Mobile phone
Many mall and medium sized organizations are Ill-equipped to monitor and manage the security of their networks. Yet, to be competitive, organizations continue to seek a seamless technology environment that allows them to provide voice, data, and video services to exchange documents, to collaborate, and to deliver products and services In cost effective ways. Problem Statement This year’s TITER Case Study challenges participants to develop a technology solution for a company that will create a telecommunications network to support their staff of 50 salespeople and a five person central office staff located In Manchester, NH.
The current system is a hodgepodge of unique solutions that are not integrated.
Management has made the decision to scrap the current model and replace it entirely with one that is reliable and sustainable. The sales Stafford from offices in their personal homes at locations scattered throughout the continental united States, selling products and services to clients located around the world. The central office staff provides traditional accounting, marketing, and management support services and limited clerical support. The sales force receives ongoing training to remain knowledgeable about the company’s products and services.
Clients require very little product support; management’s strategy Is to have the sale force provide required support as a means to stay in touch with clients.
Salesperson collect receivables from their customers, some customers have house accounts, and others must pay for their order when it Is processed. A centralized proprietary package for pricing/ quotation management Is utilized by everyone In the company. Centrally managed tablet computers and cellophanes are provided to all employees, supported by a single IT staff person. The current level of IT support is unsatisfactory as perceived by users.
Problems take too long to be resolved. The technology solution must be designed to enhance the business’ competitiveness by providing high-quality telecommunications services that appropriately link the business’ sales staff with each other, with the central office resources, and with customers.
The service package must be engineered to allow all employees to function from their home office, from the central office, and while traveling to vaults customers. It must Meltzer the business’ vulnerability to attacks and other enplaned service interruptions.
It must provide for the safe storage and transport 1 OFF AT ten Dustless’ data Insane Ana outside AT tenet network. The technology business plan must include an architecture that is scalable over time as the company grows. Current growth calls for the addition of 3-5 sales persons per year and one central office staffer every third year.
The Case Study solution must take into account the Gardner Group’s statement from the perspective of the company and should create a solution that offers a network- based solution to the firms’ business needs.
The proposed service offering should be one that the company can fully migrate to within six months once a solution is selected. The solution should consist of an overarching architecture that is scalable and sustainable over the next 5-7 years at a minimum. The products within the architecture can have varying life expectancies, the cost of which must be described more fully within the solution’s budget. Case Study teams have discretion to augment the following list of minimum capabilities required as they see fit, consistent with the goal of adding value to the overall elution: 1 .
Voice Telephone (core baseline services required) a.
Individual and company direct inward dial lines with call management services to handle all voice communications; b. Conference calling, automatic call routing, vocalism, and similar related features; c. Worldwide long distance voice and fax services; d. Features to transparently link clients’ cellular phones with the company’s voice services to create a seamless communications environment 2. Data and Productivity Software services (core baseline services required) a.
Word recessing, spreadsheet, database, text messaging, e-mail, video conferencing, and other related/similar services; b.
Secure backup and storage for data on client-owned PC’s, tablets, and phones; c. Hosting for the company’s public and internal websites 3. Network Services Support (core baseline services required, ) a. Simple ‘Help Desk style support available on-line and via phone access; support for the order processing and accounting software packages is handled by a separate vendor b. Configuration management support for all company owned (tablets, PC’s, and phones) equipment; c.
Disaster backup capabilities and a business continuity plan for all central office provided services in the event they are unavailable; d.
A training strategy for new employees and to refresh existing employees’ ability to use your solution effectively. 4. Other features and services – Teams can elect to differentiate their solution from the pack by offering unique features and services that would provide the company with a competitive advantage at affordable costs. Deliverables: The company’s executives require a written proposal (see detailed formatting and us mission requirements below).
The executives are not technologists, but do have a businesses arson’s understanding of telecommunications which implies that proposals must provide a moderate level of explanation for technical issues and topics. Diagrams are often helpful.
The current IT staff support person will be involved in the review of proposals and will attend the presentation, b UT won’t be specifically identified to your group. Your written proposal must include the following: A detailed list and description of the services and functions included with your solution n; 2.
One or more scenarios (use- cases) that describe how particular employees would use your solution to conduct business more efficiently and effectively; 3. Any technical requirements that potential customers would have to meet to use your system; 4. A description of the support plan, including backup and disaster recovery plans for y our solution; 5. Financial information showing a projected budget for at least five years.
Proposals m ay extend projections to include seven total years, at their option, to assist in explaining the us attainability of their solution. An overview of your solution architecture, including core infrastructure requirements and assumptions; 7. An Executive Summary, not to exceed two pages in length. TITER Case Study Competition Instructions and Rules Eligibility – Each TITER member program is expected to manage the selection of its own team. ACH team must have a faculty sponsor, who acts as advisor/ coach to the team but is not allowed to direct the team toward a specific methodology or solution. 2.
Team Composition – Teams may consist of undergraduate students, graduate students, or a mixture of both. Each team may have no more than 5 members.
Each TITER member program may field only one team. Participating schools/ programs must notify TITER (DRP. Harry Reef, reifhl@Jmu. Due) of their intentions to participate/submit/ compete ay I-array 3.
December 1 Proposal Content/Formatting – Proposals should satisfy all of the technical and other requirements outlined in the TITER Case Study and include, as a minimum, the following component TTS: A. An Executive Summary – 2 pages maximum length B. The body of the proposal must not exceed 15 pages in length inclusive of appendices, attachments, and/or tables (the Executive Summary is treated separately) C.
The entire document must be formatted using Arial or Caliber font, with a font size of 11 or larger, and a minimum of 1 inch margins on all sides, on all pages. (Non- compliant submissions will not be Judged. ) D.
The body of the proposal MUST contain: a. A clearly defined problem/need statement – including lists of “must- have” requirements and “nice-to-have” goals b. A complete technical solution that includes relevant discussions of: I. Alternative solutions that were considered and not adopted it. Sensing, copyright, legal, cultural, and international issues c.
Cost data containing: I.
A. Total non-recurring costs (with by-item breakout) it. B. Recurring costs – tied to the specifications of the TITER case study iii. C.
Total life-cycle cost d. A schedule (for building the system and putting it into operation) E. A staffing and support plan (how many to operate, required skills, cost per person/ skill, etc. ) F. A user/staff training and education plan 4. Submissions – Entrants must submit their proposals in PDF format via email to reifhl@Jmu.
Due on o before Friday January 16, 2015.
The email should contain the Institutional Member’s department name and the team sponsor’s name, email, and contact phone number. The email/cover- page of the paper is the only location where the program, its campus, or the authors are to be identified to facilitate the “blind” Judging process. However, in add Zion to authors and programs the cover page must include the faculty sponsor and contact information 5. Questions/Clarifications – All questions and comments on the case study must be submitted in written form via email by the single sponsor of a program/
