Tw Telecom Intelligent Network

"We are extremely excited about tw telecom Intelligent Network product. tw telecom has a history of providing the top of the line WAN services and now that the Cloud is so dependent upon the network for overall user experience, tw telecom has a home run on their hands."

This 4-minute video explains how tw telecom's Intelligent Network can help businesses address the challenges associated with moving to the cloud by providing world class Ethernet and IP VPN solutions.

tw telecom's Intelligent Network can help businesses address the challenges associated with moving to the cloud by providing world class Ethernet and IP VPN solutions with the added benefits of: * Visibility - End-to-end and segment-by-segment real time visibility of key performance metrics by location and class of service,
* Flexibility - Dynamic Bandwidth Capacity enables real-time, on the fly bandwidth adjustments to address fluctuating traffic demands,
* Control - Application aware networking provides real-time, granular visibility of application traffic and the ability to adjust prioritization by specific application to optimize performance.

To learn more about how tw telecom and help your business do business, simply request more information and a FREE quote here....

tw telecom FREE quote

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Business Ethernet Pros And Cons

The most obvious pro for business ethernet is lower cost, while the biggest con against ethernet is geography (it's just not avilable everywhere yet). For the future, Wifi will some day be a connection of choice once higher speeds and significantly reliability becomes a priority.

Ethernet Technologies...

In the OSI model, Ethernet technology operates at the physical and data link layers - Layers One and Two respectively. Ethernet supports all popular network and higher-level protocols, principally IP.

Traditional Ethernet supports data transfers at the rate of 10 Megabits per second (Mbps). Over time, as the performance needs of LANs have increased, the industry created additional Ethernet specifications for Fast Ethernet and Gigabit Ethernet. Fast Ethernet extends traditional Ethernet performance up to 100 Mbps and Gigabit Ethernet up to 1000 Mbps speeds. Although products aren't yet abvailable to the average consumer, 10 Gigabit Ethernet (10000 Mbps) also remains an active area of research.

Ethernet cables likewise are manufactured to any of several standard specifications. The most popular Ethernet cable in current use, Category 5 or CAT5, supports both traditional and Fast Ethernet. The Category 5e (CAT5e) cable supports Gigabit Ethernet.

Types of Ethernet....

Often referred to as Thicknet, 10Base5 was the first incarnation of Ethernet technology. The industry used Thicknet in the 1980s until 10Base2 Thinnet appeared. Compared to Thicknet, Thinnet offered the advantage of thinner (5 millimeters vs 10 millimeters) and more flexible cabling, making it easier to wire office buildings for Ethernet.

The most common form of traditional Ethernet, however, is 10Base-T. 10Base-T offers better electrical properties than Thicknet or Thinnet, because 10Base-T cables utilize unshielded twisted pair (UTP) wiring rather than coaxial. 10Base-T also proved more cost effective than alternatives like fiber optic cabling.

Numerous other lesser-known Ethernet standards exist, including 10Base-FL, 10Base-FB, and 10Base-FP for fiber optic networks and 10Broad36 for broadband (cable television) cabling.

- Fast Ethernet

In the mid-1990s, Fast Ethernet technology matured and met its design goals of a) increasing the performance of traditional Ethernet while b) avoiding the need to completely re-cable existing Ethernet networks. Fast Ethernet comes in two major varieties: 100Base-T (using unshielded twisted pair cable), 100Base-FX (using fiber optic cable) .

By far the most popular of these is 100Base-T, a standard that includes 100Base-TX (Category 5 UTP), 100Base-T2 (Category 3 or better UTP), and 100Base-T4 (100Base-T2 cabling modified to include two additional wire pairs).

- Gigabit Ethernet

Whereas Fast Ethernet improved traditional Ethernet from 10 Megabit to 100 Megabit speed, Gigabit Ethernet boasts the same order-of-magnitude improvement over Fast Ethernet by offering speeds of 1000 Megabits (1 Gigabit). Gigabit Ethernet was first made to travel over optical and copper cabling, but the 1000Base-T standard successfully supports it as well. 1000Base-T uses Category 5 cabling similar to 100 Mbps Ethernet, although achieving gigabit speed requires the use of additional wire pairs.

For help designing a network to meet your requirements using business ethernet for the foundation....and including free quotes from available providers....simply ask here:

Business Ethernet

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Business Ethernet Facts

Developed by Xerox, Ethernet competed in the early days with Token Ring and Token BUS applications that were largely proprietary. It is used today because it is the only early network protocol that got the backing of the ECMA and eventually the IEEE so that a series of standards (802.3) could be put in place to dictate what the requirements were for interconnectivity using that standard. Ethernet had the backing of multiple companies (Xerox, Intel, & Siemens among others) which probably led to its early adoption vs. other more proprietary offerings.

Ethernet is the "preferred choice" for businesses today because it is really the only choice available. Nobody is extending a Token BUS circuit to businesses these days. "Business Ethernet" is no different than any other form of Ethernet - it's all just a technology used for connectivity. As such, it's hard to address the pros and cons of the technology since there is really no competing technology out there (perhaps wireless, but even that relies on Ethernet at some point). The real pros and cons come in to play with the mechanism used for the delivery of Ethernet.

