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