Trend

Enterprises opt for IPLMS

Companies are adopting Intelligent Physical Layer Management Solutions for real-time automated monitoring of their networks. Abhinav Singh reports

IPLMS—Intelligent Physical Layer Management Solutions—have progressed far beyond expectations. On a day-to-day basis, these sophisticated systems continuously monitor the connectivity status of the entire network, enabling close control of the physical layer while identifying disconnects, troubleshooting and carrying out maintenance activities. Enterprises such as banks, R&D-intensive concerns, BPOs, and ICT entities that have large network set-ups are investing in IPLMS because they allow them to have an automated real-time monitoring of their physical layer.

IPLMS are embedded in the panels, scan the data from each network port, and record any MAC [Move, Add and Change] that happens on the physical layer. Broadly speaking, they help in cutting down manual procedures that are tedious and time-consuming, and in decreasing the errors made by manual updates. Organisations such as IDBI Bank (Mumbai), Tata Consultancy Services (Kolkata) and Qualcomm (Hyderabad), all customers of ADC Krone, have gone in for such solutions. Today, the use of IPLMS has become an indispensable part of IT networks in such enterprises.

"Today’s networks are mission-critical right across the organisation, and connectivity problems can become major issues within minutes" - Prasanna Kumar V Director India & SAARC Systimax Solutions

Systimax Solutions has an offering in the form of the iPatch System. Using it one can monitor in real-time copper and fibre channels, and links to the network management software in an organisation. Says Prasanna Kumar V, Director, India and SAARC, Systimax, “Today’s networks are mission-critical right across the organisation, and connectivity problems can become major issues within minutes. A wrong patch in the horizontal cabling structure may cut the CEO’s conference call, and in the backbone disconnect a link to a server bringing down a whole department. To ensure continuity, cabling administrators and IT departments need a patching system that combines vision, intelligence and integrated management control.”

The advantages of IPLMS

IPLMS products help network managers take their asset-tracking and network-planning capabilities to the next level by generating accurate, real-time data and audit trails as required by Sarbanes-Oxley, FDA, ITIL, BASEL II and other regulations. The remote capabilities of advanced IPLMS enable dispersed IT operations to centralise the task of infrastructure monitoring and control and provide real-time alerts regarding unexpected or illegal changes or incidents in the networks.

The spread of IP devices has made the IPLMS value proposition compelling. A major advantage of the IP protocol is the fact that device functionality is no longer connected to a fixed physical location. As long as Internet access is available, IP phones, Wi-Fi-enabled notebooks and wireless access points can be moved freely without breaking contact with the LAN. But it is also a nightmare for the IT staff working to locate a malfunction or to maintain control. Once an IPLMS is deployed, the IT staff gains the ability to pinpoint the precise physical location of network devices, and gets an accurate and to-the-minute picture of network connectivity, thus ensuring a whole new level of network control.

"IPLMS has evolved such that any device on the network that has an IP address can be discovered, monitored and managed" - Dileep Kumar R Product Manager Enterprise Networks ADC Krone

Dileep Kumar R, Product Manager, Enterprise Networks at ADC Krone says, “When intelligent solutions [IPLMS] first came to the market they had some limitations. Now the technology has evolved such that any device on the network that has an IP address can be discovered, monitored and managed. The technology now allows for remote monitoring and management across multiple sites globally. Any PC with an Internet connection can be used to access and manage the system.”

Sarbanes-Oxley and other legislations are driving the deployment of these systems and affecting how companies protect their own and customer data. Adds Kumar: “IPLMS will reduce the cost of network ownership by solving issues such as unplanned downtime, inefficient manual moves, MAC, redundant ports, inaccurate records and so on. It increases the network management efficiency and security considerably.”

David Shaltz, Regional Sales Director, APAC, RiT, Belden CDT Inc informs, “An exciting new area of IPLMS-related benefits will become available when today’s offline end-device inventory systems are brought online and integrated with the IPLMS’ wealth of real-time and historical data. Once the integration is complete, the IPLMS is likely to become an automated channel for supplying accurate input to enterprise ERP and other network management systems.”

Expected adopters

The main sectors which are expected to adopt IPLMS include banking, finance, IT, BPO, government agencies, online sales, credit card companies and verticals planning data centres. Comments Kumar, “IPLMS helps avoid network downtime and proves useful in situations where there are constant moves and changes in the network's topology. These solutions are manageable manually when the network is small. For larger networks, manageability is an important issue.”

Vendors have plans to educate the market about this technology and push it further. ADC Krone is expecting around 15 percent of its total revenues to come from this market in 2006. With the number of large network installations in India increasing, IPLMS is gaining importance. Shaltz of Belden CDT says, “We have intelligent cabling solutions for both copper and fibre, and plan to go deeper with big installations. We expect a substantial percentage of our revenues to be from IPLMS in 2006.”

abhinav@expresscomputeronline.com