End of an era

By Jordi Nelissen, Escaux

The evolution to unified communication is omni-present and has come to a point of no return. Amongst other trends, telecom will evolve into fully IP based networks. This is a key-enabler to dramatically change what communication and collaboration means for organisations.

A new wave of IT-based applications will be deployed and will benefit from this IP-based infrastructure to integrate Video, IM and a range of other collaboration and communication services. Integration of these applications will happen on premises, such as CRM or e-mail, and with in-the-cloud applications, such as mobile or professional collaboration networks.

So how does this affect organisations’ requirements? The choice of the solution becomes a strategic business decision. It needs to accommodate the conflicting demand for new services and features, while delivering cost savings.

Freedom of choice, now and in the future, is a critical criterion. The trap of so-called ‘open’, but de facto proprietary solutions needs to be avoided. The IT infrastructure will not only have to cope with local or in-the-cloud integration, it will also have to handle an accelerated arrival of new applications. Time-to-market of new services and upgrades needs to be as short as possible.

The focus must be on identifying and managing the services for end users, without the time wasted on detailed technical tasks.

Most common models

Today, the industry deploys two widely used solutions: the on-premises ‘sort it out yourself’ model and the hosted ‘managed’ model. Both models have significant limitations with respect to the identified requirements.

The first solution is the on-premises or ‘ sort it out yourself’ model, which involves a manual set-up, configuration and maintenance of all applications on a variety of dedicated servers. When new applications are added, this leads to an exponential complexity, as the integration and set-up is dependent on manual processes, handled by certified engineers. They are in charge of the delivered quality through a self-constructed SLA. Upgrades are equivalent of a full re-installation. As a result, most organisations do not perform upgrades on a frequent basis and systems become out-dated.

The hosted ‘managed’ model saves the company from the hassle of support and maintenance. Nevertheless, it is a model with standard features and does not accommodate the individual needs of companies requiring more flexibility or the need for local IT back-office integration. For many customers, it is a key security concern to be on a shared platform.
Although, this is sometimes chosen by small companies, it is not a feasible solution for enterprises and larger organisations, who want to control their own applications and services.

In conclusion, the solutions described above do not meet all the set requirements. But the hybrid model described below does.

The ESCAUX Hybrid Model

The Hybrid Model combines the full flexibility of the on-premises model with all the services offered by the managed model and is completely based on open standards. It consists of a services centre and a set of identical appliances that run all applications.
The appliances are installed in a frictionless way, within the organisation and across different sites if desired.

The services centre takes care of many tasks, such as the creation of services, the delivery of software, the monitoring of appliances, the reporting of SLA, etc. This happens in an industrialised way. Changes or additions – new users, applications, software or sites – are done through a unified and systematic approach. At any time, services and appliances can be re-produced without manual intervention or dependency on certified engineers. This way, organisations keep full visibility and control over the entire solution. Although it is not a must, the service centre is usually installed in a dedicated hosting centre for security reasons and to facilitate integration with in-the-cloud services. Another advantage is that it allows for a full integration with mobile operators.

The Hybrid Model solution complies with all the identified requirements. The total cost of ownership is significantly lower, while ensuring superior services now and in the future.

About the author

As one of the founders and COO of ESCAUX, Jordi Nelissen’s guiding motif is to design and build frictionless products and services enabling the creation of an unmatched managed service infrastructure. Prior to ESCAUX, Jordi acquired enormous operational and technical experience in senior positions at Belgacom, COLT and Alcatel.