Organisations are looking to IP convergence and Next Generation Networks (NGN) to facilitate the consolidation of voice, video and data networks across multiple disparate IT infrastructures and geographies. The immediate benefits are cost efficiencies. However, linking voice and business applications also makes possible the fast roll-out of a wealth of new value-add services that enable companies to leverage previously inaccessible opportunities.
Leveraging new opportunities for converged networks is dependant on the creation of a multimedia environment that preserves voice network intelligence while also exploiting the considerable benefits of IP networks. There are select challenges around the creation of a converged network that extends to underlying systems and applications - issues that must be confronted by both IP service providers and enterprises.
Explains Eric Jorgensen, Micromuse Continent Director: Africa, "The convergent solutions approach enables the voice network and the data network to merge into one multimedia communications environment based on the Internet Protocol (IP). To be successful, voice network intelligence must be preserved without operators losing any of the benefits to be gained from the flexibility and enormous bandwidths of cost-effective IP networks."
Enabling users to access information from back office systems remotely via mobile devices is becoming more prevalent. With Voice over IP (VoIP) capabilities being extended to wireless networks and some handheld devices, users can have calls forwarded to them, or even make calls over the corporate IP network while moving around, rather than using the fixed line or cell networks. Organisations looking to merge their voice and data networks and implement VoIP on their LAN and WAN infrastructure will, however, need to ensure their networks have certain characteristics, including sufficient bandwidth and quality of service - a challenges that extends to both the network and the underlying systems.
Integrating the proven intelligence and quality of voice networks into the new technology is essential to the success of the Next Generation Network, and will be the pinnacle, and a true test, of convergence. In order for service providers to present the best strategy for clients they have to combine voice and data services, and provide them on a common packet-based NGN platform. Convergence in telecoms means bringing together the best of two worlds.
To manage both legacy and new IP networks, service providers require next generation OSS solutions that will facilitate the delivery of value-added services while helping to control infrastructure and labour spending. As reliance on IP-based services continues to gain steam, enterprise customers are demanding sophisticated tools such as customer performance reporting, realtime Web-based service status views and other SLA related deliverables that will allow them to effectively track and manage their services. Service providers will need to gear their offerings to cater to these demands.
In a world where IP applications are competing for bandwidth, it will become increasingly important to be able to identify performance irregularities and address emerging capacity issues and problems. New solutions are being developed to assist service providers and enterprises to meet these challenges.
"Convergence solutions must emphasise new and more precise network supervision that facilitates lower operating costs yet features attractive added-value services that can be rolled out quickly and cheaply," notes Jorgenson. "Technologically, Quallaby and Micromuse, for example, bring together leading solutions in performance and fault management for operations support systems. This powerful, combined service assurance solution enables the world`s leading service providers and large enterprises to deliver converged IP services and associated transactions more reliably, affordably and competitively than ever before," he says.
For nearly all service providers, the race to IP-based services presents a variety of new challenges. Operations and development organisations are now faced with supporting older legacy environments along with new IP networks and services. Adding wireless LANs and IP VPNs are examples of things an organisation can do incrementally, but there is no wholesale replacement for the existing technology. Thus, as the move to IP continues to grow, organisations are faced with supporting increasingly complex environments with existing people, processes and resources.
"Micromuse`s combined fault and performance solution will offer service providers an integrated next-generation-network solution to manage the complexities of converged IP networks, while Quallaby will significantly advance customers ability to manage today`s mission-critical, converged IP services through an integrated console that combines Micromuse`s Netcool realtime fault management technology with Quallaby`s ultra-scalable PROVISO performance management software. By leveraging this solution, providers will not only be able to isolate problems when they happen, but predict and address problems before they happen".
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