Alcatel's Tchuruk Pushes Converged Networks For Enterprises

Alcatel

"More than any other single factor today, realtime applications and data sharing are driving dramatic changes in enterprise communications systems," said Serge Tchuruk, chairman and CEO of Alcatel, Paris, in a keynote address at Networld Interop here. "These applications are beginning to show us the full power of the Internet as the backbone of enterprise communications," he said.

Tchuruk outlined his vision for the "borderless enterprise," a paradigm for network infrastructure that links a company's LAN to the WAN in order to provide collaboration between an enterprise's employees, customers and partners.

"Instead of acting as a fortress to hold information inside, as systems traditionally do, this new infrastructure functions like a membrane, allowing information to flow seamlessly in and out of the enterprise while protecting it from intruders," Tchuruk said.

Tchuruk also stressed the important role service providers play in delivering managed services that fill the gaps in enterprises' internal capabilities.

"Enterprises are realizing they can't do everything themselves," he said.

As an example of the benefits a "borderless enterprise" can deliver, Tchuruk pointed to Alcatel's own experience facing the challenges of managing operations in the geographically dispersed Asia/Pacific region.

Alcatel implemented an IP-based e-management center, which coupled Web conferencing capabilities with realtime data sharing. The result was a cutback in face-to-face meetings and a 50 percent decrease in travel for Alcatel management throughout the region, which allowed employees to spend more time with clients, he said.

In a press conference following the keynote, Tchuruk said Alcatel might work with more systems integrator partners to deliver integration services to North American enterprise clients.

"We are actively discussing broadening our set of partners," he said.

Earlier this year, Alcatel signed an agreement with Verizon Enterprise Solutions Group to resell and support Alcatel products in the United States.