IT Connection Product Assessment reports provide in-depth analysis of more than 275 products and services. Each Product Assessment report includes expert analyst advice and recommendations on what to look for when making buying decisions. Click here to view sample reports.
AT&T (Pan-European) Managed IP Services
AT&T offers a wide range of managed network services, including IP telephony, network and premise-based IP VPNs, remote access, managed hosting and security services. (1/6/2009)
Orange Business Services Managed IP Services
The OBS managed services solution is threatening to its competitors because of its locally supported global reach, strong MPLS deployment, and mobile components. (6/19/2008)
T-Systems (Pan-European) Managed IP Services
T-Systems offers integrated ICT solutions through its own in-house capabilities and it will tend not to use external partners (e.g., HP, IBM, etc.) to support big deals. (1/6/2009)
Verizon Business (Pan-European) Managed IP Services
Verizon Business offers an extensive network services portfolio and it is also moving more seriously into the managed IT solutions space, in particular improving its service management platform around converged applications that are network-centric. (1/2/2009)
Online tools, which enable customers to measure the performance of their applications and network (e.g., site availability, latency and packet delivery) on an end-to-end basis; also includes real-time SLA reporting and visibility into other OSS/BSS processes (e.g., trouble ticketing, billing and provisioning)
LAN and Desktop Management
LAN management deals with managing switches, routers, exchanges, and servers within the corporate LAN environment. Desktop management services include managing PCs, servers and other desktop systems. It can include some or all of the activities related to the desktop ‘lifecycle’ such as provision, installation, configuration, maintenance, asset management, systems management, upgrade, relocation, disposal and user support (e.g., help desk).
Managed Network Services
Managed wide area network (WAN) services describe mostly managed CPE-based and MPLS IP VPN, Ethernet WAN services, and emerging application performance management and optimization services. This also includes services that enable users to gain secure access to the Internet and WAN from remote locations.
Professional and Integration Services
Project-based consulting, network planning, design and engineering services, systems integration services and network optimization services; requires professional resources (consultants, engineers, technicians) and often a relevant technology expertise.
A robust solution provider can provide managed network services with the ability to move further up the value chain and to manage end-to-end security on enterprise networks and applications such as unified communications and SaaS. Professional services, including integration and consulting skills, are required to build complex global solutions for enterprises as well as their specific business needs.
Services Heritage
A robust solution requires a managed IP services heritage with experience, preferably with a mix of internally developed strengths and resources, born out of years of successful operation and growth, as well as the addition of professional services industry talent that helps drive a more consultative and solution selling approach. This can extend beyond the borders of the organization, with the establishment and success of strong partnerships with external services companies. Services heritage also takes into account the relevant track record of the organization in terms of previous customer contracts, since experience (and sometimes assets) is gained with each engagement.
Financial Position
The financial position of a leading managed IP services provider includes showing strong revenue growth on outsourcing deals, as well as managed services revenues exceeding 20% of total revenues. A leading solutions provider is an established or mature market player that has demonstrated financial strength and stability over many years. A leading solutions provider is profitable.
Geographic footprint
While customer support centres can be somewhat centralized if the issue of local language support is addressed, the physical presence of local business units is required in-country or at least in-region to be considered a capable provider. Replacement CPE and on-site repair capabilities need to be located close to customers as well. This is especially important for multi-vendor service providers to address. A complete managed services solution element requires the appropriate network assets required to operate and monitor the services under management. These include owned or leased network elements and management systems as well as NOCs.
Managed Services Resources
A leading solutions provider is globally established and distributed, with professional staff including sales, consultants and engineers, represented in most world regions. Services are a people business: the more people, the more skills (and man-hours), the better. A robust global solutions provider has thousands of professional staff, with at least 25% of networks staff dedicated to services.
Customer Support
A leading solution provider should offer end-to-end performance monitoring capabilities for real-time apps (e.g., VoIP) and latency-sensitive client-server applications (e.g., SAP), to ensure SLAs are being adhered to in a transparent environment. The portal should also be integrated with other back-end functions (e.g., billing, trouble ticketing, provisioning and SLA management). The emerging portal features include proactive SLA compliance monitoring, application performance monitoring and optimization, and bandwidth on demand, which will become relevant as more and more Ethernet services over optical tail ends become available.
Product Landscape Chart
