I think AT&T could be interested in using eDirectory to manage it's telco services. I've always held out that a telco would make the best suitor for Novell. BT is already using NDS for internal networks - I don't think it would be a far stretch to convince them of the benefits of using eDirectory to manage their service offerings as well. I believe there's a small hurdle (developmental) that needs to be overcome before eDirectory could move into this telco space.
Perhaps this article will help them to understand that importance of not only the directory but of managing content as well.
It's also VERY interesting to note that Novell is mentioned in the same line as Inktomi and InfoLibria (caching and content companies).
Peter J Strifas
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AT&T exec unveils program for ASPs
By John Rendleman, PC Week
January 27, 2000 11:38 AM PT
URL: zdnet.com
WASHINGTON -- AT&T Corp. is taking a practical approach to Web commerce by building out the network infrastructure and front- and back-office systems needed by corporate America to serve billions of online consumers.
"Customer satisfaction can be significantly improved by getting back to the basics," said Kathleen Earley, president of AT&T Data and Internet Services, who today at the ComNet 2000 show here unveiled an e-commerce initiative called "Ecosystem for ASPs."
As part of its strategy for ASPs (applications services providers), AT&T has earmarked $250 million of its infrastructure budget specifically for network and
back-office upgrades focused entirely on creating e-commerce platforms.
Specific service components of the initiative include AT&T's Intelligent Content Distribution offering, available now on a limited basis, and its Enterprise Storage Services, Earley said in a keynote address.
Intelligent Content Distribution is designed to boost performance of customers' Web sites by using caching technology and server optimization, as well as scalable
bandwidth for handling traffic surges, Earley said.
For the service, AT&T is drawing on technology developed by its own AT&T Laboratories and with partners such as InfoLibria, Inktomi and Novell Inc.
Enterprise Storage Services, meanwhile, will securely host customer data at AT&T's Internet Data Centers, which the company will significantly expand and upgrade this year. The service will use EMC Corp. storage technology, and a
fully managed storage option will be available in March in cooperation with StorageNetworks.
'It's broadband, stupid'
Other partners AT&T is working with on the Ecosystem for ASPs strategy include Cisco Systems Inc., Hewlett-Packard Co. and Sun Microsystems Inc., as well as AT&T's base of value-added resellers and independent software vendors,
the latter groups being tapped to provide customers with professional support and development services.
AT&T also will extend its IP network closer to those corporate customers that are the largest users of the Internet for Web-enabled commerce, Earley said.
"We are building out our IP infrastructure to where the customers are," she said. "The last-mile bottleneck is the biggest issue we're dealing with, and the answer is
'broadband, stupid.'"
From a survey of the 500 largest dot-com enterprises, AT&T has determined that its network extends to within one to three miles of the top 100 such companies, Earley said. AT&T plans to use the data from the study to reverse engineer its
network to build network facilities closer to companies with the most-trafficked Web sites, she said. |
