Mobile infrastructure must catch up with user needs and demands. Ubiquitous mobile computing is all around us. Some time in the next six months, the number of smartphones on earth will pass the number of PCs. As the power and capability of many mobile devices increases, the increased demand on networks. We watch more videos, and listen to music on our phones. Mobile Data Traffic To Grow 300% Globally By 2017 Led By Video, Web Use. Mobile network operators would have had an easier life if it wasn’t for smartphones and the flood of data traffic they initiated, and soon there will be also very many Internet of Things devices. Businesses and consumers want more bandwidth for less money.
More and more network bandwidth is being used by video: Netflix And YouTube Account For Over 50% Of Peak Fixed Network Data In North America. Netflix remains the biggest pig in the broadband python, representing 31.6% of all downstream Internet traffic in North America during primetime. In other parts of the world, YouTube is the biggest consumer of bandwidth. In Europe, YouTube represented of 28.7% of downstream traffic.
Gartner: Top 10 Strategic Technology Trends For 2014 expects that Software Defined Anything is a new mega-trend in data centers. Software-defined anything (SDx) is defined by “improved standards for infrastructure programmability and data center interoperability driven by automation inherent to cloud computing, DevOps and fast infrastructure provisioning.” Dominant vendors in a given sector of an infrastructure-type may elect not to follow standards that increase competition and lower margins, but end-customer will benefit from simplicity, cost reduction opportunities, and the possibility for consolidation. More hype around Software-Defined-Everything will keep the marketeers and the marchitecture specialists well employed for the next twelve months but don’t expect anything radical.
Software defined technologies are coming quickly to telecom operator networks with Network Functions Virtualisation (NFV). Intel and rather a lot of telcos want networks to operate like data centres. Today’s networks are mostly based around proprietary boxes designed to do very specific jobs. It used to be that way in the server business too until cheap generic x86 boxes took most of the market. The idea in NFV is that low-cost x86 servers can successfully many of those those pricey proprietary boxes currently attached to base-stations and other parts of the network. This scents a shift in the mood of the telcos themselves. This change is one that they want, and rather a lot of them are working together to make it happen. So the future mobile network will have more and more x86 and ARM based generic computing boxes running on Linux.
With the introduction of Network Functions Virtualisation base stations will have new functions built into them. For example NSN has announced a mobile edge computing platform that enables mobile base stations to host data and run apps. Think of this as an internet cloud server that’s really close to the customer.
Hybrid Cloud and IT as Service Broker are talked about. Telecom companies and cloud service providers are selling together service packages that have both connectivity and cloud storage sold as single service. Gartner suggests that bringing together personal clouds and external private cloud services is essential.
The type of device one has will be less important, as the personal or public cloud takes over some of the role. The push for more personal cloud technologies will lead to a shift toward services and away from devices, but there are also cases where where there is a great incentive to exploit the intelligence and storage of the client device. Gartner suggests that now through 2018, a variety of devices, user contexts, and interaction paradigms will make “everything everywhere” strategies unachievable, although many would like to see this working.
“Internet of Things” gets more push. The Internet is expanding into enterprise assets and consumer items such as cars and televisions. The concept of “Internet of Things” will evolve a step toward The Internet of Everything. Gartner identifies four basic usage models that are emerging: Manage, Monetize, Operate, Extend. The Internet of Things (IoT) will evolve into the Web of Things, increasing the coordination between things in the real world and their counterparts on the Web. The Industrial Internet of Things will be talked about. IoT takes advantage of mobile devices’ and sensors’ ability to observe and monitor their environments
Car of the future is M2M-ready and has Ethernet. Many manufacturers taking an additional step to develop vehicle connectivity. One such example is the European Commission’s emergency eCall system, which is on target for installation in every new car by 2015.
Smart Home Systems Are on the Rise article tells that most automated technology is found in commercial buildings that feature automated lighting that changes in intensity depending on the amount of sunlight present. Some of these buildings have WiFi incorporated into their lighting systems. There will be new and affordable technology on the market, but people today are still reluctant to bring automation to their homes.
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Tomi Engdahl says:
LTE’s backers vow to KILL OFF WI-FI and BLUETOOTH
I am made all things to all men
http://www.theregister.co.uk/2014/10/08/lte_backers_vow_to_kill_wifi/
Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, weightless and Sigfox, not to mention GPS and TETRA: LTE’s proponents plan to make every one of them redundant, while also ensuring their own advanced wireless standard becomes the only one anyone, anywhere, will ever need. And all this by March 2016.
Long-Term Evolution’s supporters have never hidden their aspirations to make it the globe’s dominant radio system, but the priority list for Release 13 reads like a battle plan, assaulting those niches where alternative technologies still dominate. Venturing into unlicensed spectrum, connecting embedded machines, locating and even sending jobs to the printer on your desk — each one will be part of the LTE standard within the next two years.
That particular LTE standard is being developed by the 3GPP (Third-Generation Partnership Project), and a new release of aims and developments is published every 18 months or so
Release 12 should get signed off in March next year, and the work on Release 13 has already started.
Number One on the LTE hit list is TETRA, which, outside of the US, dominates public safety and the emergency services. Inside the US, that title is held by P25 (a suite of standards for digital radio communications), but maybe not for long.
More impressive is TETRA’s ability to operate without a network. Individual radios can switch to direct mode, working like walkie talkies in situations when the emergency is so bad that the mobile network disappears, as happened for a time during the 7/7 terrorist attacks in London.
LTE can’t do any of that, for the moment at least. Release 12 does include a Device-to-Device communication mode (D2D), also known as Proximity Services. However, that’s limited to setting up a P2P Wi-Fi connection, and is generally done by coordinating users over the LTE network. Reaching out and talking to another LTE handset, using LTE, is something still in development.
Next up is the Internet of Things, or M2M as anyone not riding the bubble calls it, or Machine-Type Communications (MTC) as it known in the weird world of the 3GPP. Telephone networks are already carrying out M2M deployments, squeezing the last revenue out of their 2G networks with an application for which they are almost-entirely unsuited.
Pushing a mobile phone into an electricity meter is like encoding a bitmap in XML — possible, but adds no value whilst increasing the size of the data disproportionately.
Release 10 of LTE already allows machines to take a back seat when the network is congested, but Release 13 will enhance LTE’s MTC capabilities, so it can justly claim to be suitable for the Internet of Things.
That means a new class of device, capable of dropping off the network for extended periods, and super-sensitive reception at very low bandwidth. The 3GPP is aiming at a 15dB improvement in reception, so devices can pick up a paging message from the basement or under the stairs, essentially anywhere a meter might be located.
LTE Direct is already part of Release 12 and offering the kind of discovery service central to Bluetooth LTE, and the iBeacon, concept. Detecting an LTE transmission isn’t very difficult, so Qualcomm (who own a good number of LTE patents, but surprisingly few Bluetooth ones) is promoting the use of LTE to detect passing shoppers, nearby friends, or relevant services.
Qualcomm and friends argue that LTE Direct has better range (around 500m) and without cloud-based tracking (a la FourSquare et al) privacy is less of an issue. The problem is the interoperability required — picking up the signal from a phone on a competitor’s network is easy; identifying the owner is much harder. Qualcomm accepts this is a huge issue, but points out that SMS interoperability proves it can be done, if operators really want to do it.
Wireless ethernet is an even tougher nut to crack. The popularity of the protocol is indisputable
First up is functionality. With LTE Release 12 comes “Local IP Access”, or LIPA, which provides an LGW in the eNB, and we all know where that leads.
Just in case we don’t: LIPA is aimed at femtocells or similar — LTE base stations (or eNBs) provided by the network operator and plugged into one’s home broadband to ensure coverage. Normally data flowing into a femtocell goes to the network operator, for passing onto the internet, but if the femtocell has a Local Gateway (LGW) then it can ask permission to distribute data onto the local area network instead.
