Steve's Thoughts on Technology

LAYERED-THINKING HELPS JUSTIFY NETWORK UPTIME ASSURANCE

noreply@blogger.com (Steve's Thoughts on Technology) — Tue, 12 Feb 2008 19:41:00 +0000

Aka – Technology Maintenance Agreements

As network design and engineering professionals, it is peculiar to find ourselves in the role of insurance salespeople. But that’s where we seem to find ourselves now, every day.

A large part of our responsibility to our customers is to help them keep their networks, and the applications that ride them, up and running optimally. This job can be relatively easy or horribly complex, depending on a lot of factors. One of the most critical is a customer’s decision to invest in, or not invest in, UPTIME INSURANCE in the form of Technology Maintenance. I refer to this purchase as an investment in that, if managed correctly, it will always yield a return.

Many small-to-midsize businesses have trouble justifying annual costs for technology maintenance. When an entity chooses to not renew their maintenance agreements for software updates and failed equipment replacement, they put themselves at risk and they make the job of keeping the network up and optimized extremely difficult.

A great analogy to use is that of your car. Most of us don’t think twice about taking our cars in for oil changes and regular maintenance. Why? Because if we don’t we know there will be a much larger price to pay if the engine in our car fails.

A similar case can be made for your voice and data networking equipment, it’s just that it’s harder to quantify. The cost for rebuilding the engine in your car is very real and easy to consider. The loss of your network or your phone system for a day or 2 is not.

For many customers, as time marches on and their equipment keeps functioning, they lose perspective of their risks. Many customers will buy maintenance for the first few years of ownership. And then after making the investment for a few years without any incident to re-enforce the justification, they stop. “My system has been running for 3 years without fail. Why am I buying maintenance again?”

This logic is completely upside down. Using a layered-thinking approach can help justify the investment in technology maintenance. The longer your voice and data networking equipment runs without failure, the greater the chance for failure in the coming year. Combine this fact with the increasing risks from environmental factors, most notably inconsistent power which can wreak havoc on sensitive computer equipment. Add these factors to the relatively low costs for annual maintenance on most equipment. And then consider the inefficiencies of not having the most current releases of operating firmware on your networking equipment.

How do we make the claim that a Technology Maintenance purchase is an investment?

To my way of thinking, your Technology Maintenance purchase should always be coupled with a periodic (quarterly) review of your equipment “state” and performance. At Starnet Data, we also like to include periodic user and administrator training to create a more comprehensive Technology Maintenance option.

Most technology suppliers come out with 2-3 software updates per year. These software updates typically include bug fixes, performance enhancements and new features. Usually a quick review of the “Release Notes” on a new release can identify what benefits can be gained by applying.

For a nominal sum for most technologies, customers can provide their network a periodic boost in performance while also having protection against hardware failing.

Starnet Data is aware that many customers today need to cut costs. But for most enterprises today, the network is the heart of the business. When the network, or a component within, is not running optimally, productivity suffers. When a component is down the impact is significant.

If it’s hard to make the business case in your mind to purchase NETWORK UPTIME INSURANCE, please contact us. We have some programs we can offer to minimize the cost and cash-flow impact of protecting the heart of your business, providing you access to all software updates and onsite replacements within 4-24 hours, while including periodic network tune-ups.

We're Looking for Some Good Vendors

noreply@blogger.com (Steve's Thoughts on Technology) — Tue, 08 Jan 2008 22:25:00 +0000

In a previous writing, I shared my thoughts on how customers might make their technology selections. My premise was that customers should consider who they are purchasing the technology from and if that provider can insure that 6-12 months after installation they were receiving the return on the investment they were expecting.

In the same light, I thought I would write about how Starnet Data, as a Value Added Reseller, chooses the Vendor it decides to invest time and effort in, and whose technologies to recommend to our customers.

The decision criteria are not dissimilar.

For Starnet Data, the expectation of local ongoing engineering support is of utmost importance. This links directly to our Value Proposition to customers.

