FTTH network delivering primary-line VoIP, IP video, broadband Internet
Telco Systems announced that Broadweave Networks has selected Telco Systems' Active Ethernet products for deployment in a fiber-to-the-home (FTTH) community of 8,000 homes and 4.5 million square feet of office and retail space currently under construction in Utah, to deliver primary-line VoIP, IP Video, and broadband Internet.
Broadweave works with developers to build future-proof, connected communities. No copper lines are installed. Fiber is the only installed infrastructure, making Broadweave the first to deliver primary-line Ethernet and VoIP to residences in the U.S.
Broadweave Networks will be using Telco Systems' Optical Ethernet products to deploy FTTH networks that support Broadweave's Telephone, Digital TV, and high-speed Internet access under Broadweave's "Triple-Weave" Services brand.
Following an initial field trial which began in 2003, Broadweave has now exclusively selected Telco Systems equipment for the commercial roll-out of their Triple-Weave Services at speeds of up to 1 Gigabit per second (Gbps) to the estimated 8,000 homes and the 4.5 million square feet of business and retail space planned for the community.
The Telco Systems' EdgeGate CPE IP gateway product line and the T5 Compact IP Ethernet aggregation switch will build the backbone of the network. The Telco Systems' EdgeGate CPE triple-play gateways are located outside subscribers' premises and connected to a T5 Compact IP switch located in the neighborhood to aggregate voice, video, and data traffic.
Larry Asten, Telco Systems President, said, "We're honored to be selected for this historic FTTH deployment in which traditional copper infrastructure is being replaced with Broadweave's fiber-optic "Triple-Weave" Services.
Steve Christensen, Broadweave's CEO and Chairman, said, "We selected an Active Ethernet FTTH solution and the Telco Systems products because they are standards-based, carrier-grade reliable, cost-effective, and field-proven."
Founded by an all-star team of veterans from AOL, Bain Capital, and Novell, Broadweave Networks has already proven itself as a leader. Broadweave's value proposition is simple: "Why build today's cities on yesterday's infrastructure?"
Homeowners in a Broadweave-Connected Community receive their telephone, television, broadband Internet, movies on demand, enhanced data services, and much more via an IP network, delivered over a single fiber-to-the-subscriber (FTTS) line.
Businesses in a Broadweave-Connected Community can order bandwidth by the slice at speeds up to 10Gbps, as well as enhanced data services such as messaging and collaboration, voice services such as unified communications and hosted Telephony, and even video services like business TV and video telephony. Broadweave's long-distance and 1-800 number rates are competitive with any carrier.
Broadweave is using the EdgeGate CPE outdoor extended temperature units, which provide separate locking access for the customer and service provider. The EdgeGate CPE supports various combinations of 2 and 4 analog voice lines (VoIP FXS ports), 8 10/100BaseTX Ethernet ports for data and video, and optical Fast/Gigabit Ethernet uplinks. The EdgeGate CPE outdoor cabinet supports Automatic Meter Reading (AMR) and offers battery backup and Lifeline POTS. It also supports all current VoIP signaling protocols including SIP, MGCP, and H.323, as well as IGMP for IP video.
The T5 Compact is a carrier-class IP Ethernet switch that provides high performance in a super-compact package. Only 1 RU in height, the T5 Compact boasts the capacity of physically larger backbone switches at price points associated with workgroup switching. This versatile switch is used in FTTH applications, Metro Ethernet Access Rings, data aggregation, and delivery of a wide variety of IP-based Ethernet services such as Virtual Private Networks, VoIP, and video.
Friday, June 30, 2006
Friday, June 23, 2006
A Smarter Home Network - Industry Trend or Event
Broadband and the Internet could spark a home networking revolution, but who will lead the way?
We've had the dream of an intelligent house dangled before us for a very long time. After all, what has Bill Gates been building for himself all these years if not the nonpareil of smart homes? If recording a TV show seems a fatuous use of future-tech, visionaries see it as much more than that. In those dreams, everything that can be--entertainment centers, PCs, lights, heating and cooling, even our security systems--will be connected and accessible both in the house and away from home by remote control, the Internet, or a WAiP-enabled cell phone. And our homes will be nodes on a very WAN run on fat, broadband pipelines around the world.
"The Americans call it the Jetson home but that sort of vision is still a dream really," laughs David Mercer, an analyst at Strategy Analytics.
Is it a vision which time's finally come? "Two things will drive home networking. One is pervasive Internet, which is Internet on multiple devices, and the other is broadband," Mercer said. "With a combination of those, you'll see rapid growth in home networking." Mercer's two factors, pervasive Internet and broadband connections, are beginning to penetrate American homes now.