- T1 - Pros: higher reliability, dedicated bandwidth. Cons: higher cost, lower bandwidth

- Cable Modem - Pros: lower cost, higher speeds. Cons: shared bandwidth

- EoC - Pros: dedicated bandwidth, higher speeds. Cons: distance limitations

- Fiber - Pros: highest speeds, dedicated bandwidth. Cons: usually highest cost

- DSL - Pros: low cost. Cons: low bandwidth, shared bandwidth, distance limitations

- Wireless - Pros: no wires. Cons: Cost, lower bandwidth (usually), signal interference

Ethernet (whether fast ethernet or gigabit ethernet) is certainly helping to change the landscape for many companies. I recently helped a client upgrade their network to 10Xs the speed at roughly the same cost. So the cost per megabit is certainly attactive. The biggest CON is availablity. During the RFP process, we had many carriers come through stating that it was available everywhere, but when push came to shove, a few sites had to settle for traditional DS3. Additionally, construction delays as well as equipment upgrades to handle the additional bandwidth needs to be taken into account.

Carrier Ethernet services are also easily managed end-to-end - including provision of user level information on the SLA metrics, using Ethernet OAM standards such as Y.1731.

Having dealt with WAN resiliency for many years with IP based networks/services then the approach of Y.1731 for path based monitoring and link loss forwarding to client CPEs makes things fairly simple and effective.

I realize that MPLS does provide similar functionality but with the benefits already listed I think OAM component rounds off the technology nicely.

In the future - I would think that Mac Sec deployments will also provide a bonus in terms of the security feature set of Ethernet services.

For help designing the best fit network for your business....including free quotes from available providers....simply ask here:

Dedicated Bandwidth

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Why Is Business Ethernet So Popular?

Frankly, business ethernet popularity was pure luck leading to an effective monopoly.

Back in the 80s there were a number of competing network technologies, and several that could have been the basis for the dominant choice - ethernet just happened to grab pole position, which caused a positive feedback loop - because it was more used, the investment in further development could be funded and the competitors withered away, leading to further dominance.

Ethernet devices are cheap, and a lobotomized chimp could deploy it.

The disadvantage is the ports aren’t timed, and there is no native multiplexing for the separation of traffic (the closest you can get to running two completely separate networks over one port is VLAN and QOS). The disadvantages have been somewhat neutralized by advances and consolidation in the higher level protocols, a reduction in switch cost, and the raw speed of the devices.

The “break out” point for Ethernet in the office was when the 100BaseT switch was introduces. Not only was it a 10 fold increase in raw speed, throughput went from 40% of bandwidth to around 90%. Token Ring, FDDI (basically 100 base TR), and consumer ATM basically died that day.

Business Ethernet services have become standardized, largely due to the work of the Metro Ethernet Forum (MEF). Ethernet has also improved significantly from just being ‘best effort’ and can provide service performance rivaling private line services, but with improved flexibility, scalability and cost effectiveness. One of the more appealing aspects of Ethernet services is it uses the same fundamental Ethernet technologies that are familiar to IT personnel and businesses can leverage this to have a common pool of resources to manage both their LANs and WANs.

Many Enterprises today use a wide variety of voice, video, data applications that run fine in a high-speed LAN, but have challenges being delivered remotely over WAN technologies not designed to accommodate them. These services are often delivered over a single private line, or multiple private lines to try and reduce contention, or over the Internet resulting in unpredictable application behavior, drop in quality, delays, user frustration. With Ethernet, application types can be configured with their own bandwidth profiles and QoS resulting in high performance for each application type and eliminating the need to overprovision private lines to accommodate.

For help designing a network utilizing business ethernet as the foundation .... and including free quotes from available providers....simply ask here:

Business Ethernet

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Business Ethernet As The Prefered Choice For Business Voice/Data Networks

Given that business ethernet is the likely prefered choice by businesses today ... what makes it so attractive?

Ethernet is preferred because all customers have devices that already have Ethernet ports, everyone sort of knows what the cables look like (I have seen 4 line phone cables used - so maybe not quite simple enough for a lobotomized chimp, but still close). The interfaces already exist in, and lowers the cost of, switches, routers, firewalls and servers.

Also as the Telco’s bring Ethernet to the demark, it allows the customer to place less expensive and more basic equipment against the telecom provider (the WAN port), and it also allows the Telco to press a less expensive network management product deeper into the customer network – it’s a win/win for both the customer and the telecom vendor.

Most of the terms (business ethernet, metro ethernet, carrier ethernet, ethernet over copper, fast ethernet, and ethernet-MPLS) are marketing terms, those terms don’t exist in the technology. MPLS is MPLS, terms about how a packet enters the network is just some marketing person putting terms together so the salespeople can understand and explain the product. Marketing terms may “sort of” mean something, but a vendor can assign any meaning they want to them.

