Tips

Tips

Telecommunication networking

• 7 top 5G enterprise use cases and business opportunities

  While 5G is not fully baked yet, early business use cases are intriguing. Connections between branch offices and headquarters, for instance, could be improved with fixed wireless.  Continue Reading

• 5G and SD-WAN pair is a game changer for branch connectivity

  Individually, 5G and SD-WAN promise various benefits for organizations. But, as a pair, 5G and SD-WAN could make the ideal network connectivity option for branch offices.  Continue Reading

• Tips for setting up a home network

  COVID-19 has compelled home-based workers to learn more about their home networks, such as wired and wireless connections, quality of service and, of course, security.  Continue Reading

• How ISPs and operators ensure network quality in a pandemic

  COVID-19 has caused a spike in remote workers, increased internet usage and traffic surges. Here's how ISPs and telecom operators plan for continuity and quality during the pandemic.  Continue Reading

• Evolution of cellular 5G backhaul architecture faces challenges

  Backhaul has become trendy again and for good reason. 5G backhaul architecture means network architects will have to reconsider how their networks can handle 1 Gbps speeds.  Continue Reading

• 5G indoor coverage poses problems for office buildings and operators

  The millimeter waves of 5G have trouble penetrating walls and other structures, which presents significant challenges for carriers as they plan 5G indoor coverage.  Continue Reading

• 5G frequency spectrum forces new look at coverage strategies

  New 5G frequency allocations will help make it an amazing technology, but it will also force a rethinking of how those signals are transmitted.  Continue Reading

• What are the features and benefits of 5G technology for businesses?

  In addition to high speeds and low latency, the emergence of 5G cellular technology could put some pressure on the market prices of incumbent WAN connectivity.  Continue Reading

• Learn about the top telecom certifications

  Use this expert advice to wade through myriad telecom certifications and pinpoint the top certifications for the industry, like TCO, iNARTE and BICSI certifications.  Continue Reading

• Examine the requirements for 5G core networks

  The 5G core network will support millions of devices that need high-speed communication and data processing. Learn what other capabilities are required for 5G deployment.  Continue Reading

• How 5G can start a brand new era for the virtual RAN

  5G is forging the way for operators to delve into virtualized RANs. Yet, despite its benefits, vRAN lacks standards and is still in the early developmental stages.  Continue Reading

• What is the difference between 4G and 5G technology?

  As you evaluate the difference between 4G and 5G, you'll see the next-generation cellular standard seems pretty impressive. But goals and reality can be quite different.  Continue Reading

• The pros and cons of network slicing in 5G

  Although network slicing is useful for certain applications, like IoT and mobile networks, it might not be necessary at this point, especially when considering its cost.  Continue Reading

• Enterprises iffy on telecom services beyond network connectivity

  Enterprises look to telecom carriers for network connectivity services, but providers need to win them over to sell cloud and productivity options, according to network pros.  Continue Reading

• Telecom trends 2019: Time for operator 5G and IoT decisions

  Telecom trends in 2019 dictate that network operators have tough choices to make to compete with OTT players, increase revenue in terms of 5G and IoT, and consider the software-based fast-fail model.  Continue Reading

• How NFV and SDN could shape the future of telecom

  Looking to the future of telecom, NFV and SDN can help generate new services revenue and lower operating costs using cloud principles, rather a traditional network standards approach.  Continue Reading

• How three new telecom services can compete with OTT services

  Network operators should embrace three new types of telecom services -- hosting, information processing and experiences -- to increase revenue and compete with OTT services providers.  Continue Reading

• What is carrier cloud's role in 5G and IoT transformation?

  Carrier cloud deployment is helping network operators respond to opportunities that will drive transformation, like 5G and IoT. The question is, where can carrier cloud help?  Continue Reading

• How network operators can differentiate SD-WAN services

  Providers' SD-WAN services currently compete largely on cost, but network operators hope to gain market share with network-based SD-WAN feature differentiation.  Continue Reading

• Midyear 2018 telecom trends: Operators broaden their focus

  Midyear 2018 telecom trends show operators looking to increase profits on a number of fronts ranging from new investments, network automation and rethinking the 5G transition.  Continue Reading

• Carrier cloud needs 5G wireless networks, other drivers for success

  While 5G wireless networks appear to be the biggest driver in building the necessary carrier cloud, two other short-term drivers can help complete the carrier network transformation.  Continue Reading

• The role of SDN in 5G technology and the WAN: Can it scale?

