It’s always interesting (and dangerous) to lay out some predictions for the future of technology, so here are a few visions:
The exponential growth of broadband data is driving wireless (and wired) communications systems to more effectively use existing bandwidth. Mobile data traffic continues to grow, driven both by increased smartphone subscriptions and a continued increase in average data volume per subscription, fueled primarily by more viewing of video content. Ericsson forecasts mobile video traffic to grow by around 50% annually through 2022, to account for nearly 75% of all mobile data traffic. Social networking is the second biggest data traffic type. To make effective use of the wireless channel, system operators are moving toward massive-MIMO, multi-antenna systems that transmit multiple wide-bandwidth data streams—geometrically adding to system complexity and power consumption. Total mobile data traffic is expected to grow at 45% CAGR to 2020.
5G cellular technology is still in development, and is far from ready in 2017. As international groups set 2020 deadline to agree on frequencies and standards for the new equipment, anything before that is pre-standard. Expect to see many 5G announcements that might not be what 5G will actually be when standard is ready. The boldest statement is that Nokia & KT plan 2017 launch of world’s first mobile 5G network in South Korea in 2017: commercial trial system to operate in the 28GHz band. Wireless spectrum above 5 GHz will generate solutions for a massive increase in bandwidth and also for a latency of less than 1 ms.
CableLabs is working toward standardization of an AP Coordination protocol to improve In-Home WiFi as one access point (AP) for WiFi often is not enough to allow for reliable connection and ubiquitous speed to multiple devices throughout a large home. The hope is that something will be seen mid-2017. A mesh AP network is a self-healing, self-forming, self-optimizing network of mesh access points (MAPs).
There will be more and more Gigabit Internet connections in 2017. Gigabit Internet is Accelerating on All Fronts. Until recently, FTTH has been the dominant technology for gigabit. Some of the common options available now include fiber-to-the-home (FTTH), DOCSIS 3.0 and 3.1 over cable’s HFC plant, G.Fast over telco DSL networks, 5G cellular, and fiber-to-the-building coupled with point-to-point wireless. AT&T recently launched its AT&T Fiber gigabit service. Cable’s DOCSIS 3.0 and 3.1 are cheaper and less disruptive than FTTH in that they do not require a rip-and-replace of the existing outside plant. DOCSIS 3.1, which has just begun to be deployed at scale, is designed to deliver up to 10 Gbps downstream Internet speeds over existing HFC networks (most deployments to date have featured 1 Gbps speeds). G.Fast is just beginning to come online with a few deployments (typically 500 meters or less distance at MDU). 5G cellular technology is still in development, and standards for it do not yet exist. Another promising wireless technology for delivering gigabit speeds is point-to-point millimeter wave, which uses spectrum between 30 GHz and 300 GHz.
There are also some trials for 10 Gbit/s: For example Altice USA (Euronext:ATC) announced plans to build a fiber-to-the-home (FTTH) network capable of delivering broadband speeds of up to 10 Gbps across its U.S. footprint. The five-year deployment plan is scheduled to begin in 2017.
Interest to use TV white space increases in 2017 in USA. The major factors driving the growth of the market include providing low-cost broadband to remote and non-line-of-sight regions. Rural Internet access market is expected to grow at a significant rate between 2016 and 2022. According to MarketsandMarkets, the global TV white space market was valued at $1.2 million in 2015 and is expected to reach approximately $53.1 million by 2022, at a CAGR of 74.30% during the forecast period.
The rapid growth of the internet and cloud computing has resulted in bandwidth requirements for data center network. This is in turn expected to increase the demand for optical interconnects in the next-generation data center networks.
Open Ethernet networking platforms will make a noticeable impact in 2017. The availability of full featured, high performance and cost effective open switching platforms combined with open network operating systems such as Cumulus Networks, Microsoft SoNIC, and OpenSwitch will finally see significant volume uptake in 2017.
Network becomes more and more software controlled in 2017.NFV and SDN Will Mature as Automated Networks will become Production systems. Over the next five years, nearly 60 percent of hyperscale facilities are expected to deploy SDN and/or NFV solutions. IoT will force SDN adoption into Campus Networks.
SDN implementations are increasingly taking a platform approach with plug and play support for any VNF, topology, and analytics that are instrumented and automated. Some companies are discovering the security benefits of SDN – virtual segmentation and automation. The importance of specific SDN protocols (OpenFlow, OVSDB, NetConf, etc.) will diminish as many universes of SDN/NFV will solidify into standard models. More vendors are opening up their SDN platforms to third-party VNFs. In Linux based systems eBPF and XDP are delivering flexibility, scale, security, and performance for a broad set of functions beyond networking without bypassing the kernel.
For year 2016 it was predicted that gigabit ethernet sales start to decline as the needle moving away from 1 Gigabit Ethernet towards faster standards (2.5 or 5.0 or 10Gbps; Nbase-T is basically underclocked 10Gbase-T running at 2.5 or 5.0Gbps instead of 10Gbps). I have not yet seen the result from this prediction, but that does not stop from making new ones. So I expect that 10GbE sales will peak in 2017 and start a steady decline after 2017 as it is starts being pushed aside by 25, 50, and 100GbE in data center applications. 25Gbit/s Ethernet is available now from all of the major server vendors. 25 can start to become the new 10 as it offers 2.5x the throughput and only a modest price premium over 10Gbit/s.
100G and 400G Ethernet will still have some implementation challenges in 2017. Data-center customers are demanding a steep downward trajectory in the cost of 100G pluggable transceivers, but existing 100G module multi-source agreements (MSAs) such as PSM4 and CWDM4 have limited capacity for cost reduction due to the cost of the fiber (PSM4) and the large number of components (both PSM4 and CWDM4). It seems that dual-lambda PAM4 and existing 100G Ethernet (100GE) solutions such as PSM4 and CWDM4 will not be able to achieve the overall cost reductions demanded by data-center customers. At OFC 2016, AppliedMicro showcased the world’s first 100G PAM4 single-wavelength solution for 100G and 400G Ethernet. We might be able to see see 400GE in the second half of 2017 or the early part of 2018.
As the shift to the cloud is accelerating in 2017, the traffic routed through cloud-based data centers is expected to quadruple in the next four years according to the results of the sixth annual Global Cloud Index published by Cisco. Public cloud is growing faster than private cloud. An estimated 68 percent of cloud workloads will be deployed in public cloud data centers by 2020, up from 49 percent in 2015. According to Cisco, hyperscale data centers will account for 47 percent of global server fleet and support 53 percent of all data center traffic by 2020.
The modular data center market has experienced a high growth and adoption rate in the last few years, and is anticipated to experience more of this trend in years to come. Those data centers are typically built using standard 20 ft. container module or standard 40 ft. container module. Modular data center market is anticipated to grow at a CAGR of 24.1% during period 2016 – 2025, to account for US$ 22.41 billion in 2025. Also in 2017 the first cracks will start to appear in Intel’s vaunted CPU dominance.
The future of network neutrality is unsure in 2017 as the Senate failed to reconfirm Democratic pro-net neutrality FCC Commissioner Jessica Rosenworcel, portending new Trump era leadership and agenda Net neutrality faces extinction under Trump. Also one of Trump’s advisers on FCC, Mark Jamison, argued last month that the agency should only regulate radio spectrum licenses, scale back all other functions. When Chairman Tom Wheeler, the current head of the FCC, steps down, Republicans will hold a majority.
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Tomi Engdahl says:
Shrinking communication satellite subsystems
http://www.edn.com/design/analog/4458519/Shrinking-communication-satellite-subsystems-
By 2017, there were nearly 1,400 satellites in orbit, serving both military and commercial customers. Their missions span a wide range of functions including reconnaissance, surveillance, imaging, signal intelligence, meteorology, navigation, television, and voice communications. With every new mission, customers increasingly want more functionality, which requires larger satellite payloads, and that forces manufacturers to increase the size, weight, and power (SWaP) of their satellite subsystems.
This article discusses how using the ISL72813SEH 32-channel driver IC and the ISL71841SEH multiplexer shrinks the size of next-generation satellite command and telemetry subsystems. Examining these components reveals that they reduce footprint size by up to 50%, while doubling the number of telemetry data inputs and command outputs. Also, we’ll discuss the basic operation of the command output circuit, and its role in the overall telemetry system. And we’ll compare the 32-channel driver IC to an 8-channel device, and show how it significantly decreases circuit size.
Tomi Engdahl says:
The importance of screen continuity in Category 8 cabling system testing
http://www.cablinginstall.com/articles/2017/07/fluke-networks-category-8-testing-screen-continuity.html?cmpid=enl_cim_cimdatacenternewsletter_2017-07-11
As part of its Category 8 Cable Testing information library, Fluke Networks produced a white paper covering shield integrity—a term that may be new to many cabling technicians. The brief document opens by explaining, “Field testing of screened cabling systems has always required that the tester verify there is continuity of the screen to the remote end of the test.” It cautions, however, that some field testers can incorrectly report screen continuity, thereby failing to highlight potential problems with the cabling system.
The document uses illustrative examples to show that there are three main paths through which an installed cabling system can achieve a simple electrical connection between the screen contacts of the near-end and remote testers. But “only one of those paths assures correctly terminated cabling that will allow the cable to function the way it is designed to.” Specifically, under certain scenarios some testers can incorrectly report that screen continuity has been achieved because those testers do not test continuity along the path of the cabling.
“Testing of the screen continuity has always been specified by the field tester standards, TIA-1152 and IEC 61935-1,” the company points out, adding, “however no guidance was given to specify the path through which that continuity was provided.
The document quotes Clause 4.2.2 of TIA-1152-A: “In addition, for Level 2G testers it is understood that the screen continuity is tested along the path of the cabling.”
