Case Studies - Brix Networks

The Client

Brix Networks (www.brixnet.com), based in Chelmsford Massachusetts, is a global provider of converged service assurance solutions that allow network operators to proactively monitor the quality and performance of their IP-based voice, video, and data services. The company's award-winning Brix System is an integrated hardware and software solution that delivers end-to-end quality of service and quality of experience visibility.

The BrixWorx(tm) service assurance correlation and analysis software engine provisions and manages a network of test and measurement appliances, called Brix Verifiers. Real-time, web-based visualization of network and service performance and detailed, actionable reports allow network operators to see, hear, and know the quality of their IP services before their customers do. The visibility provided by BrixWorx enables the world's largest service providers and enterprises to offer reliable and high-quality experiences in voice, video, data, and mobile services to their customers, partners, and employees.

The BrixWorx(tm) service assurance correlation and analysis software engine provisions and manages a network of test and measurement appliances, called Brix Verifiers. Real-time, web-based visualization of network and service performance and detailed, actionable reports allow network operators to see, hear, and know the quality of their IP services before their customers do. The visibility provided by BrixWorx enables the world's largest service providers and enterprises to offer reliable and high-quality experiences in voice, video, data, and mobile services to their customers, partners, and employees.

Flexible Development Capacity Enables Rapid Response to Customers

Project Description:

Along with its various solutions, Brix offers its customers a range of professional services designed to support the full lifecycle of the service level verification process, including custom, web-based network monitoring and management portals. Increased demand for these portals caused Brix executives to look for new ways to deliver this service as quickly and efficiently as possible, with minimal disruption to its in-house development team.

"We strive to respond immediately to our customers' needs," said David Kaufman, Director of Custom Solutions at Brix. "However, rapid growth in our core business, coupled with the emerging demand for portal customization, made it difficult to justify building and staffing a dedicated, in-house team to perform this work, and we didn't want to distract our R&D group from its focus on our primary product development efforts. On the other hand, the standard outsourcing models wouldn't work very well for us because the custom portal development work requires intimate knowledge of our BrixWorx correlation and analysis software engine, expertise in Perl, and a high degree of interaction with our staff. Additionally, the Boston-area market for qualified people is currently very tight."

The bitHeads Solution:

Faced with this demand for customer-specific portal development and operational support system (OSS) integration, Brix turned to bitHeads and their ProductStream(tm) methodology for help. "bitHeads has a unique approach," continued Kaufman. "Unlike most outsourcers, bitHeads invested in a real relationship with us and have become a trusted and flexible extension of our in-house team. Once we sign a customer for a custom portal, bitHeads often has a qualified team of Perl and BrixWorx developers working on it the very next day."

Results:

bitHeads has completed six projects for Brix to date that have been successfully delivered to several of the company's Tier 1 carrier customers around the world. "bitHeads has a great track record of delivering on time and they have proven to be a valuable partner for us," stated Kaufman. "We look forward to expanding our relationship with them."