| As I pointed out in a previous article,
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| | allowed each company to control its own
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| Supply Chain Management (SCM) is a
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| | security. The frame relay network was
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| complex animal. The key to a successful
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| | vulnerable to external monitoring at very
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| SCM implementation is a clear
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| | few points, and the relationship of PVC
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| understanding of the business objectives
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| | traffic to specific customer required
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| and business requirements of the company
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| | specific network design information.Frame
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| the SCM primarily supports. This often
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| | relay offered the ability to have a
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| includes a number of legacy systems which
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| | disaster recovery site support multiple
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| need to be integrated into the solution.
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| | locations. PVC between the disaster
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| From this will come the technical
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| | location and other locations could be
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| objectives to be met and the technical
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| | defined in the configuration, allowing
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| requirements that frame the solution.
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| | dynamic implementation of the disaster
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| Only then will the commmunication
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| | recovery network.As a circuit protocol,
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| requirements for bandwidth capacity,
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| | frame relay functions independent of
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| reliability, resiliancy, latency,
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| | other protocols. This segmentation
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| security, and expandability be
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| | allowed IPX, IP, SNA, and other system
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| meaningful.Here's just 2 such technical
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| | communications protocols to be
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| aspects.....Frame RelayFrame relay
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| | implemented over the same paths. If
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| initially had several advantages over the
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| | desired, each of these could have its own
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| alternative solutions for SCM and other
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| | PVC and bandwidth, or they could all
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| multi site and multi company
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| | operate over a common path. Finally, the
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| communications networks.The first
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| | bandwidth and performance could be
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| advantage was with circuit costs. For a
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| | established specifically to site pairs on
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| multi site network, the traditional
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| | a PVC basis.For a vendor that
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| approach was a large number of point to
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| | participated in multiple SCM networks,
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| point circuits. Each circuit required a
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| | frame relay represented real cost
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| router port, a CSU, and often a circuit
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| | savings. Instead of a new circuit for
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| monitoring module. With milage based
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| | each network, a PVC could be established.
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| pricing, each circuit represented a
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| | Instead of 6 week circuit installation
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| significant recurring cost on top of the
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| | delays, service could be established in
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| initial hardware costs. Router sizing was
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| | hours.----So why the past tense? The
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| often a factor of ports supported rather
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| | advantages of frame relay are now
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| than performance capability.Frame relay
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| | achieved via the Internet. The timeframes
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| exchanged the point to point circuit
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| | for implementation have been reduced from
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| costs with an access circuit, typically
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| | hours to minutes. Encryption has advanced
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| at less than 1/10th of the cost. With
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| | beyond the security offered by isolated
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| port speeds from DS0 to DS3, multiple
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| | paths. Advances in application based
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| sites could be connected with a single
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| | routing can achieve availablity
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| port at each site. A partial or full
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| | assurances. Legacy protocols have been
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| mesh, even with full redundancy, could be
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| | largely replaced by IP.There are still
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| accomplished with very few router ports
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| | times when frame relay is the best choice
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| and CSU at each site. This represented
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| | based on business requirements or
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| significant capital savings.Using
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| | technical constraints. But a robust
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| fractional T1 and T3 on the access
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| | bandwidth network (e.g. OC3 or OC12
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| circuits, frame relay made expanding
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| | bandwidth....perhaps with GigE
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| capacity between sites relatively
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| | connectivity) applying IP protocols will
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| painless. Port changes within the frame
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| | enable a seemless flow of information
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| relay provider's network was often a
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| | without risking security
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| configuration change. Expanding the
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| | concerns.Emerging TechnologiesThe most
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| actual circuits was typically a
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| | notable is Radio Frequency
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| configuration change on the CSU and
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| | Identification, or RFID. RFID tags are
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| DACS.Adding new sites was often
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| | essentially barcodes on steroids. Whereas
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| accomplished with physical changes at the
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| | barcodes only identify the product, RFID
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| new site only. The new PVC across the
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| | tags can tell what the product is, where
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| frame relay network and at the existing
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| | it has been, when it expires, whatever
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| site(s) was a configuration change.
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| | information someone wishes to program it
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| Depending on the routers used and the
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| | with. RFID technology is going to
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| routing protocol implemented, this might
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| | generate mountains of data about the
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| be accomplished without a maintenance
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| | location of pallets, cases, cartons,
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| window.The PVC approach allowed for
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| | totes and individual products in the
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| additional security. A given location
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| | supply chain. It's going to produce
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| could be directed to a specific port
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| | oceans of information about when and
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| within the DMZ, limiting the exposure of
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| | where merchandise is manufactured,
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| one's own network to other vendors within
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| | picked, packed and shipped.
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| the SCM network. Firewalls at each end
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|