Fluke Networks Shield Integrity
http://www.flukenetworks.com/content/fluke-networks-shield-integrity?
Field testing of screened cabling systems has always required that the tester verify that there is continuity of the screen to the remote end of the test, however some field testers can incorrectly report screen continuity and fail to highlight potential problems with the cabling system.
This article discusses the issues with measurements of screen continuity, how it can influence other cabling test parameters and how the Fluke Networks shield integrity approach can correctly assure compliance of cabling installations according to the Level 2G requirements of TIA 1152A.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Viavi tailors MPO optical loss tester for contractors supporting enterprise, data center cabling
http://www.cablinginstall.com/articles/2017/06/viavi-smartclass-mpo.html?cmpid=enl_cim_cimdatacenternewsletter_2017-07-11
Viavi Solutions (NASDAQ: VIAV) has this month announced availability of its SmartClass Fiber MPOLx optical loss test set, billed as “the first true Tier 1 (basic) certification test solution for cabling systems that utilize ribbon fiber with multi-fiber push on (MPO) connectivity.”
As noted by a Viavi press release, “Ribbon fiber with MPO connectivity has been used for many years as a network trunking technology. As enterprises and data centers migrate to 40G and 100G, MPO connectivity is being extended out to the end equipment to simplify deployment. However, network operators and cabling vendors are requiring Tier 1 (basic) certification of MPO connectivity from end to end to ensure optical network performance and validate installation warranties. In fact, many are requiring proof of certification, specified as ‘Tier 1′ in North America, and as ‘Basic’ internationally as a condition of payment.”
The MPOLx from Viavi Solutions is billed as “the industry’s first dedicated optical loss test set that can perform all MPO Tier 1 (basic) test and certification requirements, including the need to test for length, optical loss, polarity and inspect fiber end-face condition. With the ability to meet all Tier 1 (basic) requirements in a single solution, the MPOLx helps technicians ensure a fast and reliable workflow, delivering comprehensive test results in less than 6 seconds for all 12 fibers.”
Tomi Engdahl says:
28-AWG Category 6A patch cords are 5.5mm in diameter
http://www.cablinginstall.com/articles/2017/06/siemon-skinny-patch-6a-sftp-28-awg.html?cmpid=enl_cim_cimdatacenternewsletter_2017-07-11
Modular Patch Cords to its portfolio of cable, connectivity, and infrastructure-support products. The cords “deliver superior Category 6A shielded performance with a reduced diameter for improved pathway fill, airflow and increased flexibility in high-density data center environments,” the company said when it announced the cords’ availability.
cords have 28-AWG stranded copper conductors, which enable a cable diameter of 5.5 millimeters, which is 0.22 inches.
Patch Cords offer a significantly tighter bend radius for easier cable routing and enhanced cable management to facilitate moves, adds, and changes in tight spaces. The overall small diameter provides pathway savings in racks and cabinets while maximizing airflow for improved equipment reliability.
shielded construction of these cords delivers superior transmission and enhanced alien crosstalk performance over UTP cords, making them ideal for high-density patching areas in 10-Gigabit Ethernet switch-to-server applications.”
Susan Cocco, product manager for Siemon, added, “The use of 28-AWG patch cords has grown significantly in popularity due to concerns surrounding airflow in today’s data centers and telecommunications spaces where high-density patching areas are commonplace.”
The company added that the patch cords exceed ANSI/TIA-568-C.2 and ISO/IEC 11801:2002 performance standards, as confirmed by Intertek.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Optical LAN helps modernize historic mixed-use buildings in Fort Worth
http://www.cablinginstall.com/articles/2017/06/tellabs-vt-group-optical-lan-sinclair-buildings.html?cmpid=enl_cim_cimdatacenternewsletter_2017-07-10
Tellabs and VT Group, a systems integrator, recently provided optical LAN infrastructure, Power over Ethernet technology, and a network-management system to three historic buildings in Fort Worth, Texas. The buildings—the Sinclair Building, the STS Tower, and the Hotel Texas Annex—are owned by Sinclair Holdings.
“Connectivity innovation is present with Tellabs Optical LAN that provides four times the Gigabit Ethernet port density in 90-percent less building space and 300 times better reach than traditional copper-based LANs. Powering innovation is achieved by leveraging low-power intelligent devices and powering them with packetized digital power and Power over Ethernet. This method of powering is more reliable, safer and less expensive to implement. Network management innovation is achieved with Tellabs Panorama PON Manager, which provides centralized intelligence and centralized management from one console and one screen, while promoting plug-and-play for easy IT network operations.”
In the Sinclair Building, the LAN architecture is a fiber-based point-to-point design that connects a multitude of Internet of Things endpoints. “This is a far better means of designing a LAN’s distribution and aggregation compared to legacy copper-based LAN’s point-to-point footprint,” Tellabs explained. “At the Sinclair Building, VT Group installed the Tellabs Optical LAN ONT that provides gigabit connectivity to the Universal Power over Ethernet switches, and wireless access points. All the building’s voice, video, data, lighting, control and automation are then connected to ports either on the OLAN ONT, UPOE switch or wireless access point.”
“We connect and automate the control of the lighting, window shades, visual, audio, HVAC and access control so that each of our tenants and guests personalizes their own in-room experience,” Aslam said. “We are also expecting to save as much as 35 percent in energy savings and operations costs with our LED lighting system.”
Tomi Engdahl says:
Tellabs Optical LAN Enables 3 Innovations That Simplify the Internet of Things for Sinclair Holdings
https://www.tellabs.com/press-releases/224/
Sinclair Holdings chooses Tellabs Optical LAN and VT Group to scale network connectivity, simplify network management and enable contemporary powering for advanced intelligent building technologies.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Belden explains: How TSB-184-A supports Power over Ethernet
http://www.cablinginstall.com/articles/2017/07/belden-tsb184a-power-over-ethernet.html?cmpid=enl_cim_cimdatacenternewsletter_2017-07-10
In a post to the Belden Blog, the company’s manager of LAN technology and applications, Ron Tellas, boils down the recently completed Telecommunications Systems Bulletin TSB-184-A Guidelines for Supporting Power Delivery Over Balanced Twisted-Pair Cabling.
In the post, Tellas reminds us that in Power over Ethernet applications, “a small percentage of the power being carried over the cable is dissipated as heat inside the cabling.” He further explains, “Putting cables into bundles can heighten this temperature rise. Cable temperature rise can push cables past their rated temperatures, reducing performance and reliability (and possibly damaging the cable). Controlling temperature rise will decrease potential cable problems and network performance issues.”
The specifications in TSB-184-A are intended to do exactly that—control temperature rise and thereby decrease potential problems. Tellas points out that TSB-184-A is a set of guidelines, which are intended to be used in addition to ANSI/TIA-568 infrastructure requirements.
TSB-184-A “supports power delivery using all four pairs, with up to 1000 mA per pair for a maximum power of 100W,” Tellas points out. He then identifies the following specific recommendations from the TSB.
Leaving cables unbundled to facilitate better heat dissipation—if not possible, small bundles are recommended
Limiting the number of cables per bundle to 24 to reduce potential temperature rise caused by installation factors, high ambient temperature, 26-AWG cables and higher currents
Using Category 6A or higher-performing 4-pair balanced twisted-pair cabling for new PoE installation
current PoE standard, IEEE 802.3at, allows for 30W of power at the source. The proposed standard, IEEE 802.3bt, allows nearly 100W of power at the source. It is expected to become a standard in 2018
How the New TSB-184-A Standard Supports PoE
http://www.belden.com/blog/datacenters/how-the-new-tsb-184-a-standard-supports-poe.cfm
TSB-184-A Specifics
The standard supports power delivery using all four pairs, with up to 1000 mA per pair for a maximum power of 100W. Recommendations included in TSB-184-A focus on:
Design and installation guidelines for deploying PoE over balanced twisted-pair cabling, from Category 5e to Category 8, including installation conditions that may require special considerations
Electrical parameters for remote power delivery and reliable data communications
Recommendations about cable bundling and reducing cable bundle temperatures
Maximum current per pair under various installation conditions
Ways to limit temperature rise when using 26 AWG cables
Recommendations about pair-to-pair DC resistance unbalance limits
TSB-184-A makes specific recommendations such as:
Leaving cables unbundled to facilitate better heat dissipation – if not possible, small bundles are recommended
Limiting the number of cables per bundle to 24 to reduce potential temperature rise caused by installation factors, high ambient temperature, 26 AWG cables and higher currents
Using Category 6A or higher-performing 4-pair balanced twisted-pair cabling for new PoE installations
Preparing Your Network for 4-Pair PoE
As power demands for IP-enabled devices grow, so will the demands placed on your cable – and your network. The current PoE standard, IEEE 802.3at, allows for 30W of power at the source. The proposed standard, IEEE 802.3bt, allows nearly 100W of power at the source. It is expected to become a standard in 2018.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Proliferation of 2.5GBase-T and 5GBase-T helps boost Ethernet switch shipments despite industry headwinds
http://www.cablinginstall.com/articles/2017/07/delloro-switch-report-q12017-5gbaset.html?cmpid=enl_cim_cimdatacenternewsletter_2017-07-17
In a recently quarterly report on Layer 2 and 3 Ethernet switches, Dell’Oro Group cited NBase-T products—2.5 and 5GBase-T—as a bright spot in the switch market for the first quarter of the calendar year. “Despite ongoing macroeconomic headwinds—mainly in part Europe as well as weak federal spending in the U.S.—the market was driven by strong growth in data center switching, a strong quarter in China, and campus switching, which provided an additional bright spot with the ongoing ramp of multi-gigabit switches and the proliferation of the number of switch vendors starting to ship their NBase-T products,” said Sameh Boujelbene, senior director at the research firm.
