| In today's business world it is critical for companies to | | | | fluctuating traffic between vendors and partners, and |
| deploy supply-chain management (SCM) systems to | | | | to adapt quickly as supply chain partners are added |
| enhance efficiency across the product lifecycle by | | | | or replaced. To accomplish this, the solution should |
| streamlining procurement, production, fulfillment, and | | | | readily accommodate new server connections, |
| distribution processes. Deploying an SCM solution that | | | | partners, and locations. Network routers should |
| provides the intended return on investment requires | | | | provide enough capacity to easily and economically |
| that the applications, servers, and enterprise network | | | | provision additional bandwidth as traffic increases, or |
| infrastructure work together seamlessly. This is easier | | | | to add new locations as the geographic reach of the |
| said than done and will necessitate a thorough | | | | supply chain expands.Each location involved in your |
| evaluation of your bandwidth needs to meet the | | | | SCM infrastructure will require dedicated bandwidth to |
| demand.SCM solutions require integration of | | | | meet the functions conducted at that location. This |
| applications and data across multiple geographically | | | | likely will involve some combination of the following |
| dispersed supply chain partners, as well as internal | | | | choices and is dependent on the complexity of the |
| integration with legacy systems. To ensure success, | | | | deployed SCM system and the size of your |
| your organization must deploy robust, end-to-end | | | | organization:- DS3 bandwidth, also known as a T3, is |
| dedicated bandwidth that delivers highly reliable and | | | | the reliable, all-purpose, digital connection for |
| strictly monitored QoS (Quality of Service).An SCM | | | | extremely high-volume requirements. Operating at 45 |
| solution is only as strong as the weakest link in the | | | | Mbps (equivalent to 28 DS1 circuits, or 672 DS0 |
| chain. Access to SCM applications and data must be | | | | channels), DS3 can provide a cost-effective solution |
| guaranteed for all of your users, inside and outside | | | | for smaller locations in the SCM network. With DS3, |
| the enterprise. Your company must provide sufficient | | | | you can link your high-volume host computers for |
| bandwidth to support constant data flow between | | | | resource sharing and load balancing.- OC3 bandwidth is |
| desktops and servers at the company headquarters, | | | | a fiber optic line delivering 155 Mbps (equivalent to 3 |
| geographically dispersed suppliers and partners, | | | | DS3 circuits) designed for those who expect |
| manufacturers, distributors, customer service call | | | | constant, high bandwidth requirements. For a mid to |
| centers, and for mobile users and teleworkers. | | | | large size business implementing a SCM system....this |
| Connections between servers and desktops must | | | | will likely be your choice for infrastructure backbone |
| provide the necessary bandwidth to deliver | | | | (e.g. headquarters) bandwidth.- Gigabit Ethernet is a |
| resource-intensive services, real-time application data | | | | version of Ethernet, which supports data transfer |
| to all users, and enable integration of disparate data | | | | rates of 1 Gigabit (1,000 megabits) per second. Large |
| sources.At your headquarters office, where | | | | scale deployment of SCM systems and larger |
| corporate Web, application, and database servers | | | | organizations will likely consider this solution.The |
| reside and WAN links converge, availability and | | | | process to determine and than find the appropriate |
| security are key. A redundant backbone switching | | | | bandwidth solution for your SCM application can be a |
| architecture with Gigabit Ethernet connectivity to | | | | daunting task. Use of an unbiased professional |
| servers and access switches is often indicated, along | | | | bandwidth broker will save your IT staff countless |
| with a modular, enterprise-class routing platform that | | | | hours of effort and headaches while guiding them |
| supports advanced security features and WAN | | | | through the technology minefields towards the best |
| bandwidth management.In order to ensure availability | | | | choice for system reliability and cost. I strongly |
| over time, a successful SCM solution should be built | | | | suggest you take advantage of their |
| on an application design, server architecture, and | | | | expertise.Michael is the owner of FreedomFire |
| network infrastructure that can grow easily as your | | | | Communications....including Michael also authors |
| business grows. This is called scalability. The solution | | | | Broadband Nation where you're always welcome to |
| must provide the ability to easily provision more | | | | drop in and catch up on the latest BroadBand news, |
| WAN bandwidth to meet peak needs, to scale with | | | | tips, insights, and ramblings for the masses. |