NETWORK WORLD NEWSLETTER: JEFF CARUSO ON HIGH SPEED LANS
08/30/05
Today's focus: Fiber proponent says FTTD won't win out
Dear networking.world@gmail.com,
In this issue:
* Consultant Eric Pearson details why copper will win over fiber
* Links related to High Speed LANs
* Featured reader resource
_______________________________________________________________
This newsletter is sponsored by Adtran
More bandwidth for the buck.
Now you can implement Gigabit Ethernet switching in your network
for about the same cost as Fast Ethernet. ADTRAN's new NetVanta
1524ST Gigabit Ethernet switch delivers 24-port, managed, 1000
BaseT switching at a cost that is up to 50 percent less than
most managed Gigabit switches. The savings aren't a result of
cutting corners; they're a result of smart engineering! ADTRAN's
100% satisfaction guarantee on this product includes unlimited
technical support, free firmware upgrades, and a 5-year
warranty. See it in your network!!
http://www.fattail.com/redir/redirect.asp?CID=111510
_______________________________________________________________
SEVEN TIPS FOR MANAGING STORAGE
Considering adding to your storage arsenal or upgrading what you
already have? Follow these seven tips for managing storage in
the new data center and find out what you might need to put on
an RFP, and what you need to do before, during and after a
change in your storage environment. Click here for more:
http://www.fattail.com/redir/redirect.asp?CID=111566
_______________________________________________________________
Today's focus: Fiber proponent says FTTD won't win out
By Jeff Caruso
Out of the many responses I received on the topic of fiber vs.
copper to the desktop, one response stood out. That's because
it's from a longtime proponent of fiber - and yet, it's not the
response you'd expect.
Eric Pearson is president of Pearson Technologies in Acworth,
Ga., and describes himself as "a fiber optic consultant with 28
years in the industry." Pearson's firm created the online cost
model for determining fiber and copper-based infrastructure
costs, which I highlighted last year
<http://www.networkworld.com/nllan6137>.
In responding to my recent article on desktop wiring, Pearson
was kind enough to send a very well-thought-out e-mail message
that seemed to reflect an acceptance of the fact that fiber to
the desktop (FTTD) will never become dominant. Here's what he
had to say:
"There are five factors that do not favor FTTD.
"First, the UTP proponents will never give up. They will
continue to use favorable arguments that have been true or may
be partially true but may not be true in the present. They will
reinforce the myths and misconceptions that people have about
fiber optics [fragility and expense]. And the decision maker
will agree with the myth, because it fits with his
understanding. I see this in the articles the UTP proponents
write for trade journals.
"I say this in spite of the FOLS cost model work
<http://www.fols.org/> that demonstrates that new builds and
other situations (fiber to the zone) can have an initial
installed cost for FTTD that is lower than that for horizontal
UTP vertical fiber, which is the dominant topology.
"Second, large switch manufacturers have a vested interest in
retaining the UTP topology, since in enables them to sell more
ports than they would sell with a fiber-to-the-desk topology.
The port utilization comparison is: FTTD, 90%, and UTP, 70%.
"Third, there is no pure fiber-optic company with the market
clout to direct the marketplace into FTTD. TYCO and 3M are fiber
companies. TYCO has a copper business, which it will not risk by
favoring fiber. TYCO is not alone in this situation. 3M is not a
pure fiber company and can float with the market. Corning is a
pure fiber company, but does not have the resources to drive the
market to its vision.
"Fourth, the architects and engineers of the world are locked
into the UTP model of TRs on every floor. They seem to unaware
of the cost impact on the network of their building design
decisions (Again, see the FOLS cost model)...
"Finally, there has been no industry organization of competing
companies to present a unified front to the marketplace, as
there has been with Gigabit Ethernet, 10 Gigabit Ethernet,
wireless and others. Without such a unified front, competing
manufacturers must present competing fiber arguments to the
customer, who has no uniform and consistent understanding of the
benefits. Imagine World War II with the U.S., Britain, France
fighting separate and uncoordinated battles with the Germans.
"On a separate issue, I do believe that there is a fear of
fiber. In one conversation, I did a 'back of envelope' cost
comparison of FTTD to the expected cost of a network in a
multi-story university building in the South. I generated the
FTTD cost. The network manager provided his UTP costs. This
network manager took this comparison to his boss, who outright
rejected consideration of a topology that offered an initial
installed cost that was less than that the UTP topology. The
boss would not even consider fiber, even though the argument was
of reduced cost.
