App stores, MiFi could trigger mobile WAN overload

I can't help but wonder whether we.re headed for a big wireless traffic jam. With trends like app stores, MiFi services and the growing popularity of data air cards and 3G dongles, there's going to be a whole lot of traffic on these networks pretty soon.

MiFi services handily allow multiple devices connected locally by Wi-Fi to share a single mobile WAN Internet connection. That way, they don't all need an air card and monthly data plan. The shared mobile connection, though, is at least an order of magnitude slower than each Wi-Fi connection. So this approach could cause an occasional wireless packet pileup.

Also, as you know, app stores are the "in" thing. Most mobile handset makers now have one and Verizon Wireless has announced one, too. Another is coming from Qualcomm Internet Services with its Plaza Retail app store later this year to support not only the company's own BREW mobile operating system but several others as well.

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With all these apps abounding and generating greater packet loads, it will be interesting to see how the mobile network operators approach capacity planning and application performance management.

Enterprises and landline operators have long had sophisticated tools to help them see what traffic is on their networks, then prioritize packets and apply other policy-based actions to them. They have also had the luxury of adding more network capacity and processing power as needed.

However, wireless spectrum is a finite resource, and each mobile operator is limited to an even smaller amount, which they license. So it would seem that mobile network management in true 3G/4G networks, where all traffic, including voice, is IP-based, will become quite important.

"Carriers need to take an applications view" of their networks, says Tom Russo, director of product management at Bell Labs' Alcatel-Lucent Venture. His company makes the 9900 Wireless Network Guardian, which Russo says helps mobile operators do exactly that by closely following each subscriber's service levels and tightly managing application traffic performance.

The reason I bring all this up is that, soon, how carriers manage their mobile data networks loaded with application traffic of varying behaviors will directly affect your network service quality. As you plan to ratchet up your organization's mobile data use -- in some cases maybe even making the mobile WAN your primary WAN -- you might want to ask your operators how they plan to ensure minimal levels of performance for your important business applications.

Joanie Wexler is an independent networking technology writer/editor in Silicon Valley.