Bandwidth to Support Convergence
Convergence means combining or converging voice, data and video
onto a single network. Enterprises usually need to expand their
LAN bandwidth and set up a QoS or Quality of Service priority
system to give priority to real-time streams such as telephone
calls or video conference feeds, which are more sensitive to network
delays than data transfers. Most often, the common protocol for
convergence is IP.
What is Ethernet over Copper
Ethernet over Copper, or EoC, uses copper transmission lines rather
that fiber optics. T1 lines are most often used to transport mid-band
Ethernet signals in the 1 to 10 Mbps bandwidth range when provisioning
fiber optic lines is too expensive.
Where does a VPN make sense?
A VPN or Virtual Private Network is a security technique to allow
public networks, like the Internet, to be used for secure private
data transmission. Since Internet access is almost universally
available, using VPN software to encrypt data into private tunnels
is more cost effective than building a fully meshed network to
connect many locations.
What is QoS and how do you
get it?
QoS means Quality of Service. Most often you hear about QoS when
referring to converged networks that transport both packet voice
and data. QoS mechanisms may include prioritizing voice packets
over data because voice is much more affected by latency and jitter.
What is the Cost Advantage
of Carrier Ethernet
Where available, Ethernet transport services from competitive
carriers may cost less than half the lease price of DS3 service
for over twice the bandwidth. The difference in cost between SONET
optical carrier service and Gigabit Ethernet WAN service is even
more dramatic.