Re: Leased Lines vs Frame Relay w/voice over frame

[Randy Mangham <randym69@xxxxxxxxxxx>]

Wayne,

We switched our entire network off of SNA 9600bps leased lines at our remote
sites (56K at the corporate nexus) to a Sprint frame relay network (running SNA
over TCP/IP) with 56K at each remote site and a T1 at the corporate site. Total
cost was 45% LESS for EIGHT times the bandwidth at each remote and far more at
the corporate site. You do have to add back in the cost of the network hardware
(we use Cisco 2501 routers, Adtran CSU/DSU devices and 3COM hubs). If you don't
already have network cards in your AS/400's then you have to add that cost in as
well since you need that to communicate to the frame network. You may find the
cost TOTAL to not be much different but the performance allowed us to do a lot 
of
things we couldn't previously. I can't speak highly enough of Sprint. Their 
price
was a little higher than Worldcom but I found local people here in San Diego who
had had experience with both Worldcom and Sprint and although WC wasn't BAD, 
they
felt Sprint was worth the slight extra money. Also "little" issues about
connections being installed when promised and better proactive support when
problems occur favored Sprint. (Sprint has proactively opened trouble tickets 
and
called me when a connection dropped due to power failures, etc. at the remote
site before we had even noticed the link was down.) On the down side, you DO 
have
to audit the Sprint billing for a few months until they have all the stuff in
their billing system correctly (at least from my experience) because you may see
installation charges that were supposed to be waived, etc.

The rollout of the frame network was extremely smooth though I kept the leased
carrier until the end of the service month just as a backup since we couldn't
afford to be down. After than it was bye bye leased lines.

No matter which carrier you choose, don't commit to a price or a length of
service for more than 24 months because the costs just keep going down rapidly.
If at all possible get an agreement that allows the price to come up for
renegotiation every year. Also, for as few sites as you have, DON'T sign up for
the "managed" network services everybody will try to sell you. You don't need it
for that number of sites. I wouldn't recommend expensive network monitoring 
tools
(software), either. They add no value unless you have dozens of sites and think
you'll experience frequent congestion or have very unpredictable or constantly
expanding traffic loads where they might offer you some predictive value in
planning bandwidth upgrades. Besides, you have to buy more expensive CSU/DSU
equipment that the monitoring software can "talk" to. Any decent carrier can
provide you with network usage stats (some on the Web) after the fact. The only
value of the network monitoring software is that it can show you the stats in
real time and send you alerts if you exceed whatever limits you set for the
alert.

I don't have experience with voice over IP in my current company. We 
investigated
it and determined that the cost savings didn't pay for the necessary equipment
considering the volume of voice traffic to each site. I have worked at a company
that had only two major sites (East and West coast) and we ran voice over IP on 
a
T1 line with data and video traffic as well. Couldn't tell the difference in
voice quality over standard long distance voice circuits.

Randy Mangham


> JacksonLea has 4 remote locations scattered all over North America.  When I
> started this job the leased lines were already in place and I had other
> priorities.  Now, I am considering switching from leased lines to frame
> relay.  I am familiarly with all the reasons for switching.  What I am
> hoping to get from this group is actual AS/400 leased line to frame relay
> experience (war stories).  I am especially want to hear about up time from
> someone who is not a marketing weasel.
>
> I am also considering voice over frame relay.  Has anyone had this
> experience.  How did the users react.
>
>
> -**************************
> G. Wayne Calvert
> Information Systems Manager
> JacksonLea
> A unit of Jason Incorporated
>
> APICS CPIM certified
>
> jacklea@jacksonlea.com
> http://www.jacksonlea.com
>
> (800) 439-9304 x 3314
> (828) 464-1376 x 3314
> (828) 464-7094 Fax
> ***************************
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