The plan here is called LAA (Licensed-Assisted Access) and involves setting up a second, parallel, LTE connection in an unlicensed band where Wi-Fi usually lives, and offloading data traffic onto it.
The 3GPP is aware that interference with existing Wi-Fi won’t be tolerated, so careful steps must be taken — for as long as people insist on using such an outdated technology.
The FCC wants to know where you are, and LTE is here to help
With LTE Release 13 an operator will be able to locate any phone within 50 meters horizontally, and three meters vertically. That second parameter is important when the caller is in an apartment block, and something that GPS won’t ever be able to provide.
One standard to rule them all?
So, will every other radio standard bow down to the inevitable dominance of the LTE? Probably not. The 3GPP creates standards to let mobile operators sell location services, compete with TETRA networks, replace WLANs, and compete with Bluetooth, but having the standards is the easy part.
SMS was made interoperable because customers asked for it, but there is no clarion call for LTE printing, no-one demanding that LTE tell them when passing a Starbucks. Mobile operators are happy to talk about the Internet of Things, but only to fill their legacy networks. Sigfox, for its part, is innovating, by building national Internet of Things networks on proprietary standards, and it’s hard to imagine mobile network operators being sufficiently agile to compete.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Ethernet is accelerating on copper
Ethernet filed plans for 25 and 50-Gigabit data speeds data center needs (copper and fiber).
The new assays homes Ethernet link speed increase from the current 2.5 and Gigabit to five gigabits per second.
The latest WLAN 802.11ac standard that is theoretically capable of gigabit links, so leased lines need to stay in the race faster.
Broadcom’s under the leadership has established a working group to define a new Ethernet link criteria. The aim is to ensure in currently used copper cables hundred meters of 2.5 and 5 Gbps data rate.
Source: http://etn.fi/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=1887:ethernet-kiihtyy-kuparilla&catid=13&Itemid=101
Tomi Engdahl says:
Ask Slashdot: Designing a Telecom Configuration Center?
http://ask.slashdot.org/story/14/10/07/130245/ask-slashdot-designing-a-telecom-configuration-center
Comment:
List out all your common changes, and produce a checklist template for implementation. This checklist should NOT be page after page of screenshots that nobody but the greenest admin will ever read. They should be concise, and contain just enough information to have all the implementation data, and jog the memory of the admin as to precisely which steps need to be done.
On the template, you should record all the data you can possibly need to implement the change. If you could not fill out the checklist, and then hand it to another admin for implementation, the checklist isn’t good enough.
So, that covers the change request part of the checklist.
In the actual implementation part, record ALL the steps where there’s a decision point. (As in, you don’t need steps for “Remote in to admin console, Login to Switch Config App, Login to Switch, Enter Config mode, enter VLAN subsystem, etc.) “Add VLANs to switch, using information listed above” is fine. Make sure the checklist includes updating whatever documentation you have.
Each line on the checklist should contain the date/time the step was completed. (If the admin just has to put an “X” there, guaranteed they’ll ignore the checklist and just put in the “X”‘s at the end.
Make the filled-out checklist itself part of the change record. Your change records should be complete enough that you should, in theory, be able to take the pre-change-system config, execute the tickets one after another, and end up with the same final config.
Lastly, do NOT require mgmt. approval for routine changes. Your checklist should already cover giving the appropriate people warning of the change. If you require mgmt. approval (or a change control board) for the most trivial changes, it quickly becomes rubber-stamping, which is even worse than wasting everybody’s time. Save the change review process for changes not covered by the checklist.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Nokia director urges 5G-work
The fifth generation mobile phone networks promise a lot of Finnish companies. Large and small Finnish software areas, it is a good place to find a grace period of application and service development, says Nokia Networks, Country Manager Finland Antti Uitto the technology industry websites written in the blog.
Uitto believes that revolutionize society clearly 5G 4G more. – Data rates continue to increase and response times, it is obvious. It is quite possible that the 5G in the era of networks, the base station will intensify significantly reducing the size of the cells. At the same time number of base stations is growing strongly., Uitto says.
He also raises the future Internet of Things. – Interpersonal used by smartphones and tablets, in addition to end user device capabilities and cheap radio network sensors hidden in almost any physical objects, such as household appliances and other devices
Finnish companies now have to be awake and get to work in order to 5G will bring business opportunities do not go over.
Finland built a fast pace almost nationwide 4G / LTE networks. User experience is the 4G / LTE’s higher data transfer speeds and shorter response times thanks to the 3G experience better, but not 4G yet really revolutionized society. Social media can upload photos and updates, videos can be viewed, and people can call 4G has it in 3G even with.
We believe that the 5G revolutionize society much more. 5G production market, pre-commercial versions of the Tokyo Olympic Games in 2020, and in subsequent years it spreads the wider world.
Cloud technologies accelerate this development, the mobile phone network in the middle of the frame and center networks. In the future, operators will drive all of the body or the central network features on its own private cloud platforms, the same place where all the operator’s customer applications and services running.
G and operators of private cloud era has to ask:
Could the car to drive without a driver?
Could I control all the home appliances to the mobile phone over the network?
Could I watch a HD movie to a large or small screen anytime and anywhere?
Could I experience the augmented reality (augmented reality), and provide useful information about the environment of the tablet anywhere?
Could the elderly and people with reduced mobility to be a robot outfits that will help them to move if their forces are not sufficient?
Could my car navigation to continuously calculate the fastest or the best path to the correct real-time traffic situation?
Could the hospital environment to locate all the equipment one meter and use them remotely? That’s what nurses would have time to talk with patients more.
Finnish technology industry would be now a good time to start having more power out of the 4G / LTE technology, whether it be widely used in consumer or business applications or sector-specific solutions, and position themselves 5G era.
Sources:
http://etn.fi/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=1882:nokia-johtaja-patistaa-5g-tyohon&catid=13&Itemid=101
http://teknologiateollisuus.fi/fi/ajankohtaista/toimitusjohtajablogi/ohjelmoitava-maailma
Tomi Engdahl says:
Gartner: Business digitalizes rapidly
Affairs, Internet, virtualization, and general business increased digitalisation of the limelight research firm Gartner, this year’s Gartner Symposium / ITxpossa. The research house expects business digitalisation rate of only accelerate.
According to him, only 3D printers have become more than a billion dollar market. Similarly, ten per cent of new cars are connected to the Internet.
The pace is accelerating, as these amounts are doubled by the year 2015.
“Companies are using this year to more than 40 billion dollar business and the digitization of things on the internet. All equipment with a modicum of dignity, equipped with sensors and connected to the network,” Sondergaard estimates
The risks are kept under control
CIO GMOs challenge is to assess issues or IoT (Internet of Things), the rapid development of related risks.
“The digital business for the risks to be assessed in a different way than before,” Gartner’s Daryl Plummer shareholder notes.
According to him, the new business risks must be proportioned to the company and its IT management’s ability to deal with problem situations.
“Risk recognition is acceptable, but their neglect for many companies is a life and death issue,” Plummer says Network World.
Gartner estimates that currently about 38 per cent of IT investments are being made in traditional IT procurement outside. In 2017, accounting for more than half.
Source: http://www.tivi.fi/cio/gartner+liiketoiminta+digitalisoituu+nopeasti/a1018118
Tomi Engdahl says:
Gartner: Make way for digital business, risks or die?
http://www.networkworld.com/article/2691627/careers/gartner-make-way-for-digital-business-risks-or-die.html
Enterprises will spend over $40 billion designing, implementing and operating the Internet of Things just this year
While the notion of IT changing is nothing new really, Gartner says the shift towards everything virtual – what it calls the Digital Business – is more intense than years’ past.
For example in his opening keynote Garter’s Peter Sondergaard, senior vice president and global head of research said that since 2013 650 million new physical objects have come online. 3D printers became a billion dollar market; 10% of cars became connected; and the number of Chief Data Officers and Chief Digital Officer jobs have doubled.
