Shhh… It's a secret! Third Party Maintenance

Ever find out about something new only to find out that it wasn't really new at all? Not only that, but that many before you had made the discovery and were already reaping the benefits.   That's fine, as Alexander Pope said:  "Be not the 1st by which a new thing is tried, nor the last to lay the old aside."  So, rather than lamenting over what cannot be reclaimed, I have come to embrace that I am now blessed with the ability to take advantage of it and can't wait to share the news with others, who like me were previously in the dark.

For years I had been working with customers and encouraging them to make sure to keep their equipment warrantied by the manufacturer.  Advising them "Don't go on the tightrope without a net."  The risks to the business were too critical. 

Fast forward to today.  80% of our customers IT budgets are spent to maintain status quo and a large portion of this it tied to vendor maintenance.  That leaves only 20% of their budgets available to bring on new applications that enable the organizations to take advantage of the technologies and services I offer.  Technologies and services that can bring about transformation of their businesses.   In trying to solve this conundrum for our customers and help them to recognize the benefits of revitalizing their organizations through improved communications services, I stumbled upon Third Party Maintenance (TPM).  These TPM Services offer lower cost technical support for the key vendor offerings.  I am talking substantially reduced rates with easier administration because they are provided through a single source.   So we have centralized contract and support administration.  Yes, Virginia there is a Santa Claus!  The same technical support for products and applications, hardware replacement, patching, etc.  So how is it that I never knew about this?  Well reality is that the Vendors are never going to share this information, they count on maintenance dollars.  Many sell hardware just to get the maintenance.  So, and unless you were among the select group of companies using these services by these exclusive organizations, you didn't realize it.  Recently however, Gartner, Forrester and IDC² all published articles on the topic and so the secret is out.  Savings can be achieved in a number of key areas:

1.       Lower Hardware Replacement costs

2.       Reduced TAC (Technical Assistance Centers) - Live help

3.       Eliminated Software Support costs

4.       Extended refresh cycles on hardware and software

This is really good news for all of us.  These saving can be used to accomplish a number of key initiatives such as funding for: 

1.       Outsourcing IT to a managed service  - allowing exiting staff to refocus on core competencies and project completion

2.       New technology introduction (SPB/SDN) that will enable faster, non-disruptive new application introduction

3.       New applications that improve business processes and revitalize communications

4.       Additional staffing, enabling project completion

Now, "any change, even for the better is always accompanied by drawbacks and discomforts¹".

For example: 

Quality Concerns:  Some will be will be fearful that they will not get the same levels and quality of service.   This was my initial concern, but having investigated this a bit, and seeing organizations such as Walt Disney, I was put at ease.  Disney does NOT accept lower quality service, I suspect that it is actually better.
 

Vendor Resistance:  Guaranteed, you will hear resistance and pushback from the Vendors.  No doubt, your Cisco Rep is NOT going to be happy to see you cut off SmartNet (Smart for them, expensive for you).   Maybe a few less Box Tickets to your favorite sporting events.

Refresh Policies:  You may also need to redo some long engrained policies around hardware refresh.   But Gartner/Forrester/IDC are all saying the same thing:  Why replace equipment that is performing the exact same function it was when purchased and that is still working, has an MTBF (Mean Time Before Failure) of 15+ Years?²

So, consider a change that will allow you to be the hero to the team, because you will be able to say yes to some of the projects on hold for budget, and can help your organization begin its transformation.

¹ Arnold Bennett

² Challenging the Status Quo on Maintenance Contracts and Refresh Cycles to Lower Costs

What Exactly is the Internet of Things?

Internet of Things/Internet of Anything/BYOT (Bring Your Own Thing)?  Pick one.  They all work.

I apologize in advance for the excessive use of alphabet soup acronyms, it is the way of the industry.  If you don't know what they are, Wikipedia is a good start.

What exactly is the Internet of Things?  It is a world where IP addresses are applied to non-traditional network devices that allows them to be controlled by network management (Software Define Networking/SDN).  It is kind of humorous, but a perfect example is seen in YouTube videos that people post.  Videos of them watching their pets on their PC's/Smart Phones, doing the oddest things while they are away via IP cameras installed in their homes.

All this is done is being transmitted over the Internet.  Your turn. You think of something you'd like to do.  How about being able to check your groceries in when placing them into your refrigerator or freezer, track the contents and create recipes based on what you have on hand?

Yes, you could correlate what you have in your cupboards to recipes on the Internet, even tie them to your diet preferences (Gluten Free, Dairy Free, Low Fat, Low Carb, and Weight Watchers) and voila!  You now have a meal based on what you have on hand, or even, create a shopping list based on what you have used.  No longer do you need to call some to check to see if you need milk, etc.  You just login to your home and check to see if there is milk in your refrigerator.

