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IMS for the Enterprise

Cisco TAB – Oct 2007

Sorell Slaymaker

UHG-IT Office of CTO

sorell_slaymaker@uhc.com

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Presentation Outline

• Thesis

• What is IMS

• What are the business applications that require IMS/SIP

• Application Examples

• Conclusion

• Questions

• Appendices – More misc info

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Thesis

• Cell phones/PDAs will continue to evolve quickly and become the predominate communications device for a good portion of the work force and consumer population

• A lot of the advanced features that will be offered initially on cell phones will be proprietary to the Mobile Service Operator network. MSOs are spending 100+Billion/year to increase coverage, add users, increase speed, and most of all, add new revenue generating services for the consumer. MSOs are using the IMS framework to add these services, esp in Europe and Asia

• In order for Enterprises to take advantage of new communication capabilities, they will need to integrate with MSOs. This is esp tricky when you have mobile employees and customers talking to folks within the enterprise like support and contact centers who are on traditional phone systems

• IMS/SIP appears to be the framework and technology that Enterprises will use to integrate to an MSO to take advantage of new capability like roaming, location, presence, …

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IMS – Should Enterprises Care?

• Consumers expect to communicate with an enterprise the way they communicate with each other – Multi-channel & Multi-modal. The next generation cell phones/PDAs will allow you to communicate across multiple channels at the same time and add more data/context to the communication.

• How well an enterprise communicates and collaborates will become a key measure of its success:

– Internally - adopt technology to make employees more productive, esp the mobile workforce.

– Externally - getting closer to the consumer for competitive advantage. This means communication that is relevant, consistent, effective, and efficient across all channels.

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What is IMS

• IP Multimedia Subsystem (IMS) is an architectural framework for delivering internet protocol (IP) multimedia to mobile users. It was originally designed by the wireless standards body 3rd Generation Partnership Project (3GPP), and is part of the vision for evolving mobile networks beyond GSM. – For more info, go to wikipedia

• IMS is an open standards-based, real-time, service oriented architecture that lets service providers create systems from standard, IT building blocks.

• Subscriber-centric, access-agnostic services

• Enhanced interpersonal communication experiences

• Significant cost efficiencies

• Broad and deep set of innovative money-making services

• Improved business agility

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What is IMS Continued

IMS Framework separates the media layer from the application layer

– Connectivity Layer: This layer is composed of the routers, switches and access elements that sit at the edge of a provider's network. The connectivity layer is the layer at which individual users are connected to the network via phones, laptops or PCs.

– Control Layer: This layer comprises control servers. The control servers manage call or data session set-up, modification and disconnect/release. Most important in this layer is the Call Session Control Function (CSCF). The CSCF is the SIP server that handles call set-up between the end devices.

– Service Layer: This layer (sometimes called the Application Layer) is made up of content or application servers providing a multitude of enhanced service features for IMS-enabled networks.

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3 Tiered IMS Framework Model

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Gartner Hype Cycle – IMS 2-5 years away

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New Cell Phone Features

• Roaming – Ability for mobile device to roam on and off a MSP, public, or private network

• Location – Send current location - GPS, cell tower triangulation, and/or connected access point

• Multi-Channel/modal – To be able to communicate across multiple channels simultaneously. Picture, video, chat, location,

• Identity – More info on person calling than just name – Organization, title, country, address, …

• Presence – Current state of both device and person – On a conf call for example

• Directory – Access to corporate, personal, and public directories

• Push to X Applications – Talk, conference, view

• MMS – Video Streaming, Mobile TV/radio, games

• Device Info – Device type incl screen size, OS, cookie,

• *3 and short code apps – Req service/info with a few key strokes. My favorite app is in Singapore, you dial 3 digits and a Taxi arrives at your location.

