Technology barriers to teleworking

In the last newsletter, we began a discussion of the impact of supporting teleworkers as a part of the corporate network. Now, let's look at the technical challenges of supporting teleworkers.

According to the AT&T studies we mentioned last time (see related links section below), the No. 1 reason more employees don't telework is because it is " difficult to download large files. " In fact, of the top six reasons not to telework, there was only one reason that didn't relate to the need for fast access to a corporate network: the " need to interact with others. " According to Braden Allenby, AT&T's vice president of environment, health and safety, " the primary obstacle that has prevented broad participation in telework arrangements is the lack of remote employee access to broadband technologies. "

Today, we're still faced with the famous " digital divide " between people who have access to broadband technologies (cable modem, DSL, fixed wireless and satellite to a lesser extent) and those who don't. For most applications to work well, modems and ISDN are inadequate.

So we're going forward with the assumption that broadband access for teleworking is critical to your company's future success. Now comes the hard part: Exactly what are the criteria for adequate broadband access?

One issue we frequently address in this newsletter is the reliability of various network services. A major factor in the longevity of frame relay services has been the guaranteed uptime via strict service-level agreements. To date, the same reliability hasn't been available for cable and DSL connections.

We're faced with a conundrum. Frame relay is reliable, but often too expensive for teleworkers. Cable and DSL are infinitely affordable, but do they provide adequate reliability? And beyond basic reliability, are there any guarantees for latency, jitter and packet loss, as IP telephony extends from the corporate LAN to remote and home sites?

Security, of course, is another component in the equation, as these broadband options generally use the public Internet to access corporate networks.

But let's start with reliability. We'd like your input. Exactly what level of reliability do you need for support of teleworkers, and does this differ from reliability needed for the remote office/branch office applications you may be supporting today with frame relay or other business-class service?

Go to our survey at www.webtorials.com/telework-survey.htm

We'll share the results in a later newsletter.

Network World Fusion telework beat archives
 

Steven Taylor, consultant and broadband packet evangelist, and Joanie Wexler, an independent networking technology editor and writer, team up to bring you this analysis and commentary. Taylor specializes in education and market analysis, and Wexler adds incisive reporting and research. For more detailed information on most of the topics discussed in this newsletter, connect to www.webtorials.com, the first Web site dedicated exclusively to market studies and technology tutorials in the Broadband Packet areas of Frame Relay, ATM, and IP.

Feedback and additional topic ideas are welcome. Please contact taylor@webtorials.com or joanie@jwexler.com.

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