Whether the smart home of the near future has a central-access point and what that device will be are still up in the air. Companies like West Yorkshire, England-based Pace Micro Technology think the focus of our home networks will be found in digital TV set-top boxes (STBs). Increasingly, STBs are being referred to as "gateways;" Pace Micro believes they will act as the connection point to the broadband line linking a house's appliance network to external networks.
The utopian ideal of a single gateway around which the family and home network revolves is dismissed by others. "Multiple gateways seem likely," said Rolf Johansson, strategic marketing manager, home communications, at Ericsson Mobile Communications. "They will compete in and service different areas."
This notion of just how everything will be connected together is an important issue with many potential home network solutions. Different connection schemes--multi- or uni-gateway solutions, competing connection technologies and standards--are backed by different companies and organizations. Several suitable technologies exist, each with its own pros and cons. Yet the general consensus is that wireless will rule within the home, simply due to consumer reluctance to connect wires between electronic equipment in the home, especially in different rooms.
The trouble with the intelligent home network solutions pitched so far is some of them have the potential to interfere with each other. Remember when remote-control devices first became popular and just about everyone had an anecdotal story of a neighbor's garage-door remote changing TV channels up and down the street? Hone family's network interferes with its neighbor's systems, home consumers will understandably become disillusioned with the whole business. For a market that is expected to reach $2.4 billion by 2005, according to Allied Business Intelligence Inc., Oyster Bay, N.Y., such incompatibility is not only confusing but unnecessary.
Like the best of late-night infomercials, the home networking market needs to prove to consumers that the smart home network is not only a good idea but necessary. Strategy Analytics' Mercer believes a golden opportunity exists for someone to become the friendly face of broadband and the home network.
"At the moment the technology is pretty complex and you're asking consumers to do rather a lot," Mercer said. "For it to become a mass market, it needs somebody to get hold of the whole concept of the broadband home and market its advantages, to take the whole thing away from the technology."
Mercer expects it will be one of the big network operators that takes up the challenge sometime in the next few years. "We'll see somebody trying to pull all of this together and present it as a great new thing that evervbodv needs to have."
We've had the dream of an intelligent house dangled before us for a very long time. After all, what has Bill Gates been building for himself all these years if not the nonpareil of smart homes? If recording a TV show seems a fatuous use of future-tech, visionaries see it as much more than that. In those dreams, everything that can be--entertainment centers, PCs, lights, heating and cooling, even our security systems--will be connected and accessible both in the house and away from home by remote control, the Internet, or a WAiP-enabled cell phone. And our homes will be nodes on a very WAN run on fat, broadband pipelines around the world.
"The Americans call it the Jetson home but that sort of vision is still a dream really," laughs David Mercer, an analyst at Strategy Analytics.
Is it a vision which time's finally come? "Two things will drive home networking. One is pervasive Internet, which is Internet on multiple devices, and the other is broadband," Mercer said. "With a combination of those, you'll see rapid growth in home networking." Mercer's two factors, pervasive Internet and broadband connections, are beginning to penetrate American homes now.
Whether the smart home of the near future has a central-access point and what that device will be are still up in the air. Companies like West Yorkshire, England-based Pace Micro Technology think the focus of our home networks will be found in digital TV set-top boxes (STBs). Increasingly, STBs are being referred to as "gateways;" Pace Micro believes they will act as the connection point to the broadband line linking a house's appliance network to external networks.
The utopian ideal of a single gateway around which the family and home network revolves is dismissed by others. "Multiple gateways seem likely," said Rolf Johansson, strategic marketing manager, home communications, at Ericsson Mobile Communications. "They will compete in and service different areas."
This notion of just how everything will be connected together is an important issue with many potential home network solutions. Different connection schemes--multi- or uni-gateway solutions, competing connection technologies and standards--are backed by different companies and organizations. Several suitable technologies exist, each with its own pros and cons. Yet the general consensus is that wireless will rule within the home, simply due to consumer reluctance to connect wires between electronic equipment in the home, especially in different rooms.
The trouble with the intelligent home network solutions pitched so far is some of them have the potential to interfere with each other. Remember when remote-control devices first became popular and just about everyone had an anecdotal story of a neighbor's garage-door remote changing TV channels up and down the street? Hone family's network interferes with its neighbor's systems, home consumers will understandably become disillusioned with the whole business. For a market that is expected to reach $2.4 billion by 2005, according to Allied Business Intelligence Inc., Oyster Bay, N.Y., such incompatibility is not only confusing but unnecessary.