  Network operators have a narrow window to figure out if SDN in 5G technology can scale well enough to move it beyond the data center and into the WAN.  Continue Reading

• 5G service lifecycle automation may be key to business cases

  Network operators need a 5G service lifecycle automation roadmap that leads to revenue-producing business cases to make the evolution to 5G worth the investment.  Continue Reading

• Three-step network strategy sells big changes as more doable

  A three-pronged network strategy takes an evolutionary approach to selling revolutionary technology changes internally, with a bigger chance of success.  Continue Reading

• 5G wireless technology influences telecommunication's future

  The capabilities of 5G wireless technology and event-driven networking hold the promise for telecommunication's future, but solving the remaining challenges will determine the outcome.  Continue Reading

• Four telecom infrastructure trends driving network of the future

  Four telecom infrastructure trends -- SDN, NFV, IoT and 5G -- are driving the network of the future, but telecom networks are more likely to transform in 2020, not 2018.  Continue Reading

• Are the promised benefits of 5G wireless technology justified?

  The evolution of 5G wireless technology is expected to bring benefits ranging from high broadband speeds to shared wired and wireless infrastructure uses, but cost and business use cases must align.  Continue Reading

• Open source network tools compete with shrinking vendor equipment

  Vendor equipment consolidation could limit network operator service automation efforts, but new open source network tools offer options and prevent lock-in.  Continue Reading

• Future internet infrastructure to utilize fiber, edge hosting, CDNs

  The future internet infrastructure for network operators will rely on vastly increased amounts of fiber, edge hosting and content delivery networks to match users' needs.  Continue Reading

• Telecom vendors feel the pressure of operator transformation plans

  Changes in network operators' buying trends have rocked the status quo for telecom vendors, with pricing pressure, software and chants of 'no more lock-in' driving it home.  Continue Reading

• Using NFV and SDN for detailed network microsegmentation

  Detailed network microsegmentation using SDN and NFV gives service providers opportunities to create and provide more flexible and effective security services to their customers.  Continue Reading

• White box switching, SDN and NFV prompt carrier networking gear revolution

  For service providers considering a networking gear upgrade, white box switching plus SDN in the data center and NFV in the core offer scalability, lower cost and better margins.  Continue Reading

• Embrace experimental next-gen network services to increase revenue

  As network connections revenue declines, next-gen network services that deliver a user experience can transform the business. Note to operators: Missing this opportunity is not optional.  Continue Reading

• Telecom operators navigate three technology transformation options

  To reduce cost or increase revenue, operators have three telecom technology transformation options to increase service automation, using different amounts of new technologies.  Continue Reading

• New telecom transformation goals require service automation

  Restarting a telecom transformation means putting business goals first and technology choices second, and making the service process more efficient through automation.  Continue Reading

• Exposing network APIs to enterprises opens new provider SDN options

  Service providers can increase network automation using SDN and NFV next-generation infrastructure for enterprise service options by exposing secure network APIs.  Continue Reading

• Carriers meet need for scalable, secure cloud network services

  As hyperscale providers like AWS dominate the cloud, carriers find their role in secure cloud network services for organizations in need of cloud connections.  Continue Reading

• Three technologies to increase the benefits of SDN and NFV

  Service modeling and orchestration, SD-WAN and open source are the three technologies gaining traction to increase the value and benefits of SDN and NFV.  Continue Reading

• Virtual service management needs hybrid approach

  The best answer for creating virtual service management may be a hybrid approach that combines end-to-end analytics-based and service-level management.  Continue Reading

• Four steps to make SDN and NFV proof-of-concept trials meaningful

  The results of SDN and NFV proof-of-concept trials can advance network deployments, but they often fall short. Check out four steps that can make POC trials more meaningful.  Continue Reading

• Why network operations efficiency should drive technology change

  If the systems responsible for network operations efficiency and automation were driving telecom technology upgrades, the savings might just pay for SDN and NFV deployments.  Continue Reading

