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A letter from the executive officeThe application-aware network – the future of IPWe're in the depths of winter, a time when everyone in Canada is trying to stay warm and healthy. You might not think that health and warmth are connected to the evolution of the IP network, but the reality is that the network is changing how even the most fundamental public services are managed. For example, in the case of utilities, it is doing so by using network data to facilitate lower power consumption; for health care, it is bringing more data online to provide better access to health records, wherever and whenever they are needed. These examples illustrate what is known as the application-aware network, which is increasingly helping enterprises and industries become more efficient. The strength of the application-aware network lies in the ability to automatically adapt in real time to user-driven supply and demand while prioritizing application performance objectives and network resources. In this issue, we examine where enterprises are benefiting most from IP migration, what the move to an IP solution involves, and what the future of these services looks like in the context of the application-aware network. At Bell, we've been championing IP since the early 1990s, when we introduced our first end-to-end IP services. As I said at a recent industry event, Bell has taken that early interest in IP and turned it into a leadership position in next-generation IP services. Today, we have more than 500,000 VoIP-enabled lines in service on what Forrester Research has called the most secure MPLS service in North America. We're a market leader in MPLS, VPN and VoIP and have more than 300 specialists in our IP professional services team with experience from hundreds of projects and migrations, ready to help you ensure that you are maximizing your network investment. As always, we welcome your feedback on the tools and resources we offer you in Impact and on any other aspect of our services. Best regards, Stéphane Boisvert President, Bell Enterprise ... Feature: The evolution of IP migration – roadmap to the application-aware network
The reason for this is the evolving dynamic of IP convergence. When you consider that Yankee Group recently estimated that 47% of Canadian contact centres would be VoIP-enabled by the end of 2007, and that 20% of business lines are now using VoIP, it is clear that the convergence of communications over IP is now well underway. IP migration is becoming a business imperative, and as more services and applications are delivered over IP, enterprises will need a responsive, robust system that can manage these critical functions. The application-aware network (AAN) has emerged as a response to this need. With the AAN, IP-based delivery has improved how network traffic is managed, representing the next phase in the continuing evolution of the network. What is the application-aware network?Application-aware networking is an IP-based solution that enables the network to recognize and act on application flows according to the application type. Using the functionality built into IP devices deployed throughout the customer network, application performance can be measured on a per user-session basis, allowing for actions such as per-application prioritization, bandwidth protection, acceleration, or compression according to predefined strategies designed to optimize application delivery across the WAN. In its simplest deployment, the AAN can begin with host site engine(s) to perform basic application performance measurements and outbound prioritization while scaling the process to business needs. At the same time, the AAN can provide optimization of all communications between branch or regional office locations, based on the application delivery needs of the customer. In other words, the network becomes ‘aware' of the applications that are being delivered, and prioritizes delivery based on parameters set for mission-critical applications and traffic that has secondary and tertiary importance. Why applications are moving to IPWith the maturing of the digital economy and the rise of the broadband world, a number of factors are changing how enterprises look at their IT infrastructure and delivery model:
More content-rich applications, smarter end devices, broadband connections, the need to communicate over greater distances, and new business workflows are increasingly placing the IP network at the centre of the business. The network is becoming critical not just for accessing standard applications, but also for serving customers on the front line through CRM applications. It is also essential for communicating with suppliers through the supply chain management and inventory applications, and for day-to-day internal operations through a host of collaboration tools, from email to high-end videoconferencing systems like telepresence. IP, through its connectionless nature and common framework, creates the potential for a highly-collaborative and efficient workplace by allowing applications and users to communicate directly with each other in the most efficient manner possible. The organization can maximize its use of the shared central network, consolidate its disparate applications in fewer locations and deliver them over that same high speed network, and thereby maximize the return on its IT spend. The IP network is also critical to the deployment of other enabling technologies, such as IP Telephony and advanced collaboration tools that require direct peer to peer communication between users. Benefits of IP MigrationEnterprises may have one or two particular reasons for migrating (such as managing convergence or integrating networks), but the benefits are many. One of the strongest emerging benefits of IP migration lies in its effectiveness for enterprises who wish to implement a collaborative environment and improve their business processes with communication applications. Other benefits experienced by organizations who have migrated include:
