Transcript What does it take to be an Internet Service Provider

What Does it Take to Be an
Internet Service Provider?
Nizar R. Mabroukeh, M.Sc., C.S.
Computer Engineering / KFUPM
[email protected]
http://www.ccse.kfupm.edu.sa/~nizar
18th Annual Computer Exhibition - KFUPM
25th Jan., 2000
Topics to be Covered
What will you need ?
Infra-structure
Team
How to Start?
Advertise
Sell
Promote
How to keep up?
Content
How to develop?
Plan
Team
What Will You Need?
Infra-structure
A connection to a larger Internet Provider.
Hardware and Software to provide Internet
Services.
Connecting To A Larger ISP
ISPs are divided into classes (A, B and C),
according to how many sub-networks they
can support with unique IP addresses.
Example:
AT&T  KACST Commercial ISPs Internet Café
Satellite Leased Line
Leased Line
or Submarine Fiber Optic
or Frame Relay
Connecting To A Larger ISP
Hardware depends on type of connection.
You are connecting your LAN to the larger
provider.
Generally, you will need:
An appropriate Router.
A Gateway, if different types of network.
A Proxy server to cache your link.
A Firewall to protect your LAN from intruders.
May need a leased-line modem or digital modem.
HW & SW to Provide Internet
You will providing for 3 types of customers:
Your local users on your LAN (directly
connected to the servers)
Dial-up users (using Modem)
Corporate accounts (Leased-lines, VPNs,
Frame-Relay…etc.), like Internet Cafès and
Intranet solutions to companies.
HW & SW to Provide Internet
For the 3 different types you will need:
A machine for each of the following
applications:
• Web Server: Ex. Microsoft Internet Information
Server (MIIS), Apache server (for Linux)…
• Proxy Server: Ex. Netscape Proxy Server
• E-Mail Server: Ex. Microsoft Exchange.
• Firewall: to protect your LAN from the last 2 types
of customers. Ex.: SQUID, ipchains…
Dial-up Customers HW
For dial-up customers you will need a pool of
modems (a modem for every phone line you
have).
A customer dials your service using a pilot number
which will connect him to the first available line
from the pool.
Thus you need a Port Master and a RAS (Remote
Access Server).
User Authentication follows the OS on the RAS.
Corporate Accounts HW
Leased-line modem, Frame-Relay switchs,
VPN routers…etc. depending on connection
type.
Most importantly you will need to have a
pool of vacant and static IP addresses to
provide.
Your Team
Technical Team
Customer Support Team
Sales Team
Marketing and Promotion Team
Billing and Accounting Team (Customer
Care)
Content and Quality of Service Team
Technical Team
Configures, manages and administers your
connection as well as troubleshooting problems on
the LAN and the Internet setup.
Supports and provides connection to corporate
users.
Responsible for providing a continuous and
smooth link with appropriate bandwidth to your
ISP (Tune the connection).
Customer Support Team
On-site installation and setup of service for
dial-up users.
Help-Desk service and troubleshooting.
Provides After-Sales service for dial-up
users and small corporate accounts (like
Internet Cafés).
Takes customer notes on service.
Works side-by-side with Technical team.
Sales Team
Sell…Sell…Sell…
First Contact with customer thus first on-ground
impression about company.
Must be knowledgeable about The Internet in
general and about the company’s capabilities.
Promise only what the company can deliver and
deliver what was promised.
Make friends with customers and keep in contact
after closing the deal.
You Better have a sub-team for corporate
accounts.
Marketing and Promotion Team
Advertise  Sell  Market  Promote.
Marketing is important for continuity of the
company as well as in competition.
Hold promotional campaigns taking chances of
special occasions.
Must have a clear goal (part of the general mission
of the company) on each campaign.
Should be flexible and fluctuant with Competition
(able to compete).
Billing and Accounting Team
Must be online with customer database
Always on contact and direct arrangement
with Marketing team.
Aware of their limits that might depend on
technical matters of the link.
Ex.: If server cannot keep track of off-peak hours,
we cannot sell off-peak accounts.
Content and Quality of Service Team
They provide content to the users.
Design your webpage and keep it up to date.
Keep users attracted and entertained:
Hold newgroups discussions.
Link people together: Chatting Services, small tutorials,
free personal websites for users…
Link your users to the government or people who
interest them.
Provide E-Commerce.
You Have All The Gadgets
Fully Equipped and ready….
 Let’s Hit The Market
Start Your Business
After you have decided on your company mission,
you can advertise on the grounds of this mission.
Sell:
In-door sales: For walk-in customers
Out-door sales: Target a special class or group of
people or industry sector, collect contacts, call them on
the phone and visit them.
Market and Promote (again, have clear goals and
targets)
Important Points for Sales
Internet Customers are usually interested in:
Price vs. quality of service.
Customer Support (after-sales service).
On-call Tech. Service.
Trial accounts.
Your Bandwidth and your ISP.
If I am a customer, I would ask you to convince
me to buy from you and not other companies. This
is when your “content” comes into action.
Ensure Continuity
Try as much as possible to keep your
configuration tuned for best performance.
If you need more bandwidth get more.
If you need more phone lines get more.
You might need to install new modems to keep up with
technology that you’re customers are using, do it.
Provide Content and Entertainment as mentioned
before.
Make a survey about your service every now and
then by calling customers and asking them (keep
up quality of service).
Ensure Continuity
Get rid of nosey customers, naggers,
hackers, and hot shots ! HOW?
Make friends with your loyal customers,
arrange gatherings.
You can also promote and market for your
new services in these gatherings.
Future Development
The Internet is growing dramatically
everyday. Thus the emergent need for
development to keep up with technology.
It would be good if you had future plans in
mind since day one of establishing your
company.
Development in hardware and in content.
Development Team
Establish a team for Research and
Development (R&D).
Give them resources they need: Money,
testing devices, library, research tools…
Usually R&D is the most money and timeconsuming department in any company.
R&D Responsibilities
Should follow up on new technologies and
services.
Should be able to carry out experimentation and
testing on new technologies and provide
management with consultation and support in
futuristic plans.
Should be able to come out with new ideas and
plans to enhance the performance of employees,
the network and the system as a whole.
Summary
We have seen the basic steps one needs to start his
business as an ISP.
To be a successful ISP keep in mind the following
points:
Good planning (the internet provides a lot of services
and there is a lot of technology involved, you might get
lost).
Robust connection to your ISP and enough resources.
Quality of service.
A lot of customer care.
The competition is wild !
Points to Ponder:
Globalization: What is your part in it? And
where is your contribution to it?
Will Bill Gates rule the world !?
Is it true that in the future every company will
be an Internet company?!