But the real story, as John Morency from Sage Research points out, is that a managed private IP service is less complex. Corporate networks are already overcomplicated. Corporate networks must now support a variety of access requirements. Not only will the number of mobile workers and telecommuters continue to increase, these employees also expect to access the network from an increasing array of nontraditional devices, including wireless PDAs and Web phones. This combination is easy to implement and cost effective, and its underlying complexity is hidden from users.
Similar arguments apply to sites where dedicated connections are required.
In reality, you might not provision all those PVCs. The carrier's IP network does all the hard work, and in the case of all the offerings reviewed here, you don't even need to manage the router. What's more, most vendors offer an aligned dial service so that you can use a single service for all access and backbone needs, further reducing complexity. Opening Your Options Reducing complexity is only half the equation. Many organizations outsource hosting of their corporate Web sites, often to companies like those featured in this article.