By 2015, all of these items will double again, he said.
“This year enterprises will spend over $40 billion designing, implementing and operating the Internet of Things,” Sondergaard said. “Every piece of equipment, anything of value, will have embedded sensors. This means leading asset-intensive enterprises will have over half a million IP addressable objects in 2020.”
Tomi Engdahl says:
Belkin Router Owners Suffering Massive Outages
http://tech.slashdot.org/story/14/10/07/1931201/belkin-router-owners-suffering-massive-outages
ISPs around the country are being kept busy today answering calls from frustrated customers with Belkin routers. Overnight, a firmware issue left many of the Belkin devices with no access to the customer’s broadband connection. Initial speculation was that a faulty firmware upgrade caused the devices to lose connectivity, but even users with automatic updates disabled are running into trouble. The problem seems to be that the routers “occasionally ping heartbeat.belkin.com to detect network connectivity,” but are suddenly unable to get a response.
Belkin routers around the globe unable to connect to the internet (solved)
http://www.myce.com/news/belkin-router-users-worldwide-unable-to-connect-to-the-internet-73019/
Tomi Engdahl says:
Complain About Comcast, Get Fired From Your Job
http://yro.slashdot.org/story/14/10/07/1612226/complain-about-comcast-get-fired-from-your-job
When you complain to your cable company, you certainly don’t expect that the cable company will then contact your employer and discuss your complaint. But that’s exactly what happened to one former Comcast customer
Unhappy Customer: Comcast Told My Employer About Complaint, Got Me Fired
http://consumerist.com/2014/10/06/unhappy-customer-comcast-told-my-employer-about-complaint-got-me-fired/
When you complain to your cable company, you certainly don’t expect that the cable company will then contact your employer and discuss your complaint. But that’s exactly what happened to one former Comcast customer who says he was fired after the cable company called a partner at his accounting firm.
When he was fired, Conal’s employer explained that the reason for the dismissal was an e-mail from Comcast that summarized conversations between Conal and Comcast employees.
Tomi Engdahl says:
WiMAX developers still try to keep the technology alive with new features:
WiMAX Advanced: Deployment Scenarios Based on Input from WiMAX Operators and Vendors
http://www.wimaxforum.org/press-release/wimax-advanced-deployment-scenarios-based-on-input-from-wimax-operators-and-vendors
Recognizing service providers’ need for flexibility to manage an ever-increasing demand for broadband data, the WiMAX Forum embraced a network evolution path to accommodate harmonization and coexistence across multiple broadband wireless access technologies within the WiMAX Advanced network
WiMAX Advanced provides a path for existing WiMAX operators to benefit from coexistence of WiMAX and other IMT-2000/IMT Advanced technologies and leveraging the economies of scale associated with other ecosystems.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Eclipse Unveils Open Platform for IoT
http://www.iotworld.com/author.asp?section_id=3150&doc_id=563570&
The Eclipse Foundation, creator of an open framework for software development tools, has staked its claim in the Internet of Things. The organization has released an open IoT platform based on Java and OSGi. Its goal is to address what it sees as a critical lack of developers for IoT.
At Oracle’s JavaOne conference this week, Eclipse announced some major initiatives in the IoT space. Prime among them was the release of the Eclipse Open IoT Stack for Java. The stack is a set of Java frameworks and OSGi services intended to make it easy to connect and manage IoT devices.
The IoT Stack for Java aims to provide an open-source solution for IoT developers to springboard off of, adopting other open standards along the way. The stack currently includes support for such protocols as CoAP and MQTT (client and broker side) as well as the server side of Lightweight M2M for device management. Using the OSGi component model, the IoT Stack also allows the addition of “bundles” for specific interfaces, such as ZigBee or Insteon RF connectivity.
There are also services for building IoT gateways that can serve as localized intelligence for sensors and other IoT devices, depending on need. The Kura 1.0 platform, for instance, is intended as a device gateway
The SmartHome framework for instance, allows creation of a gateway that will support a mix and match of devices and wireless connectivity options.
The SCADA framework targets industrial automation systems, supporting data acquisition, monitoring, data and event archiving, visualization, and value processing.
The Eclipse IoT Stack is the result of coordinated effort among a number of Eclipse projects, including Paho and Moquette for MQTT, Californium for CoAP, and Leshan for Lightweight M2M device management
Tomi Engdahl says:
Thread – Internet of Things for the Home
http://www.iotworld.com/author.asp?section_id=3298&doc_id=563456&
With the Internet of Things, or the Internet of Everything, there are many terms that have been used to describe the idea of having a “smart” world where devices have intelligence through connectivity. The idea of IoT has been around for a few years, but the technology and infrastructure have not truly been available until recent years. The growth that industry analysts have projected now seem truly achievable — tens of billions of units by 2020. That’s huge!
IoT covers many markets including healthcare, factory automation, retail and automotive. But, the area that IoT will impact persons like you and me the most, is in the home.
Today, we have the right hardware technology, which is starting to truly be affordable to the average consumer, while the software technology to enable the “Internet” in IoT is evolving. More and more dots are there but the thread to connect them in a way to make a truly smart environment is missing. That’s why seven IoT industry leaders, including Freescale, have joined together and created Thread Group.
Thread is a networking protocol that solves the challenges associated with having a truly connected home. Thread allows simple, direct connectivity from edge devices to the cloud and to each other to create simple, secure, and low-power connections between devices in the home with the ability to scale to hundreds of devices.
You may ask, doesn’t that already exist? Places like Home Depot and Lowes have displays of a connected home involving thermostats and security surveillance devices. Yes, these things exist, but are they ready for the mass market?
Tomi Engdahl says:
SDN Communications: In-Band or Out?
http://www.iotworld.com/author.asp?section_id=3304&doc_id=563544&
The software-defined network (SDN) administrator gets the controller to carry out its instructions using either an in-band (IB) or out-of-band (OOB) network. Which is best for communicating with IoT devices may depend on your network performance requirements.
In my last SDN blog, I talk about how the controller gives the SDN administrator a better view of a network’s behavior. A well behaved network indicates the controller has been properly configured and secured to optimize IoT connections.
But let’s suppose the administrator discovers a break in network traffic. He sees on his console which routers, switches, and other network devices are experiencing traffic bottlenecks or other performance issues.
To fix the problem, the administrator instructs the controller what to do. Instead of halting the traffic, he reroutes it to unaffected network devices in the in-band or an out-of-band network. The IB network is obviously the same network that he’s used to control traffic. The OOB network is a separate physical network to carry out instructions from the controller. There should be no issues with any OOB network devices.
You may not need both, however. All SDN vendors offer an IB communications channel for your network. If your organization also has the OOB network, you’re in good shape. But if you don’t, you should look for SDN vendors that do not require you to have the OOB network.
When evaluating your need for an OOB network, do your homework to make sure most of the IB network devices would not go down when network traffic encounters performance issues.
When you compare SDN vendors, find out what service availability guarantees you can get for both band network types.
To get low-latency guarantees, some vendors may require you to have the OOB network. The administrator can instruct the controller to forward traffic from the IB network to the OOB network. This would help to ensure the IoT devices continuously get and send data on networked machines.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Why America Won’t Match Sweden’s Cheap, Fast, Competitive Internet Services
http://tech.slashdot.org/story/14/10/08/1543208/why-america-wont-match-swedens-cheap-fast-competitive-internet-services
Swedish Internet services run both cheaper and faster than American ones. For example, many Swedes can pay about $40 a month for 100/100 mbps, choosing between more than a dozen competing providers. It’s all powered by a nationwide web of municipal networks in direct competition with ex-government telecom Telia’s fiber backbone.
