Transcript
ANDREW DILLANE
On the strategic relevance of IT p.7
NILPA SRIVASTAVA
Wireless data becoming a viable option for many SMBs p.21
January/ February 2013 VOLUME 4 NUMBER 1 www.itincanada.ca
CANADA’S TECHNOLOGY RESEARCH AUTHORITY
FORECAST 2013: NEW VIEWS ON TECH TRENDS
Compliments of
TECHNOSPECTIVE
ON NETWORKING & COMMUNICATIONS
By Mary Allen
CONNECTIVITY PARRY AND THRUST What good is a cloud that drifts into view but just out of reach?
N
etworking and communications have served as the backbone of IT operations since the advent of distributed computing and the Internet, but new trends are reinforcing the critical role of communications. While the anytime, anywhere demands of the mobile revolution are marching from the consumer realm into virtually all business applications, cloud computing is aggregating content to drive further need for new levels of dynamic, remote access. These demands are drawing
the more creative connectivity players into new territory – new technology, products and services and a new way of thinking about markets. Arguably, the most dynamic shifts are occurring within the service provider community. If “cutting the cord” through a shift to IP communications means cost and productivity savings for the end user, declining wireline service revenues have required new business models of the provider, which is simultaneously
barraged by massive increases in data traffic, changing user mode preferences, ongoing need for investment in bigger, more reliable networks and growing price competition introduced by recent CRTC decisions that allow foreign investment. How is this group responding? As our expert commentators have outlined, providers are taking full advantage of the growing convergence of IT and telecom to launch multiple products that can service increasing access/collaboration
Big data will be a growth area in the short and long term. Whether it’s a machine-to-machine (M2M), enterprise voice or managed WiFi service, our growth opportunity lies in our ability to layer value added services on top of data networks. This means that we will not solely provide ‘connectivity’ – we will with customers collect and analyze data that they can use to make strategic decisions to improve business operations and customer engagement. Increased access to more reliable, resilient, faster networks across the country will inspire our business customers to think about new ways to leverage wireless technology. Previously, customers would have had to install infrastructure to support business productivity applications. Access to better networks means business productivity applications and data securely store stored in the ‘cloud’ can be accessed on tablets and smartphones quickly, anytime, anywhere. Whether it’s an M2M application or an in-store system, better networks present an opportunity for cost savings and more efficient operations. Larry Baldachin, senior VP, business segment, Rogers Communications
Many communications service providers are focusing on collecting data on individual consumer behavior (usage habits) vs. household. There will be much more emphasis on data collection and use of advanced analytics in order to more effectively respond to individual customers’ needs. With product marketing, this may involve activities such as location-based advertising, targeted advertising and contextual advertising. Small and medium business is traditionally the most difficult market to serve from the perspective of product development, and sales and support. New technologies are opening powerful opportunities for this segment. As an example, Unified Communications is becoming a must-have product. Business customers expect to be connected, with full access to their office-like applications and information wherever they may be – at home, on a business trip, or on vacation. Enabling this level of connectivity requires comprehensive solutions often involving multiple technologies such as connected devices and cloud solutions. Zoran Stakic, CIO, Shaw Communications Inc. Copyright 2013. IT IN CANADA, 24-4 Vata Court, Aurora, ON L4G 4B6, Tel: 905-727-4091 www.itincanada.ca
NETWORKING & COMMUNICATIONS
expectations. While TELUS expects to invest in cloud and network security as well as new 3G, 4G and WiFi services to manage M2M communications, Rogers senior business VP Larry Baldachin also sees good growth opportunity in the Big Data explosion (including enterprise voice, M2M and managed WiFi) and the “layer of value added services on top of data networks,” such as data analysis or mobile device management. According to Shaw Communications CIO, Zoran Stakic, segmenting and marketing mobile data app services to the individual
consumer (rather than household) through advanced analytics, and the continued development of UC and collaboration solutions for the SMB will be key, while Primus intends to continue building next gen business solutions that provide low latency bandwidth, support BYOD, and offer improved accessibility as well as hosted cloud solutions. If the service provider segment is moving beyond delivery of the ‘pipe’, networking equipment providers are undergoing similar transformation to respond to the
TECHNOSPECTIVE
demands of cloud and mobility. A major shift into network virtualization, which automates the allocation of bandwidth channels to different servers/devices in real time, has been a critical piece in the operation of cloud environments. Many vendors, including the organizations represented here, have developed or are working on the concept of software-defined networking, where data traffic is ‘shaped’ – prioritized, blocked or channeled – from a centralized control console that allows administrators very granular control and
While no one expects the economy to recover suddenly, the real challenge many network equipment vendors will face is increasingly sceptical customers who are unconvinced that continuing to do things in the traditional way when it comes to their network needs will help them move their businesses forward. Customers are actually more willing to try new technologies, but anyone who fails to prove the claims they are making, or who thinks customers will continue to purchase and deploy network technology in the same way they used to, is going to find 2013 a very tough year. Regan McGrath, VP, worldwide sales, Brocade
