Utilities Network Revitalization Solutions

Highlights:

• facilitates efficient dispatch

• Speeds problem resolution

• Helps ensure continuity of efficient communications

• Improves real-time collaboration

• Automates work order process

• provides foundation for better communications in

emergency situations

Setting a New Standard in Mobile Workforce ProductivityEnergyandutilitycompaniesneedahighly-productivemobile

workforcetomakesuretheirnetworksdelivercontinuous

serviceandmeetcustomerservicestandards.Whenoutages

happen,speedofresolutionandpublicsafetyareparamount.

Today’sutilitycompaniesareexperiencingthefollowing

challengesinmobileworkforcemanagement:

• Problem resolution often requires more than one visitand

involvesalargeron-siteworkforcethantheproblemmight

actuallyrequire.Tospeedproblemresolutionandincrease

productivity,utilitiesseektoresolveissueswithfewer

servicevisitsandfeweronsiteemployees.

• Inefficient communicationsbetweenlarge,mobileworkforces

(whichhavebeendispatchedtoremotesites)andcorporate

supportresources,resultinslowerfaultresolutionand

delaysinconstructionandmaintenance.

• Service workers often lack the right equipment and skill settoresolveproblemsonsite.

• Aging workforce:Alargepercentageofmobileworkers

plantoretireandmustpasstheirskillsontoanewwork-

force.Newworkersarenottrainedontheoldertechnologies

installedintheexistingnetworks.Skilltransferproblemsare

furthercomplicatedbygeographicdistributionofemployees.

• Work order process is paper-based.Changesandnew

approvalsrequireaslow,cumbersomeprocessthatcauses

projectdelaysandreducesemployeeproductivity.

• In emergency situations, it’s imperative to make sure of real-time coordination with first responderssuchasfire,

policeandhomelandsecurityservices.

Cisco and IBM: Solution Brief

®

Mobile Workforce Management for improved productivity and faster problem resolution

IBM and Cisco: Two World-Class industry Leaders—One Exceptional Alliance

The ChallengeEnergyandutilitycompaniesmustimplementacomprehensive,

IP-enabledmobileworkforcemanagementsolutionthat:

• Connectsmobileworkerswiththeinformationandhuman

resourcestheyrequire

• Automatespaper-intensiveprocesses

• Providesefficientdispatch,problemresolution,and

emergencycommunications.

The Solution Thesolutionisbasedonthestrengthsoftwoindustryleaders.

IBMbringsthepowerfulcombinationofitsin-depthindustry

knowledge,experienceinimplementingmobileworkforce

managementsolutionsaroundtheglobe,andtechnology

leadership.Ciscocontributesitsleadingwire-lineandwireless

networkinfrastructuretosupportreal-timedata,voice,and

videocommunications.Theresultisastate-of-the-art,trans-

formationalMobileWorkforceManagementofferingbased

onasecure,reliableIP-enablednetwork.

Withincreasingregulatoryfocusonnetworkandenterprise

security,utilitiesneeda‘systems’approachtohelpensure

thesecurityoftheirend-to-endnetwork.TheMobileWorkforce

ManagementofferingcombinesIBM’sprovenenterprise

securitysolutionswithCiscogloballeadershipinnetwork

security.Theintegrationofthesesecurityproductsdelivers

anend-to-endnetworksecuritysolutionthatismanageable,

scalableandintegratedwithoverallITsecurity.

Ultimately,thejointIBMandCiscoMobileWorkforceManage-

mentofferingprovidesutilitycompanieswithasolution

thatincreasesmobileworkforceproductivity,speedsproblem

resolution,lowersoperatingcosts,andhelpsensureeffective

communicationsinemergencysituations.

Cisco and IBM: Solution Brief 2

Facilitating effective fault Identification, Real-time employee Collaboration,

efficient dispatch, and emergency Communications

Data Center Access Network Cellular

WiFi

Satellite

Vehicle Hot Spot

WAN

End Points

• ActiveRFIDtagsonthetruckefficientlytrackthelocation

oftrucksandequipmenttooptimizeresponsetimes.

• Livevideoandaudiofeedsfromthefieldallowcentralized

expertsupporttoseeaspecificproblem,providingthe

mobileworkerwithspecificinstructionsand,ifnecessary,

immediatelysendingthemobileworkerthecorrectpart

toresolvetheproblem.

• TheIP-enabledinfrastructureautomatestheworkorder

process.Workorderscanbeopenedelectronicallyand

transmittedwirelessly.Ifapprovalsarerequired,the

mobileworkercanutilizeliveremotevideotosimplify

theapprovalprocess.

• TheIP-enablednetworkcanalsobeusedtoextendland

mobileradiocommunicationstoincludedeskphones,cell

phones,andfirstresponderstoprovideeffectivecommu-

nicationswithallpartiesinemergencysituations.

How It WorksTheMobileWorkforceManagementofferingutilizesawire-

less,IP-enablednetworkinfrastructuretoconnecttosensors

anddevices,aswellastofacilitatevoice,video,anddata

communicationstobothmobileandcentralizedemployees.

ThisinfrastructureintegratestransparentlywithIBM’sSolution

ArchitectureforEnergy(SAFE)totransmit,store,manage,

andprovidesecureaccesstoreal-timeinformation,facilitating

effectivefaultidentification,real-timeemployeecollaboration,

efficientdispatch,andemergencycommunicationswithpolice

andfireradios.

InstallationofIP-enabledvideodevicesatsubstationsallows

someproblemstobediagnosedbeforeamobileworkerissent

tothesite,improvingworkforceproductivityandspeeding

problemresolution.

IP-enabledvehiclesequippedwithmobileaccessroutersare

movinghotspotsthatprovidemobileworkerswithbi-direc-

tionalreal-timecommunicationwiththefieldworkerand

addressesseveralchallenges:

• Thewireless,IP-enablednetworkhelpsensurecontinuity

ofcommunications,reducingdelays,serviceinterruptions

andnon-productivetime.

Cisco and IBM: Solution Brief 3

Facilitating effective fault Identification, Real-time employee Collaboration,

efficient dispatch, and emergency Communications

Cisco and IBM: Solution Brief MD/01/07

CSS00242-USEN-00

Benefits • Faster response times and problem resolution—more

problemscanbesolvedonthefirstvisitwith

feweron-siteworkers

• Improved collaboration and knowledge transfer• Automation of work order processtohelpreduce

operatingcosts

• Improved productivityofthemobileworkforce

• Higher service levels• Continuous communicationswithfieldworkers,centralized

supportstaff,utilitymanagement,andfirstrespondersin

emergencysituations

• Increased employee safety

For More Informationwww.cisco.com/go/ibm

www.ibm.com/cisco

CiscoSystems,Inc.170WestTasmanDriveSanJose,CA95134-1706www.cisco.com/go/ibm

InternationalBusinessMachinesCorporationNewOrchardRoadArmonk,NewYork10504www.ibm.com/cisco

®

Mobile Workforce Management for improved productivity and faster problem resolution

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