Like the best of late-night infomercials, the home networking market needs to prove to consumers that the smart home network is not only a good idea but necessary. Strategy Analytics' Mercer believes a golden opportunity exists for someone to become the friendly face of broadband and the home network.
"At the moment the technology is pretty complex and you're asking consumers to do rather a lot," Mercer said. "For it to become a mass market, it needs somebody to get hold of the whole concept of the broadband home and market its advantages, to take the whole thing away from the technology."
Mercer expects it will be one of the big network operators that takes up the challenge sometime in the next few years. "We'll see somebody trying to pull all of this together and present it as a great new thing that evervbodv needs to have."
Tuesday, June 20, 2006
Secure the network the same as a home: basic rules apply to keeping unwanted visitors out of prized possessions at home and at work - Wireless - Indus
Imagine a home, filled with prized possessions. All of the windows are open, and all the doors are unlocked. The owner then announces on a bullhorn that his domain is wide open and invites anyone to come in and go through those prized possessions anytime they want.
This is essentially what happens when the available wireless security that comes with wireless systems today is not turned on. The issue is not that hackers (burglars) can break security measures, but that they can walk right in and take what they want. Only about 30% of the market is using security appropriately, because people just plug in a wireless access point right out of the box and do not change the default settings. Or users become frustrated trying to set up a system's wireless security features and turn them off.
On a wireless LAN (WLAN), the drop lines and Ethernet adapters of a wired LAN are replaced with radio access points and a radio card in the end devices. Anyone with a radio that can receive WLAN radio signals (called sniffing) can potentially connect to any system. Hackers gain access by intercepting signals carrying specific information about a company WLAN, manipulate that information to present themselves as valid participants of that network (called spoofing) and use that information to break in.
Hackers typically have interest in data and access. Depending upon a company's situation, analyzing each of these areas will help determine the level of security needed.
WLAN security can be categorized into three types: basic, active and hardened. The first thing to do to secure a home is to close the windows and doors and lock them. This is equivalent to the basic security standard established by the Institute of Electrical and Electronic Engineers (IEEE). One of the first IEEE task groups focused on bringing the equivalent level of security found in a wired network to the wireless world. The result was the Wired-Equivalent Protocol Standard (WEP) 128.
Sometimes, a good watchdog is needed in the yard. Unless that dog recognizes the person wanting access to its owner's house, he is not getting inside. That is the IEEE 802.1x security standard, which covers two distinct areas: network access restriction through the use of authentication, and data integrity through WEP key rotation. Without the proper key and authentication, unauthorized users do not get in.
A small number of enterprises manage data and access to other trading partners that could be considered top secret. These firms may need wireless security that is more difficult to crack, similar to having an alarm system and armed guards patrolling the grounds. Many of these firms may need to employ a security solution that is certified as Federal Information Protection Standard 1.40. Products in this category provide point-to-point security for wireless network communications and include IPSec virtual private networks.
Completely eliminating the risk that someone will hack into a system may not be possible, but the threat can be significantly reduced. To provide a reasonable level of network security based on a company's specific situation:
* Turn all available security features on. Thieves like unlocked doors and will pass by locked areas for the easy pickings.
* Assess what level of security is really needed. How important or confidential is the company data? Do network connections with trading partners have even more sensitive data? Implement security measures in proportion to needs.
* Stick with the standards. Standards not only ensure others have tested the waters, but protect a company's investment for future changes and expansion. Do not use default settings, obvious passwords or keys. Rotate WEP keys often-at least once per day or every 10,000 packets of information to foil hackers' efforts.
Finally, monitor, monitor, monitor. Do not just turn a network on and assume it will always stay the same. Check and sniff the network for possible hidden access points. Be aware of the physical environment. Look for any unfamiliar car along the street with a driver just sitting in it. He might be trying to break into the house.
This is essentially what happens when the available wireless security that comes with wireless systems today is not turned on. The issue is not that hackers (burglars) can break security measures, but that they can walk right in and take what they want. Only about 30% of the market is using security appropriately, because people just plug in a wireless access point right out of the box and do not change the default settings. Or users become frustrated trying to set up a system's wireless security features and turn them off.
On a wireless LAN (WLAN), the drop lines and Ethernet adapters of a wired LAN are replaced with radio access points and a radio card in the end devices. Anyone with a radio that can receive WLAN radio signals (called sniffing) can potentially connect to any system. Hackers gain access by intercepting signals carrying specific information about a company WLAN, manipulate that information to present themselves as valid participants of that network (called spoofing) and use that information to break in.
