Are you Prepared
for the
Ethernet boom?

We have heard about the coming boom in Ethernet due to increasing bandwidth needs across several vertical markets. It is no longer carrier hype or an industry buzzword, but a reality. Whether it is the healthcare industry, financial services industry, media outlets or engineering firms, the need for pipes between points that are 100Mbs and higher is becoming commonplace. According to a study done by Aberdeen Group, 94 percent of their respondents predict WAN bandwidth demand to grow over the next 12 months. On the flip side, none anticipate a decline. This WAN growth will likely be accomplished by implementing MPLS networks, large Internet pipes and Ethernet.

Ethernet, whether it is 10Mb or Gigabit speeds, can provide an end user more flexibility and greater future scalability than networks of the past, all without the end user having to invest in dark fiber. Ethernet, when delivered on fiber, can be upgraded from 100Mb to 200Mb with ease. With the right planning, the growth from 100Mb pipes to GigE can be painless for the customer. In the past, this type of growth was difficult at best. New equipment had to be purchased and installed at the customer site. The local provider had to re-provision everything, which could take months if any sort of construction or build was necessary.

While the new technology allows for more efficient growth, the planning phase is not always simple. As a consultant or an end user, you need to be ready for an extensive planning process, which is the reason American Telesis has added a Design Engineering Team to specifically support our Agents and Resellers in this process. There are many questions to ask. If you need Ethernet pipes that will range from 15Mb up beyond 100Mb, you need to be prepared to have fiber brought to your location. If construction is necessary, be ready to figure out whether or not there is conduit in your building, what kind of fiber and connectors you need (yes there are types - single mode, multi mode, etc).

Other critical questions to think about are what is the impact on your business if this high bandwidth circuit goes down? If it is devastating, how are you going to protect against that eventuality? Remember, it is not just carrier fiber cuts that can hurt you, but a very local issue, such as a fire in the basement of the building you are in. If the conduit your fiber runs through is damaged, you may be out of service for a while until new fiber can be pulled. So, do you invest in dual runs to your space from different points in the building? Do you have some sort of wireless backup? Do you implement another, smaller bandwidth circuit from another provider? How does the onsite equipment handle all these variables? There are many questions to wade through before a final decision is made.

So, as a consultant, be ready for project planning. Be prepared to re-design the options. Be ready to look at Ethernet in combination with Internet access, MPLS access or even Ethernet Private Line. One size does not fit all, but it can certainly make the future bright when done right.