IP VPN needs assessment for enterprises

Considering a move to an IP VPN service?
There are a number of benefits to a managed IP approach.

Answering the following questions will help you:

  • Understand how your current network is structured
  • Assess whether or not a move to an IP VPN service is the right option for your organization, and
  • Understand what might be involved in such a move

Understanding the current IT environment

  1. How many sites are currently in place?
  2. Where are they located?
  3. What is your bandwidth usage today?
  4. What types of data are being transferred?
  5. Where are routers and gateways currently located?
    • Onsite
    • With a service provider
  6. How are network services prioritized today?
  7. What are the setup and maintenance budgets?
  8. How does your IT services department interact with lines of business?
  9. Do you have an ITIL model in place?
  10. What routing protocols do you have in your network?
  11. What is your current IP addressing scheme?

    12. Needs to be addressed

  12. What bandwidth increase is anticipated?
  13. What types of future data transfers are anticipated?
  14. What are your needs for robustness and redundancy?
  15. What types of applications will be deployed? List all that are projected.
    • Supply chain management
    • Telecommuting
    • VoIP
    • Video (conferencing and streaming)
    • Point to point business applications
      • Email
      • FTP
      • Production data transfer
    • Other
  16. What level of transport security is required?
  17. What level of network performance predictability is required?
  18. What would you require from an SLA (service level agreement)?
  19. What would you require from a QoS (quality of service) agreement?
  20. Will the network prioritization stay the same or change?
  21. What geographic coverage is required?
  22. Do you need remote access? (e.g., for your teleworkers or on-demand remote site connection)
  23. Will you require non-disruptive refresh and maintenance?
  24. What type of network architecture is required: hub and spoke or fully meshed?
  25. Do you use protocols that cannot be transported on an IP network, such as Systems Network Architecture (SNA)?
  26. Who will design the WAN architecture?

    27. Evolution needs

  27. How many future sites are expected and where?
  28. What network traffic prioritization changes or additions are anticipated?

The Bell Enterprise professional services group can assist with your planning. Let our experts help you in assessing your needs, auditing your existing infrastructure, and designing a migration program that is customized to your environment.

For more information visit bell.ca/enterprise, or request to be contacted by a Bell representative at bell.ca/contact-me.