How Come My ISP Won’t Increase Internet Speed and Lower My Bill, Like They Do in Sweden?
http://www.fool.com/investing/general/2014/10/07/how-come-my-isp-wont-increase-internet-speed-and-l.aspx
We Americans are getting addicted to our high-speed broadband connections. Unfortunately, they are often slower and more expensive than the Internet hook-ups you can grab in many other developed nations.
For example, my brother pays $40 a month for his 100-megabit broadband connection in Karlstad, Sweden. He can take his pick from 19 different service providers, all using a common last-mile infrastructure and competing on price and features. For $70 a month, he could upgrade to a full gigabit.
Me, I’m stuck paying $83 a month for a 50-megabit connection. Moreover, my upload connection rarely goes past half the speed Verizon (nyse: vz) promised.
if I wanted Verizon’s fastest available FiOS connection, I’d be paying $300 a month (plus taxes!) for half a gigabit.
So why isn’t America following the municipal path to high-speed bliss?
… it’s complicated
The American model is powered by private, for-profit organizations. On the next level down, consumers are facing a Balkanized patchwork of cable, fiber, and DSL services with minimal competition and zero infrastructure sharing. Flooding or overriding this system with government support would be politically impossible, so we’re stuck with this framework. That means focusing on profits over service quality, and there is no incentive at all to lower the cost to consumers.
Tomi Engdahl says:
It’s an Internet-Connected Wheelchair (Video)
http://build.slashdot.org/story/14/10/08/1843223/its-an-internet-connected-wheelchair-video
If you’re in a wheelchair, wouldn’t it be nice to have your chair automatically alert a caregiver if changes in your heart rate or another vital sign showed that you might be having a problem? And how about helping you rate sidewalks and handicapped parking spaces to help fellow wheelchair users get around more comfortably? Steven Hawking endorses the idea, and the Connected Wheelchair Project, in this short video.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Cisco Is Shuffling 25,000 Employees Around In A Massive Reorg
Read more: http://www.businessinsider.com/cisco-undergoing-25000-person-reorg-2014-10#ixzz3FdMQWUFG
Tomi Engdahl says:
Jitters over US surveillance could break the Internet, tech leaders warn
Loss of trust in Internet companies could lead to protectionism and a splintered Internet, they say
http://www.itworld.com/security/440886/jitters-over-us-surveillance-could-break-internet-tech-leaders-warn
Overly broad U.S. government surveillance is breaking down trust on the Internet in ways that could hurt users everywhere and make it harder to launch new kinds of services, tech executives told a U.S. senator pushing for reforms.
Revelations about National Security Agency (NSA) monitoring are leading foreign governments to consider erecting barriers against the global Internet and requiring their citizens’ data be stored in the same country, according to Sen. Ron Wyden
Wyden gathered executives from Google, Facebook, Microsoft, Dropbox and venture capital firm Greylock Partners in a high school gym to talk about the economic impact of U.S. digital surveillance as it affects international attitudes toward American Internet companies. Wyden said he supports surveillance where necessary but is worried about “dragnet” spying such as the wholesale collection of phone records. That kind of spying is turning users against U.S. companies, he said. “This is going to cost America jobs,” Wyden said.
The breakdown of trust is bad not just for well-known American tech companies but for anyone trying to start or operate a Web-scale business, executives said.
“The simplest outcome is that we’re going to end up breaking the Internet,” said Eric Schmidt, Google’s executive chairman. A splintering of the Internet would have costs in terms of science, knowledge, jobs and other areas, he said.
“It costs more to run a network where you have to put data centers around the world,”
Tomi Engdahl says:
Google Chromecast Is The Top “Connected Device” App
http://techcrunch.com/2014/10/08/google-chromecast-is-the-top-connected-device-app/
Google’s Chromecast is the most popular “connected device” – or so infers a new report from app analytics firm App Annie, which analyzed the top apps associated with connected devices across both iTunes and Google Play in the U.S. Google’s Chromecast app was in spot #1, in terms of downloads, followed by Fitbit, DirectTV, HP ePrint, Kodak Kiosk Connect, Square Register, GoPro, AT&T U-verse, DISH Anywhere, and HP All In One Printer Remote.
Gartner says that there will be 26 billion connected devices globally by 2020 – an astounding figure – but one that makes more sense when you start to think about the connected devices you already use in your own home – DVRs, game consoles, smartwatches, wireless printers, and more.
That the Chromecast came out on top in this list is impressive, though – especially in a market which still seems to be drawn toward traditional TV and DVRs and yes, even home printers. It also signals a shift in the way consumers are viewing content today – accessing video from the internet and online services via mobile devices and then sending that over to the big screen. Our mobile phones are becoming the new remote controls.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Apple opens the door for HomeKit accessory makers w/ finalized MFi specs
http://9to5mac.com/2014/10/08/homekit-mfi-specs/
Apple has now finalized and published specifications for HomeKit through its Made-For-iPhone/iPad/iPod (MFi) licensing program. The finalized specifications, which allow accessory makers to start building products that integrate iOS 8’s new framework for home automation devices, come ahead of Apple’s yearly MFi summit in November where it plans to brief manufacturing partners on HomeKit and other new iOS 8 features for accessories.
There have already been a couple products announced with HomeKit integration, most of which are all from larger accessory makers and Apple’s early launch partners. The finalized spec for HomeKit, which was previously in beta mode, has only been available to all manufacturers through the MFi program since last week.
Apple requires that companies building HomeKit-enabled hardware be part of the MFi licensing program and follow the guidelines in the newly published specs.
In the final spec, Apple includes specifications for pairing, security and talking to Bluetooth LE and WiFi-connected HomeKit accessories. The HomeKit Accessory Protocol currently includes accessory profiles for controlling a specific set of home automation products including fans, garage doors, lightbulbs, locks, power outlets, binary switches, and thermostats.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Wireless standards–Home automation, energy, care and security
http://www.edn.com/design/wireless-networking/4423578/Wireless-standards-Home-automation–energy–care-and-security-
Exceptional changes are underway in the home networking market and a wide range of home systems. Everything from thermostats, light switches, door locks and smoke detectors will become networked. Born from a collective desire to better control our environment and cut our energy consumption, this shift is widely predicted to bring significant market growth opportunities. In the UK, over £2.4 billion is expected to be spent on home energy management devices. However, such devices will have to work with existing home networks and interoperability between devices from different manufacturers is essential for commercial success.
Tomi Engdahl says:
SmartConnect
http://www.atmel.com/products/Wireless/wifi/smart-connect.aspx
Atmel® SmartConnect Wi-Fi is a family of self-contained, low-power, and certified modules bringing wireless Internet connectivity to any embedded design. These integrated modules offer the ideal solutions for designers seeking to integrate Wi-Fi connectivity without any 802.11, RTOS, IP Stack or RF experience. SmartConnect Wi-Fi opens the door of the Internet of Things to the vast array of battery-powered devices and applications requiring the integration of WLAN connectivity without compromising on cost and power consumption.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Rise of the Machines: FIRST HUMAN VICTIM – 2015
Internet of Things robots WILL break 1st law – EU top cops
http://www.theregister.co.uk/2014/10/06/top_eu_cops_internet_of_things_devices_could_soon_become_instruments_of_murder/
Death via internet, online contract killers and crime-as-a-service were just three of the scarier elements discussed by international top cops at the Interpol-Europol cybercrime summit in Singapore last week.
The Internet Organised Crime Threat Assessment, a report prepared by Europol’s cybercrime division, warns that the so-called Internet of Things has created a target for new forms of blackmail, ransomware and “possible death”.
Thanks to machine-to-machine communication, more and more critical every day devices are becoming connected, and it’s apparently only a matter of time before a rogue smart car or hacked pacemaker kills someone.
