GigE network solution becomes major pillar of business model - R&K chose 3Com's SuperStack Gigabit Ethernet architecture - Product Information

Communications News,  July, 2001  by Gigabit Ethernet

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When reliability was on trial, this legal consulting firm weighed the evidence.

Rippe & Kingston (R&K), a nationally recognized accounting, consulting and software manufacturing firm based in Cincinnati, OH, is known best for developing high-end enterprise resource planning (ERP) applications for more than 300 law firms in 44 states--from Washington to New York.

R&K's ERP solutions are brand independent and can run on any server in any network environment. If a client's network fails, however, the performance of its applications is severely compromised. If a client's network is built around sprawling server farms and unreliable switches, the client sacrifices both productivity and profitability. As a result, R&K searched for a network architecture that would provide two benefits: Give its ERP solution a unified environment in which to run, and deliver immediate and reliable access to documents every minute throughout every business day.

Initially, R&K opted to eliminate server farms that created complexity and undermined network reliability, standardizing on a small number of powerful IBM AS/400 64-bit servers to run its customers' applications. R&K then determined that a Gigabit Ethernet architecture would provide the scalability and speed its LANs required. After studying the marketplace, R&K chose 3Com's SuperStack Gigabit Ethernet architecture.

According to Paul Truax, R&K's marketing director, this solution provided "the unparalleled scalability, ease of installation and effortless network management today's law firms require to run our ERP solutions.

"The network environment is vital to the performance of our ERP solution," Truax adds. "Using these GigE technologies, we're benefiting from a family of affordable, ultrafast switches to connect to the servers that host our customers' ERP applications. Also, we've achieved absolute reliability--the switches simply do not break."

Previously, R&K employed a shared token ring and ethernet architecture from a variety of vendors that often faltered when delivering ERP applications at client sites. Seeking a solution to increase uptime, R&K wanted a new network infrastructure to expedite time-sensitive applications for law firm clients that use its ERP solution.

R&K now delivers a full suite of mission-critical ERP applications that span every aspect of a law firm's practice--from accounts payable to attorney/client meetings. R&K's time, billing and accounts receivable modules, for example, allow administrators to enter time spent on every project, inquire into a client's account, request a prebill and invoice a client in an unlimited number of formats. With the click of a mouse, attorneys, paralegals and others easily and securely track billable hours.

Powered by the 3Com network, R&K's Data Mailman application acts as a 24x7 "tattletale," continuously scanning all documents in a firm's system for discrepancies or day-to-day management exceptions. Reporting via e-mail delivered by the LAN, Data Mailman notes exceptions, such as when a client is 90 days delinquent, or when the 90day delinquent account has been paid. It also highlights which timekeepers are tardy reporting their labor beyond five working days, enabling customers to maintain a timely and accurate accounting of billable hours.

Using this network, law firms are assured seamless access all the time--at the home office, while traveling or even in court. "Our clients simply cannot afford any downtime, and this network assures the 99.99% availability they need," says Truax.

R&K is now realizing a number of business benefits from the 3Com system, including:

* Greater profitability. R&K's standardized Gigabit Ethernet solution provides a stable platform that fully optimizes the performance of its ERP solutions.

* Increased productivity. R&K and its 300 clients enjoy instant access to ERP applications, such as time and billing, document management and docket/calendar management--saving both parties significant time and money.

* Improved customer service. Because of the virtual 100% reliability of the switches, R&K can immediately rule out the network as the source of a customer issue, which helps it solve customer concerns faster and more efficiently.

* Increased cost savings. Network-driven ERP applications help law firms perform quality labor tracking, enabling many to reclaim up to 12% of lost revenue per year.

www.3com.com

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COPYRIGHT 2001 Nelson Publishing
COPYRIGHT 2001 Gale Group