Overall, the Layer 2 and 3 Ethernet switch market continued a path of acceleration in the first quarter.
Specific to 2.5 and 5GBase-T, Dell’Oro says at least five vendors are shipping switches: Brocade, Cisco, Dell, H3C, and HPE.
“We expect more vendors to follow suit through the rest of the year, and predict approximately 4 million 2.5/5-Gbit/sec switch ports will be shipped by the end of 2017,” the firm said.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Optical Fiber Powers MRI-Compatible Cardiac Catheter
http://www.electronicdesign.com/analog/optical-fiber-powers-mri-compatible-cardiac-catheter?NL=ED-003&Issue=ED-003_20170712_ED-003_759&sfvc4enews=42&cl=article_2_b&utm_rid=CPG05000002750211&utm_campaign=11982&utm_medium=email&elq2=92d3783bdb714f5f9cd8510c41fbaac3
By replacing a cardiac catheter’s wire leads with optical fiber for power and control, this prototype takes a major step toward demonstrating how this approach can work in making difficult measurements in an MRI setting.
Tomi Engdahl says:
LTE deployment continues: All the world is not 5G
http://www.edn.com/electronics-blogs/rowe-s-and-columns/4458622/LTE-deployment-continues-All-the-world-is-not-5G
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Hardly a day goes by that I don’t hear hype relating to 5G. Indeed, the theme of this year’s IEEE Microwave Symposium was “5G: Catch the wave” and 5G summits seem to take place monthly. Much of the 5G technology and technical standards are still in development, but that doesn’t mean that wireless carriers are sitting around waiting for it. There’s plenty of activity on the 4G/LTE front. Carriers are still bringing flavors of LTE online and the test industry is responding.
Although LTE deployment began in 2011, it’s far from complete. LTE-Advanced and now LTE-Advanced Pro are maximizing speed and connectivity in LTE networks.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Meter safely tests telecom wiring
http://www.edn.com/electronics-products/other/4458628/Meter-safely-tests-telecom-wiring
Megger’s handheld insulation and continuity tester, the MIT410TC-3 checks the insulation of twisted copper cable pairs, helping to identify problems that arise from exposed wire in services ranging from voice and video to data or VoIP. The unit carries a CAT IV 600 V rating for greater safety when testing at higher voltage levels and provides both automatic live-circuit and fuse-failure warnings.
This enhanced replacement for the MIT410TC-2 tester, the MIT410TC-3 performs insulation testing up to 500 V and 100 GΩ, as well as continuity testing at 200 mA to 0.01 Ω.
Tomi Engdahl says:
LC push-pull uniboot connector
http://www.cablinginstall.com/articles/2017/07/suncall-america-lc-connector-push-pull-uniboot.html?cmpid=enl_cim_cimdatacenternewsletter_2017-07-20
Suncall America offers LC connectors with a uniboot design—duplex connectors with a single boot—with push-pull installation and removal capability. “The LC line of products delivers the high optical performance required by today’s most demanding applications,” the company said about its connectivity offerings. “The LC Push-Pull Uniboot Connector uses the familiar push-pull installation and removal feature, with an easy, no-jig polarity reversible function for convenient versatility,” Suncall added. “The seamless latching design ensures a stable connection and a strong, stress-resistant retention force.”
The company also stated that the uniboot connector’s small-form-factor design “makes managing cable systems simpler, able to easily connect and disconnect from high-density panels.” The LC push-pull uniboot connector is available in singlemode and multimode versions.
Tomi Engdahl says:
The remarkable evolution of modern fiber-optic connector inspection probes
http://www.cablinginstall.com/articles/print/volume-25/issue-7/features/installation/the-remarkable-evolution-of-modern-fiber-optic-connector-inspection-probes.html?cmpid=enl_cim_cimdatacenternewsletter_2017-07-20&[email protected]&eid=293591077&bid=1816974
It’s mid-2017 and nearly everyone is aware that the information technology world encircling us is simultaneously getting both faster and denser. Bits of data are flying through optical network links at rates of 100 billion bits per second and higher, and the feature sizes in the network processor chips at the ends of these network links continue to shrink, as roughly and famously predicted by Gordon Moore. Multifiber connectors such as MPO, MT, and MXC are putting more and more less-than-human-hair diameter glass fibers into tighter spaces. With single MPO connectors increasingly using 16 fibers at 25 Gbits/sec per fiber, the asset value of these 400-Gbit/sec short-reach Ethernet links is exceedingly high, making data center infrastructure equipment failures due to connector contamination completely unacceptable to savvy management teams. Microscopic connector endface dirt and debris cause light reflections and attenuation – the enemies of optimal optical signal transmission.
Thankfully there now exist excellent quality and easy-to-use tools for inspecting and cleaning fiber endfaces. In particular, the brief history and evolution of fiber microscopes shows a compelling level of innovation, in terms of optics, electronics and software.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Quality and safety standards for industrial communications cabling impact long-term bottom line
http://www.cablinginstall.com/articles/print/volume-25/issue-7/features/network-cable/quality-and-safety-standards-for-industrial-communications-cabling-impact-long-term-bottom-line.html?cmpid=enl_cim_cimdatacenternewsletter_2017-07-20
For industrial communications cabling, cost and performance specifications are often the most important factors considered when purchasing cabling for a new installation or retrofit. However, there are a wealth of other considerations that are often neglected for the sake of economic expedience. Among these oft-forgotten considerations are mechanical reliability and safety standards. Given that industrial communications cabling is now being relied upon for high-speed communications, control signaling, and video monitoring/surveillance in a wide range of industrial applications, fire safety codes and other safety standards may be the difference between a successful business or project and safety liabilities leading to bankrupting lawsuits. Furthermore, as counterfeit cabling has become so rampant, ensuring that an honest and reputable supplier is directly providing industrial communications cabling that meets all applicable safety standards, can also prevent liability and the risks to human life.
Industrial Ethernet has effectively replaced Fieldbus technology in certain manufacturing environments with automation and process control.
form the 10-Mbit/sec thick coax to the twisted shielded pairs and fiber optics today with Gigabit Ethernet.
Ethernet has proliferated in industrial environments due to its cost-effectiveness, reliability, and scalability.
According to an Aberdeen study, as of 2010, 69 percent of the best-in-class manufacturers were using Industrial Ethernet protocols for communication between industrial control systems and their components. The best-in-class manufacturers (the top 20 percent) achieved 99.97 percent uptime, or approximately 3 hours of downtime per year, while the laggards (the bottom 30 percent) achieved 99.14 percent uptime, or about 75 hours of downtime per year.
The 72-hour difference between the best-in-class and the laggards could mean the difference between a company’s long-term success or eventually going under. Still, commercial Ethernet was not a perfect fit for industrial applications as the protocols and physical cables needed some custom-tailoring. While industrial-grade Ethernet protocols were designed for determinism and their electrical performance optimized for factors such as EMI/RFI protection, the physical layer needed to be ruggedized.
Points of failure
A robust industrial cable assembly generally requires multiple lines of defense against potentially damaging scenarios. In processing plants, a cable may be flexed frequently and should therefore be protected against the common failures at the fulcrum point between a connector and a cable. Frequent mating and unmating of the connector head could cause the gold plating on the conductors to rub off, reducing the overall connectivity the cable can provide. Harsh environments can expose cables to a host of failures; if a cable is not ruggedized in these circumstances any one potentially degrading scenario can cost an operation their vital connectivity for seconds to hours at a time.
Crushing – Industrial manufacturing environments can expose cabling to excessive shock, vibration, and sometimes crushing.
Flexing and bending – Extensive flexing and bending to a cable in automated manufacturing environments causes tears in the shielding and inner conductor, leading to intermittent signals and even downtime.
Oil exposure – Oil rigs, offshore drilling, deepwater drilling, and other gas installations call for data cables resistant to water submersion as well as oil.
UV exposure – Sunlight exposure is another such circumstance that can rapidly decrease the lifecycle of a cable as the UV radiation can leach out the plasticizers in the material. Commonly used jacket materials such as polyethylene (PE) and polyvinyl chloride (PVC) can have melting points as low as 150 degrees Fahrenheit. (65.5 degrees celsius)
Fire-retardant polymers can be specifically engineered for plenum spaces allowing cables to be “CMP” rated. Similarly, CMR-rated, or cables designed for vertical installations such as between floors and in elevator shafts, are often required by local and national building codes for fire safety. Both CMR- and CMP-rated cables are fire-retardant and self-extinguish.
CMP- and CMR-rated cables are a good fit for spaces where smoke is designed to be ventilated out, but this may not be an option in confined spaces in buildings, cars, trains, submarines, or in aircrafts where there may not be any straightforward way to exit.
Approximately 72 percent of network faults can be attributed to failure at the OSI Layer 1 (Physical Media), Layer 2 (Data Link), and/or Layer 3 (Network). The mechanical reliability of these cables can not only directly affect the electrical properties of cables, but poor cable construction also can eventually render them nonfunctional, inevitably impacting the long-term bottom line of both manufacturer and customer.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Home> Pc-board Design Center > How To Article
An IBIS-AMI Simulator for the rest of us
http://www.edn.com/design/pc-board/4458614/An-IBIS-AMI-Simulator-for-the-rest-of-us
Perhaps, you’ve heard of IBIS-AMI (algorithmic modeling interface) and thought, “Hey, I should learn all about this.” But, when you asked around, you found that your company didn’t have a license for any of the commercially available IBIS-AMI simulators. You may have even made some initial inquiries of vendors only to find that those licenses are rather expensive. And at that point you may have concluded that it just wasn’t in the cards that you would learn about IBIS-AMI modeling. Well, don’t give up hope just yet, because have I got a deal for you! How much would you pay for an IBIS-AMI compliant simulator, which was not only free of any licensing costs, but also made its source code freely available to you so you could study/modify it, as you pleased? But, wait, don’t answer yet. Because, if you go to the Instant Gratification page of the PyBERT Wiki, right now, you can be up and running with just such a simulator in less than 30 minutes. Now, how much would you pay? But wait, don’t answer yet. Because, if you… (Actually, go ahead and answer, because I can’t find Ginsu steak knives anywhere.)