Hackers typically have interest in data and access. Depending upon a company's situation, analyzing each of these areas will help determine the level of security needed.
WLAN security can be categorized into three types: basic, active and hardened. The first thing to do to secure a home is to close the windows and doors and lock them. This is equivalent to the basic security standard established by the Institute of Electrical and Electronic Engineers (IEEE). One of the first IEEE task groups focused on bringing the equivalent level of security found in a wired network to the wireless world. The result was the Wired-Equivalent Protocol Standard (WEP) 128.
Sometimes, a good watchdog is needed in the yard. Unless that dog recognizes the person wanting access to its owner's house, he is not getting inside. That is the IEEE 802.1x security standard, which covers two distinct areas: network access restriction through the use of authentication, and data integrity through WEP key rotation. Without the proper key and authentication, unauthorized users do not get in.
A small number of enterprises manage data and access to other trading partners that could be considered top secret. These firms may need wireless security that is more difficult to crack, similar to having an alarm system and armed guards patrolling the grounds. Many of these firms may need to employ a security solution that is certified as Federal Information Protection Standard 1.40. Products in this category provide point-to-point security for wireless network communications and include IPSec virtual private networks.
Completely eliminating the risk that someone will hack into a system may not be possible, but the threat can be significantly reduced. To provide a reasonable level of network security based on a company's specific situation:
* Turn all available security features on. Thieves like unlocked doors and will pass by locked areas for the easy pickings.
* Assess what level of security is really needed. How important or confidential is the company data? Do network connections with trading partners have even more sensitive data? Implement security measures in proportion to needs.
* Stick with the standards. Standards not only ensure others have tested the waters, but protect a company's investment for future changes and expansion. Do not use default settings, obvious passwords or keys. Rotate WEP keys often-at least once per day or every 10,000 packets of information to foil hackers' efforts.
Finally, monitor, monitor, monitor. Do not just turn a network on and assume it will always stay the same. Check and sniff the network for possible hidden access points. Be aware of the physical environment. Look for any unfamiliar car along the street with a driver just sitting in it. He might be trying to break into the house.
Tuesday, June 13, 2006
DSL Comes Home-with a Network - Industry Trend or Event
Just when the communications industry finally seems to be getting handle on the numerous flavors of Asymmetical Digital Subscriber Line (ADSL) technology, new questions are arising about how ADSL relates to another hot technology: home networking.
First, let's clear up any confusion that may be lingering. The various types of ADSL and home networking technologies ultimately concern pumping Internet data at faster and faster speeds into and throughout consumers' homes. It is our belief that the technologies are complementary and will be two of the key engines driving the mass deployment of broadband services in consumers' homes.
The newest specification for consumer DSL service, G.Lite, can be thought of as a consumer-installable form of DSL. It can be deployed economically because it does not require installation in the home of a piece of equipment called a voice/data splitter. G.Lite converts analog telephone lines into digital lines by adding a line-interface device in the telephone company's central office and a DSL modem at the subscriber's home. Customers also must subscribe to DSL service from their telephone service provider. G.Lite can transmit Internet data into peoples' homes at up to 1.5Mbits/sec., about 25 times faster than today's fastest analog modems.
Home networking uses existing copper home phone wiring to create a consumer-friendly home network that allows for simultaneous access of the Internet using two or more PCs. In addition to the outside-the-home broadband, there is the growing need to move data between devices within the home. Home networking also allows two or more PCs within a home to share printers or other peripherals. All of this can be done at initial speeds of 1Mbit/sec. and eventually at 10Mbit/sec. using one modem connection, one telephone wire, and one Internet Service Provider.
Broadband to the home via ADSL and broadband in the home via home networking are certainly inter-related in that both are enablers in the digital connectivity application space. However, ADSL and home networking deliver different benefits to consumers and use different technologies to achieve these benefits.
G.Lite aims to provide Internet services to homes in the 28KHz to 1.5MHz frequency spectrum. Home networking uses the frequency band between 4MHz to 10MHz to provide connectivity for multiple devices within the home. Home networking technology is about creating a local area network and using that network for simultaneous, multiple device, and high-speed Internet connectivity within a home.
Broadband to the home via DSL and home networking via phone lines are both designed to be plug-and-play technologies which enable the consumer to get the capability by simply plugging in the equipment without needing a visit from a service technician. Broadband to the home and broadband in the home are synergistic from a use perspective as well. With a bigger pipe into the house, multiple PCs can access the Internet simultaneously at faster rates using G.Lite technology.