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Session Based, Real Time Communication

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Roaming - Fixed/Mobile Convergence

• Dual Mode Phone – 802.11 & GSM wireless phone/PDA that is integrated into the corporate network but can work/roam outside. – Lower cost – Use 802.11 network when within business

facilities. Esp useful for those who travel overseas with roaming and LD charges

– Simplification – One device, one phone number, one mailbox, access to corporate directory and services

– Better coverage – In building, at home/cabin

– Better Quality – Better codec when in 802.11 coverage• Products are coming on the consumer market today

– Tmobile – Uses UMA instead of IMS

– RIM 8820 w/ AT&T – Data only roaming, with voice roaming coming in 2008 in conjunction with 3G/IMS rollout

– Capability is popular in Europe and Asia today – 3G & wifi• Products were available 3 years ago (Motorola) for the enterprise

market. It went no where. Lesson learned - enterprise adoption typically follows consumer adoption.

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Location Based Apps

• Using GPS or Triangulation and integrating this into mapping software. One application that UHG is exploring is 5 digit SMS short code and it will return the closest hospital and closest hospital in network. You are on vacation and you twist your ankle badly and would like to have it X-rayed. This is not a life threatening emergency, so no need to dial 911, but you would like to know where the closest hospitals are, esp ones in network to keep your insurance costs down.

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Push to X applications

• Push to Conference – From your cell phone, you hit a button and in 15 seconds, your entire staff is in a conference call and can share information.

• Push to Broadcast – Via RSS feed, some critical data that specific sales reps need to know

• Push to View – Check on the kids at home. Send an on-line nurse a short video on a rash and see if you can wait to go to a doctor tomorrow or you should go to urgent care now.

• Push to send video – Show mom and dad how bad the accident was and that you are OK.

• Push to Chat – Pre-canned questions – How are you?

Real time, multi-channel applications

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IMS vs SIP for Peering

• IMS uses SIP for all its call control

• Currently SIP peering only gives you the same voice functionality as you have today.

• IMS provides services/data over and above SIP

– Anchoring

– Billing

– Device info

– Location info

– Security (via Diameter)

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Assumptions – Industry Trends

• Smarter End Points/Phones – PDAs, iPhone, Gphone, Skype, … with features such as electronic payments, user info, multi-media, …. becoming common

• Adoption of IMS Framework – All IP/SIP communication and separating the media layer from the application layer for faster app deployment and offering communication services in a SOA framework with web services interfaces. Being able to communicate across multiple channels at the same time.

• Fixed/Mobile Convergence – Higher mobile speeds and lower costs, driving away the need for a traditional phone. 802.11 & GSM devices.

• Competition – Fight for consumer mind share will become more intense

• Information Overload – Lots of options, choices, decisions, opinions, …

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Coming in IMS rev 8 in 2008 – Currently a draft

• Comprehensive Security: Security is more than authentication, and involves all components in the network, including the devices. Indeed, security agents run on the network devices, providing reverse-firewalls to protect the network from the device and to aid in posture assessment during logon. Comprehensive security also requires the Security Manager to monitor the network at all times, determine baseline traffic patterns, and then use those to detect and respond to anomalies..

• Uniform Treatment of SIP and non-SIP Applications: To the greatest degree possible, A-IMS allows the service provider to manage and control both SIP and non-SIP applications in a uniform way. This is done primarily by usage of the Policy Manager (PM), which allows the service provider to manage the usage of network resources on behalf of both types of applications. Key network functions, including mobility, roaming and packet accounting

• Dual Anchoring: A-IMS provides a mobile terminal with two IP addresses - one anchored in a Bearer Manager (BM) in the visited network, and one in a BM in the home network. Service provider policy controls which address is used for which applications. This allows for latency sensitive applications to use the visited anchor, whereas applications that require greater levels of service provider control can use the home anchor.

• Three-Layer Peering: When connecting to roaming partners, peering occurs at three layers: security peering, used for access authentication, IP peering, used for transport of bearer traffic, and policy peering, used for control of bearer services. Policy server peering involves the usage of a policy server in both the home and visited networks. Usage of two allows for the home provider policies to apply even while roaming, yet allows them to be tempered by visited network policies on usage of the network.

