IPDR – Is it a blessing?

02/10/10

In an on-going discussion at Webtorials, Gary Audin enumerated some of the features that are becoming available for IPDR (IP Detail Recording) for cable service providers.

VoIP troubleshooting – The network or the PBX?

02/08/10

Now that VoIP has become the de facto voice solution for most corporations, the hard part has begun. In particular, determining whether a problem is in a local PBX or in the network is much more complicate than it was in the "good old days" of TDM-based voice.

The cloud may not be the Internet

02/03/10

In our last newsletter we distinguished between public and private cloud computing and discussed some of the challenges associated with supporting both forms of cloud computing over a WAN. In this newsletter we will continue that discussion and will also discuss how IT organizations intend to respond to those challenges.

Cloud networking

02/01/10

In a recent newsletter we introduced the concept of Application Delivery 2.0, a major component of which is cloud computing. As noted in one of Jim's recent reports on cloud computing, the goal of cloud computing is a significant improvement in the cost effective, elastic provisioning of IT services. We will use this newsletter to discuss the impact that achieving that goal will have on the WAN.

When is a standard a standard?

01/27/10

With all of our years in the industry, one of the most fascinating topics has been what makes a "standard" a "standard"? We all say we want "standards," and, at least in theory, having a standard leads to interoperability. But what does it take to make something a standard?

Future-Net 2009 archives available for download

01/26/10

With our current economic situation being as it is, most companies have slashed training budgets, and especially the budgets for attending conferences requiring travel have been decimated. Consequently, one of the greatest avenues for continuing education has seen a lot of roadblocks.

IPv6 address management

01/20/10

Whether you like it or not, it appears that IPv6 is in your future sooner or later. And if you thought address management was a headache for IPv4, hold on to your hat!

The case for virtualized WAN optimization controllers

01/19/10

In a recent newsletter we introduced the concept of Application Delivery 2.0, a major component of which is virtualization. This is the sixth in a series of newsletters that discusses how we think that virtualization will dramatically shape 2010 and beyond. Whereas previous newsletters discussed virtualized servers and virtualized desktops, this newsletter will discuss virtualized WAN optimization controllers (WOC).

The other side of desktop virtualization

01/13/10

In a recent newsletter we introduced the concept of Application Delivery 2.0, a major component of which is virtualization. In our last newsletter we discussed the interest that we see in desktop virtualization and what we see as the drivers of that interest. We also pointed out that there are two primary forms of desktop virtualization, client-side and server-side, and discussed the challenges associated with client-side virtualization. We will use this newsletter to discuss the challenges associated with server-side virtualization.

Bringing virtualization to the branch office

01/11/10

In a recent newsletter we introduced the concept of Application Delivery 2.0, a major component of which is virtualization. This is the fourth in a series of newsletters that discusses how we think that virtualization will dramatically shape 2010 and beyond. This newsletter and the subsequent newsletter will focus on the challenges associated with implementing virtualized desktops.

The fractal data center

01/06/10

In a recent newsletter we introduced the concept of Application Delivery 2.0, a major component of which is virtualization. This is the third in a series of newsletters that discusses how we think that virtualization will dramatically shape 2010 and beyond. This newsletter will focus on the management challenges associated with the ongoing virtualization of data center servers.

The requirement for a dynamic IT infrastructure

01/04/10

In a recent newsletter we introduced the concept of Application Delivery 2.0, a major component of which is virtualization. This is the second in a series of newsletters that discusses how we think that virtualization will dramatically shape 2010 and beyond. The last newsletter discussed how the use of server virtualization will increase in 2010. This newsletter will discuss how one of the key benefits of server virtualization will be difficult to achieve in 2010.

2009 – A look back

12/23/09

In this, our final newsletter for 2009, it seems appropriate to look back at some of the major products, services, and trends for the year. And what a challenging year it has been!

Cisco? HP? IBM? Choose one and only one

12/21/09

In the last couple of newsletters we discussed some of the long-standing concepts that underlie cloud computing. We also discussed a few somewhat newer concepts, such as the dynamic movement of virtual machines (VMs). In this newsletter we will discuss how the concept of dynamically moving VMs is causing us to loose sleep.