It’s like adding routing to a switch, and then calling it a Layer 3 switch. Layer 3 is routing, the definition of routing is an interface decision made at Layer 3 – marketing makes it a L3 switch, not technology.

The exception is “Fast Ethernet”. Ethernet started out at 10 Mbs – “Fast Ethernet” refers to all the 100Base-T products (100 Mb/s). Ethernet is a Packet type, not a port type, it can run over copper, fiber or wireless. There is also Gb Ethernet (1000BaseT), 10 Gb, 40 Gb, and 100 Gb. 40 and 100 are sort of inverse multiplexing of Ethernet – but that’s a different story.

The need for reliable data access that can accomodate remote workers and multiple locations makes the right connectivity a critical decision. No matter what term you use....or flavor you choose...business ethernet rises to the challenge.

For help designing a network solution to meet your needs using business ethernet....and including free quotes from available providers....simply ask here:

Business Ethernet

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Integra Telecom - Your Choice for Low Cost Fiber

Integra Telecom specializes in Ethernet, EoC, MPLS, and Hosted PBX services. When it comes to Ethernet pricing, Integra Telecom can't be beat (30Mbps for $784!).

Not only does Integra have the industry's best Ethernet pricing, but they also own and operate their own network offering local dial tone, domestic and international long distance, high-speed Internet and data services (including digital subscriber line or DSL), voice messaging, and numerous ancillary services designed to support the communication needs of businesses including business phone systems.

Integra Telecom also provides managed services and converged Internet Protocol (IP) network services that combine voice, Internet access, and private data networking for small and medium sized companies, enterprises, national and government accounts.

To learn more about what Integra can do for you....including getting free no obligation quotes....simply ask here:

Integra Telecom

Additionally, if you do have a need and Integra can meet it, you may be eligible for the following should you act before the end of the year....

* Get a first month credit

* Help to pay for phone equipment

* Funding of construction fees for Ethernet build-outs

* Paying for early termination fees with your incumbent carrier

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When It Comes To Ethernet Pricing, Integra Telecom Can't Be Beat

Integra Telecom is a facilities-based CLEC offering service across 11 western states with significant fiber network assets, including a 3,000+ route-mile (160,000 fiber miles) metro area network and more than 5,000 route-mile long haul network. Integra is currently the 4th largest CLEC in the U.S.

In contrast to companies that simply resell services from the monopoly Regional Bell Operating Companies (RBOC), Integra Telecom owns and operates its own network offering local dial tone, domestic and international long distance, high-speed Internet and data services (including digital subscriber line or DSL), voice messaging, and numerous ancillary services designed to support the communication needs of businesses including business phone systems.

Integra Telecom also provides managed services and converged Internet Protocol (IP) network services that combine voice, Internet access, and private data networking for small and medium sized companies, enterprises, national and government accounts.

To learn what Integra Telecom services can do for your business simply request a free quote here ...

Integra Telecom

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Applications Of Gigabit Ethernet Switching For Today's Business Environment

Important technology advances and significant price and performance improvements have enabled Gigabit Ethernet to be deployed not only in data centers but also throughout university and corporate networks. Broader deployments of Gigabit Ethernet are being accelerated by increasing bandwidth requirements and the aggregate growth of enterprise applications, examples of which are discussed below.

Since the IEEE 802.3ae standard was ratified in mid-2002, Gigabit Ethernet port shipments have grown from hundreds of ports per quarter to tens-of-thousands of ports per quarter. This rapid growth in Gigabit Ethernet deployments can be attributed to a number of factors, including:

• Significant Gigabit Ethernet Price-per-Port Improvements - Current Gigabit Ethernet pricing is now less than one-fifth the pricing in mid-2002. As a result, Gigabit Ethernet price and performance today, including cost of optics, is comparable to Gigabit Ethernet-over-fiber price and performance in intelligent modular switches.

• New Optics have Enabled Broader Gigabit Ethernet Deployments - The availability of new optics now enables Gigabit Ethernet to be deployed anywhere from the data center to the wiring closet, using existing fiber cabling.

• Increasing Bandwidth Factors - First, Gigabit Ethernet-to-desktops deployments have grown to several million ports per quarter by the end of 2004. This broad adoption has significantly increased the oversubscription ratios of the rest of the network. Gigabit Ethernet can help bring these oversubscription ratios back in line with network-design best practices. Second, server adapter and PCI bus advancements have enabled servers to generate more than 7 Gbps of traffic, increasing demand for Gigabit Ethernet connectivity to servers. Finally, new applications are accelerating the need for Gigabit Ethernet performance throughout the campus, within a data center, and between data centers.

These factors are expected to continue to fuel the momentum of the Gigabit Ethernet market, which is expected to rapidly grow from US $385 million in 2004 to US$2.9 billion in 2009, according to the Dell'Oro Group.