• How to choose the right next-gen network migration option

  Network operators planning next-generation network migrations need to choose from layered, geographic and service-oriented approaches, or a combo platter that meets their needs.  Continue Reading

• Future network market vision emphasizes the edge

  Facing two network market truths, carriers must focus on metro networks with big pipes connecting cloud data centers at the edge to keep costs in line with incoming revenue.  Continue Reading

• SDN/NFV network standards don't address benefits of change

  Evolving SDN/NFV network standards address the technology but don't help operators understand potential operational efficiencies and increased service revenues.  Continue Reading

• Automated BSS and OSS models needed for new network operations

  Modernizing BSSes and OSSes to transform networks operations would be faster than changing the network itself and would save money before SDN and NFV savings start kicking in.  Continue Reading

• NFV and SDN work in tandem in network infrastructure design

  NFV and SDN work at different layers of new network infrastructure designs. And together, they can drive change in creating virtual devices and flexible network connections.  Continue Reading

• Virtual wires on the radar for future network infrastructure

  Due to changes in network infrastructure, running traffic over virtual wires could emerge from a combination of technologies, including SDN, NFV, virtualization and cloud.  Continue Reading

• 2016 telecom trends: As NFV goes, so goes carrier cloud

  In 2016, evolving trends in telecom will reveal whether the cloud, NFV and SDN can be effective business-level options for operators that need operations and management automation.  Continue Reading

• How to use network orchestration for video and voice QoS

  Walk through how to use tools like Ansible, Jinja2 and YAML to orchestrate real-time video and voice QoS across traditional network devices without full SDN.  Continue Reading

• Virtual routers find evolving carrier network uses

  Virtual routers work well in some parts of carrier networks, but not everywhere. Now, mobile, cloud and SDN offer evolving uses for virtual routing.  Continue Reading

• Mobile, video content delivery key to next-gen metro networks

  SDN and NFV applications could be the answer to make mobile and video content delivery in the metro network more agile for delivering enterprise services.  Continue Reading

• The evolution of Carrier Ethernet service chaining offers new options

  Operators looking to service chaining for Carrier Ethernet must assess both the issues and opportunities for use via NFV or as hosted network edge services.  Continue Reading

• How to make legacy and emerging network technologies work together

  Emerging network technologies like SDN and NFV have to interwork with legacy equipment and be managed as one. Find out what it will take to get there.  Continue Reading

• The journey to next-generation networks begins now

  Network operators will see real change in their next-generation networks in 2015, moving SDN and NFV from science project status to serious trials, while mobile networks get the lion's share of investment, and new regulations affect all of it.  Continue Reading

• VWAN threatens traditional three-tiered WAN design

  With vWAN providers changing the traditional three-legged WAN structure, carriers need to develop new WAN plans and services using SDN and NFV to keep enterprises on their networks.  Continue Reading

• Why you need software-defined security for your SDN

  The network architecture shift to software-defined networking requires software-defined security, not a hard-wired security approach.  Continue Reading

• How to describe technology in business terms to win board approval

  Networking professionals have to be able to explain the value of technology in business terms to win board approval. Find out how to talk business-speak.  Continue Reading

• PSTN-to-VoIP evolution poses identity, authentication challenges

  Going from PSTN to VoIP services, this two-part series looks at the evolution of voice and its challenges, from enabling 911 to user identification.  Continue Reading

• Getting cloud capacity planning right in the face of oncoming growth

  Cloud capacity planning requires accurate knowledge of a cloud provider's existing infrastructure, future plans and the growth plans of its customers.  Continue Reading

• Identifying and mitigating cloud computing vulnerabilities

  How successful a cloud provider is in growing its business depends on its ability to dispel customer concerns about data security and privacy.  Continue Reading

• Will the cloud exchange be the next big ecosystem player?

  An emerging branch of the cloud ecosystem, the cloud exchange, has the potential to address many concerns about the cloud broker model.  Continue Reading

• Selling SaaS: Operational requirements for consumers vs. businesses

  The key to successfully selling SaaS across all market segments is addressing the different operational requirements among various buyer groups.  Continue Reading

• Selling government cloud services: FedRAMP vs. FISMA

  Even if a cloud provider isn't planning to sell government cloud services, it's still important to have a basic understanding of FedRAMP and FISMA.  Continue Reading

• Cloud bursting: How will it affect your billing requirements?

