Intellignet Network

Editor's Notes

1. Today’s CIOs are faced with a growing set of challenges to do more with less and make it…. Faster, Better, Easier. Challenges include:Infrastructure needs such as virtualization strategies, data Center strategies, and optimizing resourcesApplication needs such as getting access to the best applications, rapidly deploying them to users and as a result reducing time to market for their servicesFinancial needs such as reducing capital expenses, linking expenses to consumption and outsourcing to 3rd partiesTo meet these challenges, many CIOs are considering how Cloud Computing can play a role in their IT strategies. Benefits of cloud computing include:Enhancing business agilityLinking expenses to resource consumption rather than resource capacityGaining access to a much richer range of services and applications at a much lower cost and in a shorter time frame than traditionally possible
2. However, as businesses move their applications and computing infrastructure from the confines of their private network (how most businesses do it today) to new Cloud Computing models, they need to consider a new set of challenges such as the security and reliability of their connection to the cloud, and the loss of visibility and control of their applications traffic as it traverses the network. Management tools they used in their private network environment may no longer work for them in a cloud environment. These are serious concerns as Cisco and others predict that a large portion (70% or more) of new IT environments will be cloud based by 2014. The Intelligent Network will help businesses address these challenges.
3. tw telecom’s Intelligent Network helps businesses solve these challenges and allows them to make the transition to cloud computing with confidence. By adding special capabilities to our existing Managed Services and Ethernet solutions we are able to give customers additional visibility, flexibility and control of their network traffic. The graphic on the right represents the Intelligent Network Vision – in the core is our existing network. This is surrounded by the additional capabilities we are adding to provide greater visibility, flexibility and control. The outer ring represents our ability to connect enterprises to their locations, data centers, and applications providers and cloud computing solutions.
4. It all starts with tw telecom’s world class network. Even before adding the Intelligent Network capabilities, our robust network has incredible reach, capacity, and reliability. Not to mention the superior customer experience tw telecom delivers to our customers.Unlike many of our competitors whose networks have been cobbled together via a series of mergers and acquisitions, or who have separate networks for different solutions, tw telecom has a single, nation-wide network and systems architecture platform with multiple logical services using that one core network. This allows us to add the Intelligent Network capabilities consistently across the entire network. Our reach and the aggressive building we’ve done to put enterprise buildings and public data centers on-net also gives us a unique position to build the intelligent network and help businesses take advantage of next generation IT strategies, such as cloud computing.Our innovative, easy to use customer portal, MyPortal, is another key to building the Intelligent Network. Again, one network for all our services, and one portal to tie it all together. MyPortal will be the tool customers use to manage the visibility, flexibility and control provided by the Intelligent Network.Additional points:National reach with over 27,000 local and regional fiber route miles across 75 marketsMassive local fiber assets in 75 marketsEthernet ring architecture protected by rapid failover protocols and diverse entry and exit to customer locationsLow oversubscription, low device density and proactive management to ensure Ethernet rings stay below 60% sustained utilizationRobust features and managed services
5. tw telecom is the 3rd largest provider of Business Ethernet according to the 2011 Business Ethernet Leaderboard from Vertical Systems Group. We’ve been providing Ethernet solutions for over 10 years and that experience helps us do it better than anyone else! Unlike many providers, we even offer fractional 10Gig options. Our services are MEF certified and we have been recognized by 3rd party industry experts, such as Frost & Sullivan for our Ethernet leadership and excellence.
6. To provide the visibility, flexibility and control that businesses need when moving to cloud environments, tw telecom is developing new capabilities to add to our existing network services. First is Enhanced Management which provides end-to-end and segment-by-segment performance metrics including bandwidth utilization, Latency / Frame Delay, Jitter / Frame Delay Variation and Packet Delivery / Frame Delivery. This helps business with location specific information to help plan, troubleshoot and fine tune their network for peak application performance.Next up is Dynamic Bandwidth Capacity which will give businesses the ability to make real-time, on the fly adjustments to their bandwidth levels based on their application needs. This is allows them to scale their bandwidth up or down to accommodate traffic spikes, bandwidth hungry applications, seasonal demands and unforeseen events. A key benefit of cloud computing is matching your expenses to your actual consumption. Dynamic Bandwidth Capacity allows businesses to extend this flexible applications consumption model to their bandwidth expense.The final capability planned is application monitoring and control. This capability will allow customers to view and understand how their applications and network are preforming together and make real-time adjustments to the prioritization of specific applications. This granular visibility and control of applications traffic will allow businesses to optimize key applications while minimizing the bandwidth impact of lower priority applications.
7. In addition to our reliable network and value added capabilities, the Intelligent Network can connect all the players in a business’s ecosystem: their locations, data centers, and applications providers. Over the past few years tw telecom has built fiber into hundreds of public data centers where many of the industry’s leading applications providers host their solutions. tw telecom is also developing relationships with key data centers and applications providers in order to provide turn key, packaged solutions allowing businesses to bypass the Internet and connect to their applications via our Intelligent Network. The first of these relationships is the Amazon Web Services Direct Connect program.
8. There are many benefits of doing business with tw telecom such as our superior customer experience, and financial growth and stability. The intelligent Network adds to the list with all the benefits of our existing network, plus increased visibility, flexibility and control of your network and applications traffic . Specific benefits include:Comprehensive end-to-end and segment by segment visibility into key network performance metricsAbility to scale your bandwidth up and down on demand to meet the needs of specific application traffic patternsVisibility and control of specific application traffic on your network.Reliable, secure, cost effective connections to public and private data centers throughout the United States.Private network connections to leading cloud-based applications providers allowing you to bypass “best effort” Internet connectionsEnd to end Service Level Agreements guaranteeing network performance