Indeed, with an IBIS-AMI compliant simulator in hand, as well as the necessary IBIS-AMI models, a system designer is now able to produce a production worthy high speed serial communication link design, without having to understand the details of channel equalization. And that has been a very empowering paradigm shift for the telecommunications industry. All that remains is to get this new capability into the hands of more designers, not just the privileged few, whom happen to work for a company willing to shell out $40,000 for a license to one of the commercial tools. Enter PyBERT.
A brief introduction to PyBERT
PyBERT was originally just a learning tool intended to help the curious telecommunications engineer better understand the wizardly topic of channel equalization.
Getting up and running with PyBERT is easy. Just go to the Instant Gratification page of the PyBERT Wiki and follow the instructions there. If you bump into any trouble, I’ll be happy to help you navigate around it.
Free yourself from IBIS-AMI models with PyBERT
http://www.edn.com/design/test-and-measurement/4441991/Free-yourself-from-IBIS-AMI-models-with-PyBERT
Tomi Engdahl says:
PyBERT wiki!
https://github.com/capn-freako/PyBERT/wiki
PyBERT is a serial communication link bit error rate tester (BERT) simulator with a graphical user interface (GUI), written in Python and making use of the Enthought Traits/UI packages. It is intended to give students, hobbyists, and curious engineers the ability to play with serial communication link design concepts. It is not intended as a mission critical tool for use by professional serial communication link designers. There are much better tools available for that purpose.
PyBERT 2.2.0
https://pypi.python.org/pypi/PyBERT
Serial communication link bit error rate tester simulator, written in Python.
PyBERT is a serial communication link bit error rate tester simulator with a graphical user interface (GUI).
Tomi Engdahl says:
Home> Community > Blogs > 5G Waves
Startup promises to change the wireless game with signal cancellation technology
http://www.edn.com/electronics-blogs/5g-waves/4458607/Startup-promises-to-change-the-wireless-game
You want single-frequency full-duplex communications? You can have it. You want to use adjacent channels? Overlapping channels? No problem. You want to use this with Wi-Fi, 4G, 5G—any spectrum band, MIMO, gigabits, whatever? Sure thing. All those bandwidth and latency compromises? Much diminished. You can’t quite kiss contention goodbye in open bands, but nobody’s perfect.
Startup GenXComm has spent the last 5 years developing a proprietary self-interference cancellation technology it claims supports all of it. If it proves out, signal-cancellation technology could become an integral element of just about every communications system moving forward.
The company calls its technology S-Six, an almost-acronym of simultaneous self-interference cancellation. Vishwanath didn’t dive too deeply into the technical details, but provided this overview of what the S-Six does: “We take something at 100 watt power, and drop it all the way down to 100 picowatts. We exploit structure. We learn the structure—we estimate it, learn it, and exactly match it to cancel it. It’s a much, much more sophisticated process than traditional noise cancellation.”
The ability to cancel out a signal in this manner leads to the ability to communicate in full duplex mode, essentially doubling the bandwidth. The company has performed a demonstration of communicating from a base station to a user, and using the same frequency for backhaul.
But then the technology does more than double the bandwidth. The biggest value proposition of S-Six, the company said, is that spectrum can be used much more efficiently.
Dozens of university research departments are working on the same problem. Vishwanath believes GenXComm has a jump on all of them. He said that while almost everybody else is stuck at 20 MHz to 40 MHz of bandwidth, GenXComm’s solution can operate across 800 MHz of bandwidth, heading toward 1 GHz.
“Everyone else has a board or a box, a big fat solution that consumes watts of power,” Vishwanath said. GenXComm’s implementation, meanwhile, is chip-scale, and consumes less than 1W.
GenXComm currently works in centimeter-scale wavelengths; the company is confident it will be able to do millimeter-wave spectrum, including many of the bands more recently set aside for 5G wireless communications.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Huawei and Openreach test symmetrical 25G/100G PON prototype
http://www.lightwaveonline.com/articles/2017/07/huawei-and-openreach-test-symmetrical-25g-100g-pon-prototype.html?cmpid=enl_lightwave_lightwavedatacom_2017-07-18
Huawei says it has conducted a test with Openreach, the access network business unit of BT, of a symmetrical 25G/100G PON prototype that can deliver an aggregate of 100 Gbps based on four 25-Gbps wavelengths. Huawei created the PON prototype based on its commercially deployed MA5800 optical line terminal (OLT).
The prototype supports a single channel of 25 Gbps for fiber to the x (FTTx) requirements as well as two or four channels for business and mobile backhaul services, according to Huawei. When tested in Openreach’s labs, Huawei says the symmetrical PON prototype supported four channels, providing a maximum symmetrical bandwidth of 100 Gbps.
“This test proves that Openreach can deliver user services with higher bandwidth based on their fiber networks, unlocking greater potential for broadband networks,” said Tim Whitley, BT’s managing director for research and innovation.
Tomi Engdahl says:
ADTRAN, Deutsche Telekom lab test next-generation G.fast
http://www.lightwaveonline.com/articles/2017/07/adtran-deutsche-telekom-lab-test-next-generation-g-fast.html?cmpid=enl_lightwave_lightwavedatacom_2017-07-18
ADTRAN, Inc. (NASDAQ: ADTN) says it has collaborated with Deutsche Telekom (DT) to begin lab trials of next-generation G.fast technology. The advancements, based on recently ratified ITU-T recommendations, include the use of 212 MHz spectrum and coordinated dynamic time allocation (cDTA). The upgrades help enable support of symmetrical gigabit broadband as well as improves G.fast’s performance on copper cabling, including coax.
Use of the new 212-MHz specification doubles the usable spectrum for G.fast transmissions, ADTRAN points out. The systems house has supplied what the company asserts is the first commercially available distribution point unit (DPU) to support 212-MHz operation. The unit also supports cDTA, which ADTRAN says can improve G.fast performance in the upstream by 4X to 5X. DT is looking at G.fast to support fiber to the building (FTTB) applications, where the service provider would run fiber to multiple-dwelling units (MDUs) or multiple-tenant business sites, then use existing in-building wiring for the connections to individual customers.
“Operators in highly competitive, dense urban or urban environments are challenged to extend gigabit services due to the time and cost that can be associated with pure play FTTH techniques,” said Jay Wilson, senior vice president at ADTRAN. “With G.fast innovation, operators, such as DT, can significantly accelerate Gigabit Society goals by launching gigabit services over their existing infrastructure dramatically reducing subscriber disruption.”
Tomi Engdahl says:
What’s the Difference Between Broadband and Narrowband RF Communications?
http://www.mwrf.com/systems/what-s-difference-between-broadband-and-narrowband-rf-communications?code=UM_Classics07117&utm_rid=CPG05000002750211&utm_campaign=12004&utm_medium=email&elq2=9b02960685a549cd8c0bd6038be09767
The debate between broadband and narrowband communication techniques is leaving many engineers and radio-deployment specialists debating the benefits of enhanced data rates and long-range reliable communication links.
Although the wired-internet communications industry is currently at the center of the broadband-versus-narrowband debate, similar discussions are happening in the RF communications industry. Increased data rates—the obvious benefit of broadband communications—are enticing investments in broadband technologies. For the wired-internet communication industry, the chief challenges being faced are laying broadband-capable data pipes and switching networks.
Outside of that industry, however, there are many more physical factors that limit the implementation of broadband systems. These issues are prompting the debate over narrowband or broadband solutions. This discussion takes into account both applications and customer requirements, as many of these applications require military/public-safety-grade reliability and performance over impressive ranges.
Tomi Engdahl says:
What Does a Coaxial Cable Look Like?
http://www.mwrf.com/passive-components/what-does-coaxial-cable-look?code=UM_Classics07117&utm_rid=CPG05000002750211&utm_campaign=12004&utm_medium=email&elq2=9b02960685a549cd8c0bd6038be09767
Coaxial cables are one of the most common interconnection solutions for RF/Microwave/Millimeter-wave devices. Transverse-electromagnetic (TEM) mode waves are conducted through a coaxial cable with very low loss compared to free-wave radiation, and are resistant to outside signal interference.
This gallery shoes a sampling of the different coaxial cable technologies, styles, and classifications.
Tomi Engdahl says:
The Fundamentals Of Signal Generation
This article explains the basics of signal generators and also explains the various architectures used to generate electronic signals.
http://www.electronicdesign.com/test-amp-measurement/fundamentals-signal-generation?code=UM_Classics07117&utm_rid=CPG05000002750211&utm_campaign=12038&utm_medium=email&elq2=d0543cec1e9542029f6fd1754a1a5dc9
A signal generator, a general-purpose piece of test equipment, performs numerous measurements for a variety of applications requiring electromagnetic wave signals as stimuli. Its roots trace back to the beginnings of the electronic test-and-measurement industry. The first product, developed by Hewlett-Packard Company (now known as Agilent Technologies), was the model 200A audio oscillator. One of HP’s first customers was the Walt Disney Company—in 1940, Walt Disney purchased eight audio oscillators to calibrate the breakthrough sound system it developed for the movie “Fantasia.”
