From Peripherals To Network Integration

Foreseeing a high potential in network integration, Chennai-based N Jaganathan shifted his focus to this segment from peripherals distribution. A decision he has never regretted. Despite competition from giants like Wipro, Network Solutions and IBM, Jaganathan's Fourth Dimension Technologies has done major jobs for Standard Chartered Bank and Hindustan Petroleum. Today, he has several other large projects at hand. 

If you think that huge investments and large manpower are required to support a company's sales and services, then N Jaganathan's Fourth Dimensions Technologies, is an exception. Starting with a basic investment of just Rs 4 lakh, Jagan, as his friends and close contacts fondly call him, has grown to record a turnover of Rs 7.8 crore during last year. 

Today, Fourth Dimension has installed and implemented many projects, which include networks for financial institutions, manufacturing and the corporate sector in Chennai and southern India. 

The secret behind Jagan's success has been his passion for IT and a strong desire to succeed. As a student of engineering from IIT, Kolkatta, he always wanted to try something new and be innovative in the IT market, while retaining his financial independence. His dream came true when two of his classmates shared a similar desire. Finally in 1989, Jagan founded Fourth Dimension with his friends, Balaraman and

Ravindranath. 

Foray into networking

Starting as an IT distributor, Fourth Dimension made its foray into networking in 1992, when it tied up with Motorola to sell the latter's data communication products. Headquartered at Chennai with branch offices in Hyderabad and Bangalore, Fourth Dimension recorded a turnover of Rs 7.8 crore for 2000-2001. "When we started, Balaraman, Ravindranath and I were the only members in the organization. Today we have over 40 people on our payroll," points out

Jagan. 

Fourth Dimension today implements LAN solutions on several platforms like Novell, Windows NT, Unix and Linux. It has also implemented WAN networks, which includes dial-up, leased lines, VSAT, ISDN, VPN, IP/IPX, VoIP and X.25. 

The credit for integrating these multi-platform networks, hybrid WAN and intranet lies with the qualified team of the company. "We have a technically well equipped team with experience in diverse platforms," says Jagan with unmistakable pride. 



The company's engineers have received certification from Motorola, Microsoft and Cisco, which helps them in handling a range of networking solutions in the market. 

Bonding with the best

The alliance with Motorola was definitely a turning point for both Jagan and Fourth Dimension. "Our association with Motorola really helped us shift our focus from peripheral distribution to network integration," he says. The company's brand name also helped Jagan and his friends build up the market presence for their own organization. 

Over the years, their client base has expanded from Chennai to the neighboring southern states as well. After tasting success with Motorola's data communication products, the trio decided to get into similar alliances with other companies. 

Today Fourth Dimensions is an authorized solutions provider and channel partner for several companies, including IBM, HP, Motorola ING, Sun Microsystems, Cisco, Sitara Networks, Watchguard and Foundary Networks. The company also has associations with vendors in the storage area, including

Veritas. 

The four dimensional focus

Jagan's market focus has always been four dimensional --service, quality, customer satisfaction and support for legal software. And this focus has enabled Forth Dimension build its reputation as a company that provides timely quality customer service. "We at Fourth Dimension seek to provide quality service, which meets customer's expectations and industry trends," says

Jagan. 

Concentrating on service helped the company bag the first phase order from The Karur Vyasya Bank Ltd (KVB). KVB wanted to connect 37 branches spread across Chennai, Karur, Coimbatore, Trichy, Salem, Madurai, Tiruppur and Erode. The turnkey project involved application of DOT lines, network approval, liaison with DOT, commissioning of lines, supply of routers and modems hand-over and training for KVB, all of which was done by Fourth Dimension. 

"We bagged this order against stiff competition from big names in the networking industry, which boosted our confidence. This entire project, which included installation of Cisco routers and RAD modems, was implemented in a record time of three months," says

Jagan.

Fourth Dimension also owes its success to its firm stand of dealing only in legal software for every project. "We recommend only legal software to all our customers," says

Jagan. 

In a market that is rife with the implementation of pirated OSs and other software, Fourth Dimension's decision to deploy only legal software in all their projects is a noteworthy effort. This move has enabled them to stay ahead of their competition in the network integration market.

Plans for the future

As a part of the company's future roadmap, Jagan plans to cover the whole of southern India, before moving to the north. "We plan to open branch offices in Mumbai and Delhi by the beginning of 2002," says he. Given its business ethics and its affinity with its principals, Fourth Dimension is on the right track to achieve its goal.

Sunila Paul in Chennai