July 2019| | 9also be leveraging such tools locally or via NMS portal access, is that alarms might be raised for non-impactful conditions. Inevitably, this canlead to additional trouble tickets and costs.Compliance RequirementsAnother evolving customer expectation ofNMS providers centers oncompliance standards such as PCI, SOX, and HIPAA. Using HIPAA as an example, encryption for data in transit is a stated requirement. The question becomes, does existing infrastructure provide for this? Customers are expressing an expectation for their NMS providers to deliver solution insight for these new requirements, as well as proactive guidance as the standards evolve.This often provides subsequent benefits to the provider, given the potential of subsequent infrastructure expansion and project support. It is, however, a very time-consuming process,requiring additional--though necessary--responsibility of providersin order to remain in-line with customer's budget and compliance.While compliancerules are somewhat "fluid" in nature, this only underscores the provider's responsibility, as customers are looking for trusted advisorinput to make intelligent decisions.SummaryHow much of this should be the responsibility of an NMS provider? The market drives demand, and customers expect to offload the time they spend "keeping the lights on"whilealso avoiding actual outages. In addition, they expect proactive guidance,focused on the real business impact of application performance.How does an NMS provider solve for these evolving challenges? They invest in current technology to keep up with customer tools and visibility. In order to protect themselves,considering heightened customer expectations, NMS providers must be fanatical when defining SLA requirements.Dig deeper when discussing SLA requirements for new and renewing NMS contracts. Involve both business and technical teams in these discussions to identify and understand:· Currently implemented tools providing local visibility into network issues and performance· Application requirements and user experience concerns· Relevant compliance demands· Expectations regarding partner-provided roadmap information and technology guidanceAll of this also demands additional emphasis on NMS team education andheightened interaction with provider architecture expertise to ensure services are keeping up with customer demands and expectations. It also further urges NMS providers to stay in tune with customer requirements from both technical and business perspectives. Those that are not providing proactive guidance will not remain competitive. Those that provide proactive insight--based upon evolving technology--will remain a trusted advisor.Brian Clarke is a Solutions Architect of Networking and Collaboration at OneNeck® IT Solutions. In this role, Brian works with customers to clarify needs, identify potential solutions and provide ongoing support to ensure their continued trust and confidence in the OneNeck partnership. Brian is primarily responsible for designing Cisco-based network-related solutions, including Enterprise Networking, Data Center and Collaboration services. Brian joined OneNeck in 2010 with more than 20 years of experience in the IT industry. About OneNeckOneNeck IT Solutions LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Telephone and Data Systems, Inc., employs nearly 550 people throughout the U.S. The company offers hybrid IT solutions including cloud and hosting solutions, managed services, enterprise application management, advanced IT services, hardware and local connectivity via top-tier data centers in Arizona, Colorado, Iowa, Minnesota, New Jersey, Oregon and Wisconsin. OneNeck's team of technology professionals manage secure, world-class, hybrid IT infrastructures and applications for businesses around the country. Visit oneneck.com. Telephone and Data Systems, Inc. [NYSE: TDS], a Fortune 1000® company, provides wireless; cable and wireline broadband, TV and voice; and hosted and managed services. TDS has approximately six million connections nationwide through its businesses U.S. Cellular, TDS Telecom, OneNeck IT Solutions LLC, and TDS Broadband Service. TDS has recently been named to three Forbes lists: America's Best Employers for Diversity, Best Large Employers, and Best Employers for Women. Founded in 1969 and headquartered in Chicago, TDS employs 9,400 people. Visit tdsinc.com. Brian Clarke
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