There are numerous products in the industry that we are consistently being introduced to. Many appear to have great feature sets and competitive price points. But, if we have no local engineering personnel from the vendor to interface with our engineering team, we are likely not interested.

Our value proposition is tied directly to our ability to maximize our customer’s return on their investments with us. As such, we must base our product selection criteria on vendor’s ability to provide what we need to enable us to deliver on that proposition.

To us a good vendor is one who not only offers strong price/performance value. But also one who has local engineers that can develop strong working relationships with ours.

One of the biggest detractors from Starnet Data considering a new vendor is one who looks for us to invest large sums of money on equipment and training at the onset of the relationship. I feel this is inappropriate. My reasons; the equipment becomes obsolete, the vendor changes reseller programs, the local sales and engineering teams change. This inevitably happens and in many cases the reasons for us wanting to partner in the first place are no longer in play.

The request from a vendor of Starnet Data to invest money upfront in the relationship is not the example of partnership we seek.

We want our vendors to recognize that we have been in business for 21 years and that our time is valuable. And that if we are willing to invest our time, should the prospective vendor really value the potential partnership with Starnet, that they should make their products and training available to us without charge.

I can understand the vendor argument that they do not want to waste time with partners who are just “kicking tires” and who have a very small probability of being successful with the product. And as such are looking for an investment to prove sincerity.

But, this test should be applied on a case-to-case basis. As for Starnet Data, because of our track record and successful partnership with our current vendors, our commitment to customer service by maintaining a large staff of competent and skillful engineers, and by our ability to identify numerous satisfied customers, we should be held to a different standard.

A vendor who cannot see our position is likely not one we would care to partner with as their focus would appear to be on short-term revenue opportunity as opposed to long-term reseller and end-user satisfaction. And, in direct contrast to our “value-proposition”.

-end-

Starnet Enters the Realm of Out-of-Band Management Solutions

noreply@blogger.com (Steve's Thoughts on Technology) — Mon, 15 Oct 2007 23:49:00 +0000

In our never-ending quest to bring relevant and valuable solutions to our customers, Starnet Data is pleased to announce a new partnership with MRV Communications of Chatsworth, CA to represent its leading-edge Out-Of-Band (OOB) Management solutions.

MRV’s OOB solutions will offer our customers the ability to effectively manage remote equipment (i.e., servers, network infrastructure devices) and environmental factors without the need of having remote personnel, even in the event of a primary network outage.

Out-of-Band Networking can be defined as “providing a central access point for operational and physical infrastructure control”.

Operational control refers to enabling remote connectivity to access equipment for remote diagnosis, to provide an alternate path to respond to network failures, and to provide control over equipment and power.

Physical infrastructure control refers to providing remote management personnel the ability to monitor and respond to a number of environmental conditions including temperature, humidity, physical security and disaster recovery.

Through the appropriate deployment of different combinations of MRV Console Servers, Power Management Devices and Media Cross Connect Technology, customers can improve service levels and reduce support costs under a variety of circumstances. These devices can eliminate the need for administrative personnel to be physically present to manage a device. Personnel can be minimized and centralized, and downtime can be reduced.

Numerous kinds of service related issues can now be addressed without the necessity of sending personnel to the remote location. With MRV solutions, our customers can decrease their risk of downtime by adding monitoring and recovery mechanisms to their support infrastructure. Quick detection and response can now be added to our customer’s ability to limit exposure and enable effective reaction to a variety of fault conditions.

As remote access to Out-of-Band management equipment is mandatory for functional performance, security is of utmost importance. MRV’s security is highly robust including support for SSH v2, RADIUS, SecureID, LDAP, TACACS+, PPP PAP/CHAP, PPP dial-back, user access lists and onboard database. And MRV’s console server is the industry’s first to meet the demanding U.S. Government FIPS 140 cryptographic security standard.