Today, RF signal generators are widely used throughout the electronics industry, including aerospace/defense electronics and wireless communications. Typical applications include RF/IF signal generation and LO substitution, as well as radar, GPS, and avionics signal simulation.In modern wireless communications systems, signal generators supporting a range of digital-modulation formats are commonly used to test digital receivers and transmitters against increasingly complex requirements.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Stockholm Internet eXchange uses Coriant Groove G30 to support metro traffic growth
http://www.lightwaveonline.com/articles/2017/07/stockholm-internet-exchange-uses-coriant-groove-g30-to-support-metro-traffic-growth.html?cmpid=enl_lightwave_lightwavedatacom_2017-07-18
Coriant says it has supplied its Groove G30 Network Disaggregation Platform (NDP) to carrier and data center-neutral internet exchange point (IXP) Stockholm Internet eXchange (STHIX). STHIX recently deployed Coriant’s optical transport systems to enhance the flexibility of STHIX’s metro network and to scale interconnect capacity. According to Coriant, supporting the increasing metro traffic demands of over 100 connected networks and end-user ISP customers is part of the enhancements.
Coriant says that the metro deployment of the Groove G30 for STHIX will use 200G coherent optical transmission and support a wide range of end-user services, including 100G client-side services. The optical transport platform will enable STHIX to enhance its current peering platform, which is distributed over Stockholm’s six major data centers and Gothenburg’s main data center.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Rise of fiber-based access devices among Top 3 Carrier Ethernet access device trends
http://www.lightwaveonline.com/articles/2017/07/rise-of-fiber-based-access-devices-among-top-3-carrier-ethernet-access-device-trends.html?cmpid=enl_lightwave_lightwavedatacom_2017-07-18
The replacement of copper-based devices with fiber-based access devices is among the Top 3 trends Technavio has identified in its new “Global Carrier Ethernet Access Devices Market 2017-2021″ report. The other two trends are the rise of open Ethernet and an overall decrease in Carrier Ethernet access device prices, according to the market research firm.
Operators are switching to fiber-based Carrier Ethernet access devices as part of an overall trend toward the use of fiber-optic networks, according to the report. The greater transmission capacity of fiber-optic cable is the most obvious reason for the trend.
Meanwhile, Technavio sees an increasing interest in open Ethernet as network operators look to improve flexibility and customization to a specific network requirement. “Open Ethernet is a next-level SDN [software-defined networking], where the software resides on the Ethernet switch hardware. Open Ethernet eliminates vendor lock-in issues, allowing end-users to select open source switching and routing software. Using open source switching software to configure the hardware will enable end-users to be competitive in this interconnected high-speed world,” says Jujhar Singh, a lead analyst at Technavio for semiconductor equipment research.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Fiber-based sensor has 1 cm resolution to quickly detect structural problems in bridges and dams
http://www.laserfocusworld.com/articles/2017/05/fiber-based-sensor-has-1-cm-resolution-to-quickly-detect-structural-problems-in-bridges-and-dams.html?cmpid=enl_lfw_newsletter_2017-07-18
There is great interest in using fiber-optic distributed sensors to continually monitor the structural health of large structures such as dams or bridges. With 1 million sensing points, a newly developed fiber-optic distributed sensor could offer significantly faster detection of structural problems than is currently available.
Fiber optic distributed sensors are ideal for monitoring infrastructure because they can be used in harsh environments and in areas that lack a nearby power supply. If a single fiber is placed along the length of a bridge, for example, changes in the structure at any of the sensing points along the optical fiber will cause detectable changes in the light traveling down the fiber. Although the popularity of fiber-optic distributed sensors is growing, they are currently used primarily to detect leaks in oil pipes and to monitor for landslides along railroads.
Photoshop-like algorithms boost response of distributed optical fiber sensors (see video)
http://www.laserfocusworld.com/articles/2016/03/photoshop-like-algorithms-boost-response-of-distributed-optical-fiber-sensors-see-video.html
Tomi Engdahl says:
Photonic-bandgap Fibers: Propagation time through this fiber has zero sensitivity to temperature change
http://www.laserfocusworld.com/articles/print/volume-53/issue-07/world-news/photonic-bandgap-fibers-propagation-time-through-this-fiber-has-zero-sensitivity-to-temperature-change.html?cmpid=enl_lfw_newsletter_2017-07-18&[email protected]&eid=289644432&bid=1814383
Single-mode optical fibers serve science and industry wherever there is a need to flexibly route light over short or long distances while maintaining a beam with diffraction-limited beam quality, and without any lateral spreading. Some examples include high-speed data transmission, fiber sensing in harsh environments, and quantum communications. Active devices relying on single-mode fiber include many fiber lasers and amplifiers.
For some applications, such as carrying precisely timed signals for synchronization of, for example, optical clocks, variations in timing of pulses traveling through a single-mode fiber because of environmental influences such as temperature are unwanted. This sensitivity of propagation time to temperature variation, also called thermal coefficient of delay (TCD), which is caused by elongation of the fiber and change in refractive index as a function of temperature, is most pronounced in solid-core fiber, and is greatly reduced in hollow-core photonic-bandgap fiber (HC-PBGF). As a result, the latter type of fiber is used in many critical timing-based experiments. However, even HC-PBGF has a residual thermal sensitivity.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Needham says Wall Street too timid on optical communications surge
http://www.laserfocusworld.com/articles/2017/06/needham-says-wall-street-too-timid-on-optical-communications-surge.html?cmpid=enl_lfw_newsletter_2017-07-18
Shares of fiber-optic component supplier Applied Optoelectronics (AAOI) are up $5.85, or 9%, at $69.39, after Needham & Company’s (New York, NY) Alex Henderson this morning starts coverage of the stock with a Strong Buy rating, and an $85 price target, writing that the company may have “substantial upside” to Street estimates, as the data center field moves from 25-gigabit-per-second parts to 100-gigabit.
“AAOI looks like the market share leader and lower cost supplier,” observes Henderson. “We expect very strong demand growth over the next several years as the Web 2.0 Big Data, Social Media and IaaS companies drive efficiencies through their current and new scaled-out Data Center footprints.”
Tomi Engdahl says:
Multi-colored photons and standard telecom components advance quantum photonics
http://www.laserfocusworld.com/articles/2017/06/multi-colored-photons-and-standard-telecom-components-advance-quantum-photonics.html?cmpid=enl_lfw_newsletter_2017-07-18
With leading corporations now investing in highly expensive and complex infrastructures to unleash the power of quantum technologies, INRS researchers have achieved a breakthrough in a lightweight photonic system created using on-chip devices and off-the-shelf telecommunications components. As described in the Nature paper, the team demonstrates that photons can become an accessible and powerful quantum resource when generated in the form of color-entangled quDits.
The system uses a small and cost-effective photonic chip fabricated through processes similar to those used for integrated electronics. With an on-chip microring resonator excited by a laser, photons are emitted in pairs that share a complex quantum state. The photons are constructed in a state featuring a number of superimposed frequency components: The photons have several colors simultaneously, and the colors of each photon in a pair are linked (entangled), regardless of their separation distance.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Kumu Preps Full Duplex Chip
http://www.eetimes.com/document.asp?doc_id=1332045&
Five years into its life as a startup, Kumu Networks hopes a chip still in an early design phase will drive to volume markets its full-duplex network technology. Full duplex standards are in the works at CableLabs and 3GPP, and a handful of competitors are active in the field.
Kumu developed an interference cancelation technology to enable systems to transmit and receive over the same frequency band. It is backed by 20 patents and has been tested by a handful of companies including Cellcom, a cellular carrier in Israel.
An RF CMOS chip the startup will make at Globalfoundries aims to pack the technology into a 50mm2 chip consuming about 2W max for use in Wi-Fi access points and LTE base stations. It will support delays of hundreds of nanoseconds to better adapt to wireless reflections. However the chip will not tape out until late this year or early next year, and Kumu is still determining whether it will use a 130 or 45nm SOI process.
The chip could deliver as much as 132 dB in noise cancellation, about half of it in the analog domain. That could enable a 5GHz Wi-Fi access point to quadruple the number of channels it supports, said Joel Brand, vice president of product management at Kumu.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Expanding Optical Horizons
Coherence preserved in multimode
http://www.eetimes.com/document.asp?doc_id=1332036&
Russian and Finnish researchers, collaborating on a proof-of-concept project to expand the uses for large-core-diameter, multimode optical fiber, used high-power lasers and anisotropic materials to develop a fiber that preserves the coherent properties of the light passing through it. Such preservation is a necessity for enabling quantum computing and sensor networks as well as for replacing costly single-mode fiber in longer-range communications applications.
The researchers have published their results in the Optical Society (OSA) journal Optics Express.
Optical fiber is the backbone of modern communications. Single-mode fiber predominates in long-distance applications because of its reliability; but such fiber, with an inner diameter measuring just 10 microns, is expensive. Lower-cost, multimode fiber, with an inner diameter as wide as 100 microns, is used today for communications over short distances, typically 1,000 meters for 1-Gbit/second transmissions. Researchers are working to expand the utility of multimode fiber, not only to replace single-mode fiber for long-range communications, but also to enable quantum computers and to build distributed sensor networks that would require little or no power to run.
Coherence-preserving optical fibers have advantages over semiconductor sensors in that they have little need for electrical power and can handle the results from distributed sensor systems unaided. Their utility not only in high-powered laser systems, but also as sensors, comes from the observed fact that a change in their polarization characteristics enables accurate sensing of changes induced by environmental factors.
Using this technique, the Russian and Finish researchers proved the concept that less than 1 percent of the energy from high-power laser transmission is lost in 100-micron fibers. And by making the inner cladding of the large fiber anisotropic (meaning it propagates only in the direction of the length, because the inner cladding is elliptical), the researchers faithfully maintained the fiber’s polarization properties.
Tomi Engdahl says:
IBM Optics Go CMOS
Low-Cost Photonics Goal
http://www.eetimes.com/document.asp?doc_id=1331851
Researchers from IBM this week are describing a breakthrough in 60-gigabit-per-second (Gb/s) optical interconnect that the company claims will lead to broad replacement of costlier 56 Gb/s copper interconnects.
