Intel's e-business server solution
by Edu H. Lopez
EL NIDO, Palawan, 7 July 2000 (Manila Bulletin) - The third generation of Internet business is centered on the customers and characterized by the integration of automated processes and systems, personalized views, integrated internal processes and business productivity applications.
The end result is an increasing business effectiveness in employee productivity, business agility, decision support, business automation and customer satisfaction.
Paolo C. Lopez, architecture manager of Intel Philippines said the third generation of Internet business model would further enhance the company's efficiency and effectiveness.
He said that efficiency would be characterized by lower costs, more secure transactions, stability and low disruption.
The increasing transactions online and the growing volume of data traffic, increased channels, supply line and inventory would drive e-business.
For instance, Intel Corporation's eBusiness sites generate more than $1 billion per month in business transactions, serving 46 countries with 300 major customers and operating 24 hours a day which had been getting 90 percent average customer satisfaction.
Through its Internet application hosting subsidiary, Intel is building a global network of Internet data centers. It has major data centers in Santa Clara, California; Chantilly, Virginia; and Tokyo in Japan.
Intel has recently opened its centers in England and Korea and expects to invest about $1 billion in Intel Online Services by the end of 2001.
Lopez noted that in 1997, companies used fax for transmitting data. However, this year it is expected that over 90 percent would be done using the Internet instead of fax.
With the increasing competition and more start-ups going into e-business, dotcoms would be deploying solutions that would keep them ahead of their competitors.
Lopez said that a successful website should attract customers, differentiate it with the rest using the best marketing practices and with an established market presence. "You cannot transact business if nobody visits your website," he added.
Another issue is the payment system which should be addressed by choosing the correct fulfillment mechanism and solution, as well as the right platform.
The emerging eBusiness challenge is the deployment of mission-specific, front-end servers to drive everything from Web and e-mail transactions to authentication and firewall services.
Companies deploy servers to deliver all the manageability and reliability of powerful backend servers that provide prompt Internet-based services around the clock.
Intel has server solutions that would address this e-business challenge.
One of Intel's newest chips is the Intel Pentium III Xeon processor which is designed to enable powerful, affordable and flexible dual-processor servers.
These processors boast high clock frequencies, fast integrated L2 caches and faster system bus connections.