Europol estimates that there are 10 billion internet-enabled devices. “Cybercriminals need not be present in target countries and are able to conduct crime against large numbers of victims across different countries simultaneously with minimum effort and risk,” says the report.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Where leads a gigabit Internet? Experts: holograms, 3D porn and telepresence
When the speed of internet connections will eventually generally gigabit level services will be available to consumers are not yet able to properly imagine. Pew Research Center asked the experts, however, these views of the future and got a few guesses: the Star Trek series familiar with the holodeck, online shopping becomes immersive 3D experience, 3d porn because porn has often led to the technological development, new uses for education and health sectors
Some of the respondents also expressed concern at the increase in the digital divide in the future .. High-speed internet connections to reach the first rich parts of the world
Source: http://www.tivi.fi/uutisia/mihin+johtaa+gigabitin+internet+asiantuntijat+hologrammeja+3dpornoa+ja+etalasnaoloa/a1018988
Tomi Engdahl says:
Time Warner Cable Shareholders Approve Sale to Comcast
http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2014-10-09/time-warner-cable-shareholders-approve-sale-to-comcast.html
Time Warner Cable Inc. (TWC) investors voted in favor of the company’s $45.2 billion sale to Comcast Corp. (CMCSA), leaving approval from regulators as the last major hurdles to combining the largest U.S. cable providers.
Both companies reiterated this week that the deal is expected to close early next year. To make that happen, the cable operators still need to convince regulators, including the U.S. Federal Communications Commission, the Justice Department and some state agencies, that the merger won’t harm competition or consumers.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Bruce Sterling on Why It Stopped Making Sense to Talk About ‘The Internet’ in 2012
http://www.theatlantic.com/technology/archive/2012/12/bruce-sterling-on-why-it-stopped-making-sense-to-talk-about-the-internet-in-2012/266674/
Many people use, as a kind of shorthand, The Internet to mean a wide variety of things related to this series of tubes.
But in 2012, that way of talking, if it was ever helpful, is no longer.
And there are five reasons for that: Apple, Google, Amazon, Facebook, and Microsoft. Now, when we say, “The Internet” or “smartphones” or “computers” we usually mean something shaped by one of these entities, or all of them.
Stacks. In 2012 it made less and less sense to talk about “the Internet,” “the PC business,” “telephones,” “Silicon Valley,” or “the media,” and much more sense to just study Google, Apple, Facebook, Amazon and Microsoft. These big five American vertically organized silos are re-making the world in their image.
If you’re Nokia or HP or a Japanese electronics manufacturer, they stole all your oxygen. There will be a whole lot happening among these five vast entities in 2013. They never compete head-to-head, but they’re all fascinated by “disruption.”
Tomi Engdahl says:
Samsung has found a way to boost Wi-Fi speeds fivefold
http://www.digitaltrends.com/computing/samsung-found-way-boost-wi-fi-speeds-fivefold/
When it comes to Wi-Fi technology, it’s a tale of two speeds: the theoretical and the actual. Thanks to real-world elements like walls and household appliances, the maximum network bandwidth you see on a router’s box are never achieved – until now, if Samsung is to be believed. The technology giant claims to have developed a 60 GHz Wi-Fi technology that will bridge the gap between theoretical and actual Wi-Fi speeds.
Samsung says its Wi-Fi technology will open up the door to data transmission speeds of up to 4.6 gigabits per second (Gbps), or 575 megabytes (MB) per second. This would be about five times faster than the current ceiling for Wi-Fi speeds for consumer electronics devices, which stands at around 866 megabits per second (Mbps), or 108 MB per second.
Samsung says it has solved the speed-killing issues that come with millimeter waves, which travel by line-of-sight and are stymied by walls and other obstacles, by making use of wide-coverage beam-forming antennae and micro beam-forming control technology
Tomi Engdahl says:
Connected Ethernet, USB, and LCD Reference Design
http://www.eeweb.com/project/design_library/connected-ethernet-usb-and-lcd-reference-design
This TI Design will demonstrate several ethernet- and LCD-enabled applications such as remote sensor monitoring, ethernet configuration via web-based and LCD dashboards and aware applications that interface with weather websites.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Coin-Sized Security Solution
http://www.eeweb.com/news/coin-sized-security-solution
Pilot Labs, a worldwide leader in connected home automation and security devices, today announced the KickStarter launch of CoinGuard.
CoinGuard is a new Internet of Things solution for personal home security. Instead of trying to detect home intrusions like traditional security systems, CoinGuard is a small coin-sized wireless device. Sensitive to movement and vibration, it is simply placed on or with the valuables that it protects. If disturbed, it transmits a notification to the homeowner’s smartphone or other web connected device for immediate action. It is simple and easy to install.
The CoinGuard wireless sensor is battery powered which enables users to put CoinGuard sensors anywhere in their home. Users can slip them into jewelry boxes, camera bags, and secret drawers – anywhere they want to keep secure.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Slideshow: Maxim Integrates IoT
http://www.eetimes.com/document.asp?doc_id=1324250&
Maxim Integrated aimed to live up to its name at its annual demo day showing more than a dozen reference designs and chips, many geared for use in industrial or consumer Internet of Things applications.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Samsung promises 4.6 Gbps WiFi, maybe next year
Movie metric: 1GB flicks fly in three seconds
http://www.theregister.co.uk/2014/10/13/samsung_promises_46_gbps_wifi_maybe_next_year/
Samsung has claimed a WiFi breakthrough, saying it has “successfully overcome the barriers to the commercialization of 60GHz millimeter-wave band Wi-Fi technology” and will soon deliver products capable of wireless data transmission at up to 4.6 gigabits per second.
Samsung’s canned statement says previous attempts to use the 60GHz band for WiFi have foundered because “as millimeter waves that travel by line-of-sight [have] weak penetration properties and is susceptible to path loss, resulting in poor signal and data performance.”
By using “wide-coverage beam-forming antenna” and “eliminating co-channel interference, regardless of the number of devices using the same network” Samsung says it has cracked the problem and that products using its 802.11 ab standard could go on sale next year.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Remember that tale of a fired accountant who blamed Comcast? It’s kinda true, says telco
ISP denies getting the guy sacked – but promises probe
http://www.theregister.co.uk/2014/10/09/comcast_apologizes_publicly_to_fired_customer_who_complained/
Tomi Engdahl says:
IoT is a big chance for builders
The Internet of Things is an area that is still somewhat obscure, but which every company wants to play a role. It also opens the door to a new entrepreneurs. Gartner predicts that half of the IoT solutions become the new Startup by 2017.
The forecast also means that the established technology or consumer electronics manufacturing firms can not enjoy all the IoT growth.
In particular, the United States has started a strong Maker Movement. Builders are able to create successful products because nowadays offers a low-cost card platform, free open source software and tools, as well as 3D printers
The problem is slowness in well-established firms: Product development projects are too cost-conscious, so only high-volume IoT projects of interest. Therefore builders can achieve large commercial success by inventing solutions that large companies do not even see.
Source: http://etn.fi/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=1896:iot-on-iso-mahdollisuus-rakentelijoille&catid=13&Itemid=101
Tomi Engdahl says:
Since Netflix paid Verizon, video speed on FiOS has doubled
Verizon FiOS suddenly #1 in Netflix rankings, and Verizon DSL improved, too.
http://arstechnica.com/information-technology/2014/10/since-netflix-paid-verizon-video-speed-on-fios-has-doubled/
Netflix’s payments to Verizon for a direct connection to its network didn’t result in immediate improvements for the companies’ joint subscribers, but they’re finally paying off with better video performance. Verizon FiOS actually topped all other major ISPs in Netflix performance in September with an average stream rate of 3.17Mbps, Netflix said today.
Tomi Engdahl says:
How Comcast became a powerful—and controversial—part of the Internet backbone
Comcast tells Ars why it’s not to blame in Netflix fight—it was only business.
http://arstechnica.com/information-technology/2014/07/how-comcast-became-a-powerful-and-controversial-part-of-the-internet-backbone/
There’s no bigger Internet service provider in the United States than Comcast, and perhaps none is more controversial.
