AT&T and the World Wide Web

William H. Holland

AT&T-BL Technical Manager

Gateway Internet Applications

QUEST Computing Technology Center

10/18/94

OVERVIEW

• AT&T Commitment to Internet Technology/Services
• AT&T Web Internal Applications
• AT&T Internal Web Services
• AT&T Internal Web Concerns
• AT&T External Web Applications/Services
• AT&T External Web Concerns
• AT&T Future Web Plans

AT&T Commitment to Internet Technology/Services

• AT&T Views the Internet as the Foundation for Business and Consumer Access to Multi-Media Technologies

  • Mosaic/Spyglass Windows Like Interfaces Are Enabling Business/Consumer Interfaces
  • AT&T has Used the Internet for many years

    • Access to the Internet via the AT&T Gateway Firewall has Been in Existence for 7 Years in a Formally Supported Manner. The Need was Secure Access to/From the Internet
    • Netnews (USENET) has been provided Formally for the Same Period as an AT&T Corporate Bulletin-Board Service
    • Telnet, ftp, etc. Access Are also Fully Supported
    • http:/www.att.com/ is the newest addition. Official Page (Replacing Prototype) is up now. Feel Free to Browse. Information will be Updated Continually.

• Internet Encryption Techniques Will be Used More Widely
  
• BISDN/ATM Will Supplement in The Future

AT&T Web Internal Applications

• AT&T Has Used Web Technology For Many Internal Applications

  • Seamless Access to Distributed Databases

    • Design Documentation
    • Manufacturing Drawings (CAD)
    • Trouble Ticket Systems
    • Employee Database Access
    • Others

  • ISO9000 Documentation Qualification (in progress)

    • Front End Control Processes

      • Central Access
      • Version Identification
      • Controlled Access and Distribution Processes

  • Internal Marketing of AT&T Products/Services

    • AT&T Business Units (BUs) Using and Integrating Our Own Products/Services

AT&T Internal Web Services

• Web Consulting (e.g. Overview, Use, Security/Firewall)
  
• AT&T Product and Service Advertising (Internal BUs)
  
• Web Home Page Support (Linking, Provisioning)
  
• HTML Training (On-Line/Off-Line)
  
• Documentation Translation/Filtering Support
  
• Order to Delivery - On-line Access
  
• Report Generation (Based on BU Criteria)
  
• Billing Support (Process Orders/Collection)

AT&T Internal Web Concerns

• Security - Information Access

  • Internal Access

    • Some Databases should be shared only within Specific Organizations
      
    • Some Databases Need Global and Restricted Access For Certain Areas

  • External Access

    • Internal information Needs to be Buffered by Gateway Firewall
      
    • Access to External Internet Information Needs to Be Provided Securely as well

• Network Bandwidth (Internal and External)
  
• Navigation/Search Tools (Response Time and Access)
• Policy Statements Relative to Non-Valued and Non-Ethical Information

AT&T External Web Applications/Services

• Previous AT&T Web Uses Were/Are

  • Accessing Internet Information Sources and Databases for Business Purposes
  • Accessing and Purchasing Needed Products and Services
  • Informing Internet Community of AT&T Organizational Structure

AT&T External Web Applications/Services Cont'

• AT&T Has Uses For External Web Technology

  • New Additional AT&T Web Uses Area

    • Real-Time Access to Products/Services

      • Marketing AT&T BU Products and Services http:/www.att.com/ and http:/www.att.com/
      • Offering Special AT&T Training Courses - On-line http:/www.att.com/

    • Providing Access to Distributed Databases

      • Providing Real Time Access to AT&T Major Announcements http:/www.att.com/
      • Friendly Access to Help Line Numbers, Information Sources, etc.

    • Providing Customers Real-Time Access/Feedback to Customer Needs/Questions

      • Feedback From Readers and Customers http:/www.att.com
        
      • Offering Special AT&T Marketing Promotions/Announcements http:/www.att.com/

• AT&T External Services Same as Internal

AT&T External Web Concerns

• Security - Information Access

  • Public Access

    • Some Databases and Information Sources Need Global Access for Our Customers

  • Private Customer Access

    • Some Databases and Information Sources Need Restricted Access for Our Customers

• External Web information Needs to be Buffered by Secure Gateway Firewall - (New Threats)
• Internet Network Bandwidth (Response Time)
• Navigation/Search Tools (Response Time and Access)
• Secure Data Protection

AT&T Future Plans

• Stay Tuned .....

  • This Just the Beginning (Under Construction Phase)
  • Major Announcement Related to Expanded Web Directions
  • Major AT&T Web Announcements related to Expanded Vendor Support
  • Major New Multi-Media Displays and Services on AT&T Web Server
  • New Product and Services Expanding Global Information Services Charter
  • Seamless Order to Delivery Services (One Stop Access)
  • Information Access "Anytime, Anywhere, and Anyform"
  • Customer Focus (Let us Know Your Needs)