At the 2017 Symposia on VLSI Technology and Circuits, in Kyoto, Japan, scientists from IBM Research in Zurich will describe an inexpensive 60 Gb/s optical receiver that is expected to be followed next year by a matching optical transmitter. Together, the two devices will form a complete optical-transceiver built in CMOS at costs that the company expects to be lower than the costs of a copper interconnect.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Signaling Standards the Key to SDN/NFV for Cable
http://www.broadbandtechreport.com/articles/2017/07/signaling-standards-the-key-to-sdn-nfv-for-cable.html
As cable operators move into business services, selling to large businesses requires them to work together to provide the footprint required. SD-WAN, virtual branch services and managed WiFi are just a few examples of such services. Cable operators need standards to enable these types of services across and between multiple operators.
To enable these services, signaling standards in SDN and NFV cable architectures will be required to span multiple cable operators and the two public Internet protocols, IPv4 and IPv6. There are also millions of private networks that connect to the Internet through network address translation (NAT) at end user devices such as cable modems, routers or access gateways.
Many of the SDN and NFV use cases are adding proprietary systems of overlay or tunnel connections between various networks. Each of these solutions gathers connectivity and performance information for each tunnel in a collection of tunnels to create yet another closed network.
Therefore, it’s safe to say there is no network information exchange between:
IPv4 public networks
IPv6 public networks
Private IP networks and subnetworks
SDN and NFV implementations
Any viable signaling system would need to work across and between any of the above networking solutions. It’s ironic that the application makers seem to have no problem signaling across all of the above. By using application layer mechanisms involving sessions, cookies, tokens, dynamic DNS, and other techniques, applications are now easily moving authenticated sessions from one network to another seamlessly. Applications are re-routing traffic, performing load balancing, adding authentication, and supporting mobility without any network involvement.
Because of these reasons, signaling should be session based. It should take advantage of all existing networks but pass through NAT and network boundaries. Insertion of signaling information needs to occur only when needed in a session. Signaling should also only be inserted if the network is sure it can be used and removed by upstream network equipment.
The requirements for an end-to-end signaling system would then be:
Must be in the payload portion, to play nicely with decades of middleboxes that have been deployed
Must support hop-by-hop authentication, to avoid the pitfalls associated with source-based routing
Must be inserted only when upstream equipment can process the information, lest applications be broken
Must pass through any number of NAT devices, tunnels and networks
Must speak the language of services and not IP addresses, to be available to IPv4 and IPv6 unilaterally
Must be included only as needed (often just the first packet), to avoid the tax imposed by tunnels and overlay networking techniques
Tomi Engdahl says:
Ramp of 400-Gbps switch ports to begin in 2019: Dell’Oro
http://www.lightwaveonline.com/articles/2017/07/ramp-of-400-gbps-switch-ports-to-begin-in-2019-dell-oro.html?cmpid=enl_lightwave_lightwavedatacom_2017-07-25
Dell’Oro Group predicts in its recently released “Ethernet Switch — Data Center Five Year Forecast Report” that 400-Gbps switch ports will begin to ramp strongly in 2019. Meanwhile, more than half of data center switch ports will operate at either 25 Gbps or 100 Gbps in 2020, the market research firm believes.
The groundwork for the new generation of data center switch port speeds began last year, when a major data center speed upgrade cycle based on 25 Gigabit Ethernet (GbE) serializer/deserializer (SerDes) chips began. This move also launched demand for 100-Gbps optical transceivers; while supply of such optical modules didn’t always keep up with demand, shipments of 25-Gbps and 100-Gbps interfaces reached hundreds of thousands of ports per quarter, according to Dell’Oro sources.
“We expect 25/100 Gbps adoption to accelerate in 2017 and to comprise over half of data center switching ports within only four years of initial shipments,”
Tomi Engdahl says:
MEF increases focus on SD-WAN managed services
http://www.lightwaveonline.com/articles/2017/07/mef-increases-focus-on-sd-wan-managed-services.html?cmpid=enl_lightwave_lightwavedatacom_2017-07-25
MEF (formerly the Metro Ethernet Forum) has announced plans to further its work in helping network operators deploy software-defined WAN (SD-WAN) as a managed service. The organization and its OpenCS (Open Connectivity Services) SD-WAN Project are building blocks and use cases within the context of MEF’s MEF-55 LSO (Lifecycle Service Orchestration) Reference Architecture and Framework. Among other benefits, the work will help service providers deploy SD-WAN as a virtual overlay service within a network-as-a-service (NaaS) portfolio.
According to MEF CTO Pascal Menezes and Ralph Santitoro, co-chair of the MEF’s Marketing Committee, the OpenCS SD-WAN Project has identified SD-WAN managed services use cases and associated business requirements. The goal now is to develop a set of open LSO APIs to enable orchestration of SD-WAN managed services in multi-provider, multi-vendor contexts.
MEF-55 LSO (Lifecycle Service Orchestration) Reference Architecture and Framework
https://www.mef.net/resources/technical-specifications/download?id=44&fileid=file1
Tomi Engdahl says:
“Understanding SD-WAN Managed Services: Service Components, MEF LSO Reference Architecture, and Use Cases,”
http://www.mef.net/resources/download?id=45&fileid=file1
Tomi Engdahl says:
SDN/NFV
http://www.lightwaveonline.com/sdn-nfv.html
Software-defined networking (SDN) and network functions virtualization (NFV) promise to provide new levels of programmability and flexibility to optical networks. SDN/NFV implementation began in the data center. We’re now seeing SDN/NFV emerge in service provider networks as Transport SDN.
Tomi Engdahl says:
CenturyLink offers managed hybrid SD-WAN service
http://www.lightwaveonline.com/articles/2017/07/centurylink-offers-managed-hybrid-sd-wan-service.html?cmpid=enl_lightwave_lightwavedatacom_2017-07-25
CenturyLink, Inc. (NYSE: CTL) announced today that its CenturyLink managed hybrid software-defined wide-area networking (SD-WAN) service is now available. CenturyLink Managed Hybrid SD-WAN uses SD-WAN technology to increase and integrate traffic flow across broadband internet connections and private MPLS networks alike, the service provider asserts.
CenturyLink says that its SD-WAN offering will decrease network security risks and increase cost efficiency for business customers across their WANs. Regardless of whether applications are housed on-premises or in the cloud, the SD-WAN service offers enhanced performance between users and applications by using application-aware routing to automatically identify the best end-to-end path based on application requirements and network latency, CenturyLink adds.
“Businesses are looking to evolve their networks to better support their mission-critical business and cloud initiatives,”
Other U.S. Tier 1 carriers have selected a similar SDN/NFV path, and CenturyLink announced its intention to follow suit with its standalone managed SD-WAN offering in June 2016 (see “CenturyLink offers managed SD-WAN service”).
CenturyLink provides its WAN packages for a set monthly service price. Built-in encryption, segmentation, and security policy control via a central portal offer traffic security at all business locations, including branches.
http://www.lightwaveonline.com/articles/2016/06/centurylink-offers-managed-sd-wan-service.html
Tomi Engdahl says:
Niantic CEO blames cellular data congestion for Pokémon Go Fest issues
Too many trainers tried to catch ‘em all
https://www.theverge.com/2017/7/25/16030076/niantic-ceo-john-hanke-pokemon-go-fest-cellular-data-issue
Niantic CEO John Hanke, the man in charge of the mobile app maker behind Pokémon Go, reflected on the company’s rather disastrous real-world meet-up this past weekend, writing in a blog post published today that he and his team are sorry for the issues and taking the time to detail exactly what went wrong. According to Hanke, it was not so much the lack of preparation on Niantic’s part that plagued the very first Pokémon Go Fest in Chicago — though he readily admits to it being a learning experience — but an unforeseen level of cellular data congestion that overloaded mobile network providers and made the game unplayable for a vast number of attendees.
“Technical issues with our game software caused client crashes and interfered with gameplay for some users. The gameplay issue was resolved with a server configuration change and the crashes were also addressed for many but not all users,” Hanke writes. “A more protracted problem was caused by over-saturation of the mobile data networks of some network providers. This caused many attendees to be unable to access Pokémon Go or other Internet services. Network congestion also led to a login issue which affected some users able to access the Internet.”
Tomi Engdahl says:
Cisco offers intent-based network vision
http://www.lightwaveonline.com/articles/2017/07/cisco-offers-intent-based-network-vision.html?cmpid=enl_lightwave_lightwavedatacom_2017-07-25
Cisco (NASDAQ: CSCO) has articulated its vision for future business networks. “Intent-based networks” will leverage machine learning, artificial intelligence, and analytics capabilities to create an “intuitive” network that provides high performance in a highly secure manner. The company also announced several software- and hardware-based products (the latter including new members of the Catalyst 9000 switch line) under its Digital Network Architecture (DNA) umbrella to begin the evolution toward such networks.
Intent-based networks combine a knowledge of intended business outcomes with the ability to evaluate data in context (including identifying threats, even in encrypted data streams), and develop “intuition” via machine learning at scale to help automate network operations. The newly announced elements of the DNA portfolio that Cisco expects will help enable intent-based networks
Cisco plans to begin rolling out the new capabilities now, with various elements entering the ordering stage at different times through November. However, the company says 75 enterprises and organizations have begun early field trials of the new offerings, including NASA and Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd.
Tomi Engdahl says:
TK1-V2 – All-in-one Tier 1 and Tier 2 testing
http://www.exfo.com/ja/products/field-network-testing/bu3-optical/optical-loss-test-sets/tk1-v2
This an all-in-one test set combines an OLTS (Tier 1) and OTDR (Tier 2) fiber testing and certification in the FTB-1 platform.
