Cisco, Chambers and the call for more bandwidth

Network Architecture This newsletter is sponsored by D-Link D-Link Unified Switching Improves Network Efficiency As businesses scale, blending traditional wireless and wired networks become a challenge. D-Link's xStack 3200 series incorporate effortless wireless switching and advanced wired functionality for a TOTAL unified network solution. Discover how D-Link can help take your network to the next level. Download your copy of "Unified Wireless Switching" to learn more. Network World's Network Architecture Newsletter, 09/06/07 Cisco, Chambers and the call for more bandwidth By Jeff Caruso Cisco CEO John Chambers very often makes public calls for higher bandwidth in the nation's network infrastructure. More bandwidth means router and switch upgrades, which means more money for Cisco, so obviously the man has a vested interest. In yesterday's financial analyst conference, Chambers reportedly smiled as he said that rich IP communications, while changing the way we all work and live, "really loads networks." As certain types of communications, such as video, become more commonplace on the Internet, they of course will use a lot more bandwidth than text and graphics. A few months ago, Chambers claimed that networked video increases productivity - "video on any device," which of course means lots of devices on a network, wireless or wired, all capable of receiving (or sending) video. Earlier this year he called video "the killer app." Having video capability, whether you use it or not, means having sufficient bandwidth in place, which means ensuring that your routers and switches have the right speeds and feeds. Get Up to Speed on the Latest in WLANs Easily stay on top of the latest developments and issues in WLAN technology, standards, security, telephony, management and more with Network World's latest Executive Guide, "Keeping Up With the Wireless Whirlwind." Click here to download! In July, Chambers said the U.S. needs to change its definition of "broadband," and urged that the country ensure that 100M to 1Gbps service is widely available in the next five to 10 years. I have no problem with Chambers being the head cheerleader for bandwidth. Whether you watch videos online or not, there are plenty of others who do, and video is now an integral part of what the Internet is about. It makes sense that video could be used more often in a corporate setting as an effective means of communication. You could argue that Chambers has a bias, and he does - but I think everyone realizes that and takes what he says in that context. And someone has to remind everyone that all this video has to have the proper infrastructure behind it.   What do you think? Post a comment on this newsletter

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Contact the author: 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 jcaruso@nww.com This newsletter is sponsored by D-Link D-Link Unified Switching Improves Network Efficiency As businesses scale, blending traditional wireless and wired networks become a challenge. D-Link's xStack 3200 series incorporate effortless wireless switching and advanced wired functionality for a TOTAL unified network solution. Discover how D-Link can help take your network to the next level. Download your copy of "Unified Wireless Switching" to learn more. ARCHIVE Archive of the Network Architecture Newsletter. BONUS FEATURE IT PRODUCT RESEARCH AT YOUR FINGERTIPS Get detailed information on thousands of products, conduct side-by-side comparisons and read product test and review results with Network World’s IT Buyer’s Guides. Find the best solution faster than ever with over 100 distinct categories across the security, storage, management, wireless, infrastructure and convergence markets. Click here for details. PRINT SUBSCRIPTIONS AVAILABLE You've got the technology snapshot of your choice delivered to your inbox each day. Extend your knowledge with a print subscription to the Network World newsweekly, Apply here today. International subscribers, click here. SUBSCRIPTION SERVICES To subscribe or unsubscribe to any Network World newsletter, change your e-mail address or contact us, click here. This message was sent to: networking.world@gmail.com. Please use this address when modifying your subscription. Advertising information: Write to Associate Publisher Online Susan Cardoza Network World, Inc., 118 Turnpike Road, Southborough, MA 01772 Copyright Network World, Inc., 2007