  Cloud bursting attracts many customers to public cloud services, but tracking these dynamic resources for billing becomes problematic for providers.  Continue Reading

• Building cloud-ready applications: What changes?

  To maximize profits, providers must understand cloud-ready applications, learn how to meet their unique requirements and offer facilitating services.  Continue Reading

• Unlocking the potential of SDN controller applications

  Three broad sources for route information could drive SDN controller applications: provisioning instructions, "route sniffing" and path computation.  Continue Reading

• SDN's missing links: Five barriers blocking SDN adoption by providers

  As more providers move to deploy SDN, adoption is being hindered by crucial gaps in device standards and tools for network control.  Continue Reading

• Hybrid cloud networks face challenges, but SDN may be the answer

  Customers have misgivings about hybrid cloud, but enhancing cloud networks with software-defined networking may help allay many concerns.  Continue Reading

• FISMA compliance through continuous monitoring: Tips for cloud providers

  Continuous monitoring for FISMA compliance must shift from its static approach to a cyclical, more dynamic strategy for near real-time risk awareness.  Continue Reading

• Three models of SDN explained

  In this tip, networking expert Tom Nolle outlines the three models of SDN, explaining the basic goals, mechanisms, benefits and drawbacks of each.  Continue Reading

• Promote cloud adoption with extensible, policy-driven cloud governance

  Providers can help enterprises tackle cloud governance by providing them the tools to create application-specific policies for dynamic environments.  Continue Reading

• IPv6-ready cloud providers have edge over competitors stuck in IPv4

  IPv6-ready cloud providers offer technology advantages to enterprises planning to deploy public or hybrid cloud services, according to an IPv6/cloud analysis.  Continue Reading

• Four ways providers can improve cloud computing energy efficiency

  Although environmental issues might not be a priority for some providers, improving cloud computing energy efficiency is a great operational strategy.  Continue Reading

• OpenFlow tutorial for cloud providers

  In this OpenFlow tutorial, networking expert Tom Nolle shows how OpenFlow can be a competitive advantage and outlines steps for providers to test it.  Continue Reading

• 10 essential questions to ask potential cloud computing vendors

  Cloud providers getting ready to make decisions on cloud infrastructure products should ask potential cloud computing vendors these 10 essential questions before buying.  Continue Reading

• Cloud's dirty secret: Its effects on data center energy consumption

  Cramming scores of VMs onto fewer servers has its benefits, but it's not without drawbacks -- particularly in terms of data center energy consumption.  Continue Reading

• Defining Workplace as a Service: Supporting BYOD customers with cloud

  The bring your own device (BYOD) trend has caught many enterprises off-guard, but cloud providers have an opportunity to present a solution: Workplace as a Service.  Continue Reading

• Selling SaaS: Evaluating DevOps tools and models for cloud providers

  Without using DevOps tools and principles, the task of building and sustaining SaaS applications can quickly create an operational nightmare for cloud providers.  Continue Reading

• Is OpenStack architecture really the best choice to build IaaS clouds?

  The OpenStack architecture could alter the relationship between cloud computing and the network, but is it over-hyped? That is a critical question, but it's hard to answer.  Continue Reading

• Improving cloud computing performance: A path for revenue growth

  Instead of seeing customers' cloud-computing-performance concerns as a barrier, providers should regard it as an opportunity to offer application acceleration services.  Continue Reading

• Cloud storage management: It's more than just capacity planning

  Enterprises are eying cloud storage to support ongoing data growth. This presents a clear opportunity for providers, but only if they can master cloud storage management.  Continue Reading

• Leasing data center space: How it may affect cloud service delivery

  Rather than spend millions building out their own facilities, more cloud providers and MSPs are choosing to lease data center space. But how will that affect service delivery?  Continue Reading

• The art of cloud balancing: Interconnect data centers to be one cloud

  Cost-effectively load balancing, or "cloud balancing," traffic among multiple data centers carries implications for cloud provider networks, storage and management.  Continue Reading