All things old are new again

12/16/09

In the last newsletter we pointed out that some people dismiss cloud computing as being a bunch of rehashed ideas. We also pointed out that it is rare to come across a fundamentally new concept in IT and that most concepts recycle over time. For example, sometimes it makes sense to deploy IT resources in a centralized fashion and sometimes it makes sense to deploy those resources in a decentralized fashion. In this newsletter will we continue the discussion of both key IT concepts and cloud computing.

The recycling of IT

12/14/09

Jim is currently in San Jose and was struck by the fact that he can walk into almost any new startup and run into several people that he knew years ago when one or both of them worked for other companies. One could come away from this type of experience and conclude that there really are only a small number of people who work in IT and they just recycle over time. That conclusion would be a bit fanciful. However, as we will discuss in the next two newsletters, it is not fanciful to deduce that there is a small set of key IT concepts and they do recycle over time.

IPv6 and VoIP – Friend or foe?

12/09/09

Whether enterprise users are ready or not, it appears that implementation of IPv6 is in the not-too-distant future. The need for enhanced addressing is needed, especially as everything from your PC to your toothbrush (so your dentist can immediately know whether you're really brushing after every meal) becomes IP-enabled.

The IT-Lite branch office

12/07/09

This is the third in a series of three newsletters intended to demonstrate that the next generation branch office represents a multi-year migration away from branch offices that are IT-heavy to ones that are IT-lite and that as part of this migration, the WAN plays an ever increasing role in application delivery. This newsletter will look ahead and will discuss the IT-lite design towards which most IT organizations are migrating..

Today's branch office

12/02/09

This is the second in a series of three newsletters intended to demonstrate that the next generation branch office represents a multi-year migration away from branch offices that are IT-heavy to ones that are IT-lite and that as part of this migration, the WAN plays an ever increasing role in application delivery. This newsletter will discuss how IT organizations migrated away from having branch offices that are IT-heavy and in so doing, created the performance and management challenges associated with Application Delivery 1.0.

The evolving branch office

11/30/09

In a recent newsletter we introduced the concept of Application Delivery 2.0. One of the steps that IT organizations are taking in order to support the requirements of application delivery 2.0 is to implement a next generation branch office. As the next three newsletters will demonstrate, the next generation branch office represents a multi-year movement away from branch offices that are IT-heavy to ones that are IT-lite.

Wide Area Ethernet – Key steps in the evolution

11/23/09

For the history of the telecommunications industry, there have been some schisms within the networking organization. One of the most fundamental was always between the "WAN" folks and the "LAN" folks. And there were good reasons.

Has the time come for Ethernet as a WAN service?

11/18/09

For its entire existence as an entity, data networking has been a conglomeration of special interface and protocols. In stark contrast to the "plug and play" simplicity of analog telephony – where you simply attach the cord to an RJ-11 jack on the wall and everything "works," the intrinsic complexity of networking has forever called for specialists. Additionally, this need for special interfaces and protocols has been augmented by a ceaselessly shifting morass of governmental regulations that specified which services may and may not be offered by the "service provider."

Network-based e-mail – Ready for prime time?

11/16/09

In the prior newsletter, we raised the question of whether the time is here – or past due – for moving email from local PCs back to the network. This time we want to continue the discussion by looking at some of the key questions that need to be addressed.

Is e-mail a perfect cloud application?

11/11/09

In the beginning there was email. And email was run on a UNIX server. The network was devoid of PCs. So all email was accessed via a terminal and a command line interface.

Juniper's relationship with Packet Design

11/09/09

In our Oct. 26 WAN newsletter we discussed the fact that there were a number of rumors circulating about a dramatic move that Juniper would soon announce. On October the 29th Juniper used the New York stock exchange as a backdrop to make a series of announcements. We are doing to use this newsletter to focus on one piece of the Juniper announcements – Juniper's establishment of a close relationship with Packet Design.

More

Steve Taylor is president of Distributed Networking Associates and publisher/editor-in-chief of Webtorials. Jim Metzler is vice president of Ashton, Metzler & Associates.