On-Demand Network

Global Network To Unify And Manage Multi-Enterprise Value Network Processes

Overview

One Network provides robust Replenishment, Distribution and Transportation applications designed specifically for networked or multi-enterprise processes. As critical supply chain processes fragment across more and more companies, legacy software applications are increasingly being replaced with a global network that unites the end-to-end trading community.

The use of a high performance global network supports an operating environment in which all trading partners share common data, policies and controls, transaction capabilities and performance monitoring. This reduces operating and IT costs and improves capital efficiency and SLA delivery.

The core of our On-Demand Network is an innovative Security and Permissibility framework that today supports over 2,200 customers that transact over $150 billion in annual commerce. These capabilities have passed the most rigorous requirements for both commercial and government customers.

Changing Operating Models

As organizations accelerate outsourcing, international expansion, alliances and global sourcing, they fundamentally change their operating model and business practices. The days in which an organization had complete ownership of end-to-end supply chain processes with the “4 walls” and totally within the control of internal IT systems are long gone. Rather, the norm is a combination of internal, outsourced and shared processes that span global operations, customers, suppliers, trading partners, outsourcing vendors and regulatory agencies.

In recent years, legacy application providers have introduced capabilities to manage commerce between two trading partners. As shown in the figure below, the focus has been on a one-to-many operating model such as one in which manufacturer buys goods from multiple suppliers and manages communications and transactions directly with each company.

One-to-Many Operating Model

However, critical supply chain processes always involve more than two organizations, meaning a one-to-many operating model (and the supporting IT systems) do not fulfill the real business requirement. As shown in the graphic below, these processes increasingly fragment across five or more trading partners. The main supplier has tier 2/3 suppliers and depends on a transportation network to move the goods; depending on the industry, financial partners and regulatory agencies may participate; and the manufacturer has customers and channels that constantly change demand and impact downstream fulfillment processes. The key point is that any disruption, at any stage and with any participant, is as disruptive as a problem between the manufacturer and tier 1 supplier.

Many-to-Many Operating Model

SaaS 3.0: Next-Generation Networks

Managing multi-enterprise processes requires the next-generation of business applications, built upon an innovative infrastructure and delivered via a high performance global network. The infrastructure provides the advanced functionality to define, control, manage and improve the business process. The network serves as the foundation to unite the trading community, using a common set of data, business controls and transactional capabilities to improve organizational performance.

This next-generation of networks, or Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) 3.0 from One Network moves far beyond the use of networks as pipes to move data and equally far beyond traditional SaaS solutions that simply outsource application hosting. The network becomes the backbone for the entire trading community, providing real-time visibility and collaboration, views into supply or demand disruptions and multi-enterprise controls that ensure flawless transaction execution and exception management.

Single Version Of The Truth

Multi-enterprise processes can not be properly managed by installing more software behind-the-firewall of every company that participates. This creates three critical problems. First, IT complexity and cost grow to unmanageable levels as trading partners integrate multiple applications, data formats and transmissions processes. Second, latency abounds – according to a recent BearingPoint study, it often takes longer to move information across multiple companies than it does to physically move the products.

The third, and often overlooked problem, is the vast array of confusing and overlapping data and business rules. A typical Replenishment Process spans a manufacturer or retailer, supplier and transportation vendors along with tier 2/3 suppliers and multiple internal departments. Each step is usually supported by legacy applications, each with its own set of rules and policies. The absence of a single system that establishes multi-enterprise policies and binds them to an execution backbone produces conflicts that lead to frequent exceptions, higher operating costs and lower SLA delivery.

One Network’s On-Demand network unites all trading partners into a common system. In the Replenishment example, the manufacturer’s Purchase Order is the supplier’s Sales Order. The Supplier’s Purchase Order is, in turn, the Sales order for tier 2/3 suppliers. Likewise for the transportation providers, the pickup, ASN creation, in-transit visibility and scheduled delivery all represent the same transaction and data – each simply must be oriented to the pre-defined requirements of a specific participant in the process. By uniting all companies into a single network using the same policies and data, process and organizational performance soars.

Advanced Security

Over 2,200 companies use One Network to manage over $150 billion in annual commerce. These customers span retail, consumer products, manufacturing, high technology and government markets. A demanding customer base that expects high performance, system availability and unrivaled security. One Network delivers.

At the heart of our on-Demand Network is a Security and Permissibility framework that is so advanced it is used to manage highly confidential processes in both commercial and United States Federal Government operations. The security capabilities provide full authentication and identity management to ensure trading partners have real-time access only to their data. The Permissibility framework is roles-based and ensures that each individual is presented a user interface that is customized to their responsibilities, tasks and security levels.