• Cloud automation, orchestration vital to run seamless cloud services

  The need for cloud automation and orchestration in complex, on-demand environments is a critical issue that affects cloud providers of every size.  Continue Reading

• Cloud computing server architecture: Designing for cloud efficiency

  Optimizing cloud computing server architecture requires cloud providers to classify applications by their resource needs and evaluate them against their cloud business plans.  Continue Reading

• Identifying flexible cloud technology models: A primer

  Until the perfect cloud technology model is identified, providers are building services using servers, storage, software and networking tools that give them the most flexibility.  Continue Reading

• Cloud infrastructure services: Balancing high availability and cost

  Building cloud infrastructure services to high-availability (five 9s) standards will make them too complex and expensive. Ivan Pepelnjak looks for a reliable compromise.  Continue Reading

• New service needs drive changes to telecom data center architecture

  The need to deliver content, mobile and cloud services and compete with OTT providers is driving a three-phase change to telecom data center architecture for network operators.  Continue Reading

• Three business drivers promote operator cloud/network integration

  Three technology and business drivers provide the impetus for network operators to work toward tight cloud and network integration to monetize expensive and valuable network assets.  Continue Reading

• How to build a scalable IaaS cloud network infrastructure

  Attempts to scale Infrastructure as a Service cloud network infrastructure often involves workarounds, but providers should look to IP-over-IP transport and invest in design.  Continue Reading

• Cloud Security: Ensuring multi-tenant security in cloud services

  Cloud security isn’t one size fits all for a range of cloud computing services, so we break down securing cloud services with multi-tenant cloud security options, from how to secure simple SaaS to complex virtual appliances with click-to-deploy ...  Continue Reading

• AT&T 4G network architecture and the LTE wars

  Frost & Sullivan analyst Mike Jude looks at how changes in the AT&T 4G network architecture deployment is upping the ante among 4G LTE wireless operators, particularly as smartphone and tablet use increases and spurs faster deployment.  Continue Reading

• 4G network offload: Radio access network and mobile backhaul solutions

  Wireless operators looking at 4G network offload to cope with growing mobile traffic have two options for relief – radio access network (RAN) offload using mobile hotspots and femtocells, and mobile backhaul solutions to move wireless traffic to the...  Continue Reading

• Mobile backhaul offload could affect Evolved Packet Core design

  Part two of our analysis of 4G network offload strategies looks at the implications of moving mobile backhaul traffic to the metro network, and how it could affect the design of LTE’s Evolved Packet Core.  Continue Reading

• IPv6 security issues: Fixing implementation problems

  Find out how to work around the implementation-specific IPv6 security challenges that will surface until equipment vendors close the gaps between their IPv4 and IPv6 releases.  Continue Reading

• MPLS and MPLS Transport Profile (MPLS-TP): The technology differences

  Carriers hope MPLS Transport Profile, or MPLS-TP, will reduce transport network complexity by providing a packet switching technology that works across different types of transport networks but offers unified network management and provisioning. ...  Continue Reading

• Choosing the right technology for fiber to the home (FTTH) deployments

  When deploying fiber to the home, FTTH network technology choices should be tied to both current and future network requirements. Accommodating both within project cost constraints means comparing active and passive optical networks (PONs) and the ...  Continue Reading

• Internet routing table's best hope: Locator/ID Separation Protocol

  Internet routing tables are still exploding as the IPv6 migration begins in earnest, and most technical solutions are unworkable. Locator/ID Separation Protocol (LISP), which addresses multihoming and Internet traffic engineering issues, is the ...  Continue Reading

• Virtual aggregation: Lifeline for exploding Internet routing tables

  Virtual Aggregation offers carriers steps to reduce the impact of the Internet routing table explosion on their networks and extend the life span of routers for up to 10 years, especially with the IPv4 address shortage, IPv6 deployment and fast BGP ...  Continue Reading

• IPv4 address exhaustion: Making the IPv6 transition work

  This two-part article by IP expert Ivan Pepelnjak first digs into IPv4 address exhaustion and attempts to speed the IPv6 transition. Then, he analyzes several semi-workable solutions that might help network operators manage the Internet routing ...  Continue Reading