IBM Research Services Capabilities

Networks that work

The IBM Research Services Advanced Networking Services micropractice applies cutting-edge models, algorithms, software and expertise to help quickly and accurately design, monitor and optimize enterprise networks and networked applications, such as storage area networks, and session initiation protocol (SIP)-based convergence solutions, such as voice-over-Internet protocol (VoIP). It provides solutions that help businesses plan new networks and/or understand and optimize the ones they already have.

IBM’s market-leading research, expertise and tools can help businesses comprehend and optimize their IP and storage networks.

• For a bank, this may mean understanding how to create a roadmap for deploying SIP-based applications such as VoIP, instant messaging and presence, and integrating real-time communication capabilities into their existing office productivity applications.

• For an enterprise, this may mean understanding the type of traffic that flows on its network and validating that everyone is complying with its policies.

• For a telecommunications provider, this may mean understanding the type of advanced optical networks and interconnection that can provide the best performance for cost.

Specialties

The Advanced Networking Services specialties focus on helping businesses design and optimize their networks and distributed systems to better meet business goals:

Network optimization and planning: IBM’s expertise and knowledge can help companies determine how to optimize their networks by investigating options in specialized packet classification, bandwidth management hardware and locations. Corporations also can find out how to improve their return on investment on network upgrades and help ensure that the type of network selected is able to handle the applications that are important to specific business needs.

Network performance management: Performance monitoring techniques are designed to allow companies to understand how well their networks are prepared to meet business performance, availability and resilience goals. IBM also can help outline the comparative benefits of different service providers, vendor products and technologies related to managing network performance.

Networked storage: IBM researchers work closely with its Tivoli and Storage divisions to provide storage management services in an integrated manner across databases, file systems and other storage systems. IBM can assist companies in the design and planning of storage area networks and network-attached storage, as well as help them find the type of storage infrastructure they need to meet their business objectives.

On demand networks: Use on demand technologies and autonomic computing to help lower operational costs of running data-center and enterprise networks.

Policy-based network management: IBM experts help simplify network configuration and operations and enforce business policies and guidelines within companies’ networks.

SIP-based convergence: This specialty looks at the emerging areas of convergence architecture and applications such as VoIP, instant messaging and presence from within the enterprise, as well as from service provider networks (such as cable operators and cellular providers). IBM Research has deep expertise (SIP), which is the core technology for the convergence of these applications, as well for Internet multimedia subsystem (IMS) in 3G wireless networks.

The specialties listed do not represent a comprehensive list of IBM Research capabilities. Business leaders with ideas or custom solutions in mind, please contact IBM Research Services today.