REMOTE CONSOLE PORT ACCESS

Offering secure dial-up access via either V92 modem or wireless GPRS, MRV’s LX Console servers provide robust console port connectivity options. In addition to highly secure access, CLI and rich GUI management interfaces, IP V6 support and NEBS Level compliance, the MRV LX console servers provide:

¨ Configurable ports for either serial port or sensor networking
¨ Automated event notification and response
¨ Programmable Trigger/Action capabilities

In the event of a primary network outage caused by equipment failure at the customer remote location, or in the event of a inaccessible network connection to a particular device, customers will now have access to managing these devices to bring them back on line.

Primary access to the OOB network itself is through the ‘Production Network’. However, in the event of a production network failure, dial-up access thru the PSTN or wireless GPRS network access provides an alternate path to connect to serially-manageable devices.

In addition to console port management, MRV’s LX series provides sensor input and control output to provide environmental monitoring and programmed response. MRV supports high-density wet and dry contact and analog loop sensors with control outputs. Sophisticated trigger/action control can be used for customizing specific organization control and notification requirements.

An example of an application that would be supported is monitoring temperature in a data center area and turning on an auxiliary air conditioner in the event a threshold is passed.

Increased security, lower risk and increased service levels are enabled by the deployment of MRV Remote Console Port Access technology.

REMOTE POWER MANAGEMENT

Accessible through the MRV LX Console server, are their Remote Power Management solutions. Designed to insure minimal operational downtime and to limit site visits, the MRV 5250 Power Control series products enable a rich set of features and capabilities including:

¨ Power cycle individual power outlets to remotely reboot servers or networking devices, anywhere in the world
¨ Group outlets by name, within a unit, or across multiple units
¨ Power Up sequencing, to prevent an in-rush power overload
¨ Input Current Monitor, to measure the aggregate current draw on each power circuit monitor using LED display or remotely
¨ Automated alerts through SNMP, pager, SMS

Using MRV Remote Power Management Solutions in conjunction with MRV Console Access Port solutions, our customers will now be able to:
¨ Combine power distribution and remote power management
¨ Have a single management port interface for service port management and remote power control
¨ Manage these devices through an intuitive GUI, via CLI or from an SNMP-based management platform
¨ Recover from software lockouts
¨ Activate standby equipment
¨ Shut down defective equipment
¨ Monitor power consumption for changes
¨ Audit power before adding equipment
¨ Eliminate inrush current after outages
¨ Maximize UPS runtime by shedding load
¨ Have the devices secured by industry leading security features including v2, RADIUS, SecureID, LDAP, TACACS+, PPP PAP/CHAP, PPP dial-back, user access lists and onboard database

MEDIA CROSS CONNECT

In specific scenarios, Media Cross Connect (MCC) technology can assist network management personnel in deploying and controlling test lab equipment, digital video distribution, and enterprise network monitoring.

MRV’s MCC technology can be defined as a modular and programmable patch panel system designed to support these applications by enabling a ‘wire once’ environment.

By controlling the patch panel port connectivity via software, either remotely or locally, network support personnel can now eliminate costly and time-consuming trips to the wiring closet to support the adds, moves and changes typically required to support these applications.

The solution supports a variety of physical interface options including --
¨ SFP
¨ XFP
¨ Fibre Channel
¨ T1/E1
¨ DS3/E3/STS-1
¨ Ethernet (10/100/1000)

In keeping with MRV’s design, the MCC products feature highly secure access options and a rich GUI interface for management.

In addition, the technology is available in both chassis-based and stand alone versions. The chassis version supports hot-swap architecture for blades, power supplies, management module, and transceivers.

The MCC technology integrates seamlessly with MRV’s REMOTE CONSOLE PORT ACCESS and REMOTE POWER MANAGEMENT providing customer’s a comprehensive Out-Of-Band Management solution from a single vendor.

In summary, Starnet Data is very excited to offer the MRV OOB products to its portfolio. We see numerous opportunities to help customers solve complex support issues and look forward to discussing potential uses for these products in your environments.

Visit http://www.starnetdata.com/

The Phenomenon of Technology Decay©

noreply@blogger.com (Steve's Thoughts on Technology) — Mon, 10 Sep 2007 21:56:00 +0000

Can It Be Appropriately Addressed By Mid-Market Solutions Providers?

