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23/06/2006 09:19:03 - Networking Plus Intelligent Infrastructure Management
Chris Bushell, Managing Director of Remit, Associated Partner of Zircom
Should I invest? What are the benefits? Will I use it? Does the cost outweigh the benefits, or are there clearly defined advantages to having such a solution?
Chris Bushell, Managing Director of Remit, Associated Partner of Zircom
Should I invest? What are the benefits? Will I use it? Does the cost outweigh the benefits, or are there clearly defined advantages to having such a solution?
These are some of the questions that any organisation will or at least should be asking themselves prior to any major investment in their IT infrastructure. Before attempting to answer any of the above it is of course important to look at the function of the network/infrastructure manager.
Some years ago now, major corporate companies had more than one department to look after its communications infrastructure. Remember those warm balmy days of years gone by, it would consist of something along the lines of the voice or PBX manager and the IT department. Generally speaking there would also be 2 disparate cabling solutions, a typical telephony block wiring system and a Bus type architecture for data. Each department would merrily get on with its own tasks and provide the service required of it.
Then in the late 80’s along came the structured cabling solution. Category 3/4/5/5e/6 etc cabling started to be installed and became the “service provider” for both disciplines i.e voice and data.
Still, both departments existed but a new problem came along, “who actually owned this new cable system?” No ownership caused horrendous problems, there was little or no documentation, anybody looking to add, move or change any service would normally have to go to the cabinet, see what was available, probably patch it in a hurry and then walk away leaving behind the banjo string that eventually somebody else would sort out in the twice yearly (if we were lucky) audit and tidy up.
In between times the data network manager would be ordering hubs and switches as if they were going out of fashion, due mainly to the fact again that there was really very little ownership of the cabling and indeed network infrastructure, it always appeared that switches were full, so get hold of purchasing and get another one in pronto.
Along came convergence, the data guys were going to wipe the floor with the voice guys because “voice was going to be data from now on”. One small point to remember here, it all still goes over the much maligned piece of wire that still suffers from a lack of management. We could get stats from the PBX that would inform us of who was calling who, when, where, how and in some cases why. The data guys would tell us the bit rate, speed, who was connected to the network, how long it took to download from the server, but ask anyone of them to tell me what floor port to use for a major urgent shift of departments and along came the blank face intimating not my job buddy.
So in effect jobs have been made redundant because less people are required to manage the network. In reality the Comms manger now is a qualified fire-fighter, he will look after voice and data applications, the cable system, CCTV and in some cases the building environmental control systems. All this with less people, attractive? Not always.
So what has this all got to do with an investment in Intelligent Infrastructure Management?
For the network manager:-
- A full view of exactly what is connected to what, graphically and logically.
- The ability to (don’t laugh) plan any adds moves and changes and even present these plans to management with a cost of adding new hardware if required, prior to the project taking place.
- Once the plan has been agreed, changes can be programmed in advance with junior members of staff carrying out these changes out of hours without senior members being in attendance.
- The ability to lock down ports for security purposes.
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Knowing that an unauthorised patch or change has been made.
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The ability to fault find the entire infrastructure not just end devices from his desktop.
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Maintain an accurate database of all devices connected to the infrastructure.
For the directors.
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My assets are listed and can be reported on in a timely manner.
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A proper reporting procedure for my entire communications infrastructure.
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More uptime for all users and services, giving them more hours of productivity.
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Cost savings. Knowing that my network manager does not have to buy additional switches etc because he does not know what he has in the first place.
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A huge reduction in the cost of tidying up exercises which by nature have to be carried out.
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A more secure infrastructure.
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A structured approach to a new installation because the chosen contractor and the network manager have to get together to find out what we all actually expect from our new investment.
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Our whole IT infrastructure has been clearly documented which has the additional benefit that local knowledge is not as big a benefit as it used to be.
For ALL
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Probably more time being spent on productive things rather that putting out the fires.
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Perhaps a much happier workforce.
Ah but we can all dream……………….
date:23/06/2006 09:19:03
