2010 Winter Games

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Faster, Higher, Stronger!
An IDC case study about Bell's 2010 Winter Games network

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Go behind the scenes of the 2010 Winter Games with Bell and VANOC

As a Premier National Partner and Exclusive Telecommunications Partner to the Vancouver 2010 Winter Games, Bell is providing the critical communications services and next-generation technology solutions required to stage Canada's Games.

The Vancouver Organizing Committee for the 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games (VANOC) is responsible for planning, organizing, financing and staging the Games.

As such, VANOC operates much like any other Canadian enterprise, and is responsible for:

A growing workforce, which will comprise of 4,700 employees and 25,000 volunteers by 2010
130 competition and non-competition venues, including data centres, media centres, and its headquarters (known as Campus 2010)
Managing a multi-billion dollar budget under intense public scrutiny
Flawless delivery of the 2010 Winter Games to spectators around the world

World's first all-IP Games

To support the Games, Bell is providing broadcast support, Web services, thousands of wireless telephony devices, and much more. But just as your enterprise needs a reliable network for maximum productivity, VANOC needs flawless, secure, reliable and real-time network access to deliver the Games to the world.

At the core of our comprehensive telecommunications solution is a converged IP network that will support all voice, data, Internet, and broadcast services. This flexible and scalable unified IP network means less cabling, fewer switches, and reduced technical support – all of which considerably lower overall costs.

Bell's 285 km fibre optic network also covers the 120 km distance between Vancouver and Whistler where there had previously been a limited communication network. When the Games are over, this network will provide local businesses with increased connectivity so they can quickly move information to customers, partners and suppliers.

The entire IP network is centrally managed, meaning highly skilled managers can oversee the operation of the entire network. The results include increased efficiencies, reduced human error and maximum uptime – the same results that enterprises with branch offices can expect to achieve with centrally managed services.

To go in-depth into the delivery and implementation of the first all-IP converged network in Olympic Games history, download this case study by IDC, a leading provider of global market intelligence.

VANOC's portal to the world: vancouver2010.com

VANOC also commissioned Bell to design, develop and host vancouver2010.com. It's here that visitors go to find event listings, buy tickets, sign up to volunteer, and more.

The Web Solutions team at Bell jumped to the challenge. The first step? Gathering VANOC's functional and presentation requirements: an engaging, feature-rich and easy-to-navigate Web portal with capacity, secure delivery, and the ability to support a large breadth of applications.

The team then developed the portal using best practices in development and design, including extensive usability testing. Bell has also developed and manages the Web analytics component, allowing VANOC to monitor and analyze traffic and assess the site for improvements leading up to the Games.

During the 2010 Winter Games, vancouver2010.com is estimated to receive more than 1.5 billion page views from a worldwide audience.

Read more in this Web solutions case study.

Securing Bell's 2010 Winter Games Network

One of the most crucial aspects for delivering a flawless 2010 Winter Games experience is ensuring the security and availability of the core network and Web portal. That's why Bell's network design has paid exceptional attention to building in redundancy, security, high availability and business continuity.

Some security measures include:

A managed firewall solution to secure the network perimeter
Vulnerability and penetration testing on all facilities to ensure the right measures are in place
A content distribution network of 30,000 servers worldwide to guarantee uptime of the Web portal

Read more in this security solutions case study.