"In another case, I recommended incorporation of the FOLS model
into a well-known network design training program. The
instructors recommended against including this model. They
stated that their attendees/market did not want to know about
fiber network design and that there were more important subjects
to include than the cost analysis that would show how to reduce
network cost through use of FTTD.
"In short, much to my professional regret, I do not believe that
fiber to the desk will become a dominant technology."
Many thanks to Eric Pearson for his insights. Next time, I'll
give the last word on this debate (for now) to a start-up
company that's not quite ready to give up on fiber.
The top 5: Today's most-read stories
1. Google dives deeper into networking
<http://www.networkworld.com/nllan6138>
2. 2005 salary survey
<http://www.networkworld.com/nllan4008nllansalert4178>
3. Intel-Cisco deal may be big for Wi-Fi
<http://www.networkworld.com/nllan6139>
4. VoIP season about to heat up
<http://www.networkworld.com/nllan6140>
5. Cisco aims to simplify switch mgmt.
<http://www.networkworld.com/nllan6141>
Today's most-forwarded story:
Google dives deeper into networking
<http://www.networkworld.com/nllan6142>
_______________________________________________________________
To contact: Jeff Caruso
Jeff Caruso is managing editor of online news for Network World.
He oversees daily online news posting and newsletter editing,
and writes the NetFlash daily news summary, the High-Speed LANs
newsletter and the Voices of Networking newsletter. Contact him
at <mailto:jcaruso@nww.com>
_______________________________________________________________
This newsletter is sponsored by Adtran
More bandwidth for the buck.
Now you can implement Gigabit Ethernet switching in your network
for about the same cost as Fast Ethernet. ADTRAN's new NetVanta
1524ST Gigabit Ethernet switch delivers 24-port, managed, 1000
BaseT switching at a cost that is up to 50 percent less than
most managed Gigabit switches. The savings aren't a result of
cutting corners; they're a result of smart engineering! ADTRAN's
100% satisfaction guarantee on this product includes unlimited
technical support, free firmware upgrades, and a 5-year
warranty. See it in your network!!
http://www.fattail.com/redir/redirect.asp?CID=111509
_______________________________________________________________
ARCHIVE LINKS
Archive of the High Speed LANs newsletter:
http://www.networkworld.com/newsletters/lans/index.html
LANs/Routers Research Center:
http://www.networkworld.com/topics/lans-routers.html
_______________________________________________________________
FEATURED READER RESOURCE
IT STAFF SHORTAGE LOOMING
Outsourcing. Automation. Downsizing. The industry has been awash
in unemployed IT pros. But experts are now predicting an IT
staffing crunch is just around the corner, and the implications
for U.S. technology innovation are sobering. What might be
causing the shortage and what might need to be done to prevent
it? Click here:
<http://www.networkworld.com/nllan5916nllansalert6033>
_______________________________________________________________
May We Send You a Free Print Subscription?
You've got the technology snapshot of your choice delivered
at your fingertips each day. Now, extend your knowledge by
receiving 51 FREE issues to our print publication. Apply
today at http://www.subscribenw.com/nl2
International subscribers click here:
http://nww1.com/go/circ_promo.html
_______________________________________________________________
SUBSCRIPTION SERVICES
To subscribe or unsubscribe to any Network World e-mail
newsletters, go to:
<http://www.nwwsubscribe.com/Changes.aspx>
To change your e-mail address, go to:
<http://www.nwwsubscribe.com/ChangeMail.aspx>
Subscription questions? Contact Customer Service by replying to
this message.
This message was sent to: networking.world@gmail.com
Please use this address when modifying your subscription.
_______________________________________________________________
Have editorial comments? Write Jeff Caruso, Newsletter Editor,
at: <mailto:jcaruso@nww.com>
Inquiries to: NL Customer Service, Network World, Inc., 118
Turnpike Road, Southborough, MA 01772
For advertising information, write Kevin Normandeau, V.P. of
Online Development, at: <mailto:sponsorships@nwfusion.com>
Copyright Network World, Inc., 2005
No comments:
Post a Comment