Advertisment

NextGen, Now

author-image
CIOL Bureau
Updated On
New Update

How much is India Inc geared up for next generation networks? The

Voice&Data seminar in three cities showed that there are major challenges

that need to be addressed. While all the stakeholders-enterprise users, service

providers, technology and solution vendors, and the regulators-are doing their

bit for next generation networks, a lot more homework needs to be done by

everyone.

Advertisment

The challenges are very important to address because service providers will

play a crucial role in enterprise networks. For instance, today, very basic next

generation services-such as VoIP, VPN, MPLS, managed services, and network

security-being offered by service providers, are influencing how CIOs plan their

own networks.

While IT heads across various verticals are quite sure about the next

generation features and services they want in their networks, they are still not

very sure of the specifics. Organizations need to be very clear on the business

systems and processes they want in place, the SLAs they require, the empowerment

they would like to give their employees, partners and buyers. Mapping all this

is going to be a daunting task, and CIOs will need active support from the other

functional heads.

Once there is clarity on this end, one will see service providers actively

working on building next generation networks, and services they would offer on

them. Today, most service providers, though working in small measures, are

themselves not too sure about the business models that will evolve. Especially

for the incumbents, who are primarily on TDM technology, next generation

networks mean huge investments. The service providers must, however, realize

that it is only with their support that the CIO will be able to go to his or her

CEO with a strong case for RoI.

Advertisment

There is one more big challenge-the regulatory hurdles coming in the way of

convergence. Service providers, enterprise users, and systems and network

integrators agree that next generation networks are meaningless unless

convergence is allowed. The good news is that TRAI is now pushing for next

generation networks.

Inspite of all the disagreements at the conference, the positive outcome was

the unanimous agreement on features of next generation networks. They will have

to be more secure and safe, given the fact that these networks will be most

vulnerable. They will have to be more adaptable given the expanding nature of

business dynamics where partners, suppliers, and buyers have to be meshed into

systems and where people from remote locations, and field and mobile workers can

get connected and work seamlessly. They will have to be more robust and reliable

because businesses are increasingly depending on them. They will have to be more

easily manageable compared to the highly complicated networks of today. They

will have to be more flexible so that new services can be rolled out faster, and

there is more room for maneuver. They will have to be based on more open

standards, and would have to be more simple to handle and access. They will have

to be converged networks, where voice, data, and video applications can run

smoothly. And, finally, they will have to bring communication costs down.

Let's not be overwhelmed by the long list of expectations from the next

generation networks, but rejoice in the fact that enterprise users, equipment

and solution vendors, and service providers agree that next generation networks

will come. One only hopes that that it will not take very long.

Ibrahim Ahemed

tech-news