Comcast has struggled to win the hearts of its TV and Internet subscribers for years, regularly faring poorly in customer satisfaction surveys. Yet, somehow it has managed to become an even bigger lightning rod over the first half of this year.
The latest controversies involve a crucial part of the Internet that many Americans are likely unfamiliar with: the interconnections between last-mile Internet service providers like Comcast and the companies that distribute traffic from content providers such as Netflix.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Tiny Wireless Device Offers Tor Anonymity
http://news.slashdot.org/story/14/10/14/0035226/tiny-wireless-device-offers-tor-anonymity
The Anonabox router project, currently being funded through a Kickstarter campaign, has surpassed its original $7,000 crowdfunding goal by more than 10 times in just one day. The open source router device connects via Wi-Fi or an Ethernet cable making it harder for your IP address to be seen.
Tiny Anonabox to offer online anonymity through Tor
http://www.computerworld.com/article/2825065/tiny-anonabox-to-offer-online-anonymity-through-tor.html
The device is an open-source, plug-and-play wireless router
A startup is offering a tiny wireless router to users who want their anonymity protected by first encrypting and then routing their traffic over the Tor network.
The Anonabox is an open source, Internet networking device designed to run alongside a current home router or modem. Small enough to fit in a shirt or pants pocket, the device directs all your Internet data via Wi-Fi or an Ethernet cable to Tor, where your IP address is hidden from prying eyes.
Tor (The Onion Router) is a free software project that conceals a user’s IP address by bouncing online activity and all data through a random, worldwide network made up of more than 5,000 relays.
Anonabox is not the first Tor-enabled hardware device. The Tor community announced the Torouter Dreamplug hardware project last year.
Also last year, Pogoplug launched Safeplug, a Tor-enabled web privacy device that has ad-blocking software and retails for $49. The Safeplug router, however, is about the same size as a typical home router and doesn’t add data encryption to network traffic as the Anonabox does.
Over the past four years, the new Anonabox has seen four prototypes. The company said that its first generations were “pretty clunky and cost between $200-$400 just for the parts.”
The latest version, however, is smaller than a deck of playing cards.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Google plans shark-proof cable to link Brazil with the US
They’re going to need a bigger byte
http://www.theinquirer.net/inquirer/news/2375344/google-plans-shark-proof-cable-to-link-brazil-with-the-us
BRAZILIANS CAN WAVE goodbye to shark-related internet outages thanks to Google.
The company is leading a consortium that will lay a 6,560-mile undersea cable to link the South American country with the US.
The cable has a shark-proof design, and will be able to move 64Tb of data every second, the equivalent to 85,000 copies of Jaws all running at the same time.
However, if a shark does want to take a bite out of the fragile glass fibre-optics, it will have to fight its way through a polyurethane jacket and a protective aramid vest.
It’s thought that the electrical currents carried along with the data can be mistaken by stupid sharks for vulnerable prey, and as a result mega bites take out megabytes.
Brazil currently ranks number five in terms of numbers of internet users, and earlier this year became one of the first countries in the world to ratify net neutrality into law.
Tomi Engdahl says:
IoT gateway reference design builds on QorIQ processors
http://edn.com/design/design-tools/reference-designs/4435674/IoT-gateway-reference-design-builds-on-QorIQ-processors
Freescale Semiconductor has launched an Internet of Things (IoT) gateway reference design supporting a broad array of IoT applications including building/home management, smart cities and networked industrial services.
Designed in collaboration with Freescale manufacturing partner TechNexion, the reference design leverages the security, class-leading efficiency, advanced virtualization support and rich set of peripherals of the QorIQ LS1021A processor, which has reached volume sampling and is now available for ordering.
The LS1021A IoT gateway is engineered to shorten design cycles and speed time to market for OEMs, it allows IoT service providers to replace multiple boxes with a single, low-cost unified appliance.
At the heart of the Freescale gateway lies the QorIQ LS1021A ARM-based processor, which is engineered for fanless, enterprise and consumer networking applications such as IoT gateways; as well as enterprise access points and security appliances.
Tomi Engdahl says:
AFL’s Spider Web Ribbon technology shrinks diameter of latest MPO/MTP plenum-rated fiber-optic cable
http://www.cablinginstall.com/articles/2014/10/afl-interconnect-premise-microcore.html
AFL has launched its Interconnect Premise MicroCore line, a plenum-rated fiber-optic cable designed for MTP and MPO terminations. Using the proprietary Spider Web Ribbon (SWR) technology, the outer diameter of this cable is minimized, enabling the most efficient use of space and materials, the company asserts. The cable consists of aramid strands and 12 to 48 multicolored 250 µm fibers packaged in a high performance PVC jacket.
This single cable type covers a diverse set of applications including high density building interconnections, data centers, central offices, and 40/100-GbE architecture.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Analyst: Accelerating 802.11ac deployments deflate demand for 802.11n Wi-Fi
http://www.cablinginstall.com/articles/2014/09/abi-accelerating-ac-wifi.html
The worldwide Wi-Fi customer premises equipment (CPE) market is expected to grow 11% in 2014. According to ABI Research’s latest market report, Wi-Fi Customer Premise Equipment, total shipments of Wi-Fi access points, routers, and residential gateways are set to surpass 176 million units by the end of 2014. “Growth is expected in all regions, driven by increased broadband penetration and more connected devices in homes,” says Jake Saunders, VP and practice director for ABI.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Cat 6, 5e cabling can support 5-Gbit/sec transmission thanks to new technology
http://www.cablinginstall.com/articles/2014/10/aquantia-aqrate.html
This week Aquantia announced PHY (chipset) technology that enables 2.5- or 5-Gbit/sec data rates over twisted-pair copper cabling; the company says the new technology has been shown to deliver 2.5- or 5-Gbits/sec over Category 5e and Category 6 cabling.
“In our testing with real silicon and real cables, we have found that 5G runs on 100 meters of Cat 5e cables. It will be up to the OEMs and cable industry how they resolve the difference between an old spec [Category 5e’s 100-MHz upper limit] and capabilities of modern silicon.”
The technology is called AQrate; when announcing it, Aquantia explained it “enables the new generation of 802.11ac wireless LAN access points, enterprise switches and client devices to operate at unprecedented speeds. The products were first sampled in late 2013 and are currently in production.”
The company added that it foresaw “the enormous potential for deploying next-generation 802.11ac APs on legacy infrastructure” when it devised AQrate to transmit at 2.5- and 5-Gbits/sec over as much as 100 meters of Category 5e cabling. “AQrate also integrates Power over Ethernet technology, which is a critical feature in WLAN access point deployments,” the company noted.
The AQrate PHYs combine 2.5-Gbit and 5-Gbit Ethernet, as well as IEEE-compliant 10GBase-T, 1000Base-T and 100Base-TX, for transmission over up to 100 meters of twisted-pair cabling.
Aquantia’s Dalmia stated that 802.11ac-based wireless LANs are the primary initial target for AQrate PHYs, but the technology’s potential application space is wider.
The company revealed it made the AQrate PHY available to switch and wireless-access-point OEMs in October 2013, and the technology had been in development for two to two-and-a-half years prior to that. “The technology is very mature at this point,”
Xylinx announced it has incorporated AQrate technology into its All Programmable FPGAs [field-programmable gate arrays] and IP portfolios.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Cabling experts suggest FAA fire is the tip of the sabotage iceberg
http://www.cablinginstall.com/articles/2014/10/faa-fire-sabotage.html
The September 26 fire at the Federal Aviation Administration’s (FAA) Aurora, IL facility—a sabotage event that wreaked havoc on air travel for days—probably is just the proverbial “tip of the iceberg” as far as the damage that can be done, and is being done, by individuals with access to an organization’s vital and vulnerable IT equipment.
