Where is Convergence taking us?

Over the 17 years in Ideal’s journey to becoming the UK’s leader in Converged Network Systems (CNS) for Smart Buildings, we’ve seen the role of the network transformed many times. What’s coming next?

From VoIP to Smart Buildings and Future-Proof Workplaces 

When Ideal was formed way back in 2009, the big story had been how Voice over IP could transform the way companies managed communications. From 2009, video and content collaboration continued it’s convergence onto the IP network – driven by and enabling the rise of Collaboration and Remote Working – a trend that was further accelerated during the post-pandemic period of the early 2020s. 

Continuing this pattern of technologies converging onto the IP network, the CNS has more recently provided the potential to integrate a host of other capabilities that enable Smart Buildings and future-proof workplaces, including the expert deployment of Operational Technologies (OT), Sensors, Internet of Things and most recently, Power over Ethernet (PoE): 

• OT delivers HVAC control, energy systems, access control, lift systems and lighting control, with a sophisticated layer of security and safety baked in 

• Sensors can be measuring air quality, temperature, humidity, water usage, motion, occupancy, footfall and more 

• IoT can be monitoring and activating blinds, CCTV, energy tracking, thermostats and safety systems 

• PoE can now power devices through the network  

Are these capabilities purely for new buildings? 

Whilst Ideal’s Intelligent Ready Building template ensures a CNS in a new-build/construction environment is ready to offer this capability, many of the advantages of convergence can also be delivered as a retrofit service on top of existing networks. 

‘Network as a Sensor’ turns existing switches, routers, and access points into data-gathering tools that monitor security, performance, and physical spaces without needing extra hardware. For example, if you have video conferencing hardware in meeting rooms it may already be able to monitor occupancy and environmental metrics with a simple adjustment.

Your network nodes could soon begin to act as both sensor and gateway. 

PoE benefits worth exploring

Meanwhile, the adoption of PoE offers potential cost savings, enhanced sustainability and ESG alignment, more agility in office utilisation and more efficient device and energy usage in any building. 

Ideal has recently delivered the UK’s first commercial deployment of PoE-powered workspaces,demonstrating that desks, task lighting and workplace technology can become intelligent, centrally managed, network-powered endpoints. 

How can you tell if your current network could deliver more? 

There are two simple steps you could take now to explore the broader benefits convergence can offer right now. 

1. Understanding what is actually happening in your network 

If you are going to make improvements, it’s essential you know what the baseline actually is. 

Ideal’s Seymour Telemetry Solution provides automated, real-time collection and analysis of data from existing network devices​, helping you to track network health, performance, security and energy consumption and helping your team troubleshoot and maintain the network.​  

A simple integration into your network carried out by Ideal’s expert engineers is all it takes to give you real-time and historic data insights to deliver: 

• An overview of what your network is currently supporting, 24/7 

• Energy and sustainability insights, helping you to reduce power usage, identify waste, and support ESG and Net Zero strategies 

1. Operational excellence, providing faster fault finding, reduced downtime, proactive performance management and more.
   
2. Assessing your Smart Readiness 

Do you currently have the appropriate network infrastructure to make the most of current convergence opportunities and how much might it cost to enhance what you currently have? Do you know what Smart use cases you have, or what the easy wins might be in adopting a Smart Building strategy? 

Ideal has a Smart Readiness service that helps customers to assess potential Smart Building and future-proof workplace capability, and to organise Proof of Concepts to explore what new capabilities could be delivered at what cost.  

This approach may embrace  Network as a Sensor strategy, but might also include collaborations with expert partners in meeting room technology, environmental control, digital twinning and many other specialist technologies, depending on what you are aiming to do. 

What’s the next step for convergence? 

The network is evolving from a communications platform into the digital foundation that powers smarter decisions, improved performance, and better experiences. 

AI will be at the heart of the next stage in this development, with new technologies already under development in key areas, including: 

Energy Networking: using PoE workspaces, fault managed power (FMP) and data to efficiently power workspaces and entire buildings. 

AI Edge Inference: bringing occupancy safety, environmental and operational insights together in a single intelligent realm. 

Smart FM: providing AI-powered operations for simpler, more efficient estate management and maintenance. 

If you would like to explore how your current CNS, or a vision for a new space, could bring you all the latest benefits and  future-proofingto enable what’s next, please do get in touch.