All customers of high-technology solutions experience, to some degree, a phenomenon Starnet Data refers to as “Technology Decay”©.

Technology Decay© can be summarized as the diminishing rate of return on high technology investments (ROI) as the result of the declining performance of those investments, relative to the initial rate of return directly following implementation.

The causes of Technology Decay© are many and complex yet the measures to inhibit or prevent it are relatively simple. Despite the simplicity of these measures, most high-technology customers can point to specific and often significant cases of Technology Decay© within their organizations.

These causes are predominantly maintenance-related. These include the traditional ‘product’ maintenance measures (i.e., software versioning, hardware care, environmental factors). However, perhaps more importantly, the factors that lead to the greatest amount of declining rate of return on technology investments are people related. Most notably product use re-training, new training for new employees and re-synchronizing system design to meet the ever-changing market dynamics experienced by business and other users of high-technology solutions.

It should be evident that most technology implementations deliver their highest ROI directly following implementation. The need for the solution is clearly in play, the products are versioned correctly, the hardware is new, the training is fresh and the usage of the technology is mandated by management and supported efficiently by staff.

Over time, these factors all diminish. In many cases the technology solution is not maintained to a level that enables it to yield an optimum or even acceptable ROI, as compared to what the investment delivered directly following implementation.

Why is this costly phenomenon allowed to occur?

In most cases, the technology solution was initially purchased and implemented to either increase revenue by providing competitive advantage, or to reduce expense by improving efficiency. In some cases, the factor or condition that inspired the technology purchase is no longer in play and the interest of the organization in ‘maintaining’ the technology wanes. As a result, Technology Decay© occurs without significant justification to address it.

In most cases again, the condition or factor that inspired the initial purchase is still in play when Technology Decay© sets in, but it has been supplanted at the forefront of the organization’s mindset by more current issues. As a result, efforts to maintain the ROI on the technology investment lose mindshare. Technology Decay© then sets in at a cost to the organization far greater than the cost to inhibit or eliminate it.

Can Technology Decay© be addressed by today’s mid-market solution providers to aid their customers in realizing optimum rates of return on their investments over time?

Most certainly, with the correct focus and service deliverable offering.

For instance, at Starnet we have created a new voice communications solution to assist our customers to combat Technology Decay©. StarASSURE™ is designed to minimize the effects of Technology Decay© by prescribing a predefined set of services that are delivered over time, specifically designed to minimize both the technology and people related causes. StarASSURE™ is intended to assure our customers that they will earn the maximum rate of return on their technology investments over time. This solution includes prescribed ‘strategic’ maintenance services (i.e., onsite configuration review sessions, on-site training/re-training sessions, onsite system health and data backup visits) and ‘tactical’ technical support and problem resolution services.

This Blog is also available as a White Paper download under http://www.starnetdata.com/05/Downloads.html

What's the Best Phone System for Your Business?

noreply@blogger.com (Steve's Thoughts on Technology) — Thu, 30 Aug 2007 20:01:00 +0000

Usually, when Starnet Data engages with a new customer prospect, that prospect is likely to come the table with a preconceived idea as to which manufacturer or particular system is the “best” for them. This preconception is usually the result of a features analysis of the different products in the market or a referral from a trusted source. Our invitation to the table is many times only for validation.

As a long time purveyor of telephony technology, we can audaciously state a case that our customers are misinformed. While that may likely be the case, it is not necessarily for the reasons we might conclude.

What ultimately defines what the best telephony system is for your business? I would argue that this question could not be answered in the present tense.

My premise is that the best telephony system is the one that, after 6-12 months of operation, is consistently meeting your expectations in areas of performance, reliability and user adoption and can continue to do so and evolve as your business evolves.

In accepting my premise as accurate, the issue of what system is the best for you really lies in the business telephony provider’s capabilities in designing, delivering, installing and maintaining its performance at an optimum level over the long haul.

