Getting the right infrastructure
Driven by low-cost high-speed connectivity, open standards and the need for security, the digital networked economy has arrived. But to get the benefits, you need to ask tough questions. Such as, is your network really integrated?
We have entered the age of the digital networked economy. This has created new opportunities, heightened expectations and redefined the way businesses are organised.
The digital networked economy's tentacles are everywhere. We do things differently: the phone directory is unless now, and thankfully, we don't have to pore over albums of our friends' holiday snaps. We've gone digital. But what about business?
Infrastructure - the fundamental building block
In this competitive digital world, a 21st century business continuously requires:
- a reliable, secure and global network
- connectivity to that network for everyone
- access to business critical information
|
Can many organisations say they have met all those requirements? No! But they must, in order to join the digital networked economy. To succeed, organisations require a flexible, cost-effective, reliable and secure network infrastructure - the passport to the digital networked economy.
Today, that passport will be a single integrated Internet Protocol (IP) infrastructure. Such a network protects existing investments, lowers management costs and brings greater flexibility. The end result - a fully-wired organisation.
Opportunities and challenges in a complex world
Unfortunately, like most revolutions, there are challenges as well as opportunities. Yes, organisations reap benefits, but just as companies are busy collating information about customers, the reverse is true. With Customer Relationship Management (CRM) technologies becoming more sophisticated, information exchange has reached dangerous heights.
But it is not just a matter of secure data. The consolidation of networks, fuelled by mergers and acquisitions, has brought more complex infrastructures. That has meant higher support costs and, worse, delays in rolling-out critical business applications. Users want more and receive less.
The enabler - an effective partnership
The answer? A flexible, cost effective, reliable and secure IT network infrastructure can remove complexity. And if you can create an infrastructure that supports business goals (everyone is talking, applications reach everyone without delay), the result is â?¦ increased revenues.
Many organisations are considering outsourcing their communications infrastructure. One option is to hand over total responsibility to a third party. Then, as your business grows, so does your network. But someone else has the headaches.
A competitive edge
The final goal is membership of the digital networked economy. If you succeed, your business is ready to deal with increasing customer demands and your employees can be more innovative. Opportunities will abound for your business to take on the global marketplace.
How BT can take you to the digital networked economy
- provides a range of outsourced services, over a consolidated network to agreed levels of performance
- helps organisations migrate existing network systems whilst protecting existing investments
- offers a range of Business Continuity and Security propositions and services that address today's complex risk management issues
BT in the digital networked economy- global service contracts worth four billion euros supported by 20,000 professionals
- one of the world's leading Multi-Protocol Label Switching (MPLS) networks and one of the largest European IP networks
- appointed by Unilever to supply and manage its world-wide infrastructure across 103 countries
|
More information on BT's sustainability award