10 Gigabit Ethernet Advantages vs. Aggregating Multiple Gigabit Ethernet Links

Many network managers are weighing the option of using Gigabit Ethernet link aggregation as opposed to deploying a single, Gigabit Ethernet link. As always, there are tradeoffs associated with each option. However, Gigabit Ethernet provides some important advantages over aggregating multiple Gigabit Ethernet links:

• Less Fiber Usage - A Gigabit Ethernet link uses fewer fiber strands compared with Gigabit Ethernet aggregation, which uses one fiber strand per Gigabit Ethernet link. This Gigabit Ethernet advantage reduces cabling complexity in data centers and more efficiently uses existing fiber cabling in campus environments where laying additional fiber could be cost-prohibitive.

• Greater Support for Large Streams - Traffic over aggregated 1 Gigabit Ethernet links can be limited to 1 Gbps streams because of packet sequencing requirements on end devices. Gigabit Ethernet can more effectively support applications that generate multigigabit streams due to the greater capacity in a single Gigabit Ethernet link.

• Longer Deployment Lifetimes - Gigabit Ethernet provides greater scalability than multiple Gigabit Ethernet links, enabling longer deployment lifetimes. Up to eight Gigabit Ethernet links can be aggregated into a virtual 80-Gbps connection.

Gigabit Ethernet Enterprise Application Scenarios

Gigabit Ethernet can now be deployed over existing fiber cabling from the data center to the wiring closet uplinks . Gigabit Ethernet deployments continue to extend beyond the network core to improve network scalability as end devices increase their bandwidth connectivity. For example, Gigabit Ethernet-to-desktops deployments have grown to several million ports per quarter by the end of 2004. This broad adoption has significantly increased the oversubscription ratios of wiring closet uplinks, especially because more than 90 percent of wiring closet traffic flows north to south through the uplinks.

In the late 1990s, it was common to deploy 10/100 Ethernet to desktops with redundant Gigabit Ethernet uplinks. If there were 192 users per switch, then the oversubscription ratio was roughly 19:1, which is within standard network design best practices of 15:1 to 20:1 wiring closet bandwidth oversubscription. However, as Gigabit Ethernet to desktops has rolled out over the years, these oversubscription ratios have ballooned to 48:1 or 96:1 even when the wiring closet uplinks have been increased to two or four Gigabit Ethernet channels. Deploying Gigabit Ethernet uplinks with today's switching solutions can help bring the wiring closet oversubscription ratios back in line with network design best practices and scale bandwidth capacity for future requirements.

Desktop Applications

Enterprise-wide Gigabit Ethernet deployments support the continued growth in desktop applications which, in aggregate, is accelerating higher-bandwidth requirements. Examples include:

• Aggregate Desktop Data Workloads - The aggregate bandwidth consumption per desktop is increasing because of increasing desktop workloads and the greater bandwidth requirements of new applications. For example, PC backup applications are critical, especially with rising employee reliance upon recent PC data. Data loss decreases and backup frequency increases when backups are automated instead of user-initiated. Frequent PC backups across all desktops in an organization places continual load on the network especially as file sizes continually increase (for example, Microsoft Outlook data files and PowerPoint presentations). In addition, companies are transitioning from traditional client/server applications (fat, proprietary client on each desktop) to Web-based applications (thin, standard browser on each desktop) to capture the operational and development cost savings associated with Web technologies. However, this transition can result in higher bandwidth usage because browsers may rely more on communicating with servers for intelligence and processing than proprietary clients.

• IP Video Applications - Enterprises are deploying bandwidth-rich IP video applications to improve productivity and operational costs. For example, e-learning increases employee productivity by providing low-cost, 24-hour access to critical training information, enabling "just-in-time" sales training, quick refreshers on how to deliver a service, lectures, and skills and regulation training. Corporate and executive IP video communications increase corporate alignment to business objectives and strengthen employee morale, and are an especially effective way to increase communication within a global company. IP video surveillance solutions are being deployed to increase security visibility and to accelerate the retrieval and analysis of archived events. IP video conferencing enables efficient collaboration among employees who need to communicate visually but do not have the time to commute to a designated location. Each of these IP video applications can generate numerous multiple-megabit IP video streams, depending on desired video quality, resulting in significant network-bandwidth consumption.

• Industry-Specific Applications - Many industries have custom applications that require significant bandwidth capacity and high performance. Whether the application is clustered or based on a client-server model, Gigabit Ethernet can rapidly increase the performance of the network. In the healthcare industry, for example, digital imaging applications (such as Picture Archive Systems [PACS]) are often used to lower the costs and reduce the delay of retrieving and analyzing medical images (such as X-rays, MRIs, and CAT scans), increasing physician and staff productivity. In the media and advertising industries, digital video applications enable companies to efficiently develop video segments and then edit and review them among distributed teams. In the manufacturing industry, large CAD and CAM design files are increasingly being shared among teams located in different locations. And in the financial industry, the continual need for more powerful, real-time financial information continues to elevate network performance requirements.

The aggregate growth of these example applications and other desktop applications is accelerating the need for Gigabit Ethernet performance across the enterprise network.

