With 75,000 customers worldwide, 250 employees working in four locations in the United States and three European offices, and a catalog of more than 100,000 parts, Ullman, Manly & Ulysses Corporation (UMUC) relies on its network for its survival. In the past decade, UMUC has seen its business grow from just one location and a few local customers to the worldwide supplier it is today. But in the process of growing exponentially, it has overwhelmed its telecommunications network, which is currently managed by an outside telecommunications network management company. The network crashes frequently, resulting in customer service and e-mail interruptions that are costly to the company. The network management company is not responsive to UMUC, a relatively small customer, and often disagrees that there is even a problem. Since the contract with the service provider is about to expire, UMUC has decided to seek a better network solution.

The Chief Information Officer (CIO) has outlined the key requirements for a new network for UMUC. He has explained to the executive board that a new network would have the following characteristics:

Availability:?Business operations require maximum uptime, and quick repairs when needed.

Reliability:?The network must function as designed and produce accurate results.

Scalability:?UMUC continues to grow at a rapid rate, and there are plans for acquisition of several small parts suppliers; the network must support this growth.

Security:?The confidentiality and integrity of UMUC's data is of great importance, as is the protection of its customers' data.

Flexibility:?The new network must be responsive to the changing needs of the business.

Performance:?The network must provide quick access for employees and customers.

Manageability:?The network must be designed and implemented so that it can be managed by a small team of centrally located IT specialists.

Economic efficiency:?The ongoing operations and maintenance costs should offset the initial investment costs, reducing the long-term total cost of ownership of the network.

UMUC's executives have agreed that they need a business network with higher reliability, security, and scalability, but with lower costs, than the existing externally managed network. The CIO has proposed that UMUC design and implement its own network, using advanced technologies for high availability, efficiency, and security management, that can be operated by a very small IT department. He proposes to use virtual private network technologies to connect remote offices and users securely and to facilitate company expansion.