology enhancements that make it more convenient for its members to conduct their business and pursue their creativity. Our infrastructure transformation programs have paved the way for ASCAP to cater to the needs of its members while also maturing IT operations efficiently and effectively."

About ASCAP

Established in 1914, ASCAP is the first and leading U.S. Performing Rights Organization (PRO) representing the world's largest repertory totaling over 8.5 million copyrighted musical works of every style and genre from nearly 400,000 songwriter, composer and music publisher members.  ASCAP has representation arrangements with similar foreign organizations so that the ASCAP repertory is represented in nearly every country around the world where copyright law exists.  ASCAP protects the rights of its members and foreign affiliates by licensing the public performances of their copyrighted works and distributing royalties based upon surveyed performances.  ASCAP is the only American PRO owned and governed by its writer and publisher members.  www.ascap.com

About Cognizant

Cognizant (Nasdaq: CTSH) is a leading provider of information technology, consulting, and business process outsourcing services. Cognizant's single-minded passion is to dedicate our global technology and innovation know-how, our industry expertise and worldwide resources to working together with clients to make their businesses stronger. With over 50 global delivery centers and more than 100,000 employees as of December 1, 2010, we combine a unique global delivery model infused with a distinct culture of customer satisfaction. A member of the NASDAQ-100 Index and S&P 500 Index, Cognizant is a Forbes Global 2000 company and a member of the Fortune 1000 and is ranked among the top information technology companies in BusinessWeek's Hot Growth and Top 50 Performers listings. Visit us online at www.cognizant.com or follow us on Twitter: Cognizant.

Forward-Looking Statements

This press release includes statements which may constitute forward-looking statements made pursuant to the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, the accuracy of which are necessarily subject to risks, uncertainties, and assumptions as to future events that may not prove to be accurate. Factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed or implied include general economic conditions and the factors discussed in our most recent Form 10-K and other filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Cognizant undertakes no obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events, or otherwise.