Storage Networking

The continuous increase in demand for storage capacity is propelled by applications such as customer care, messaging, e-commerce, rich online media, and catalog content. This information explosion is challenging IT managers to find cost-effective ways to access, manage, and protect this data.

Migrating from server-centric, direct-attached storage to network-centric, shared storage is an important strategy for achieving these goals. The ability to share networked storage in the data center, across the metropolitan area, and across the enterprise provides the following benefits:

• Scaled, shared, and maximized usage of storage and information resources

• Simplified administration of the storage environment

• Minimized total cost of ownership (TCO) for storage

• Improved data availability and integrity

Utilizing Gigabit Ethernet, IT managers can now take their networked storage environments to the next level and use Ethernet-based networking for the most demanding storage solutions, such as:

• Data Center Backup and Disaster Recovery for Greater Business Resiliency - Enterprises have been challenged to develop business-continuance and disaster-recovery strategies that are cost-effective, secure, and scalable enough to meet their demanding requirements. An important factor of the move to metropolitan storage networks is the need to establish backups and remote mirrors at remote locations to provide business-continuance and disaster-recovery support for critical data. In addition, companies are also faced with the need to expand data centers that have reached their capacity or alternatively the requirement to centralize data center resources of multiple campuses or locations. The distance capabilities of Gigabit Ethernet allow enterprises to provide high-speed connectivity between locations that are 80 km apart. Distances can be even further extended with the use of optical amplifiers and dispersion compensators. Enterprises can therefore support multiple campuses within this radius, supporting storage-to-server and storage-to-storage data transfers. With the high bandwidth, low latency, and security offered by Gigabit Ethernet and Intelligent Switching, it becomes easier to move data seamlessly between geographically dispersed components of an enterprise storage system. An example would be a Gigabit Ethernet infrastructure that supports all IP storage-based metro solutions and technologies including Network Attached Storage (NAS), Internet Small Computer System Interface (iSCSI), Fibre Channel over IP (FCIP), and Network Data Management Protocol (NDMP).

For deployments that require higher bandwidth aggregation, longer distances, low latency, and support for non-IP technologies (such as Fibre Channel or IBM's Enterprise Systems Connection [ESCON] protocol), Dense Wave Division Multiplexing (DWDM) provides high-capacity, protocol-independent access and transport of storage traffic across metropolitan-area network (MANs). Critical storage applications for such optical MAN connectivity include backup, remote mirroring, disaster recovery, clustering, and storage outsourcing. Synchronous mirroring requires very low latency and high bandwidth and Gigabit Ethernet provides the ideal combination of these factors to enable such mission-critical business requirements.

• Network Attached Storage (NAS) for High-Performance Data Sharing and Storage Consolidation - NAS has led the way for the mainstream deployment of IP-based storage consolidation and file sharing. NAS has achieved popularity in many environments including collaborative workgroup development, engineering, e-mail, Web serving, and general file serving. Because of the customized nature of their operating systems, NAS filers have been tuned to carry out I/O extremely efficiently so they can easily fill multiple Gigabit Ethernet pipes at wire-rate. This is fueling the demand for Gigabit Ethernet for NAS filer aggregation. In addition, there is growing demand for direct Gigabit Ethernet connections to NAS filers to support high-performance applications that generate single data streams larger than 1 Gbps, which cannot be supported by 802.3ad link aggregation.

Besides providing high-performance access to shared files, a Gigabit Ethernet infrastructure enables the added capability of filer-to-filer replication and backup to tape using protocols such as the Network Data Management Protocol (NDMP).

• Increasing Fan-Out to Shared Storage - The rising costs of managing direct-attached storage, together with the growing capacity of storage subsystems to support hundreds of terabytes, is fueling the need to consolidate systems that were previously not considered as part of the storage network. The challenges in achieving this effectively center around the cost and scalability associated with extending Storage Area Networks (SANs) beyond a limited number of high-performance nodes. Enabling enterprise-wide access to storage over an IP network using the cost-effective iSCSI protocol is proving to be a very attractive way of achieving fan-out to the hundreds and thousands of servers that would otherwise be isolated from the storage network. iSCSI-enabled servers in the campus can access the datacenter Fiber Channel SAN through the Gigabit Ethernet infrastructure and the Cisco MDS 9500, which can act as an iSCSI gateway to Fiber Channel storage. Gigabit Ethernet provides the network scalability needed to support the increasing number of distributed devices accessing shared storage across the enterprise.

Cluster and GRID Computing

Cluster and GRID computing is designed to meet the demands of CPU-intensive, transaction-intensive, and I/O-intensive applications that need more than a single server to efficiently complete the workload. Clustering provides a cost-effective way to scale computing needs beyond the confines of a single server and allows multiple computing nodes to work together as a large, virtual computing node. Cluster applications can be highly sensitive to the interconnect performance between computing nodes and thus place many demands on the networking infrastructure that link them together. Thus, clustered applications can benefit from the low-latency characteristics of Gigabit Ethernet to maximize network performance. To significantly minimize server latency and CPU overhead, new server-side technologies are being introduced, such as system-level I/O Acceleration, TCP/IP Offload Engines (TOE), and Remote Direct Memory Access (RDMA). These major advancements in network and server performance also take advantage of the interoperability, management, and investment protection benefits of widely deployed Ethernet and IP technologies.
While clustered computing deployments have typically been used by the scientific research community, the commercial sector is increasingly using this paradigm. Database and application server vendors have added support for cluster computing in their products. Cluster computing is also being used for other high-performance computing (HPC) applications such as financial analysis and modeling, oil and gas exploration analysis, and engineering modeling.

