Are you ready for network-based services? Part 1

NETWORK WORLD NEWSLETTER: STEVE TAYLOR AND JIM METZLER ON WIDE
AREA NETWORKING
10/25/05
Today's focus: Are you ready for network-based services? Part 1

Dear networking.world@gmail.com,

In this issue:

* Some history before getting into network-based services
* Links related to Wide Area Networking
* Featured reader resource
_______________________________________________________________
This newsletter is sponsored by Fluke Networks
VoIP: State of the Market on-demand webcast

Fluke Networks and featured presenter Robin Gareiss of Nemertes
Research provide an informative on-demand webcast giving you
vision into the state of the voice over IP (VoIP) market and its
associated challenges, market drivers and recommendations. Watch
the webcast:
http://www.fattail.com/redir/redirect.asp?CID=117911
_______________________________________________________________
MANAGEMENT FRAMEWORKS ARE OUT - BUT WHAT'S IN?

Many vendors stopped using the term "frameworks" when they
became synonymous with endless deployment cycles. So, if
management frameworks are out, what is the alternative? Does a
series of multiple products from multiple vendors work? Will
Configuration Management Database (CMDB) emerge as the new
"framework" or "platform" for the enterprise? Click here for
more:
http://www.fattail.com/redir/redirect.asp?CID=118221
_______________________________________________________________

Today's focus: Are you ready for network-based services? Part 1

By Steve Taylor and Jim Metzler

In the beginning, there was the telephony network. And the
telephony network existed even before analog - let alone digital
- computers existed. Then, once we had computers, we invented
the need for remote access to computing functions. Then this
remote access morphed to real-time access.

Since the telephony network already existed, it was only natural
that "data communications" became "data over telephony"
communications - at least in the beginning.

But then, roughly in the late 1970s to mid-1980s, the world
started to get really complex as the need for data
communications started presenting a serious rivalry to voice
communications. And, to put it bluntly, the telephony network
providers came up two all-beef-patties shy of a Big Mac on this
one. By this time, major corporations had decided it was more
economical to "BYOB" (Be Your Own Bell) than to live with the
services offered by the phone companies.

The "Networked T-1 Multiplexer" phenomenon was an excellent case
in point. In the mid-1980s, corporations were purchasing
customer premises equipment that allowed them to take advantage
of the 1.544M-bit/sec (T-1) circuits that were already in place
for digital telephony. But there was a problem: If a T-1 circuit
failed, it could take hours - even days - for the phone company
to restore service.

However, the networked multiplexers could detect these outages
and reroute onto an alternate circuit in a matter of a few
seconds - sometimes even faster. This, more than any other
single circumstance, helped craft the great chasm between the
"data guys" and the telephone company. The message was clear: If
you wanted high-quality service above basic bit transport, you
had to do it for yourself. (Of course, as a minor defense of the
phone companies, the situation was exacerbated by the fact that
the phone companies had to spend 10 years in court after 1984
trying to figure out what they were and were not allowed to
provide as services. But that's another story.)

Had the phone companies offered a service with very fast reroute
of T-1 circuits, the problem would have been solved where it
should have been - in the network - and companies such as
Timeplex, N.E.T. and Newbridge never would have dominated the
networking scene for the better part of 10 years. But this
service was not offered in a timely fashion, and we're left with
a huge credibility gap to fill - convincing the data networking
professional that the service providers can provide enhanced
services that you're willing to bet your job on.

Next issue: Getting into network-based services - a reality
check.

The top 5: Today's most-read stories

1. Cisco talking IP-radio nets
<http://www.networkworld.com/nlwan9592>
2. School traps infected PCs in its web
<http://www.networkworld.com/nlwan9593>
3. Cartoon of the Week <http://www.networkworld.com/nlwan9594>

4. Juniper gains corporate network ground
<http://www.networkworld.com/nlwan9595>
5. Cisco finally brings security push to LAN
<http://www.networkworld.com/nlwan9069>

_______________________________________________________________
To contact: Steve Taylor and Jim Metzler

Steve Taylor is president of Distributed Networking Associates
and publisher/editor-in-chief of Webtorials. For more detailed
information on most of the topics discussed in this newsletter,
connect to Webtorials <http://www.webtorials.com/>, the premier
site for Web-based educational presentations, white papers, and
market research. Taylor can be reached at
<mailto:taylor@webtorials.com>

Jim Metzler is the Vice President of Ashton, Metzler &
Associates, a consulting organization that focuses on leveraging
technology for business success. Jim assists vendors to refine
product strategies, service providers to deploy technologies and
services, and enterprises evolve their network infrastructure.
He can be reached at <mailto:jim@ashtonmetzler.com>
_______________________________________________________________
This newsletter is sponsored by Fluke Networks
VoIP: State of the Market on-demand webcast

Fluke Networks and featured presenter Robin Gareiss of Nemertes
Research provide an informative on-demand webcast giving you
vision into the state of the voice over IP (VoIP) market and its
associated challenges, market drivers and recommendations. Watch
the webcast:
http://www.fattail.com/redir/redirect.asp?CID=117910
_______________________________________________________________
ARCHIVE LINKS

Archive of the WAN newsletter:
http://www.networkworld.com/newsletters/frame/index.html
_______________________________________________________________
FEATURED READER RESOURCE

Network World New Data Center: Spotlight on Advanced IP

Piecing Together the Next Generation IT Architecture. This 5th
installment in a 6 part series takes a look at at On-demand
services, automated management, and management technologies.
PLUS, see how two IT Execs are plotting their way to an all
IP-world. This NDC issue has it all, click here to read now:

<http://www.networkworld.com/supp/2005/ndc5/>
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