As an emerging standard for DSL, G.Lite has a feature called fast retrain that allows the modem to adapt to events on the phone line such as ringing, answering the phone, and hanging up the phone. The data rates will momentarily change and then settle out as the modem quickly retrains for the changes in the home wiring impedance and noise levels. These changes to the phone line by design do not translate into significant changes in the data rates, nor in most cases are the data rate changes that may occur noticeable by the user from a perceived throughput perspective.
The Home Phoneline Networking Alliance (HomePNA), an industry consortium driving toward a standard for home networking, has developed home networking protocols. Some may wonder whether these protocols will affect DSL transmissions. The answer is no, provided your design-band limits itself properly and presents a proper impedance to the phone line. Home networking boards need to be designed with DSL and analog services in mind, while DSL boards must be designed with analog voice and home networking in mind.
Some in the industry have expressed concern that when supporting all three services voice, ADSL and home networking-that lines might suffer from cross-talk, which happens when signals bleed over from one line to adjacent lines in the wiring bundle. But since the voice, ADSL and home networking signals run at different frequencies, they do not clash on the line.
A protocol developed by Lucent Microelectronics Group, which has been submitted to the HomePNA, addresses the cross-talk issue. Under the protocol, home networking signal traffic operates in the 4 to 10MHz band range. DSL traffic runs at 26 to 550KHz for G.Lite, and at 1.1MHz for full rate ADSL, a faster flavor of DSL that runs at speeds of up to 8Mbit/sec. Voice traffic runs in the 300 to 3,300Hz range. A reasonable guard band between each operating bandwidth provides isolation and prevents cross-talk.
First, let's clear up any confusion that may be lingering. The various types of ADSL and home networking technologies ultimately concern pumping Internet data at faster and faster speeds into and throughout consumers' homes. It is our belief that the technologies are complementary and will be two of the key engines driving the mass deployment of broadband services in consumers' homes.
The newest specification for consumer DSL service, G.Lite, can be thought of as a consumer-installable form of DSL. It can be deployed economically because it does not require installation in the home of a piece of equipment called a voice/data splitter. G.Lite converts analog telephone lines into digital lines by adding a line-interface device in the telephone company's central office and a DSL modem at the subscriber's home. Customers also must subscribe to DSL service from their telephone service provider. G.Lite can transmit Internet data into peoples' homes at up to 1.5Mbits/sec., about 25 times faster than today's fastest analog modems.
Home networking uses existing copper home phone wiring to create a consumer-friendly home network that allows for simultaneous access of the Internet using two or more PCs. In addition to the outside-the-home broadband, there is the growing need to move data between devices within the home. Home networking also allows two or more PCs within a home to share printers or other peripherals. All of this can be done at initial speeds of 1Mbit/sec. and eventually at 10Mbit/sec. using one modem connection, one telephone wire, and one Internet Service Provider.
Broadband to the home via ADSL and broadband in the home via home networking are certainly inter-related in that both are enablers in the digital connectivity application space. However, ADSL and home networking deliver different benefits to consumers and use different technologies to achieve these benefits.
G.Lite aims to provide Internet services to homes in the 28KHz to 1.5MHz frequency spectrum. Home networking uses the frequency band between 4MHz to 10MHz to provide connectivity for multiple devices within the home. Home networking technology is about creating a local area network and using that network for simultaneous, multiple device, and high-speed Internet connectivity within a home.
Broadband to the home via DSL and home networking via phone lines are both designed to be plug-and-play technologies which enable the consumer to get the capability by simply plugging in the equipment without needing a visit from a service technician. Broadband to the home and broadband in the home are synergistic from a use perspective as well. With a bigger pipe into the house, multiple PCs can access the Internet simultaneously at faster rates using G.Lite technology.
As an emerging standard for DSL, G.Lite has a feature called fast retrain that allows the modem to adapt to events on the phone line such as ringing, answering the phone, and hanging up the phone. The data rates will momentarily change and then settle out as the modem quickly retrains for the changes in the home wiring impedance and noise levels. These changes to the phone line by design do not translate into significant changes in the data rates, nor in most cases are the data rate changes that may occur noticeable by the user from a perceived throughput perspective.
The Home Phoneline Networking Alliance (HomePNA), an industry consortium driving toward a standard for home networking, has developed home networking protocols. Some may wonder whether these protocols will affect DSL transmissions. The answer is no, provided your design-band limits itself properly and presents a proper impedance to the phone line. Home networking boards need to be designed with DSL and analog services in mind, while DSL boards must be designed with analog voice and home networking in mind.
