Advocating multi-vendor infrastructure
Proprietary networking arguments are weaker than ever, notes Manish Sablok
The multiple-vendor infrastructure is simpler, cheaper and better than most may think. Many organisations have been wrong to simply accept that locking into deals around a single vendor's networking products is the best approach.
Some vendors have become adept at creating an environment where their clients believe the best infrastructure is one completely supplied by them. In truth, as organisations have to support the rapid consumerisation of IT across the enterprise, businesses with single-vendor networks are missing opportunities because procurement, integration and training are largely pre-determined.
Capital cost savings from moving to a multi-vendor infrastructure can work out at 30 to 50 per cent, and maintenance cost savings from 40 to 95 per cent, depending on the contract.
And despite a common misconception, complexity and manageability can also be improved by moving to a multi-vendor environment.
Implementing proprietary systems not only locks your customers into future hardware deployments, it also limits the software and applications that you can deploy throughout the enterprise network. And this is at a time when new devices and applications are flooding onto the corporate network.
Whether it is in implementing a new core that needs to have a unified OS throughout every switching layer, a web app that needs to run vXML, or a media addition such as video, openness should pervade the infrastructure.
The benefits are such that everything will soon be rated for its openness, as well as its RoI. If something cannot be easily integrated with other elements within the infrastructure – legacy or in future – it does not have long-term value.
The biggest barrier to change here is a belief that present vendor certification prohibits a technology specialist from being able to work with other vendor systems. In reality, the skills of staff managing the network may translate easily to different environments.
These employees often do not realise how little additional knowledge they need to flourish in a multi-vendor environment. Most vendors will offer delta training on their systems, and because of the technical similarities between different systems this additional training is usually minimal.
Network management is crucial in becoming more resilient and to enable networks to dynamically adapt to a multi-application environment. Managing different applications and devices requires comprehensive management tools that can oversee everything, and then allow network managers to act on notifications.
You need to tune the network performance dynamically, based on a whole-network view, with different users and applications. This ensures high-quality, real-time application delivery. It also simplifies administration.
The core is not the place to start ripping and replacing. But if you need to update the heart of your customer's network, you are in a great position to look at a more efficient approach to data switching.
Most enterprises should start with the periphery when moving to a multi-vendor environment. This is also where a single-vendor approach may be less effective or more expensive.
Mobility and portability are hot trends right now, which will expand the network further by adding new applications, protocols and remote access points. All these additions need to be integrated into the network, and it is advisable to do this through "best-of-breed" access systems.
With real-time applications such as video or voice, look at the communications platform and management of bandwidth requirements. Consultancy, once again, is key, and consider doing an open proof-of-concept.
Manish Sablok is head of marketing for Northern Europe at Alcatel-Lucent