Impact of VoIP on Army Defense Wide Transmission Systems

SPECIAL REPORT : VoIP

By Jeff Erlichman, 1105 Government Information Group Custom Media

The Army's Defense Wide Transmission Systems (DWTS), Army has been a longtime user of
VoIP to achieve its mission.

You need to look no farther than the US Army Defense Wide Transmission Systems (DWTS) to
see practical examples of how VoIP is making an impact.

According to the Army, DWTS manages more than 40 diverse projects supporting warfighters in
Iraq, Afghanistan, Kuwait, Germany, Korea, Japan and CONUS and spanning the product
areas of transmission systems, satellite communications systems, fiber optic networks,
microwave networks, tech control facilities, power systems, wireless networks, and services
including operation of network management centers and management of a multi-billion dollar
contract.

DWTS has deployed VoIP technology since 2002 to support user requirements worldwide, said
Paul Brown, Project Leader in a recent interview with 1105 Government Information Group
Custom Media.

Specifically, VoIP has added value by decreasing the tactical cable infrastructure required on the
ground. In an IP environment, VoIP enables both voice and data to share the same network
infrastructure, thus reducing costs time and cost to implement.

Greg Fornino, Project Leader said during the same interview that when pushing communications
to deployed locations, VoIP has allowed the physical footprint to shrink by eliminating legacy
equipment such as multiplexers and PBXs.

Not only does the physical footprint shrink, but the knowledge-base required to support these
networks decreases as well, Fornino said. Voice is still voice, but when the infrastructure and
equipment changes from a command-line programmed "big-iron" PBX to a converged VoIP
solution configured by a web browser, the supportability increases.

The tools available to support the converged network and infrastructure, plus the remote
accessibility of IP equipment (for configuration and management), allows for consolidated
support.

In the short term, Fornino said DWTS has no plans to move away from VoIP. The reliability is
now very close to the five 9s (99.999%) of traditional PBXs, he explained. VoIP provides the
capability we need now at a right cost. But in the long term Fornino thinks they could possibly
move to more CTI (Computer Telephony Integration) applications, and, in some cases, perhaps
utilize integrated soft phones rather than desktop units.

VoIP has been a key element providing communications capabilities and a technology DWTS has
been following for more than a decade. Using VoIP has allowed PM DWTS the ability to
increase the number of user instruments without increasing cable infrastructure. In Operation
Iraqi Freedom, as our user base increased significantly on the ground, we were able to deploy
more user VoIP instruments with minimal effort and cost, explained Brown. That experience also
has paid off in deployed environments since 2000; deployed in Kosovo, it allowed the Army to
reduce the amount of contractor support needed at remote base camps.
The ability to very quickly and remotely perform adds, moves and changes rather than
dispatching technicians allowed DWTS to provide more real-time support; while the
flexibility and growth potential with VoIP is unmatched by traditional PBX technologies.

The ability to very quickly and remotely perform adds, moves and changes rather than
dispatching technicians allowed us to provide more real-time support. Fornino remarked. The
flexibility and growth potential with VoIP is unmatched by traditional PBX technologies. Being able
to support an entire base camp of thousands of users with a half-rack of servers vice an entire
shelter, significantly reduces cost and enhances the user experience.

Success for DWTS isn't always easy and they are constantly faced with challenges they must
overcome, such as how to develop a Wide Area Network transport connection to support the
number of VoIP users at a deployed location only in relation to the available bandwidth.

In use today by DWTS, its leaders see a rosy future for VoIP. Brown said that as networks are
upgraded and IP is implemented throughout organizations, he expects more users will opt for a
VoIP solution similar to what is now happening in the commercial sector with cable and
telephone companies.

Fornino added that there probably won't be a significant change to the user, but VoIP will
continue to make inroads into the legacy telecom realms, eventually displacing the big-iron
support two-wire phone.

As experienced VoIP pros, Brown and Fornino have sound advice for those who are tasked with
writing a RFP for VoIP.

I would advise them to be sure they understand the limitations of the network and capability; and
to determine the QoS requirement and to develop the network to support those requirements,
counseled Brown. Fornino urged prospective buyers to involve personnel from enough
disciplines that can understand the requirements and limitations of equipment and technology.
Often, RFPs go out with unrealistic or impossible requirements within the realm of a realistic
cost. It's one thing to want, it's something else entirely to need, Fornino explained. The
requirements need to be clear to prevent scope creep."

Mission Mobility
Mobility was a major selling point of VoIP in the early years, but by now its just one of the
features included according to Fornino. The backend administration is of course lessened, but to
a user, they dont really care how the phone works, they just want dial-tone.

The capability of a soldier to be able to take their phone with them and have the number follow,
allows the saving of costly support dollars. The benefit of mobility rests solely in its cost reduction
benefit.

Plus Brown said that with VoIP, the user can move the instrument within the network to a new
location without the requirement of an add/delete function on a PTSN (public switched telephone
network) switched system. This reduces maintenance costs and the delay associated when
moving to a different office location on a network.

VoIP can be implemented on installed network infrastructure, thus reducing the time to implement
associated cabling for a PTSN POTS system. In addition to reduced time, the reduced
infrastructure significantly reduces associated project and maintenance costs.

VoIP is cheaper and offers faster rollout of the services, Fornino added. The two-wire
telephone works so well that no one thinks about it; if there wasn't a tangible benefit to VoIP, we
wouldn't be doing it. VoIP offers faster rollout, cheaper costs and increased flexibility.

When VoIP is talked about, it is hard to leave what is happening in the world of Unified
Communications (UC) out of the discussion. Brown and Fornino were no exceptions.

Unified communications to me is interoperability, selecting a technology that is "uniform" across
the DoD and services. Uniformity goes a long way to ensuring mission success, noted Brown.

Fornino said, To me, this means a one network approach. In the past, we had voice networks,
data network, video networks and legacy circuits (such as AUTODIN). A unified network allows
these technologies to ride the same pipe. This reduces bandwidth costs by sharing equipment,
and media.

The result is reduced administration by reducing required maintenance. With the possible
exception of extremely sensitive or secure circuits, a unified network just makes sense Fornino
added.

Why have overlap and duplication when the technology exists to eliminate it? We owe it to the
taxpayer to ensure we save money wherever possible.