An ongoing evolutionAll these factors, when taken as a whole, support IP migration as a means to evolve the foundation of your business communications. The promise of IP migration is compelling enterprises to converge a set of individual networks developed for individual purposes to a comprehensive, scalable IP-based network over which all kinds of services and applications can then be managed. Application-aware networking is the natural evolution of that promise – an intelligent, scalable network that is able to prioritize the traffic it delivers based on business rules and prioritization. IP migration: develop your own roadmapIP migration technology has stabilized to the point where even conservative organizations are now looking at it as their next upgrade path. The question is how best to accomplish this? The reality is that there is no magic solution behind IP migration, but rather a wide range of compelling scenarios and solutions available to businesses, and the AAN is part of this. For businesses looking to make their business processes more efficient the AAN represents a major step forward by improving the way services and applications are delivered over the network. Whether you are just starting out on the IP journey or well ahead in your evolution, when it comes to IP migration each organization is unique and should develop their own roadmap based on their goals and objectives. If you're in the early stages of looking at IP as an application delivery medium, consult our IP migration needs assessment or IP VPN needs assessment for an overview of what you should be considering. For more information on how Bell can help your enterprise harness the power of IP, contact your Bell representative. ... Creating a safe tunnel for your dataSSL VPN protocol enables secure migration to IPYou're looking at migrating to an IP environment, but you have concerns about security. Is it possible to keep vital data traffic safe when everywhere you turn new threats seem to appear? Security solutions such as secure sockets layer (SSL) are key elements in protecting important corporate data in an IP world. Learn more about SSL and why now could be a good time to consider migrating to an IP platform. The solutionVirtual private networks (VPN) are common across many corporate networks. They are most commonly used to provide teleworkers with secure access from remote locations. There are many elements to establishing and maintaining secure connections. The secure sockets layer (SSL) is one of the most important. It is a protocol that uses encryption (often a 128-bit data encryption standard or DES) to ensure that, while a user is connected (referred to as a session), the tunnel down which the data passes is secure. The key benefit of SSL is that it does not require the user to install any special software as SSL is built into most web browsers. As well, the SSL protocol has the following features:
Why wait?Even if your legacy systems are performing fine for you, there is good reason to feel secure in considering a move to IP. With the help of protocols such as SSL, you can:
Why BellThe Bell managed services practice can provide a variety of customized on-site or hosted services backed by strong operational capabilities, processes and methodologies. This allows you to focus on the core business while providing lifecycle improvements and increased availability for end users. We have proven experience providing managed and hosted solutions such as enterprise security services, hosting, network management (wired and wireless) and many other business solutions for your enterprise. Let us help you equip your employees with an SSL-based, secure and cost-effective remote access solution from Bell Managed Services. For more information, contact us or your Bell representative. ... IP migration in a contact centre environmentSuccessful IP migration avoids one-size-fits-all approachWith all the buzz about the benefits of contact centres migrating their operations to an IP platform, contact centre experts at Bell have been getting a lot of questions from clients on the best way to ensure a successful, smooth transition. Contact centres are eager to move swiftly, as the trends make apparent:
But there are a number of things to consider as you evaluate your options, and the first thing our experts will tell you is: avoid forklifting a templated solution onto your particular business situation, and ensure you've carefully evaluated your requirements. Here are some questions you should ask yourself:
These are tough questions. But there are answers, and they're worth chasing down as the benefits are real and substantial. The benefits of IP migration for contact centresWe believe that there are strong, compelling reasons to look at migrating to an IP platform.
How can you get there?There are basically three options to consider in moving towards an IP environment:
What does it take to obtain the benefits associated with IP migration? How do you choose among the various options, and how do you implement the solution? With planning and preparation – and expert advice from Bell contact centre professionals – the benefits of IP-enablement are well within reach. Our experts can help you navigate through some of the issues that can arise in an IP migration. What we offerNot only do we draw from our experience in managing more than one million IP connections, we also have the largest IP/MPLS footprint in Canada and operate award-winning contact centres with thousands of agents across the country. We can help you in all phases of the implementation:
To start developing your IP roadmap, get it touch with your Bell representative or contact us ... IP migration resource centre:These tools and resources will help you understand how to assess your IP and IP VPN migration needs in view of developing your IP strategy, and what drove a leading Canadian financial services organization to consolidate a variety of networks on a single IP platform. IP migration needs assessment tool: Considering migrating to IP? This tool will help you understand what you need to think about. From the business benefits, to the specific types of applications you'll be looking to deliver over the network, to how your existing infrastructure will help support your migration, these 26 questions will help you understand what you need to look at before planning your migration project. Download now! IP VPN needs assessment for enterprisesConsidering a move to an IP VPN service? There are a number of benefits to a managed IP approach. The questions in this assessment tool will help you:
After you have reviewed and answered the questions, contact your Bell representative to undertake the next steps in your evaluation! Download now! ... Quick linksHere are quick links to different solutions and services offered by Bell Enterprise:
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Today's networks have to handle an ever-increasing volume and variety of data. It's no wonder then that according to Forrester and IDC, the number one issue for infrastructure managers in today's network environment is managing bandwidth for critical applications.
