Although the current administration vetoed the law , the new administration has already signaled its strong disagreement with Net Neutrality and will most likely embrace a more freemarket approach to managing Internet access . This will usher in a new era of managing quality and throughput of digital services by data stream — voice , video , IM , FTP , e-mail , HTTP , etc .
Combined with the cloudification of ICT services , this will have an impact on how ICT managers negotiate , rate , and chargeback for bandwidth consumption by the specific type of data stream . Fiscal officers that are focused on optimizing costs will mandate real-time intuitive financial insight into their network service charges and most likely become critical of legacy socialized methods to normalize network service costs across all consumers . Our experience working with a broad spectrum of clients at Calero shows that less than one percent of mobile users consume 15-20 percent of all data . ICT managers should plan to process and aggregate meta-data and provide financial reporting that will help their customers effectively plan and manage their budgets .
Evolving Business Models from CapEX to Consumption- Based OpEX Figure 2 illustrates the fundamental economic shifts from traditional capex / premises-based procurements to pay-asyou-consume consumption-based or cloud-based services . Historically , ICT managers weren ’ t concerned about the actual usage because the capitalization of the network service was independent . However , as the diagram below shows , monitoring real- time consumption of services and timely repurposing of unused subscriptions will have a direct impact on budgets . Our experience working with clients migrating to cloud platforms shows that although consumption starts low , the “ financial shock-and-awe ” associated with the rapid cost accumulation of storage combined with progressive increases in bandwidth , CPU utilization , and memory quickly attracts the attention of cost-minded CFOs and other fiscal officers . ICT managers need to provide insight into every aspect of subscriptions and service consumption which includes power , data transfer , CPU , memory , storage , operating system , and business application . Paradoxically , the shift to outsource ICT services will create a greater need for ICT managers to implement more detailed and intuitive line-item cost accountability . ICT managers can learn more about their options by visiting Calero ’ s website .
Conclusion – Wake Up and Change Your Brand Your brand is the customer ’ s value perception of the qualities and attributes of the services you deliver .
Ironically few consumers care about any of the details of ICT – information , communication , or technology . Yet those are the primary titles of the brand ICT organizations promote to their customers . Customers simply care about the outcomes they achieve from ICT-enabled services . The current business transformations have created seismic power shifts and are ushering in new roles for ICT organizations . ICT is no longer just about managing telecom networks , devices , and software , but rather about facilitating an ever-growing spectrum of digital services for knowledge workers . The logistical and technical requirements to deliver costeffective education encompass every aspect of the requirements to support the modern day knowledge worker .
Because ICT digital services encompass the full spectrum of services enabled by mobile , IoT , UCC , and cloud , ICT executives need to formulate a new strategic brand by first recognizing that providing a service means delivering value to customers by facilitating particular outcomes that their customers want to achieve without the ownership of specific costs and risks . ICT organizations facilitate the critical role as the primary technology broker and fiduciary agent for all their clients ’ services . Fiduciary agents act for the best interest of their client by conducting duties in good faith , establishing trust and confidence , conducting due diligence , and providing full disclosure and portal-enabled financial accountability for the services they provide . By embracing these concepts , ICT executives will learn to establish and articulate a new brand with their customers akin to the brand that their clients maintain from their reliance on other highly personalized SME services such as financial investing , healthcare , and legal counsel .
Larry Foster is executive vice president , product strategy , at Calero software , and an active participant in ACUTA . Learn more about Calero at www . calero . com .
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“ There is no reason for any individual to have a computer in his home .”
— Ken Olsen , founder of minicomputer company DEC
13 Winter 2017 ACUTA Journal