Note if the business telephony provider’s key analysis lies in understanding what factors contribute most to long-term performance, reliability and user adoption. I would argue these factors have nothing to do with features or phone design or any other typical criteria on which customers likely base their decision.

In the varied situations I have encountered, I have come across a few new service customers each month who had purchased the “right” system based on features alone, yet from an “incapable” dealer, are now seeking help. My belief is, had that customer purchased any system from a dealer who was able to maintain the system and the relationship to a reasonable degree, that the customer’s overall satisfaction would be higher despite any features deficiency.

I don’t mean to discount the importance of features, but I’m basing my point on a number of factors that would seem to lessen the importance of a protracted features comparison:

1) Experience, Product and Competitive Knowledge. Starnet Data has been installing, maintaining and managing phone systems for years and is well positioned in the industry, represents leading brands if not well versed in comparative features information. The brand we represent likely has, at a minimum 95%-98% of the features of the system towards which the prospect is leaning;

2) Minimal Features Differences (really). The difference in features among leading brands today is, in reality, very few and I would venture to say in the vast majority of instances, inconsequential. The “new” features last only as long as the next release offered by the competition (the leapfrog factor). Any advanced or significant feature differentiation comes into play in only a very small number of scenarios.

Assuming that telephony provider is an expert in maintaining the value and viability of the systems it represents over the long term, that they can guarantee that your phone system requirements and related business goals can be well served by their product and service, then the answer to the question is very straightforward.

What’s the best telephony system for you? The one that is reliable, supported and evolves with your business.

###

What a small business needs for affordable yet advanced business telephony.

noreply@blogger.com (Steve's Thoughts on Technology) — Mon, 27 Aug 2007 19:52:00 +0000

In Starnet Data's experience, running a small business in terms of manpower size does not necessarily equate to a simpler voice communications requirement. You don’t have to employ hundreds of employees or need more than 7 phone lines in order to have access to an advanced system that contributes to your business goal of dispensing excellent customer service with a state-of-the-art telephone system, or qualify for a payment arrangement.

Often, small business telephony needs are underserved because they have been conditioned by most telephony providers to stay within a limited features phone set. The rationale given is that they can not afford any of the full features they desire to get their business on the high technology edge of voice communications. Likewise, they are convinced that it would almost be “overkill” to do so.

There is some truth to the affordability angle and the “overkill” premise just serves to rationalize it. Most vendors of telephony have plans geared for huge businesses where they sell ongoing support and upgrades separately at huge costs. The small business customer is left with acquiring a system at a simple technology level and worse, likely stays at that level in the long term.

These are some of the common problems and obstacles small businesses have either with their current systems or when considering what they actually need:
1. Old technology. Antiquated voice and data communications systems that hinder productivity and the ability to compete in a market dominated by bigger competitors;
2. “Technology Decay©” – the phenomenon of declining return on investment due to inadequate system maintenance and lack of ongoing training;
3. Capital Outlay – Cash flow impact of investing in new technology; and
4. Downtime – the potential for downtime when implementing new technology.

Starnet Data has bridged the gap between acquisition of advanced communications and cost by designing StarASSURE™. This solution ensures that small business can have access to a totally managed voice communication solution without paying a huge cost up front.

StarASSURE™ is specifically designed to help small companies that:
· Require replacement of existing voice communications technology to a modern and efficient system but can’t afford the one time investment.
· Do not have a team that can adequately support the technology to enable its full potential.
· Do not want to worry about maintaining and supporting their communications systems over time.

The suite of services provided over the life of the StarASSURE™ agreement provides assurance that a customer’s monthly investment is maximized, which is the most relevant feature of the solution. It protects and optimizes your investment by eliminating the phenomenon of “Technology Decay©” where the performance of technology systems degrade over time without an element of ongoing support and the return on the technology investment is compromised.

Most of our small business customers find the StarASSURE™ solution components --- Advanced Technology, System Design & Implementation (turnkey installation) and Ongoing Investment Protection -- very relevant to their current requirements.

###