The CXO’s guide to modern network management

Recently I posed nine ideas on how to be more effective business telecom professionals - ideas that apply to advisors, suppliers, and end users. I'd like to continue on this theme, but this time I'll focus on the management challenges posed by new technologies.In case you've been away for a few years and have just come down from the mountains, here is an overview of the big changes - an update of some ideas my business partner Ian Angus and I worked up a couple of years ago. It's important to understand how these shifts affect you and your organization.1. Connections. In the era of proprietary hardware, only the vendor's authorized devices could be connected. But now everyone is hooking up everything: we can choose from an amazing variety of gadgets that can plug in just about anywhere. Not to mention the world of wireless, gateways, SIP, interoperability, and do-it-yourself Wi-Fi networks. More devices. Organizations now have inventory and cost-control nightmares; infrastructure road maps are starting to become more prevalent.2. Applications. Until recently, telecom and network applications were inseparable from the hardware they were installed in. We're now moving into an era of platform-independent applications, and the shift to software-based systems is escalating. More features. Organizations struggle to sort out application feature differences, models, ‘overlays'. And many struggle to keep control of software installations and establish clear lines of responsibility for the intersecting worlds of software and hardware. Rumble in the jungle.3. Life Cycles. Product and service offerings continue to change frequently, and product life cycles are much shorter than they used to be. More innovation. But few organizations have the internal expertise and resources to plan, acquire, implement and manage the right mix. ROI or TCO? RFP or face-to-face? Forklift or gradual replacement? Do it yourself, co-source, or outsource?4. Suppliers. Traditionally strong suppliers are struggling, many suppliers have gone through mergers, some are for sale, and new smaller niche players are springing up like mushrooms. More choices. But there is still no sure way to predict which companies will thrive, which ones will fail, which ones will be merged out of existence. And that applies not only to the start-ups, but to the veteran giants of networking.5. Organization. Converging voice and data staff is well advanced. Better co-ordination. The critical issue is not how you organize the work, but how you ensure that internal and external customers are served well. Has the level of quality really risen that much? Can customers get help without understanding your org chart?6. Control. Many companies have one person who has final responsibility for all networking issues - someone with the responsibility, authority, and ability to manage them. A new breed of CXO. Central control. But more often, authority is not centralized. The buck has to stop somewhere, but all too often it's still bouncing around. Who is in charge?7. Change. Long ago, networks moved out of the back office, from "enabling business" to actually delivering services. Greater importance. But this shift worked only if the business leadership understood and promoted the change. Often, the organization as a whole isn't committed to innovative change. And the new breed of workers - and customers - will demand it. Or they'll just move on to someone else.8. Money. Most groups still face intense pressure to reduce costs. And new technology is marketed with the promise it will reduce expenses or maximize value. Save money. But such cost-saving promises are rarely realized in life. Meanwhile, many organizations have had to cut, and the cuts are severely limiting their ability to deal with change. Do you still try to do ‘more with less', or are you beginning to realize that it should be ‘more with more'?Two years ago I happened to meet British actor John Cleese (of Monty Python fame). He was funny; he was profound. He said that most people spend too much time racing around, striving for efficiency. It's like the old proverb, he said: "Sleep faster, we need the pillows." According to Cleese, we should be spending more time examining situations and understanding their contexts, instead of driving for quick answers.Here's my take: New networking technologies guarantee that the context is more complicated than we think."On the Line" is written by Henry Dortmans, president of Angus Dortmans Associates. Henry welcomes comments and suggestions. Send an email to henry@angusdortmans.ca or call him at (416) 849-2896. For information on consulting services, seminars, and speeches, visit http://www.angusdortmans.ca/.

The CXO’s guide to modern network management

News | April 10, 2007

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