Bandwidth to Support Convergence
Convergence means combining or converging voice, data and video
onto a single network. Enterprises usually need to expand their
LAN bandwidth and set up a QoS or Quality of Service priority
system to give priority to real-time streams such as telephone
calls or video conference feeds, which are more sensitive to network
delays than data transfers. Most often, the common protocol for
convergence is IP.
Carrier Ethernet is Available
Now
Carrier Ethernet Services are already available in major metropolitan
areas from competitive carriers such as XO Communications. You
can order 10 Mbps Ethernet, 100 Mbps Fast Ethernet or Gigabit
Ethernet connections to match your current network bandwidth.
What's the difference between
MAN and WAN?
MAN stands for Metropolitan Area Network. MANs are set up to provide
broadband network connections within a city or metropolitan network.
WAN means Wide Area Network, a term applied to any network outside
the control of the enterprise. A MAN is a limited case of WAN.
What is QoS and how do you
get it?
QoS means Quality of Service. Most often you hear about QoS when
referring to converged networks that transport both packet voice
and data. QoS mechanisms may include prioritizing voice packets
over data because voice is much more affected by latency and jitter.
What is the Cost Advantage
of Carrier Ethernet
Where available, Ethernet transport services from competitive
carriers may cost less than half the lease price of DS3 service
for over twice the bandwidth. The difference in cost between SONET
optical carrier service and Gigabit Ethernet WAN service is even
more dramatic.