DECEMBER - JANUARY19TELECOM BUSINESS REVIEWCXO InsightsMike McMillin is the Network Engineering Manager at Conagra Brands, based in Omaha, Nebraska. With extensive expertise in network planning and implementation, system migration and integration, security governance, change management, and technical project management, he has a proven track record of enhancing network infrastructures using both established and emerging technologies. He excels in large-scale network architecture, including data center migrations, while strengthening network security by adhering to industry best practices. Through this article, McMillan highlights that aggregate suppliers and telecom expense management (TEM) solutions are crucial for businesses to optimize their WAN operations, enhancing both performance and cost efficiency.Wide Area Networks (WAN) are critical for businesses that rely on extensive communication between geographically dispersed locations. As businesses grow, the need for efficient and cost-effective WAN operations becomes paramount. By leveraging aggregate suppliers and telecom expense management (TEM) solutions, companies can optimize their WAN operations, enhancing both performance and cost efficiency.The Role of Aggregate SuppliersAggregate suppliers play a crucial role in optimizing WAN operations by offering a consolidated approach to sourcing network services. Instead of negotiating with multiple carriers, businesses can rely on aggregate suppliers to handle these negotiations, which brings several benefits. Choosing your WAN aggregation partner should be carefully considered. Your representative should have an established OPTIMIZING WAN OPERATIONS USING AGGREGATE SUPPLIERS AND TEM SOLUTIONSByMike McMillin, Network Engineering Manager, Conagra Brandstrack record with the major carriers. Several aggregation partners will also have proprietary software designed to locate the best carrier options and identify if service is already available at a given location or if construction fees will be needed to deliver the circuits.By working with an aggregate company, significant cost reductions can be realized. They leverage their purchasing power to negotiate better rates with carriers, resulting in significant cost savings for businesses. This collective bargaining power allows businesses to benefit from lower prices that would be difficult to achieve independently. Over the lifetime of my career I have helped three companies move from self managed to using an aggregate provider in conjunction with a TEM solution. In each case, the savings were in excess of 1 million dollars.WAN aggregation companies also provide streamlined vendor management. Managing multiple carriers can be complex and time-consuming. Aggregate suppliers simplify this process by acting as a single point of contact for all network services. This reduces administrative overhead and allows businesses to focus on their core operations.Lastly, aggregate suppliers contribute to improved network performance. Often times, increased bandwidth is achieved in addition to lowering costs. By working with multiple carriers, they can offer redundant and optimized network paths. This enhances the reliability and performance of the WAN, ensuring that businesses experience minimal downtime and optimal connectivity. Mike McMillin
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