Conclusion

Gigabit Ethernet deployments are rapidly growing as price and performance targets are met, new optics enable broader deployments, and the aggregate growth of new applications continue to increase bandwidth requirements. But Gigabit Ethernet is just a network interface of a broader switching solution. Successful Gigabit Ethernet deployments also incorporate leading intelligent switching services such as integrated security, high availability, delivery optimization, and enhanced manageability to provide the necessary support for new applications. In addition, to minimize costs, the transition to Gigabit Ethernet should take advantage of existing switching investments in modules, chassis, and other components. For assistance in determining just the right solution for your application we recommend using free consultative services available at Gigabit Ethernet

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Business Ethernet Options

Here's a simple explanation of modern Business Ethernet services delivered by an ISP....

Logically speaking, Ethernet fills a void that is in between DSL and T1 technologies. T1 is capable of providing synchronous upload and download but loops quickly get pricey when bonding. DSL is cheap but unable to provide significant upload throughput. Business Ethernet is less expensive than comparable throughput via bonded T1s, more expensive than DSL, but is able to provide synchronous throughput. It is also distance sensitive.

There are 4 types of typical Ethernet services provided by carriers.

* Local Ethernet - typically delivered in a data center. No difference than the Ethernet you use to plug your computer into your router.

* Ethernet over SDSL - a very cheap way of getting up to 3.0 Mbps up and down of throughput. Overhead on this product is typically high however and that most speed test sites will not clock at over 2.5. That said it is by far the cheapest Ethernet option.

* Ethernet over DS1/T1 - Literally bonded T1s running Ethernet frames for consistent header sizes. Randomly cheaper usually than the same amount of throughput via regular bonded T1 loops.

* Ethernet over Copper - The technology in question. Currently Telnes provides up to 20 Mbps services using this technology which on their network elements use Adtran or Hatteras equipment.

For no cost help finding the right business ethernet solution for your network .... including free rate quote comparisons ... simply request assistance here:

Business Ethernet

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Who Is Windstream Communications?

Windstream Communications, formerly known as NuVox, delivers customized managed communications services, information technology, data, security, and voice solutions designed specifically for business customers. NuVox serves approximately 90,000 customers in the Southeast and Midwest, and provides select services throughout the United States. NuVox delivers services via its industry-leading MPLS-based wide area private IP network.

What You Should Know About Windstream Communications

Windstream Communications, formerly known as NuVox, headquartered in Greenville, SC, delivers voice, data, business apps, and IT security designed specifically for business customers in the Southeast and Midwest. Today, NuVox is one of the largest Competitive Local Exchange Carriers (CLEC) in the United States.

Windstream Products:

* Business DSL
* Data T1
* Bonded T1
* Frac/Full DS3
* Frac/Full OC3/12/48
* Ethernet over Copper
* Ethernet over DS1/DS3
* Metro Fiber Ethernet
* Integrated (SIP Handoff)
* Integrated (PRI Handoff)
* Integrated (Analog Handoff)
* POTS Lines
* Local Voice
* MPLS
* Ethernet WAN
* Google Apps for Business
* Colocation

If you are interested in any of the services from Windstream listed above, simply request a free quote here:

DS3 Bandwdith, Business Ethernet, And Much More

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Comparing Business Ethernet And DS3 Bandwidth

When businesses are looking for the right bandwidth solution for critical business network applications, the popular options today are DS3 bandwidth and Business Class Ethernet. Either are a good choice as long as you understand what each can do for you. Do your homework, compare pros and cons as they relate to your network requirements, and choose wisely.

Outside of the cost difference between DS3 bandwidth and Business Ethernet (Ethernet tends to be cheaper or at least very competitive) , the speed varies a wide range from 45 mbps to 100 mbps to 1000 mbps (FastE to GigE). If you shop around you’ll likely discover that DS3 line costs have dropped dramatically in today’s market. Still, Ethernet pricing is attractive where it is available. Where it is not, build out costs may be prohibitive. In terms of reliability, they're similar because they're both dedicated bandwidth circuits.

The traditional high bandwidth network connection is a DS3 line, delivering up to 45 Mbps of connectivity. Today, most DS3 services are provisioned over fiber optic cables with a copper handoff at the demarcation point. In some cases, you can get DS3 brought in over coaxial copper or even wireless transport. There’s plenty of flexibility available currently to deliver DS3 capacity with little restriction from the transport mechanism.