Far-fetched?  Not really.  The capabilities exist today.  The concept of tying your devices to  a network (home or office) and the Internet and then doing a Mashup¹ to combine the information with other information available on the Internet to create useful usable knowledge from information.

Another example is aligned with the PoE+ standards.  PoE+ (Power over Ethernet)  The updated IEEE 802.3at-2009[7] PoE standard also known as PoE+ ² that allows devices that are not traditionally considered network devices (lights, HVAC [*Heating/Ventilation/Air Conditioning], water heaters, refrigeration, and other devices) to be IP enabled and thus monitored and controlled by standard network protocols (Ethernet/IP(Internet Protocol)/SNMP (Simple Network Management Protocol)).

Beyond this there is the draft-unbehagen-11dp-spb-00, dated December 31, 2014, that speaks to an extension of the RFC 6329³ to allow Auto Attachment of devices to an SPB (Shortest Path Bridged Network 802.1aq)⁴ network using the LLDP (Link Layer Discovery Protocol- 802.1AB)⁵.  This means that dumb devices, like unto Wireless Access Points (APs), Cameras, LED Lighting, etc. could be provisioned to use the existing protocols as defined by the IEEE Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers) to attach to a network and securely connect to the appropriate services.

What it means to businesses?  A worker or person (perhaps your Grandmother) that knows nothing about networking can connect these devices to an Ethernet port and it will auto-provision.

I promise you I am not purposely intending to confuse you by using all these acronyms.  

Once connected to the network these devices can be remotely monitored and controlled by a person or persons that is authorized to do the provisioning.  It is all there, pre-built and it makes complete sense.  Every day, new devices are being added to the list of IP/Internet enabled devices can connect to an Ethernet PoE+ switch, get power and automatically join the network and be securely managed.

Over the next few years, you can expect to hear about smart buildings that have very low power consumption (PoE+) partly due to the use of lighting products that are comprised of LEDs that require minimal power and phones and devices that connect to the Ethernet switches to get power an allow control.   These smart buildings will be able to be fully automated via software to meet the needs of the tenants, while maximizing the efficiency and customizing the facilities to meet the specific needs of the occupants.   I am looking forward to the day when every office has its own climate control.

Ordinarily, my immediate concern would be for security, but thanks to SPB (802.1aq & RFC 6329) these networks can be stealth networks (read that as invisible) and therefore inaccessible to malevolent probing entities.  The Access Control will be defined in Software Profiles (SDN -Software Defined Networks).  So, the access to the network and control will be restricted to those users on approved devices, having the proper security profiles.   No hijacking of the network, no ransoms.

Tomorrow is a whole new world, and with the IOT and BYOT (Bring Your Own Thing) you will find happier employers and employees.  No longer will a bright, talented worker arrive at an organization only to receive two year old technology.  Instead, they will bring their computing device of choice (MAC, Android, Windows, and Linux) to the job and it will attach to the network with a profile that grants it access to only those records that are necessary to perform their duties.

The companies will no longer have to concern themselves with the capital and operational expenditures for PCs, Phones, Tablets, etc.  Each user will bring their own (they may need to provide some monitors and/or universal docking stations).  Cabling will be minimized, also reducing costs.  As WiFi matures and we move into 802.11ac Phase 2, speeds and densities will be sufficient to untether our users and allow them to work….where ever:  Where ever they are, on whatever device they choose, using whatever mode they prefer (Text/IM, Voice, Video, Immersive Collaboration).

So, let your imagination go and imagine what Thing you will attach.

The IoT Playbook for Wireless LAN

References:  
¹ "A mashup, in web development, is a web page, or web application, that uses content from more than one source to create a single new service displayed in a single graphical interface. 

From <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mashup_(web_application_hybrid)> "
² PoE plus, provides up to 25.5 W of power.[8] The 2009 standard prohibits a powered device from using all four pairs for power.[9]

From <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Power_over_Ethernet> 
³ RFC 6329 - An IETF Standards Track defining the extensions to the IS-IS standards for Shortest Path Bridging 802.1aq using SPBM (MAC-in-MAC 802.1ah) and SPBV (Virtual LANs).
⁴SPB (Shortest Path Bridged Network 802.1aq) - IETF Standard that defines shortest path forwarding in a mesh Ethernet network using multiple equal cost paths.
⁵LLDP Link Layer Discovery Protocol, an IEEE Standard for LAN/MAN Media Access Control Connectivity Discovery

From <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Institute_of_Electrical_and_Electronics_Engineers> 

⁶SDN is an evolving standard based on both Open Flow/Open Stack that allows centralized control to network access.  Specific deployment options vary from Vendor to Vendor.  SDN is championed by numerous organizations including ONF (Open Networking Foundation), IEEE, Avaya, HP, Sun, etc.