Supply chain management (SCM) today depends on the availability of suppliers and users within the chain being able to seamlessly connect at will. With over 85% of SA`s listed companies as customers, a considerable number of information and application content providers or service providers reside within the Internet Solutions (IS) corporate community.
Many of these services, such as corporate banking, credit vetting, financial feeds or direct supplier links, are critical to the daily operations of a substantial portion of the IS customer base. The InfoConnect service was designed to offer a corporate a single connection to IS that seamlessly provides connectivity to the service providers with whom they have, or wish to have, a working relationship.
Recognising the benefits that can be accrued by their customer base, IS approached and will continue to approach as many content and application providers as possible, whether existing customers or not, in order to enrol them as InfoConnect service providers.
"The benefits to our customers become more apparent when one looks at uptime and cost of interconnectivity," says Mark Hamburger, manager of VPN solutions at IS. "Additionally, we provide complete management of all the links in the chain. As we deliver the service on our world-class MPLS (Multi Protocal Label Switching) VPN, customers are assured of the required quality of service and security."
Benefits of the InfoConnect Service include:
* A single connection to IS ensures secure connectivity to a range of service providers.
* Elimination of the complexity and cost of managing multiple telco circuits to multiple service providers. All connectivity can be provided over a single link into the IS environment. ISDN backup or multi-circuit redundancy can be provided for this link.
* Elimination of a separate link to the corporate ISP. Over the InfoConnect link, IS can provide Internet breakout as well as access to any other IS service, eg voice services, remote access, hosting, VPN services, security services, etc.
* The relationship between the end-user and the service provider, in terms of the actual application or content that is provided, remains unaffected.
* The MPLS VPN is a fully managed quality of service solution that provides a performance level unattainable over the Internet.
"To date we have ITC, Kredit Inform, Experian, Nediform, Absa Cash Focus, FNB and STB in the Financial Services sector; Vodacom, MTN and Cell C in the cellular industry, that offer content via IS`s InfoConnect service. The benefits customers enjoy range from credit vetting to billing, to sending bulk SMSes, all at uninterruptable levels," says Hamburger. "We welcome any suggestions for new service provider partners and will approach these organisations in order to add further value to the InfoConnect service through a greater variety of content and applications on offer."
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Internet Solutions (IS) has transformed its business model and become a leading converged communications service provider in the country.
The business was founded on the principle of developing a robust infrastructure in order for corporates to conduct e-business. Over the past decade IS has established itself as a leader in this space, attracting over 80% of SA`s top businesses as clients.
During its 10-year life span, IS has evolved and grown its service offerings. Today, the company is the leading hosting service provider and security service provider in SA, as well as having significant market share in the virtual private network and application service provider (ASP) space.
Internet Solutions, with an Empowerdex BBB rating, has earned an impressive collection of accolades, including eight First National Bank "Most Admired" awards, two Financial Mail Best Company to Work For awards, a place in the Top Unlisted Company Awards, first place in the ISP category for ComputerWeek Strategist`s Best of Breed IT Awards, 2004, and eighth in the Top ICT Companies, 2005.
The company partners with major players such as Cisco, Microsoft, Oracle, BT and AT&T, and in 2002 was certified as a Cisco Managed Security Service Provider, the first and only company outside of the US to be awarded this accolade.
For more, visit us on www.is.co.za
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