Convergence essential in business planning

Business exists to make money, and the quest to make ever more wealth requires expansion, usually resulting in the establishment of branches to create a national and sometimes international presence.

As collaboration increases in the business realm, the extent to which the branch needs to be integrated has become infinitely more complex, advancing the business case for a converged network at a branch level.

Pressures, such as an increasingly competitive environment, have shifted business towards a service-oriented model, highlighting the need to rethink how the branch operates, and is integrated into the larger organisation.

Partners and links in the supply chain, for instance, are often treated as an extension of the organisation. The aim: to increase service levels, decrease stockholding, improve time to delivery and optimise efficiency. The business case for a converged environment is thus becoming an imperative at 'branch' level.

The financial services industry was the first to benefit significantly from a 'converged' branch approach (or the 'branch of the future', as it is sometimes coined). Networking vendors such as Cisco have built converged network models or 'blueprints' around the financial sector, delivering solutions that resolve the challenge of inconsistent information.

Yet many more industries - in fact, any industry - can benefit from an 'interlinked' converged ICT environment. The similarities between a bank branch and that of the retail (or any other) industry is that access to accurate information and the ability to conduct interactive communications (video/tele-conferencing and other rich media communications) across long distances, crossing local, provincial or national boundaries, is critical to ensure high service levels.

Responsibility for IT/data communications, voice communications and the security infrastructure is often divided or fragmented within organisations. There is often no single individual wearing a converged communications 'hat', who is empowered to ensure new branch infrastructure is planned and implemented based on convergence best practices.

As a result, the organisation continues to perpetuate the concept of 'islands' of disparate data with separate data networks, PABX/voice infrastructure and often parallel video conferencing and surveillance networks.

Having a single communications network, both within the branch and between the branch and head office, allows business to facilitate cost-effective and efficient data, voice, video, physical security and building management communications.

However, one might ask if perhaps a single network increases risk, since many services could be affected if it goes down. An important benefit of a converged network is that redundancy is reduced to a single solution.

Many more industries - in fact, any industry - can benefit from an 'interlinked' converged ICT environment.

Andre Maree, MD of KSS

In the traditional environment, separate redundancy for voice, data and video communications were required. For example, to support the security infrastructure at a branch, both a radio link and telephone line for modem communications are required for alarms and other status signalling.

Similarly, two data links would be required, such as two leased lines or alternatively a leased line and ADSL or wireless broadband connectivity, to achieve redundancy and resilience. A converged network thus delivers lower operational costs, improved efficiency and streamlines organisational communications.

It must be noted that migrating to a converged platform can fail in terms of expectations and functionality. Choosing the wrong vendor can have implications, as they might not be able to deliver all the required or expected functionality on a single platform. Standardising as much as possible will reduce complexity, since supporting a multi-vendor environment can be difficult and expensive, given that multiple skill sets are required.

Typical mistakes when embarking on a converged network implementation (including creating a 'converged' branch environment) include not having a comprehensive strategy. Without a strategy and buy-in from all the vested interest groups, limited use or acceptance of the new network can result.

Another pitfall is limiting the vision of the strategy. Convergence should not be regarded as a single platform for voice and data only. Extending convergence to include video (whether for physical security, conferencing or whatever applications), building management, access control and time and attendance systems will deliver far greater financial and intangible returns.

Another incorrect perception is that implementing a converged platform requires a 'rip and replace', or forklift upgrade. This is not necessarily the case, since a phased approach can be taken, thus smoothing out cash-flow implications and minimising the disruptive impact on business operations. Voice could be implemented first, with video, building management or access security at a later stage.

There is no sense in waiting; convergence is here and now, and the sooner an organisation incorporates convergence into its strategic and operational planning, the sooner it can start realising the benefits.