For application, a DS3 circuit works as a reliable backbone for large networks with substantial voice/data/video traffic needs. For example, organizations that need high bandwidth such as headquarters phone lines (PBX and/or VoIP), company Supply Chain Management (SCM) systems, high traffic websites, Hospital medical imaging and diagnostic systems, data/disaster recovery and backup networks, video conferencing facilities, multi-media or virtual design centers, high security networks, and ISP backbones. Where DS3 is not quite enough capacity, opting for the “next up” OC3 circuit (fiber optic bandwidth transmission) is an option.

An alternative to DS3 is Carrier Ethernet, especially Metro Ethernet in larger cities. Ethernet services offer standardized speeds of 10, 100 and 1000 Mbps to match the common LAN (Local Area Network) speeds. But most Ethernet providers also offer other increments in 1, 5 or 10 Mbps steps. A 50 Mbps Ethernet service provides similar bandwidth to DS3.

So how do you choose one service over another?

If you need the channelization of traditional TDM services for telephony or other applications, DS3 already meets this standard. It is easily multiplexed and de-multiplexed to interface with T1 lines on the low end to SONET fiber optic services (e.g. OCx) on the high end. On the other hand, if your network interests are extending your LAN or an already converged voice and data network, Metro or Carrier Ethernet is the logical connection. Make sure to understand your existing network configuration to enable a smart decision here. Otherwise, you risk potential frustration and an “apples and oranges” scenario.

If you have any concern for interface issues don’t worry. You can opt for a Managed Router Service which will take care of any such issues. Most networking applications are now packet based and more easily interfaced to Ethernet WAN services than legacy Telecom standards. But since the interface circuitry is generally an off the shelf router module, it may not matter all that much. If you go with a managed router, the service provider will take care of providing the proper customer premises equipment and monitoring the line and interfaces for proper operation. No matter whether you choose DS3 or Ethernet. In some cases, you may also get the vendor to provide the router at no cost … whether on site or remote (managed). Be sure to ask if this accommodation may be extended to you. It won’t in every case, but it’s worth asking.

Don’t overlook availability of Fractional DS3 and Burstable DS3 either. Fractional DS3 services are available that offer less than 45 Mbps for a lower monthly lease cost. You can get fractional DS3 bandwidth at the speeds where T1 bonding becomes impractical (around 10 or 12 Mbps bandwidth depending on your intended application usage). You can also go the other direction with Burstable DS3. Which allows you to start at usually 45 mbps and increase your bandwidth as your needs grow. A Burstable DS3 is the ideal solution for businesses who seek ultra-fast connectivity for their Internet needs.....and don't require full OC3 load capacity just yet but may in the future.

On the Ethernet side, with scalable Ethernet you can specify nearly any bandwidth from 1 Mbps up to 10 Gbps and often upgrade to higher levels with just a phone call to your service provider. The flexibility of bandwidth scaling offered with Ethernet is a major advantage to this transport option.

Be advised that an Ethernet connection is not available in every location. Normally this limitation is restricted to where the network providers have fiber already laid out in the neighborhood. You’ll most often find major cities or urban areas to be “lit” while more rural locales are not. Where Business Ethernet isn’t available, a DS3 or OC3 circuit is the best option for a company that needs more bandwidth to grow.

If you're fortunate and you're in an area where Ethernet connections are available, whether they're FastE or GigE, count your blessings and go for it. The cost can vary from depending on the bandwidth needed and local loop (distance from the tie in to the providers Point-Of-Presence or POP) . The FastE cost and GigE cost are usually less than per megabit than a DS3 or OC3 … or at the minimum very competitive.

So which bandwidth option offers the best value? The fact is that DS3 and Ethernet bandwidths compare favorably. Which you choose for your particular application will most often be determined by which service offers the best pricing for your particular business location. Therein lies the foundation for your decision …. all else being equal. DS3 bandwidth is perfect for most applications. However, if a company is price sensitive and the solution is available Business Ethernet would be the recommended alternative.

For assistance finding the right dedicated bandwidth fit for your organization’s needs …. and to save you time, money, and aggravation … I strongly recommend using the free help available to you here: Business Ethernet & DS3 Bandwidth

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Ethernet Peering - The Carrier Quest For Geography Is Over

There has not been a lot of hub-bub about the fact that for the first time carriers can peer their etherent networks instead of using carrier to carrier network to network interfaces called E-NNI.

Why is this important? As a network or internet backboone provider, in order to connect to another carriers network, I used to have to buy a set bandwidth (usually large bandwidth) and cross connect to that single carrier. Using an E-NNI (Network to Network Interface). There was often issues to be engineering out because my ethernet might not be exacxtly the same as yours. Then I would have to sign a bunch of engineering and contract documents. It is very complex. I have to do that for each carrier I want to connect to.

Now I can buy the bandwidth I need and connect to many carriers all through one portal. Ethernet peering is now being offered at seveal telco hotels around the country and the world. Recently the rack and hosting providers have started to expand their offerings with this service.

The game hasn't changed but the field has! Welcome the new little guys to the world and their pricing. It will be interesting.