Some in the industry have expressed concern that when supporting all three services voice, ADSL and home networking-that lines might suffer from cross-talk, which happens when signals bleed over from one line to adjacent lines in the wiring bundle. But since the voice, ADSL and home networking signals run at different frequencies, they do not clash on the line.
A protocol developed by Lucent Microelectronics Group, which has been submitted to the HomePNA, addresses the cross-talk issue. Under the protocol, home networking signal traffic operates in the 4 to 10MHz band range. DSL traffic runs at 26 to 550KHz for G.Lite, and at 1.1MHz for full rate ADSL, a faster flavor of DSL that runs at speeds of up to 8Mbit/sec. Voice traffic runs in the 300 to 3,300Hz range. A reasonable guard band between each operating bandwidth provides isolation and prevents cross-talk.
Wednesday, June 07, 2006
Silicon Opportunities in Powerline Home Network Market - In-Stat/Insights
POOR POWERLINE. AFTER THE MUCH-HYPED launch of HPNA phoneline networking products in 1999 and the success of wireless LAN products for the home based on 802.11b, there hasn't been much room for another physical media to elbow its way into the attention spans of system designers looking to develop networking, CPE and convergence products for the home. Part of the problem has been a lack of a widely adopted standard, but with the arrival of HomePlug, that is about to change.
So what does HomePlug mean for system and chip vendors looking to cash in on potential opportunities on this newest of no-new-wires technologies? Before we answer that, let's first take a look at the recent past.
On this eve of the arrival of HomePlug-compliant products, many are skeptical. They believe that HomePlug will experience the same problems that have plagued HPNA, which is by most accounts a disappointment from a sales and end-user adoption standpoint. Because of this belief, many are taking a wait-and-see approach with powerline networking.
It's instructive to examine why HPNA has fared poorly. There are a few reasons, the most basic of which is that consumers just didn't understand it. No matter how many times you told them that you can network over the same copper wires that your phone communications go over, even at the same time, most folks outside of the technology industry would look at you with glazed eyes (and you can forget about telling them the definition of multiplexing).
But it wasn't just a lack of understanding. Another problem that HPNA products faced was a limited product line. Think about it: NICs alone do not n market make. The success of home routers from companies such as Netgear and Linksys have validated our research that shows consumers' No. 1 reason for home networking is broadband sharing. You can't expect more than a very few early adopters to network PCs using hybrid Ethernet and HPNA products if they have to use multiple NICs per PC (a scenario that would be necessary with no HPNA ports on a home router or an Ethernet to HPNA bridge). HomePlug, for all of its doubters, has gotten this part right as IC vendors such as Intellon, Conexant and Cogency are looking to provide MII interfaces for connecting their chipsets into a router system and are also providing reference designs for routers and bridges. Both Netgear and Linksys have announced they will release HomePlug routers and bridges in 2002.
All that being said, Cahners In-Stat Group believes that the powerline networking market will create opportunities for companies in the access, local connectivity and digital convergence space. Some access silicon players will want to obtain functional blocks to add powerline connections to their offerings, as most have realized that being simple modem providers isn't going to cut it anymore. Those selling ICs and into set-top box and other markets have heeded the call for wireless connections from their customers, and soon powerline may be on those RFPs coming in from service market for home networking to grow from just $5 million in providers. These dynamics will result in the powerline IC 2001 to more than $157 million by 2006. Not n huge market, but if you consider the value of access and convergence silicon that will incorporate interfaces to powerline transceivers, this market is going to be potentially much bigger and one that most IC vendors would be wise to pay attention to.
Mike Wolf is the director of enterprise and residential networking at Cahners In-Stat Group. Keep an eye out for his forthcoming report, "Power to the People: What HomePlug Means to Home Networking", which will include forecasts for HomePlug equipment and silicon as well as market analysis and vendor profiles.
So what does HomePlug mean for system and chip vendors looking to cash in on potential opportunities on this newest of no-new-wires technologies? Before we answer that, let's first take a look at the recent past.
On this eve of the arrival of HomePlug-compliant products, many are skeptical. They believe that HomePlug will experience the same problems that have plagued HPNA, which is by most accounts a disappointment from a sales and end-user adoption standpoint. Because of this belief, many are taking a wait-and-see approach with powerline networking.
It's instructive to examine why HPNA has fared poorly. There are a few reasons, the most basic of which is that consumers just didn't understand it. No matter how many times you told them that you can network over the same copper wires that your phone communications go over, even at the same time, most folks outside of the technology industry would look at you with glazed eyes (and you can forget about telling them the definition of multiplexing).
