Subsequently, they have experienced greater network uptime and connectivity to their customers and partners as a result of the outsourced services. Security concerns must be addressed. To alleviate this fear, vendors often go out of their way to fortify their NOCs. But the best way to alleviate people's security concerns, says IDC's Brewer, is to show positive results. Dozens of major network outsourcing deals are ongoing, and no customers are crying foul that their systems are being breached.
Ongoing management is a challenge once the deal is signed.
But a difficulty arose at Caliber. Metrics questions can derail any network outsourcing deal. At Textron, network costs are reviewed quarterly. At 3M, Field does a monthly check of network management uptime, trouble tickets, installation schedules and other performance information that NCR stores for 3M on a MinneVAN Web site, but he cautions that network outsourcing should not be measured by data alone. I can't hide behind statistics that show response time is great when the user says it stinks or that my uptime is 99.8 percent when an outage prevents a customer order from being processed.