In March 2014 Concert posted an item to its blog, titled “Destroyed in 60 Seconds: Riser Closets Offer Easy Target for Disgruntled Building Tenants to do Damage.” The post asks: “How quickly can a disgruntled building tenant cause major damage to a building’s infrastructure?” It then answers: “The ease with which building sabotage can occur is astounding and only takes seconds. In years past the ability for such catastrophic destruction was fairly limited, but today’s technology offers soft targets, and one of those targets consists of a building’s riser closet and the IT infrastructure within. These assaults result in thousands of dollars of damage and limitless harm to building leadership’s reputation, not to mention the loss of tenant’s vital IT services … It only takes one of your angry tenants or disgruntled employees with access to a riser closet to wipe out service, business, and privacy. Managing access to riser closets is key to preventing a quick cut to operations and building functions.”
Destroyed in 60 Seconds: Riser Closets Offer Easy Target for Disgruntled Building Tenants to do Damage
http://www.concerttech.com/newsblog/?p=395
Tomi Engdahl says:
Expansion board enables WiFi connectivity for Raspberry Pi
http://edn.com/electronics-products/other/4435838/Expansion-board-enables-WiFi-connectivity-for-Raspberry-Pi
A pluggable expansion board from Lantronix allows easy integration of the company’s xPico WiFi device server with the Raspberry Pi single-board computer, providing direct connectivity between smart phones and tablets and the Pi, while simultaneously permitting communication with cloud services. The xPico WiFi Pi Plate lets users focus on their application, without having to worry about wireless stack integration and wireless connectivity management.
The xPico WiFi Pi Plate costs $59, including a preinstalled xPico WiFi IEEE 802.11b/g/n device server module, u.FL to R-SMA cable, xPico quick clip, and antenna.
xPico® Wi-Fi® Pi Plate
Flexible, Mobile-Ready, Wi-Fi® Solution For M2M And IOT Applications On Rasberry Pi®
http://www.lantronix.com/device-networking/embedded-device-servers/xpico-wifi-pi-plate.html
Tomi Engdahl says:
Time to switch to free wireless protocol, says Arveni
http://power-eetimes.com/en/time-to-switch-to-free-wireless-protocol-says-arveni.html?cmp_id=7&news_id=222908345
Strong from the experience gathered with building automation partners as a consultant and R&D engineering company, Arveni is now launching a line of battery-less wall switches, able to remotely control a relay & timer receiver unit through a very low power radio link whose protocol it is making open source.
Dubbed SARAH for “SmArt RAdio by Harvesters for building automation”, the open-source and collaborative radio protocol operates in the 868.3 MHz ISM band, relying on frequency modulation to deliver a communication range of 20 to 100 meters indoor. Drawing less than 0.3W, SARAH is particularly light to operate but rugged enough to reliably send the short switch identifiers and on/off status messages to paired relays.
“When discussing with building automation system engineers, either coming from large groups such as Bouygues Construction, or from small and medium enterprises, all would beg for interoperability and access to the source code”, recalls Martin from the days Arveni operated as a design office for equipment manufacturers.
“While there are already many radio protocols available for building control and automation systems, such as KNX, Z-Wave, EnOcean or ZigBee, all implemented under various product brands, the lack of interoperability between the different brands often locks building automation system installers into one brand, for the sake of simplicity”, explains Martin.
“So when we looked at implementing light radio links for our own battery-less switches, after trying out many of the existing protocols on the market and figuring out all the incompatibility and cost issues, we decided to develop our own. The big difference is that we make SARAH free to use and open-source”, says Martin. “We wanted to break free from monopolistic radio protocols that don’t let you mix and choose the best parts from different vendors”.
With this approach, manufacturers can have full access to the source code and even tweak the radio protocol and run a different version for a specific need, as long as they keep it open and release their patched version back to Arveni.
In return, Arveni will manage a repository of all existing versions and their typical use cases, checking the new patches for interoperability while updating public code libraries for engineers to implement SARAH on any low cost and low-power radio chip from the likes of Atmel, STmicro, or TI to name a few examples.
Supporting data rates of 125kbps, SARAH is a dynamic protocol with the data payload tuneable from 0 to 255 bytes. So the frame size can be increased in order to achieve sensor data communication, bidirectional communication and data encryption for example.
This length is indicated in the data frame before the actual payload so the relay listening to the message knows what to expect. A byte is also reserved for the manufacturer’s ID. 80μWs is needed for the first frame, then only 50 μWs for the following frames, and the messages are repeated 3 to 5 times for ruggedness.
Currently, Arveni offers a short- and a long-message version, together these implementations should cover about 70 to 80% of all applications according to the company.
The free radio protocol will save manufacturers and installers several euros per switch and sensor node, estimates Martin
Tomi Engdahl says:
Cellular Group Rolls IoT Guidelines
Samsung’s 60 GHz WiFi targets IoT, too
http://www.eetimes.com/document.asp?doc_id=1324260&
A trade group has released a design guide for Internet of Things products using cellular networks and announced a handful of operators supporting its embedded SIM standard. Meanwhile Samsung claimed it is working on a superior implementation of 60 GHz WiFi, geared for multiple applications including IoT designs.
Neither announcement is expected to shift the balance of on-going work in embedded, networked systems, where cellular and WiFi represent two high-bandwidth options of many communications alternatives.
The GSMA released version 1.0 of its “IoT Device Connection Efficiency Guidelines,” a 70-page document outlining best-practices for chips, systems, and apps riding the cellular network. Backers include mobile service providers AT&T, China Mobile, China Telecom, China Unicom, Deutsche Telekom, Etisalat, KT Corp., Orange, NTT DoCoMo, Tata Teleservices Ltd., and Telefónica, as well as module maker Sierra Wireless. The GSMA is a trade group of nearly 800 mobile operators and their vendors.
The GSMA is developing a set of acceptance tests for IoT devices and applications to ensure best-practices are being followed. It expects the tests to be ready by February.
Separately, the GSMA said five mobile operators and six module makers now have products or services supporting its embedded SIM specification for remote provisioning of machine-to-machine (M2M) devices. Supporters include AT&T, NTT DoCoMo, Telefónica, Vodafone Group, Gemalto, Giesecke & Devrient, and Sierra Wireless.
The GSMA’s so-called eUICC spec could accelerate growth in M2M by up to 34 percent, generating about US$8.9 billion in connectivity revenues for mobile operators by 2020, according to a new report from Beecham Research. If the standard can unite a currently fragmented market, the number of cellular M2M connections could rise from 478 million today to 639 million in 2020, with cars leading the growth in adoption, Beecham says.
IoT Device Connection Efficiency Guidelines 1.0
http://www.gsma.com/connectedliving/wp-content/uploads/2014/10/CLP.03-Connection-Efficiency-Guidelines-Version-1.0.pdf
Tomi Engdahl says:
August is a fancy lock that could make you ditch your keys
https://gigaom.com/2014/10/14/august-smart-lock/
he August smart lock ships Tuesday, and for those wondering if you should spend $250 for a connected lock, the answer is yes. Especially if you are an iOS user.
For most people it’s going to take a considerable value proposition to get them to shell out $250 for a connected lock. The question that connected lock startup August needs to answer with its product hitting shelves today is whether or not it’s worth it. After playing around with it, the answer falls solidly in the yes category with a bunch of caveats.
The lock connects to your home network via Wi-Fi and to your phone via Bluetooth. Thus, you can see the status of your lock anywhere and use your phone to unlock your door. If your phone is dead or not on you, you can use your key, since the you only replace the inside portion of the deadbolt with the August lock. The outside remains the same.
But there are caveats. First is the big difference in how the lock works today for iOS users and Android users. Folks toting an iPhone get the benefit of being able to unlock their door using geofencing and Bluetooth, which means that it will unlock even if you don’t take your phone out of your pocket. Android users don’t have that feature for “another few months,” which means to unlock your door, you need to take out your phone and open up the app.
