Thinking About Enabling Convergence - AT&T

Thinking About - Enabling Convergence: A Four Framework ____________________________________________________________________________________ 4Convergence and the DHL NetworkNetwork convergence isn’t an option for DHL Express, theovernight delivery arm of Deutsche Poste. It’s a necessity.Operating in 220 countries, the DHL global IP network isrun from three primary data centers in Arizona, Malaysiaand the Czech Republic.Every eight hours, command and control for all of thecompany’s global IP-based voice, data and video servicespasses from one data center to another. Each center hasthe same tools for operating the network in terms ofmanaging trouble tickets, as well as tracking the flow ofmillions of packages every day through numerousendpoints (around 300,000) and a highly mobile workforce.Tracking and tracing packages through the IP network ismore than a matter of simply ensuring that a customer canlook up the status of their order on the web. For theexpress delivery organization, being able to exchangeinformation and communications while packages are intransit is crucial for meeting delivery cut-off dates. Forexample, DHL uses information from its network to clearover 90% of its European packages with U.S. authoritieswhile the cargo plane is still in the air.Even so, digital information can only go so far. Authoritiescan ask the company to produce a physical package forinspection at any time. Given the fact that a transatlanticcargo jet typically carries about 90,000 lbs of packageswith an average weight of 2-4 lbs, being able to track andfind a particular package quickly is no trivial matter.“If you don’t have the capability to know where that onepackage is, it can take hours and we only have about 2-3hours to get material off a plane, sort it and re-route itto its final destination,” says Mr. Bandrowczak. “Soinformation is extremely critical.”To prepare for the transition to Services over IP, you should consider:• Creating an inventory to assess call flows and feature functionalityrequirements• Consider the level of interoperability that exists across your existingcommunications infrastructure – and how much you may need toexpand interoperability to deliver services over IP• Developing a multi-year IP communications evolution plan to alignyour technology capabilities with your organization objectives anddeliver consistent global performance• How much of the job you wish to take on within your organization,and how much you can purchase as a managed service from anoutside providerConvergence in Your OrganizationThe enhanced integration and interoperation made possible byconvergence are very much worth the effort. Convergence todayis a fundamental strategic concept for IT leaders. As you plan yourorganization’s convergence strategy, consider these four convergencefocal points. These are not sequential steps. Rather they are compasspoints of opportunity. We hope that they will help you direct yourorganization toward the opportunities of the future.This is one in a series of five papers AT&T has developed to helporganizations with their convergence decisions – to provide insightinto the “how to” of convergence and examine the practical issuesyour organization must overcome as you integrate convergedcommunications into your organization operations.About AT&T Government SolutionsEvery day, thousands of experienced AT&T Government Solutionsprofessionals go beyond expectation, deploying visionary solutionsthat serve our citizens, defend our nation and prepare for the future.We serve the federal government as a trusted provider, backed by aproven performance record in delivering mission-enabling solutions.Fusing our core networking capabilities and our professional servicesexpertise along with innovation from AT&T Labs, we are driven tomeet the toughest agency demands today, while establishing a pathto emerging technologies.Underpinning every solution we build are the global resources andassets of one of the largest providers of communications servicesin the world. Our dynamic service management tools, advancedtechnology and an experienced staff modernize operations andenhance our customers’ experience, enabling agencies to focuson their mission — not their IT challenges.For more information contact:AT&T Government Solutions1900 Gallows RoadVienna, VA 22182www.att.com/govReferences1. “Competing through Convergence,” survey by Economist IntelligenceUnit and AT&T, p. 5. ©2005 AT&T.2. Ibid., p. 1.3. 2005 Enterprise VPN Adoption Trends, Oct 11, 2005 ForresterResearchTo learn more about our full array of products and services, contact yourAT&T Client Business Manager at: 1.800.862.0926 or www.att.com/gov.© 2006 AT&T Knowledge Ventures. All rights reserved. 05/05/06 TS-0199