I do want to add that users will use their mobile devices increasingly for “smart” applications involving data transfer, social networking, video, and other forms of collaboration. They’ll need advanced devices and data plans to support such usage. Conversely, wired voice telephony dropped in status over the past 5-10 years as mobility overtook it in importance to enterprise customers. It’s not going away, however, since nearly all office workers continue to require a desk phone or IP (virtual) equivalent. Still, in terms of productivity, the IP phone has “cut the cord” from the office desk – employees can use their IP or virtual IP phones from any location. This facilitates flexible work arrangements and more efficient use of corporate real estate such as TELUS Workstyles. David Weiss, VP, solutions development and enterprise marketing, TELUS
Recent [CRTC] decisions regarding foreign ownership in Canada will open the door to a rapid rate of investment in the telecom sector. These investments will produce a very different landscape in the next 12-24 months through the development and proliferation of new technology that was in the past not previously available, or out of reach from a pricing perspective, to many Canadian businesses. Solutions that enterprises have been taking advantage of for years will become more ubiquitous in the SMB space, such as MPLS, Ethernet Services, and more rapid adoption of hosted and cloud based solutions. Customers have more choice, and potentially see more value from better pricing and customization, which in turn could drive higher bandwidth demands. In addition, wireless data will become a viable option for many small businesses, allowing them to operate in a fully mobile environment. Nilpa Srivastava, VP, Primus Business Services
Copyright 2013. IT IN CANADA, 24-4 Vata Court, Aurora, ON L4G 4B6, Tel: 905-727-4091 www.itincanada.ca
TECHNOSPECTIVE ON NETWORKING & COMMUNICATIONS the ability to dynamically change switch rules when necessary. According to Cisco Canada president, Nitin Kawale, “SDN is still in a very embryonic stage of development,” and while service providers may be ahead of the game, “realistically, enterprises are approximately three to seven years away from adoption of SDN.” By adopting “an incremental approach,” however, that ultimately integrates SDN solutions at the infrastructure, control plane and application layers, HP Canada VP, networking, Ron Fuller believes companies can use SDN to begin to build the new flexibility needed to manage networking in
multi-tenanted cloud architectures. These kinds of advances in networking technology, combined with enhanced connectivity in next-generation cell and WiFi networks, is stimulating new definitions of the ‘networked community’. Extending beyond the LAN or WAN of yesteryear, this community could encompass, as Doug Lindner, director, systems engineering, Juniper Canada, describes it, the mobile subscription user – both human and machine – or a more tightly defined, campus concept. As Kawale noted: “It’s time to rethink the purpose of our communities” and
take advantage of enhanced broadband and IT-enabled connectivity to provide new levels of group services. A leader in visioning the technology use case, Cisco has demonstrated initiatives to connect specific communities – municipal infrastructure systems, for example, for better energy management, eGovernment digital kiosks for more citizen services, collaboration systems to push training and healthcare benefits to remote locations, and connected buildings to create more productive workspaces – while simultaneously defining new market opportunities for the network and networking providers.
Many enterprises are unable to create business innovation because of aging networking environments. Network design and architectures have remained largely unchanged for more than a decade. While applications and systems have evolved to meet the demands of a world where real time rules, the underlying network infrastructure has not kept pace. As companies move to cloud and other computing environments, manual configuration of networks through command-line interface (CLI) coding has proven to be error prone, as well as time and resource intensive. Softwaredefined networks (SDN) point products offer a centralized control plane, but fall short by not enabling automated configuration of network infrastructure or providing SDN applications to roll out new services for campus and branch networks. This incomplete approach creates complexity and unnecessary manual coding requirements. Ron Fuller, Vice President, networking, HP Canada
Frankly, the technology is available to build what we can dream. We are working on real implementation that will transform citizen engagement through interactive signage and kiosks, enhancing life’s experiences. We are working on innovative Remote Government Services Kiosks that will deliver government services through a network of distributed user-friendly technology-enabled kiosks, eliminating the need to travel to dedicated government buildings that consume too many resources and are inefficient to operate. We are working on the delivery of education and healthcare in the farthest corners of our country, serving remote and underserved communities through advanced video and collaboration technologies in remote and mobile service centers. Nitin Kawale, president, Cisco Canada
If we agree that the freedom that mobility brings to the network user has fueled the growth in network subscriber attachment, it would not seem a stretch to consider that any service that improves upon this freedom will be adopted in fast fashion. Perhaps the most obvious service would be the expansion of entertainment services over mobile infrastructures where consumer interests in the immediate access to entertainment sources remain very high. Perhaps a not so obvious service is in the machine-to-machine (M2M) space where the very devices themselves will require information, exchange telemetry and enact control from other machine-based sources. Several examples of M2M application are in-car information centers, fleet management systems, home automation solutions, security and surveillance systems, not to forget about some very common systems we’re already familiar with like e-Readers and tablet computers that leverage 3G and LTE technologies. When the possibilities of these applications are considered, the sheer potential of M2M to influence our day-to-day life experiences is tremendous. Doug Lindner, director, systems engineering, Juniper Canada
Copyright 2013. IT IN CANADA, 24-4 Vata Court, Aurora, ON L4G 4B6, Tel: 905-727-4091 www.itincanada.ca