And if you are like me and you tend to forget your phone, I’m going to recommend you don’t use the Ever Lock feature that August has. As you can imagine, the feature automatically locks the door after it closes.
In short, for the people who purchased a Nest, the August lock is likely the next obvious gadget to pick up. It’s beautiful, highly functional and changes the way you think about an everyday object by adding connectivity. The plans are to integrate the August with HomeKit and a few other programs, including Nest’s as time goes by.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Revealed: ISPs Already Violating Net Neutrality To Block Encryption And Make Everyone Less Safe Online
https://www.techdirt.com/articles/20141012/06344928801/revealed-isps-already-violating-net-neutrality-to-block-encryption-make-everyone-less-safe-online.shtml
One of the most frequent refrains from the big broadband players and their friends who are fighting against net neutrality rules is that there’s no evidence that ISPs have been abusing a lack of net neutrality rules in the past, so why would they start now? That does ignore multiple instances of violations in the past, but in combing through the comments submitted to the FCC concerning net neutrality, we came across one very interesting one that actually makes some rather stunning revelations about the ways in which ISPs are currently violating net neutrality/open internet principles in a way designed to block encryption and thus make everyone a lot less secure. The filing comes from VPN company Golden Frog and discusses “two recent examples that show that users are not receiving the open, neutral, and uninterrupted service to which the Commission says they are entitled.”
Tomi Engdahl says:
Coughing for 4G, getting 2G… Networks’ penny-pinching SECRETS REVEALED
Half-rate codecs, you say? You must be joking
http://www.theregister.co.uk/2014/10/15/coughing_for_4g_getting_2g_networks_pennypinching_secrets_revealed/
Top 4G? Shockingly, the team that completed the London commuter train connectivity study we covered yesterday has reported the use of half-rate codecs among UK mobile providers.
Half-rate codecs were developed as an economy measure and their use shows penny-pinching on the part of the networks. According to the study, O2 used half-rate codecs to handle almost 28.16 per cent of all the calls engineers made during the testing.
For all the brouhaha about 4G, GWS’s engineers were on 2G with O2 for more than 60 per cent of the time while testing on commuter trains. EE, meanwhile, fell back on its 2G network two-fifths of the time (41.82 per cent) during testing, but only used half-rate codecs to decode 2.96 per cent of the test calls made. Vodafone also relied on its 2G network 40 per cent of the time during testing; it used half-rate codecs to decode 7.92 per cent of all of the calls made by GWS.
Half-rate codecs – also known as EHR or Enhanced Half Rate – are an evolution of the GSM standard from the mid 1990s. When GSM was invented as a primarily European standard, the audio was optimised for the German male voice and was expected to run at 900MHz. As GSM took the world by storm, the standards were expanded, significantly with the introduction of PCS1900 in the US. The audio codecs were improved to give Enhanced Full Rate (EFR) – which sounds significantly better – and Enhanced Half Rate, which, although it sounds worse, allows twice as many calls to be handled. As technology has progressed, we’ve seen the advent of better codecs on 3G – notably wideband AMR, which both EE and Vodafone offer.
EHR does have a place. It was used effectively in New York on 9/11 when the mobile networks were overwhelmed. The systems were configured so that those users – emergency services – who had the priority flag set on their SIM got some frequencies reserved for themselves to make sure their calls went through.
When we questioned O2 on the continued use of half-rate codecs
Tomi Engdahl says:
Qualcomm buys CSR for $2.5bn in bid to dominate the Internet of Things
Comes after British firm rejects Microchip takeover bid
http://www.theinquirer.net/inquirer/news/2375712/qualcomm-buys-csr-for-usd25bn-in-bid-to-dominate-the-internet-of-things
CHIP DESIGNER Qualcomm has acquired Cambridge-based chipmaker CSR for a cool $2.5bn (£1.6bn), as it looks to push further into the Internet of Things (IoT).
The buyout, which comes two months after CSR rejected a takeover bid from Microchip Technology, will see Qualcomm using the British company to push further into the IoT, automotive and mobile communications markets.
CSR’s board unanimously accepted Qualcomm’s offer
Steve Mollenkopf, Qualcomm CEO, added: “The addition of CSR’s technology leadership in Bluetooth, Bluetooth Smart1 and audio processing will strengthen Qualcomm’s position in providing critical solutions that drive the rapid growth of the Internet of Everything, including business areas such as portable audio, automotive and wearable devices.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Fujitsu Demos Transport SDN
http://www.btreport.net/articles/2014/10/fujitsu-demos-transport-sdn.html
Fujitsu says it has demonstrated transport SDN interoperability as part of a series of tests sponsored by the Optical Internetworking Forum and the Open Networking Foundation. The two groups seek to accelerate adoption of OpenFlow and transport SDN technologies.
Fujitsu collaborated with other members of the ONF Optical Transport Working Group to develop the OpenFlow extensions that are being prototyped and tested in both CDPI (Control Data Plane Interface) and CVNI (Control Virtual Network Interface) forms. I
Tomi Engdahl says:
Home> Community > Blogs > Eye on Standards
Four 400G quandaries to look forward to
http://www.edn.com/electronics-blogs/eye-on-standards/4432699/Four-400G-quandaries-to-look-forward-to
The 400 GbE (that’s Ethernet at 400 Gbits/s to you and me) task force has convened and hopes to deliver a 400GbE specification in Q1 of 2017. At this time, everything is on the table. In 400G Ethernet Effort Begins, John D’Ambrosia, Chair of the Ethernet Alliance and 400G Ethernet Group, said, “The key part is that this initial effort will spend significant time and energy on defining an architecture that will be flexible and enable future 400GbE implementations.” He went on to say that, “diving into the technical details of each of these anticipated proposals will be part of the fun that awaits those ready for this project.”
Back in 2007, the IEEE 802.3 High Speed Study Group realized that the data rate needs of networking and computing have been increasing at different rates (Figure 1); Moore’s Law scaling of 2x every 18 months for networking and 24 months for computing. So even though the 100 Gbit/s spec is still somewhat incomplete, the technology is being rolled out and it’s not hard to see the demand for 400 Gbit/s links coming on the horizon.
Among its goals, the 400G working group hopes to maintain backward compatibility, preserve Ethernet frame formatting, support OTN (optical transport network), and specify EEE (energy efficient Ethernet) as an option.
In addition to increasing the media access (MAC) rate by a factor of four over 100 GbE, the IEEE 802.3bs 400 GbE group plans include the following four quandries.
Improving the maximum permissible BER (bit error ratio) by a factor of ten, from 1E-12 to 1E-13.
Expect the standard to specify minimum of 100 m over multi-mode fibers and 5 km over single-mode fibers with many different configurations.
Electrical chip-to-chip and chip-to-module channel options.
- The limitations of installed and seemingly immoveable standard FR4 PCB (flame retardant type-4 printed circuit board) infrastructure will not be replaced until…ever. Because typical intersystem communications over backplanes and midplanes require electrical signaling over distances up to about 100 cm, technology will drive design choices.
NRZ (non-return-to-zero) modulation is likely to become a fond memory.
- There will be no more hiding from PAM (pulse amplitude modulation), DMT (discrete multi-tone modulation), or ENRZ (ensemble non-return-to-zero) data formats.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Ensuring the Complete Life-Cycle Security of Smart Meters
http://www.eeweb.com/company-blog/maxim/ensuring-the-complete-life-cycle-security-of-smart-meters/
Introduction
Smart meters are helpful devices that monitor and measure electrical energy and are mainly used by electricity providers for billing purposes. These are devices attached in the walls of houses and determine the power consumption at a given time. Most of these smart meters are placed outdoors and are frequently exposed to harsh environmental conditions. This application note will discuss some techniques and procedures to increase the life cycle of the smart meters at the longest time possible.