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Comparing Business Ethernet Service Providers [Fast Ethernet, Gigabit Ethernet] ....Cost And MUCH More

It seems the buzz in today's IT world is all about business ethernet....Fast Ethernet and Gigabit Ethernet in particular.

With that in mind....if your business is looking to:

* ....move into a building with existing carrier facilities.

* ....substantially upgrade your current broadband connections.

* ....establish a direct relationship with a provider without the local Bell in the equation.

* ....find a carrier who provides QoS (Quality of Service) guarantees. Since the carrier you select is in complete control of your connection, it is much easier for them to provide QoS.

* ....gather information that will be helpful in the planning stages of broadband deployment for a new real-estate development.

.....than we have an amazing resource for you.

Compare Ethernet Service Providers

The free resource web site, powered by next generation GeoQuote software and Google maps, enables the general public to search for lit buildings where carriers have a physical presence. The results are displayed on a dynamically generated map for easy viewing. There's also a ton of material explaining the background and application of ethernet technology for those who need it.

Ethernet will be in five years what T1s are now - the standard for commercial broadband. Ethernet allows customers to connect DIRECTLY to the carrier's network at speed of 10 mbps to 10 gbps for under $20 per meg. That's a huge savings over existing connections......you get more for your buck.

The problem with ethernet is it's availability. Never before have carriers ever disclosed where they have their expensive fiber that makes ethernet possible. These carriers have now entrusted this highly valuable information to us for use with the above resource tool.

Combining the database of "lit buildings" we've received from XO, Level3, MegaPath, Telnes, Time Warner Telecom, Nuvox, One Communications, Cavalier (to name just a few) and Google maps, we created a visual research tool that will foster interest in ethernet service..... as well as assist companies looking to relocate find office space close to an ethernet service provider.

Why is Ethernet the future?

Ethernet is, quite simply, plugging your network directly into a telecom provider's network. When you bypass the local phone company you cut out an expensive transport step. Having direct access to customers is a carrier's goal as it allows them to control the user's experience from end to end while reducing cost. These savings are passed on to you.

"The market for managed Ethernet services is expected to grow by 30 per cent a year until 2010, when it will top $25 billion (£12.3bn) worldwide." Infonetics Research - July 2007

"Over time, Ethernet will overwhelm SONET in the MAN/WAN market. Ethernet is cheaper, has better economies of scale and allows for simpler, more unified networks. Ethernet is at the gates, and it's coming in." Greg Collins - July 2007 Business Communications Review Magazine

So if you're looking for ethernet service of any kind...you owe it to yourself to save time, effort, money, and headaches by using this free resource:

Business Ethernet

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The Advantages of Business Ethernet

Courtesy of my partner Jon Arnold of Business Ethernet

When it comes time to choose and make the tough choices for your business, there will undoubtedly be lots of different options available. This is especially true when talking about telecommunications, where the market is full of things that look good on the surface. You could go with T1, Ethernet, DSL, cable, or something else. With all of these things staring your business in the face, you have to consider the costs and the weigh the benefits of each choice. This choice is one that shouldn't really be a contest, though. Business Ethernet offers many advantages over the other choices out on the market.

There are quite a few reasons why Business Ethernet is the best choice for business telecommunications. First and foremost, it comes down to speed and reliability. These are the two things that you need to be looking for when you make this choice. When you are running a network, communicating with your customers via email, allowing your customers to download literature and specs from your server, and having a responsive and attractive online presence, you need for it to provide the type of speed and power that your customers and employees expect demand. The speed of your system will dictate how much work gets done and it will set the tone for your business. If you have anything less than the best, your business as a whole will suffer. Running a high speed network with Ethernet makes sure that you are putting your best foot forward. Remember, in the eyes of your customer, you only have one chance to make a first impression, so make sure it is a good one in the highly competitive marketplace.

The biggest reason why Business Ethernet is better than DSL and cable is because of the reliability factor. With DSL and cable, you have no uptime guarantee and no bandwidth availability guarantee, because you are sharing DSL and cable with 50-100 other businesses and residences. Yes this is also true with “business class” DSL or cable service. But Ethernet comes with an uptime guarantee and bandwidth availability guarantee and is faster than the same speeds advertised on DSL or cable. When running a tethered system of this nature, you don't have to worry about many of the common disconnect problems that go along with running a cable or DSL system. Simply put, this Ethernet is more efficient when it comes to being online and providing a business with the power that it needs. It stands out in this way above the other options.

Some people might make compelling arguments that bonded T1 is a better choice for business telecommunications than Ethernet. When dealing with the same amount of bandwidth, you are almost certainly going to get more bang for your buck by going with Ethernet, if it is available in your location. It is a much more cost effective way to power your business's most important functions, and that is important for business owners who are looking to control the bottom line. Simply put, you won't be paying as much and you will be getting the same amount of capability and bandwidth when you go with Ethernet, with the added benefit of the inherent advantages and written guarantees that DSL and cable cannot provide.

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