Save time and operating expenses with an OLTS and OTDR on the same test set, featuring automated test routines performed within seconds.
Leverage the power of FasTesT™ to optimize OLTS (Tier 1) test routines during construction. Locate network faults and fully characterize fibers using the OTDR, or simply at the push of one button with EXFO’s iOLM automated testing. Having both an OLTS and OTDR/iOLM on the same tester is a major time saver and allows technicians to choose the most appropriate tester for each situation.
Tier 1 and Tier 2 iCERT pre-defined test configurations provide quick access to the latest industry pass/fail thresholds to automatically certify cable installations in data centers and enterprise networks. This greatly simplifies optical link assessment and troubleshooting
Tomi Engdahl says:
Taking your network to 40/100G Ethernet
http://www.cablinginstall.com/articles/print/volume-25/issue-6/features/technology/taking-your-network-to-40-100g-ethernet.html?cmpid=enl_cim_cimdatacenternewsletter_2017-07-25
With new industry standards and increased demands on data center throughput, 40/100G Ethernet will be an integral component of the next-generation data center. Implementing 40/100G Ethernet depends upon a variety of organizational factors, including existing infrastructure, budget, throughput demand and leadership priority. This article will discuss the deep impact that this network speed transition has on data center cabling infrastructure, and the decisions that organizations will need to make to accommodate these changes.
Why migrate to 40/100G?
The world revolves around digital data and its growth. We now rely on data to conduct business, engage in social activities and manage our lives. It is estimated that by 2020 the digital universe – the data we create and copy annually – will reach 44 zettabytes, or 44 trillion gigabytes.
Several other factors, including the increase in cloud storage, will drive the need for data throughput and exponential growth of information with the advent of the Internet of Things (IoT). This exponential growth in information means processing speeds have to increase as well, so as not to slow access to data. High-performance cabling that can transfer data over 40/100G Ethernet will be a necessary addition to data centers looking to keep up with this digital data growth.
Preparing for 40/100G migration
As data center speeds increase, optical loss budgets decrease. Optical loss occurs over cabling distance and at mating points where connections are made. Because most data center cabling runs are shorter distances (compared to long-haul campus runs), the inherent losses from distance in a data center are somewhat negligible compared to the losses incurred from mating points.
Choosing the right cabling product can combat the issue of balancing manageability versus performance. Cabling products with low optical loss rates will ensure that a structured cabling environment is running at its peak. When comparing dB loss rates of cabling products, look for “maximum” instead of “typical” loss rates. While typical loss rates can allude to the performance capabilities of a product, they are not helpful when determining loss budgets.
The Telecommunications Infrastructure Standard for Data Centers, TIA-942, was developed to address various data center infrastructure design topics, including the problem of spaghetti cabling. Among other aspects of data center planning and design, TIA-942 focuses on the physical layout of cabling infrastructure.
TIA-942 offers a roadmap for data center cabling infrastructure based on the concept of a structured cabling environment.
TIA-942 standards is the ideal way to prepare for migration to 40/100G speeds.
The heart of a structured cabling system is the main distribution area, or MDA. All equipment links back to the MDA. Other terms used to define this area include: main crossconnect, main distribution frame (MDF), and central patching location (CPL).
TIA-942 calls for the use of interconnect points, which are typically in the form of patch panels (also referred to as fiber enclosures).
Connectivity options
When migrating to 40/100G speeds, there are several connectivity options to consider when planning your cabling infrastructure.
The first uses long-haul (LX) transceivers with singlemode (SM) cabling. Data is transmitted via serial transmission. In a serial transmission, one fiber is dedicated to carry transmitting data and another fiber to carry receiving data. These two fibers make what is referred to as a “channel.” A channel is defined as the fiber, or group of fibers, used to complete a data circuit. Until recently, serial transmission has been used for Ethernet speeds up to 10G.
This setup is typically not used in data centers because it is built for long distances. It is also very expensive, despite the abundance (and therefore low cost) of singlemode cabling. In order to work effectively over long distances, the lasers used in LX transceivers are extremely precise – and expensive. This drastically increases the overall cost of an LX/SM connectivity solution.
The next option uses short-haul (SX) transceivers with multimode (MM) cabling. Data is transmitted via parallel-optic transmission. Parallel-optic transmission aggregates multiple fibers for transmission and reception. For 40G SR4 transmission, four fibers transmit at 10G each, while four fibers receive at 10G each. This means a total of eight strands of fiber will be used for a 40G Ethernet channel.
The same principle applies for 100G SR10, except the number of fibers increases. Ten fibers at 10G each transmit data, and ten fibers at 10G each receive. A total of twenty fibers make up a 100G SR10 Ethernet channel.
With the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) 802.3bm standard update, a new connectivity option is offered in 100G SR4. This option allows for 100G Ethernet speeds using a 12-fiber MPO interface. It is the same principle as 40G SR4, but each fiber would be transmitting or receiving 25G.
These short-haul connectivity setups are more ideal for migrating to 40/100G Ethernet because they work well under the short distances found within a data center. Also, because SX transceivers use a vertical-cavity surface-mitting laser, or VCSEL, they are much less expensive than their LX counterparts.
Fiber types
If multimode cables are being used to migrate to 40/100G Ethernet, it is recommended they be OM3 or OM4 fiber, replacing any OM1 or OM2 fiber cables.
OM4, a newer fiber type on the market, has the most bandwidth and is more effective over longer distances. OM4 is highly recommended for any new installs as it provides the longest lifespan in a cabling infrastructure. OM5 fiber should be considered as well.
Back to basics: Connectors
The LC fiber cable connector is the most accepted connector used in the data center, especially for high-density network applications. The LC connector has one fiber, and is typically mated in pairs for a duplex connection.
Possibly the most drastic change data centers will undergo in migrating to 40/100G Ethernet is a change from the LC connector to the MPO-style connector.
What about copper?
There have been significant technology improvements over the past few decades that create the potential for 40G copper links. Choosing copper over fiber usually boils down to cost. Active copper cables with transceivers on each side that use coaxial cables are surging in the market, driven by top-of-rack architecture that uses switches at the top of a rack versus a patch panel. This can be costly, especially when considering hardware refresh rates and support windows.
For the long-term, it is clear that fiber optics will play the dominant role in data center structured cabling.
We covered why migration to 40/100G Ethernet is imminent, as well as the decisions data center managers will need to make to prepare for implementation. There are several next steps you can take to prepare for this drastic change.
Determine your current and future data center needs, including throughput demand, data production rates and business-driven objectives. In what ways does your current data center infrastructure support and/or fail those needs?
Use this information to determine when your data center should migrate to 40/100G Ethernet.
Map out your current data center infrastructure.
Use this map to create a plan for the hardware and cabling infrastructure upgrades necessary for migration.
Create a plan for migration, including internal communication strategy, budget, timeline, and roles and responsibilities of those involved.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Nokia’s performance improves with Apple
Analysts expect the company to report a better net result. The improvement is based on the great first reimbursement that Nokia receives from a recent patent agreement with Apple.
On average, analysts will encourage Nokia to make a profit of 447 million euros in April-June, which would be 35 percent better than the previous year.
Nokia, Ericsson and the third major Huawei base station manufacturer are currently suffering from the weak development of the online market. According to a recent forecast by Dell’Oro, 5G technology will not boost base station sales before 2021. There are still three billing years ahead.
According to Dell’oro, Huawei has been in a better in recession than its European competitors, but the figures of all three major manufacturers are now down.
According to Dell’Oro, the sales of base station devices were at peak times in 2014. At that time, LTE investments by operators were the fastest growing and the base stations were globally sold at $ 33 billion.
Thereafter, the market has lost $ 4 billion.
Source: http://www.etn.fi/index.php/13-news/6595-nokian-tulos-paranee-applen-avulla
Tomi Engdahl says:
North Korea’s Elite More Connected Than Previously Thought
http://www.securityweek.com/north-koreas-elite-more-connected-previously-thought
Telecommunications capability in North Korea is three-tiered. The vast majority of people have neither internet nor North Korean intranet connectivity — they simply have mobile telephony voice, text and picture/video messaging within the domestic provider, Koryolink.
A small group of others, including university students, scientists and some government officials, can access the state-run North Korean intranet, Kwangmyong, that links libraries, universities and government departments and comprises a limited number of domestic websites.
In a report and analysis conducted in partnership with Team Cymru and published today, Recorded Future notes that North Korean leadership’s internet activity is little different to the rest of the world’s internet activity: “North Koreans spend much of their time online checking social media accounts, searching the web, and browsing Amazon and Alibaba,” notes the report. “Facebook is the most widely used social networking site for North Koreans, despite reports that it, Twitter, YouTube, and a number of others were blocked by North Korean censors in April 2016.”
North Korea’s Ruling Elite Are Not Isolated
https://www.recordedfuture.com/north-korea-internet-activity/
Tomi Engdahl says:
WhatsApp Blog:
WhatsApp announces it has 1B users every day, up from 1B users per month in February last year — Just last year, we shared that one billion people around the world use WhatsApp every month. Today, we are excited and proud to share that one billion people around the world use WhatsApp every …
Connecting One Billion Users Every Day
https://blog.whatsapp.com/10000631/Connecting-One-Billion-Users-Every-Day
Just last year, we shared that one billion people around the world use WhatsApp every month. Today, we are excited and proud to share that one billion people around the world use WhatsApp every day to stay in touch with their family and friends.
Whether it’s sharing personalized photos and videos, connecting through video calling, or keeping friends updated throughout the day with Status, communicating on WhatsApp has never been easier or more personal. We are humbled that so many people are using these new features to connect with one another in their own special way.
