Webinar: Today’s VoIP networks and how to get started

What: Webinar about the benefits of VoIP for small and mid-size businesses

Date: Thursday, August 9, 2012
Time: 1:00 p.m. ET
Moderator: Mike McCurry, Global Product Manager
Register now!

Voice over IP (VoIP) means using your Local Area Network (LAN) to make phone calls. VoIP technology delivers telephone calls and other voice communications over the Internet by converting analog voice signals to digital signals.Switching from an analog voice system to VoIP saves money, gives your organization more bandwidth, enables mobility, and offers you easy integration with on-line applications.

Along with some VoIP basics, we’ll take a look at the newest voice communications products on the market to help SMBs migrate to VoIP easily and affordably, including SIP phones and hybrid PBX VoIP gateways.

Five reasons to switch to a PBX VoIP gateway for deploying VoIP:

1. It’s much easier to install and configure than a traditional phone system.
2. The Web-based interface makes it much easier to manage.
3. You get significant cost savings using VoIP providers.
4. It’s a scalable system that makes roaming easy and cost-effective.
5. SIP phones are easier to use, whether person-to-person calling, conferencing, or using voice mail.

Understanding OM3 and OM4

There are different categories of graded-index multimode fiber optic cable. The ISO/IEC 11801 Ed 2.1:2009 standard specifies categories OM1, OM2, and OM3. The TIA/EIA recognizes OM1, OM2, OM3, and OM4. The TIA/EIA ratified OM4 in August 2009 (TIA/EIA 492-AAAD). The IEEE ratified OM4 (802.ba) in June 2010. It is now updating the distance for OM4 from 300 to 400 meters for 10-GbE. This will be known as 802.3-2012.

OM1 specifies 62.5-micron cable and OM2 specifies 50-micron cable. These are commonly used in premises applications supporting Ethernet rates of 10 Mbps to 1 Gbps. They are also typically used with LED transmitters. OM1 and OM2 cable are not suitable though for today’s higher-speed networks.

OM3 and OM4 are both laser-optimized multimode fiber (LOMMF) and were developed to accommodate faster networks such as 10, 40, and 100 Gbps. Both are designed for use with 850-nm VCSELS (vertical-cavity surface-emitting lasers) and have aqua sheaths.

OM3 specifies an 850-nm laser-optimized 50-micron cable with an effective modal bandwidth (EMB) of 2000 MHz/km. It can support 10-Gbps link distances up to 300 meters. OM4 specifies a high-bandwidth 850-nm laser-optimized 50-micron cable an effective modal bandwidth of 4700 MHz/km. It can support 10-Gbps link distances of 500 meters (unofficially). 100-Gbps distances are 100 meters and 150 meters, respectively. Both rival single-mode fiber in performance while being significantly less expensive to implement.

OM1 and 2 are made with a different process than OM3 and 4. Non-laser-optimized fiber cable is made with a small defect in the core, called an index depression. LED light sources are commonly used with these cables.

Everything you need to know about DKM Matrix technology

The new system for KVM matrix switching is more flexible, more extendable, and more efficient than ever before. These new configurations bring better functionality and increased productivity to organizations, especially in the post-production broadcasting and professional audio-visual industries.

For example, the new technology offers and array of ports that can be dynamically allocated as input or output. This means that ports can be connected to a CPU or connected to a console, and ports can be switched according to the users’ requirements. As long as you have available ports, you can switch in any combination of inputs and outputs –it doesn’t need to be a one-to-one configuration (i.e. 160-port chassis equals 80 inputs and 80 outputs).

The technology supports numerous data streams in varied combinations through extenders: video, KVM, audio, serial, USB 2.0. Because of this updated technology, switching is instantaneous, with no delay. Competitors’ IP-based solutions can take up to 10-15 seconds to switch video streams.

KVM switching in general is an efficiency-creating solution. These new matrix switching systems take this flexibility and efficiency even further, especially for A/V professionals. Instead of a patchwork of switches and cables, we’ve developed a system that comes with digital or analog audio, serial RS-232, high-speed USB 2.0, and HID tablet support. It’s also smaller and faster, freeing up space in your data center. Plus they’re cooler and quieter, eliminating excess noise and heat.

BT releases survey on BYOD risks

BT (British Telecom) recently issued a report, “Rethink the Risk,” which contains the results of a survey of more than 2,000 IT decision-makers around the world. According to the research, the three biggest risks are cyber security threats, accidental or intentional employee data loss, and the increased use of personal devices on employers’ networks.

BYOD presents IT managers with a new set of security issues. Four out of ten IT managers say they have experienced security breaches from employees bringing in unauthorized devices. The research shows that 82% of companies already allow BYOD or will allow it within the next 24 months. Interestingly, BYOD usage is especially high in China (92%) and India (80%). Of those companies with a BYOD policy, security was by far the biggest challenge (74%).

Survey respondents rated the following threat areas as challenging or very challenging:
Cybersecurity: 68%
Preventing data leaked by employees: 68%
Increasing use of personally owned devices and social media sites: 61%
Preventing or fixing weaknesses with our business systems: 57%
Security in supply chain systems: 57%
Industrial or state-sponsored espionage: 53%

For more information on how you can adapt your wireless infrastructure for the BYOD trend, read our latest brochure on The Changing Wi-Fi Landscape.

Data center equipment market up 17%

Market research firm, Infonetics Research, recently released excerpts from its 1^st quarter (1Q12) Data Center Network Equipment vendor market share and forecast report. The report states that the data center equipment market is up 17% over last year.

“The data center equipment market was down sequentially, but it is up nicely from the year-ago first quarter,” says Sam Barnett, directing analyst for data center and cloud at Infonetics Research. “For the remainder of 2012 and into 2013, we expect growth to be choppy as service providers and data center operators are at different stages in their data center upgrades and some are beginning to wind down their current investment cycle.”

The report states that global revenue for data center network equipment—data center Ethernet switches, application delivery controllers, and WAN optimization appliances— fell to $2.2 billion in 1Q12, down 6% from 4Q11, but up a strong 17% over last year. The report notes that WAN optimization appliances saw the steepest revenue decline, down 20% from the previous quarter.

Globally, the report notes that the Asia Pacific region posted the strongest sequential gain in 1Q12 for overall data center network equipment revenue, while North America still accounts for nearly half the market. Because renewed fears of an economic meltdown in the EU community are pressuring investments, the EMEA (Europe, Middle East, and Africa) region was down 10% quarter over quarter, and had the worst year-over-year of all regions.