The project of establishment of a telecommunication network for group Sibirsky aljuminy (Siberian aluminum)

The project of establishment of a telecommunication network for group Sibirsky aljuminy (Siberian aluminum) is a real example of capabilities of MTU-Inform. This customer has a branchy infrastructure of affiliates in Moscow and in a number of other regions of Russia and abroad. As a result, Siberian aluminum group was one of the first in Russia to build a complete territorially-distributed corporate telecommunication network with all communication services (telephony, data transfer, internet access) provided by one operator using most modern technologies, including VoIP, in mid 1999. Connection of new offices in other Russian regions and abroad is carried out automatically using a well developed technique.

The project for establishment of the telecommunication network for Siberian aluminum group was implemented in few months in the first half of 1999. The main requirements of the customer included digital telephony service, video conference communication, data transfer with integration of LANs and internet access. At the same time, expedient project implementation and high quality communication services with relatively low cost of works were required. All of this made the contractor to look for combined solutions allowing to decrease the number of leased channels and additionally purchased equipment.

From the communication operator's point of view, Siberian aluminum group was a corporate client, and one very skilled in telecommunications and electronic business conduct filed. The group was virtually the first one in Russia with vertically integrated structure that provided full production cycle from raw materials and primary metal to semi-finished materials to end products. Therefore, any less-than-optimum technical solution would immediately result in adverse economic consequences. This made the project participants to search for the best in all respects option of all solutions that MTU-Inform could possibly offer to the client.

The task of integration of the five offices of Siberian aluminum located in the territory of Moscow (three offices), Samara and Sayanogorsk (Khakasia) in a corporate network was solved during the main stage of implementation of the project. Administration of the corporate network is carried out from the central office located in Moscow. The central office is also a gate to telephone network for general use and the internet.

Network screens, a communication center (also with protection) and routers providing integration of LANs are installed in the central office. A leased satellite channel is used for connection with the Sayanogorsk office, and a leased cable channel is used for connection with the Samara office.

The trunk part of the corporate network of Siberian aluminum is based entirely on the transport SDH network of MTU-Inform. All Moscow offices of the client and access points of client's remote offices are connected to it by optical "transparent" channels.

Typical equipment of a remote client's office is comprised of optical modem ADC-E1 (ADC) connected to the nearest SDM multiplexer of MTU-Inform, multiplexer FCD-E1 (RAD), PABX Business Phone 250 (Ericsson) and router Vanguard-320 (Motorola). Also, 256 kbps connection of the internal LAN to LAN in the client's central office (via IP) and to the internet (through the central office) is provided and service of 10 to 100 telephone terminals is made possible.

Information flows from all office LANs and PABXs get together in the Moscow central office. Three E1 data streams (for telephony, LAN and internet) coming from the nearest SDM multiplexer of the transport network of MTU-Inform to optical modem ADC-4E1 (ADC) were allocated for this purpose. Access to the internet is carried out through a router. Separate routers Vanguard-320 are allocated for other offices' LANs, individual ones (256 kbps) for the Moscow offices and one (384 kbps) for all remote offices at present. Multiplexer FCD-24 (RAD) carries out separation of the said streams. It goes without saying that all equipment can be upgraded and extended if necessary.

Regarding the number of streams and unification of telephone numbers, an interesting economy solution was used to provide the telephony service. Control of the telephony part of the corporate network is distributed between the transit exchange (Nokia DX-200/5) of the digital telephony network of MTU-Inform and PABX of the central office of Siberian aluminum group. The corporate telephony network uses a unified four-digit numbering system where the first two digits determine the address of the office (interpreted by the exchange of MTU-Inform) and the last two digits determine the party inside the office (interpreted by local PABX).

The telephony network algorithm is as follows. If digit 0 is dialed first, then the communication goes inside the office. If any other digit is dialed, then the call goes to central office PABX from where it is directed either to PABX of the destination office (if the dialed number matches its logical address) or to ÒôÎÏ through the digital network of MTU-Inform. If digit 9 is dialed first, it means that a 7-digit Moscow number will follow, providing access to the local (Moscow) telephone network. If digit 8 is dialed first, it means access to long-distance (inter-city or international) telephone network, then the corresponding number is dialed without waiting for a dial tone in the tone dialing mode.

This very economic solution was also used for connection of the Samara office. There voice over IP (VoIP) technology was used in order to decrease the number of leased channels, with both voice and data traffic going through a common communication channel.

Implementation of the project was rather expedient: the contract was signed in late January 1999, the central office was equipped on 1 March, the last engaged equipment unit was put in operation in the corporate network as soon as on 1 June. As a result, Siberian aluminum group was one of the first in Russia to establish a complete territorially-distributed corporate telecommunication network with all communication services provided by one operator.

The corporate network created by MTU-Inform is extended relatively easy both for adding new objects and for increase of information flows. In practice, connection of new offices of Siberian aluminum group in the above cities in other Russian regions and abroad with the same complete set of services, can be carried out automatically using the well developed technique. This is what actually happens. However, there are quite a few of similar projects for establishment of corporate telephone networks or data communication networks.