As more and more businesses seek to
build their mission critical business solutions on IP networks,
networking providers must examine corporate requirements for electronic
commerce using the Internet, intranets, and extranets. Businesses
crave the ease of use IP technology promises their companies-to
take advantage of the extra benefits, features, enhancements and
cost savings that IP technology can provide them.
So, why not use the
public Internet to conduct business? Because today's corporations
recognize the crucial difference that separates the public Internet
from a private IP network-IP networking is more reliable, more
secure and more accountable. And in order to obtain those levels
of security, reliability, and accountability, corporations are
turning to networking providers to develop IP solutions for their
businesses.
This isn't a surprising
trend. It's the natural evolution of the technology over the next
three to five years. In fact, general Internet industry trends
can be segmented into three stages.
1. IP Access
In the short term, IP access will be the hot area-businesses
giving their constituents easy access to the 'net. Industry surveys
show that companies are increasing the amount of dedicated IP
access they purchase.
2. Intranets on Virtual IP Networks
The next stage for businesses will be the move to virtual
private networks. Companies are beginning to see the benefits
of running more and more intra-company applications off of an
IP network. So, don't be surprised if the industry witnesses an
ever-increasing emphasis on security, on hybrid solutions, and
on managed networking.
There also will be a
continued emphasis on hosting services. For example, AT&T
customers are asking for more messaging, caching and mirroring
capabilities for their IP networking applications as their corporations
become more global.
Companies want to link
web sites to legacy applications. Providing this help may be a
major opportunity for Value Added Resellers (VARs) and systems
integrators. Different levels of messaging also will be required-with
small businesses needing basic mailboxes and big companies requesting
gateway level support, translation capabilities (e-mail to fax
or EDI to e-mail) from providers and more accountability for message
delivery.
3. Extranets on Virtual IP Networks
Business communities will share information on an Inter-company
basis. An example of this is the North American Automotive Network
Exchange (ANX). This is an extranet linking automotive component
suppliers, vendors and databases together over a standard TCP/IP
connection.
These trends are having
a profound effect on the messaging industry and on the decisions
of those who purchase messaging services.
Messaging services and
the business processes they expedite are beginning to fall into
two categories. On the one hand, there are basic messaging capabilities
that can be bought for a flat rate on the public Internet. This
type of messaging is seen as the primary benefit of Internet access.
It's an efficient, inexpensive way to funnel non-critical messages.
On the other hand, there
are mission critical business processes that require feature-rich
messaging capabilities available from today's Value-Added Network
(VAN) providers. Businesses don't mind paying more for the proprietary,
secure, reliable and accountable networking environment a VAN
provides. And companies feel more comfortable entrusting their
mission critical messages to a network that also gives them features
such as signed receipt, guaranteed delivery and list management.
That really becomes the
core issue for messaging providers-assessing the value businesses
are assigning to messaging and its role in business processes.
More than ever before,
companies are asking themselves: If this message doesn't get through,
what will the value of that lost or delayed message be to my business?
The answer is different for every company and for every message.
Fortunately, messaging
technology will accommodate the requirements of both of these
business needs. (See illustration.) A technology space is evolving
that boasts the best of both worlds-IP Business-Grade Messaging-where
corporations can take advantage of a range of messaging solutions
based on the value they assign to each business process for which
they use messaging.
IP Business-Grade Messaging is the
Killer Application for the Internet
Messaging providers now must meet the challenge of making
the evolution from proprietary-based e-mail solutions to IP Business-Grade
Messaging Solutions, seamless to their customers. It's the provider's
responsibility to manage and meet the expectations of today's
businesses-whether they need basic messaging capabilities or another
more value-oriented solution to carry their mission critical messaging.
The successful VAN providers
of the future will be those that offer IP Business-Grade Messaging
solutions that address the needs of e-mail users seeking Internet-based
alternative and complementary services to work with existing mail
applications. These providers will win in the marketplace by enabling
their customers to focus on core business activities, while relying
on the VAN to accommodate their evolving communications needs
with effective technologies and global connectivity. Outsourced
messaging, remote networking and Internet access are the keys
to providing customers with technological sophistication and information
resources without the significant investment and complex administration
often associated with premises-based solutions.
That's the good news. And that's an IP Business-Grade message
worth sending.
Bob Jones will be speaking on the
"Requirements for EC on
Internet, Extranets and ISP" session on Tuesday, April 28
from 2:30-4:00 at EMA'98 in Anaheim, California.