But it wasn't just a lack of understanding. Another problem that HPNA products faced was a limited product line. Think about it: NICs alone do not n market make. The success of home routers from companies such as Netgear and Linksys have validated our research that shows consumers' No. 1 reason for home networking is broadband sharing. You can't expect more than a very few early adopters to network PCs using hybrid Ethernet and HPNA products if they have to use multiple NICs per PC (a scenario that would be necessary with no HPNA ports on a home router or an Ethernet to HPNA bridge). HomePlug, for all of its doubters, has gotten this part right as IC vendors such as Intellon, Conexant and Cogency are looking to provide MII interfaces for connecting their chipsets into a router system and are also providing reference designs for routers and bridges. Both Netgear and Linksys have announced they will release HomePlug routers and bridges in 2002.
All that being said, Cahners In-Stat Group believes that the powerline networking market will create opportunities for companies in the access, local connectivity and digital convergence space. Some access silicon players will want to obtain functional blocks to add powerline connections to their offerings, as most have realized that being simple modem providers isn't going to cut it anymore. Those selling ICs and into set-top box and other markets have heeded the call for wireless connections from their customers, and soon powerline may be on those RFPs coming in from service market for home networking to grow from just $5 million in providers. These dynamics will result in the powerline IC 2001 to more than $157 million by 2006. Not n huge market, but if you consider the value of access and convergence silicon that will incorporate interfaces to powerline transceivers, this market is going to be potentially much bigger and one that most IC vendors would be wise to pay attention to.
Mike Wolf is the director of enterprise and residential networking at Cahners In-Stat Group. Keep an eye out for his forthcoming report, "Power to the People: What HomePlug Means to Home Networking", which will include forecasts for HomePlug equipment and silicon as well as market analysis and vendor profiles.
Saturday, June 03, 2006
The Home Office Network Quiz - Buyers Guide
SHOPPING FOR A HOME NETWORK? A dizzying array of choices makes it harder than ever. A few years ago, when Ethernet ruled the roost, the only thing you had to decide was how much cabling to buy. These days, a hodgepodge of wireless, phone-line, AC power, and USB products promises more flexibility than traditional Ethernet. Which is best? Take our quiz to find out. Each of the following five questions addresses a different aspect of your networking needs. Answer each, tally up your points, then see what kind of home LAN is best for you.
(1) Some networks are designed for just a pair of PCs, while others can handle dozens of computers with ease. How many systems do you want to connect on your network?
a. I have two PCs, and I network them infrequently. Typically, I only connect them to transfer files onto my laptop before I head out on a business trip.
b. I have two PCs--one is mine, the other my spouse's. Connecting them will let us share files, a printer, and an Internet connection. (10 points)
c. I have four computers--one for me, one for my intern, one spare, and one I use exclusively for faxing and scanning. I want them connected all the time. (10 points)
d. I have five PCs now and expect that number to keep growing. Although I need to connect them all to share peripherals, files, Internet access, and games, expandability is also very important to me. (15 points)
(2) Choosing a network is no different than finding the right software or peripherals. Your computer must be able to support the hardware you choose. What kind of computers do you have?
a. At least one of my PCs is an older model 486. It doesn't have any USB ports, so I'll have to install an ISA-based expansion card. It's running Windows 3.1, so it doesn't have any of the nifty Windows 95/98 networking or plug-and-play features. (15 points)
b. I have several PCs, and connecting them to a network seems straightforward. One of my computers is a Macintosh, however. I'd like to give the Mac the same data access as the PCs. (15 points)
c. My computers are all fairly new. They have PCI slots, USB ports, and plenty of horsepower. (10 points)
d. Although my computers are all fairly modern, I don't feel comfortable opening them to install PCI cards. I'd prefer to try something that I can plug into the outside of the computer. (5 points)
(3) Not all data is created equal. Slow network hardware can be frustrating if you work with large files, games, or video. What kind of data will you network most frequently?
a. I have several computers in my home office and perform a variety of different tasks on each. I need to access documents stored on any PC from any other PC. I'd like to access my Quicken database from any computer and edit PowerPoint slides from anywhere in the house. I'd also like to use one system to download files from the Internet, then access them from any other PC. (5 points)
b. I want to access files from any PC on the LAN, but I also want to play games with my kids. We have several programs that support multiplayer contests on a network. (10 points)
c. While I want Internet access, I don't need each computer to connect to the Internet directly. With only one PC offering Web access, I can download a file from the Web to that system and the other PCs can access the file via the network. (5 points)
d. I need each of my PCs to have a direct connection to the Internet. That way my spouse, my assistant, and even my kids can all surf the Web and check e-mail simultaneously from their own PCs. (10 points)
(4) The proximity of your PCs is a factor that affects the kind of network you choose. How close together are your computers?