Tomi Engdahl says:
We could build a galactic internet but it may take 300,000 years
https://www.newscientist.com/article/2141255-we-could-build-a-galactic-internet-but-it-may-take-300000-years/
If there are advanced alien civilizations in the Milky Way, we ought to be thinking about how to say hello to our neighbours. The vast space between stars makes that difficult, but a fresh simulation suggests that using the sun as a lighthouse beacon could make a galactic community possible.
In the same way that plane and train operators use flashing lights as signals, we could one day manipulate the light shining from our sun, like waving a hand in front of a torch to shine out a message.
One way to do that is to lasso huge swathes of asteroids or mine a chunk out of Mercury to build a planet-sized sheet to orbit our sun. Another, more feasible, idea is to use powerful lasers to change how Earth’s transits look to other worlds, adding a message encoded in light to our planet’s shadow as it passes in front of the sun.
Yes, it would be tricky. But if other advanced aliens were also attempting to make contact, we could eventually create a galactic communications network. A new simulation by Duncan Forgan at the University of St Andrews, UK, finds that it could take at least 300,000 years to build a network around the Milky Way, assuming there are 500 technologically advanced civilizations who manage to manipulate their planet’s transit in a visible way.
To chat with them all, we’d have to build a kind of relay network around the galaxy to avoid celestial obstacles.
“If you want to communicate with someone on the other side of the galactic centre, there’s lots of stuff in the way – dust, stars, a big black hole – so you can take the long way around using the network,” says Forgan.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Imagine Life Without Interference
One startup company is aiming to overcome the ever-present issue of interference that plagues wireless communications.
http://www.mwrf.com/systems/imagine-life-without-interference?code=UM_NN7TT2&utm_rid=CPG05000002750211&utm_campaign=12133&utm_medium=email&elq2=0e783862710847fc87b07f9d983401be
Interference is undoubtedly a major problem with regard to today’s wireless communications. That being said, one startup company claims to have developed technology for enabling “life without interference.” That company is Austin-based GenXComm, which was founded in 2016 and recently announced the closing of a fully-subscribed round of seed financing.
Earlier this year, GenXComm unveiled its simultaneous self-interference cancellation (S-SIX) technology. This technology is the result of several years of R&D efforts at the University of Texas at Austin. The company is targeting Wi-Fi, backhaul, and 5G markets, with the technology being intended for handsets, tablets, laptops, and more.
Tomi Engdahl says:
NG-PON2 tunable transceiver work shows signs of progress
http://www.lightwaveonline.com/articles/2017/07/ng-pon2-tunable-transceiver-work-shows-signs-of-progress.html
Systems houses such as ADTRAN, Calix, Nokia, Huawei, and others report considerable progress on optical line terminals (OLTs) for NG-PON2 applications. However, how and when a key piece of the NG-PON2 puzzle – the tunable transceiver at the customer premises optical network terminal (ONT) – will hit both performance and cost targets remains something of a mystery. At the NG-PON2 Forum workshop held June 11 during the Fiber Connect event in Orlando, FL, three companies – two startups and a spin off from Korea’s ETRI – described how they plan to step up.
NG-PON2 combines TDM and WDM transmission (generally referred to as TWDM). As the wavelength(s) assigned to each ONT can change (perhaps in a protection switching scenario), the ONT transceivers must be able to adapt quickly to transmission reconfigurations. At the event, speakers discussed 50 msec as the minimum acceptable switching speed, with 25 and even 10 msec switching times identified as targets. Further complicating matters is the potential use of channel (or wavelength) bonding, which means the transceiver would have to accommodate signals on multiple wavelengths.
Tomi Engdahl says:
According to Director Rajeev Suri, the networking market will shrink by 3 to 5 percent this year. Surin’s previous estimate was three percent, so the outlook is even darkened.
The good news for Nokia is that the savings made in the online business have worked. Nokia makes base stations with reasonably good profitability and Suri confirmed its previous estimate of an operating profit margin of 8 to 10 percent.
Source: http://www.etn.fi/index.php/13-news/6601-nokian-huipputulos-sisaltaa-kylman-faktan
Tomi Engdahl says:
Profits plunge 40% as BT coughs up £225m to avoid court battle
Also appoints EE chief exec Marc Allera as consumer boss
https://www.theregister.co.uk/2017/07/28/profits_plunge_40_at_bt_as_giant_pays_off_fines/
BT’s profits plunged 42 per cent to £418m for the first quarter, as the former state monopoly paid off £225m in settlements in relation to the accounting scandal in Italy.
The biz coughed up the cash rather than go to court with Deutsche Telekom and Orange, after it wrote down the value of its Italian unit by £530m in January when it uncovered years of “inappropriate behaviour”.
Sales rose 1 per cent to £5.8bn, compared to the same period last year.
BT has also paid £42m in the quarter to Ofcom over its failure via Openreach to compensate other telecoms providers for delays to fixing leased line “Ethernet” services.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Will ‘Smart Cities’ Violate Our Privacy?
https://yro.slashdot.org/story/17/07/30/0416205/will-smart-cities-violate-our-privacy
An anonymous reader quotes Computerworld’s article on the implications of New York City’s plan to blanket the city with “smart” kiosks offering ultrafast Wi-Fi.
The existence of smart-city implementations like Intersection’s LinkNYC means that New Yorkers won’t actually need mobile contracts anymore. Most who would otherwise pay for them will no doubt continue to do so for the convenience. But those who could not afford a phone contract in the past will have ubiquitous fast connectivity in the future. This strongly erodes the digital divide within smart cities. A 2015 study conducted by New York City found that more than a quarter of city households had no internet connectivity at home, and more than half a million people didn’t own their own computer…
Intersection, a Google-backed startup, has already installed 1,000 of the kiosks in New York, and is planning to install 7,000 more. The sides of the kiosk have screens which show alerts and other public information — as well as advertisements, which cover all the costs of the installations and even bring extra money into the city coffers.
How smart cities like New York City will drive enterprise change
http://www.computerworld.com/article/3211402/mobile-wireless/how-smart-cities-like-new-york-city-will-drive-enterprise-change.html
Laying high-speed fiber across an entire city and connecting sensor-based public Wi-Fi kiosks is good for the public — and very good for business.
Everybody talks about smart cities, but few are doing anything about it.
New York City is an exception. It’s in the early stages of an ambitious project to blanket the city with ultrafast Wi-Fi via smart kiosks, which will replace obsolete public telephones.
These kiosks are the work of a Google-backed startup called Intersection. The company has already installed around 1,000 kiosks, and aims to install more than 6,000 more, Intersection Chief Innovation Officer Colin O’Donnell said in an interview this week.
Each kiosk is around nine feet high and relatively flat. Each flat side houses a big-screen display that pays for the whole operation with advertising. The screens also show emergency and other public information.
A smaller user terminal on the skinny edge facing away from the street allows one user at a time to access information and make calls. The screen is a locked-down Android tablet with a custom interface offering a few apps to access various services, including one for paying parking tickets and another for voter registration.
Below the screen on the left is a big, red button for a one-press 911 emergency call. Under that is an audio jack, where non-iPhone users can insert their headphones or earbuds for privacy.
Each kiosk provides free, high-speed Wi-Fi for anyone in range. By selecting the Wi-Fi network at one kiosk, and authenticating with an email address, each user will be automatically connected to every other LinkNYC kiosk they get within range of. Eventually, anyone will be able to walk around most of the city without losing the connection to these hotspots.
Wide-angle cameras on each side of the kiosks point up and down the street and sidewalk, approximating a 360-degree view. The company claims it deletes stored videos after 7 days, unless there’s a compelling reason to keep them, according to O’Donnell.
While the built-in kiosk tablet doesn’t appear to offer a high-performance user experience, the public Wi-Fi is blistering fast — far faster than the average connection speeds offered by mobile carriers over cell networks
This is possible because LinkNYC kiosks are connected by fiber
It’s paid for by the advertising and costs nothing to taxpayers. In fact, the city is expected to earn $500 million over the 10-year Intersection contract.
London is the second Intersection city, where the project is called InLinkUK and the kiosks are called “InLinks.” The London project is more modest, with a goal of around 1,000 kiosks.
Smart cities: the immediate impact
LinkNYC is already changing New York; two million people are now using the system — twice as many as in January.
The existence of smart-city implementations like Intersection’s LinkNYC means that New Yorkers won’t actually need mobile contracts anymore. Most who would otherwise pay for them will no doubt continue to do so for the convenience. But those who could not afford a phone contract in the past will have ubiquitous fast connectivity in the future.
This strongly erodes the digital divide within smart cities.
Smart cities are built on citywide fiber networks, which can eventually (as with the case of ZenFi’s network) connect 5G wireless antennas on every street corner and every floor of every office building back to the core network. This densification of the wireless networks is the true hero of the smart cities revolution, enabling not only smart-city kiosks, but capacity for high-speed wireless applications on smartphones and tablets, widespread IoT deployments, mobile augmented reality applications, self-driving cars and more.
It’s also amazing that New York is leading the smart city charge. Because if the concept can make it there, it can make it anywhere. Dark-fiber deployments in New York typically cost far more than in just about any other city
Smart cities: the long-term impact
O’Donnell claims that smart city rollouts happen in three phases, which he says is about “building the city from the internet up.”
1. Instrumentation 2. Intelligence 3. Responsiveness.
Risks and rewards
Smart kiosks do carry risks, however. One involves privacy. O’Donnell said privacy policies aren’t set by Intersection, but are negotiated agreements between the company and the city. So if a city wants to use those cameras and sensors for surveillance, it can.
But the biggest risk revolves around hacking and the theft of data, monitoring of cameras and — a worst-case scenario — eventual control of the “Responsiveness” phase technology, where mayhem is deliberately caused.
Futurists and tech pundits often assume that if a beneficial set of technologies exists, it will be implemented and widely distributed. But this is obviously not true. Technology revolutions require drivers to realize them.