Previous Table of Contents Next


Section II
Business Management Issues

Communication networks are both business tools as well as a business that requires the application of sound business management practices. Recognizing these facts, this section was established to provide readers with detailed information covering business management issues with respect to internal and external organizational business practices. With respect to internal business practices, chapters in this section cover such topics as methods to integrate Web and enterprise computing and the allocation of network costs to your end-user community. Chapters that are oriented towards external business topics will provide you with information ranging in scope from establishing an infrastructure for electronic commerce to obtaining an appreciation for the telecommunications policy process which provides information on the rate-making process.

The first chapter in this section, “Developing a Trusted Infrastructure for Electronic Commerce Services,” introduces us to the necessity to use certificates that vouch for the legitimacy of persons conducting or attempting to conduct electronic commerce. This chapter discusses the use of commercial exchange services, secure electronic mail, and secure Web transactions, providing a foundation for understanding the importance of a public key certificate infrastructure and its value for electronic commerce.

In the second chapter in this section we turn our attention to the regulatory process. As noted at the beginning of the chapter titled “An Overview of the Telecommunications Policy Process,” a company cannot create a new communications network without understanding regulation and the new levels of competition ushered in by the Telecommunications Reform Act of 1996. Recognizing this truism, this chapter provides us with a brief overview of the evolution of regulatory milestones to include the important Telecommunications Reform Act of 1996. Using the evolution of reform milestones as a base, this chapter proceeds to introduce us to the players that influence rate-making and how we can negotiate with both public utility commissioners as well as communication carriers. For those of us accustomed to paying retail, this chapter provides information which can be used to enhance our organization’s bottom line.

The third chapter in this section also is very relevant to today’s networking environment as it is focused upon multimedia networking, a technology exhibiting a phenomenal increase as organizations add multimedia support to both client and server computer systems. In the chapter “Business Aspects of Multimedia Networking,” we will become acquainted with the business and technical issues associated in the design of multimedia networks. Thus, this chapter will provide us with information required to appropriately plan for the delivery of multimedia applications over the corporate network in a manner that is both technically and financially feasible.

The fourth chapter in this section also is focused upon a very popular topic. In the chapter “Integrating the Web and Enterprise Business Systems,” issues related to enterprise business applications in the context of the World Wide Web are examined. The capabilities and limitations of the Web to include security, performance, backup and user management are discussed in this chapter in the context of integrating the Web and corporate applications. A list of key questions are both asked and answered to provide you with suggested methods to construct a Web presence that can be used for both supporting external and internal customers.

The last chapter in this section, “Cost Allocation for Communications Networks,” covers a topic some of us may recall associated with the term chargeback. Regardless of the term used, allocating the cost of a network to those who use it is an important topic which organizations are increasingly exploring. Although most organizations centrally fund the cost of network operations, doing so can be viewed as similar to providing users with a communications buffet. That is, regardless of how much they use, the price remains the same. While most users may not take a disproportionate advantage of this type of billing situation, it does not allocate cost in a fair and equitable manner. Thus, as more organizations seek to allocate or chargeback networking cost in a more equitable manner, the last chapter in this section will gain in its importance on your reading list.


Previous Table of Contents Next

Copyright © CRC Press LLC