a. I have several computers, all located within 12 feet of one another in one room. I don't expect to add more computers to the network, and I have no plans to put computers elsewhere in the house. (5 points)
b. My PCs are scattered all over the house. My home office has a pair of systems that are fairly close to each other, but there is also a computer in the study upstairs, as well as one in the kids' bedroom. (10 points)
c. I have a few PCs in various rooms, and I move around a lot. I sometimes use a notebook in the dining room, sometimes carry it up to the bedroom, and once in a while take it out to the back deck. Ideally, the laptop would be able to connect to the network regardless of where it is. (10 points)
d. The loft over our detached garage serves as my home office. Even though it's in a different building, we'd like to network the office PC with computers in several locations in the main house. (10 points)
(5) After your network is up and running, connecting to the Internet can be an important element of your office productivity. To choose the right network, it helps to know how you plan to use the Internet.
a. I rarely spend much time online. When I do, my time is spent reading and sending e-mail messages, and I visit Web pages occasionally.
(1) Some networks are designed for just a pair of PCs, while others can handle dozens of computers with ease. How many systems do you want to connect on your network?
a. I have two PCs, and I network them infrequently. Typically, I only connect them to transfer files onto my laptop before I head out on a business trip.
b. I have two PCs--one is mine, the other my spouse's. Connecting them will let us share files, a printer, and an Internet connection. (10 points)
c. I have four computers--one for me, one for my intern, one spare, and one I use exclusively for faxing and scanning. I want them connected all the time. (10 points)
d. I have five PCs now and expect that number to keep growing. Although I need to connect them all to share peripherals, files, Internet access, and games, expandability is also very important to me. (15 points)
(2) Choosing a network is no different than finding the right software or peripherals. Your computer must be able to support the hardware you choose. What kind of computers do you have?
a. At least one of my PCs is an older model 486. It doesn't have any USB ports, so I'll have to install an ISA-based expansion card. It's running Windows 3.1, so it doesn't have any of the nifty Windows 95/98 networking or plug-and-play features. (15 points)
b. I have several PCs, and connecting them to a network seems straightforward. One of my computers is a Macintosh, however. I'd like to give the Mac the same data access as the PCs. (15 points)
c. My computers are all fairly new. They have PCI slots, USB ports, and plenty of horsepower. (10 points)
d. Although my computers are all fairly modern, I don't feel comfortable opening them to install PCI cards. I'd prefer to try something that I can plug into the outside of the computer. (5 points)
(3) Not all data is created equal. Slow network hardware can be frustrating if you work with large files, games, or video. What kind of data will you network most frequently?
a. I have several computers in my home office and perform a variety of different tasks on each. I need to access documents stored on any PC from any other PC. I'd like to access my Quicken database from any computer and edit PowerPoint slides from anywhere in the house. I'd also like to use one system to download files from the Internet, then access them from any other PC. (5 points)
b. I want to access files from any PC on the LAN, but I also want to play games with my kids. We have several programs that support multiplayer contests on a network. (10 points)
c. While I want Internet access, I don't need each computer to connect to the Internet directly. With only one PC offering Web access, I can download a file from the Web to that system and the other PCs can access the file via the network. (5 points)
d. I need each of my PCs to have a direct connection to the Internet. That way my spouse, my assistant, and even my kids can all surf the Web and check e-mail simultaneously from their own PCs. (10 points)
(4) The proximity of your PCs is a factor that affects the kind of network you choose. How close together are your computers?
a. I have several computers, all located within 12 feet of one another in one room. I don't expect to add more computers to the network, and I have no plans to put computers elsewhere in the house. (5 points)
b. My PCs are scattered all over the house. My home office has a pair of systems that are fairly close to each other, but there is also a computer in the study upstairs, as well as one in the kids' bedroom. (10 points)
c. I have a few PCs in various rooms, and I move around a lot. I sometimes use a notebook in the dining room, sometimes carry it up to the bedroom, and once in a while take it out to the back deck. Ideally, the laptop would be able to connect to the network regardless of where it is. (10 points)
d. The loft over our detached garage serves as my home office. Even though it's in a different building, we'd like to network the office PC with computers in several locations in the main house. (10 points)
(5) After your network is up and running, connecting to the Internet can be an important element of your office productivity. To choose the right network, it helps to know how you plan to use the Internet.
a. I rarely spend much time online. When I do, my time is spent reading and sending e-mail messages, and I visit Web pages occasionally.
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