• Multi-Tiered Service Interaction Management: Feature interaction management across SIP-based applications, and between SIP and non-SIP applications is provided. Feature interaction management is linked with network policies, allowing for application interaction decisions to take into account the state of the network. The architecture also allows for extensibility to new interaction resolution mechanisms through the addition of service interaction application servers.

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Conclusion• Web 1.0 – Transactions – Basic web sites to market info & products, email – non real time

• Web 2.0 – Interactions – Chat/SMS, B-B, B-C, - semi-real time

• Web 3.0 – Collaboration – Wikis, open source, gaming, tracking, co-browsing, conferencing, video … - real time with multiple channel & modal communication to right person via presence, location, rules, and directory

Communication and Collaboration will continue to evolve at a quick pace with more channels, more real-time, and with more associated/relevant information to follow the conversation. The anywhere, anytime, any device. Communication that is relevant, consistent, efficient, and effective will be key.

IMS appears to be the framework with SIP and Diameter as the transport and security protocols used to integrate between networks. IMS should be on our 2-3 year road maps in the enterprise network. How we peer with MSOs is still fuzzy, but if we want the advance functionality, then we are going to need to.

Enterprise support centers (internal and external) will need to integrate with MSOs to get enhance mobile functionality.

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Questions

• Will we need IPv6 to peer with the carriers? If a cell phone has two IP addresses for dual anchoring and carriers run IPv6 and we can only run one IP stack on an end device.

• What is the time line for 4G (voice is all IP/SIP) and LTE? Gartner says 5-10 years, but competition is fierce.

• Who is going to buy the 700Mhz spectrum at the Jan 16 FCC auction, and will they have an open network and what standards will they use?

• What does IMS peering with the carrier mean? How are the carriers going to pass the info with the call? In the SDP within a SIP Invite or via a data connection with a label?

• How quickly will the traditional land line carriers and cable providers follow with IMS since a lot of their end phones are not intelligent?

• How willing will the large carriers be in exposing information like GPS/location and using 3rd party mapping applications? AT&T thus far mandates the use of their mapping software – TeleNav.

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Additional Slides/info

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Example Cell Phone Apps

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Enhanced Customer

Experiences

Understanding Our Customer

Optimize Operations

Expand Channel Execution

Enhance Communication

Establish Organizational Behavior & Cultural Change

• Establish ‘Customer Champion’ model • Infuse ‘Customer’ into employee’s DNA

“They really know me and care about me as a

person”

“They have great customer service … quick, reliable and

courteous”

“They told me about a service I never knew I

had”

“They are always accessible to me, the way I want to interact

with them”

“Everyone I communicate with cares and treats me with respect”

• Centralizing Customer Data

• Build & Enhance Customer Facing Tools

• Segment Customer for Better Servicing

• Process Improvements

• Servicing with Efficiency Speed and Accuracy

• Enhance Quality and Operational Reporting

• Engage with our Customers

• Communicate Proactively and more frequently

• Educate through different channels

• Increase channel availability

• Integration customer data across channels

• Enhance Channel Functionality

Customer Experience Areas of Focus

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Service Bundling Requires Flexible and Real-time Service Management

OriginatingAuthorization

PriorityScreening

Unified VoiceMail

Web Conferencing

Find Me

Do NotDisturb

Group Phone

PersonalRing

Called Party Pay

Profile BasedRouting

Voice Dialing

Basic Single

NumberSingle Number

Unified VoiceMail

EnhancedSingle

NumberSingle Number Unified Voice

MailFind Me

PrivacyPackage

PriorityScreening

Unified VoiceMail

Do NotDisturb

BusinessTraveler

EnhancedSingle

Number+

PriorityScreening

PersonalRing

Voice Dialing

SupportCenter

Single Number

Find Me Single Number

Called Party PayPersonal

RingProfile Based

Routing

Group Phone