NTT Com Launches Traffic Analysis System for DDoS Attacks

NTT Communications introduced a network-type traffic-analysis system that corporate customers can use to protect servers or routers from distributed denial-of-service (DDoS) attacks. The system initially is being offered to customers using NTT Com's Tier 1 Global IP Network in Japan. The new system is designed for enterprises using NTT Com's transit and collocation transit services for IPv4 traffic. The most advanced version of the system combines traffic-analysis software and mitigation devices to detect and protect against DDoS attacks. Remote installation is achieved via NTT Com's global Tier 1 backbone, resulting in lower costs and simpler operation of the system on the customer's side. The system sends an alert to the customer if network traffic suddenly exceeds a preset threshold. A dedicated screen connected to the system enables the customer to monitor the situation in real time during a suspected DDoS attack, as well as analyze traffic under normal conditions.


The advanced version, which provides traffic analysis and both DDoS attack detection and mitigation protection, costs from 682,500 yen (tax included) for installation and 420,000 yen (tax included) monthly.


NTT Com is considering offering upgraded Mitigation devices and software for more enhanced DDoS protection, as well as launching an international version of the system.
http://www.ntt.co.jp

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WSJ: U.S. Department of Justice Looks at Telecom Giants

The Wall Street Journal reported that the U.S. Department of Justice is conducting an initial review of major telecom operators to assess whether their dominant positions in wireline and wireless services is leading to market abuses. The DOJ has neither confirmed nor denied the report.
http://www.wsj.com
http://www.usdoj.gov

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Agilent and Mu Dynamics Publish Joint Template for Securing Networks

Agilent Technologies and Mu Dynamics have collaborated on an integrated solution that accelerates the design and automation of tests that are used to evaluate the impact of unexpected device/systems scenarios on network performance and reliability. The collaboration integrates Agilent's N2X multiservices test solution with Mu's Test Suite family. The testing emulates real-world scale and traffic in "out-of-service" lab environments, eliminating the need for operationally costly large test beds of network equipment. The companies coauthored a testing methodology that will enable shared customers to extend the integration to a wide variety of test scenarios.


The two companies' solutions complement each other by focusing on different challenges faced by both network equipment manufacturers (NEMs) and service providers (SPs). Agilent N2X validates the functional, performance and scalability characteristics of broadband networks and next-generation network equipment, such as layer 2-3 forwarding devices that deliver video, VoIP, data and VPN services. Mu Dynamic's Test Suite focuses on identifying software weaknesses and "exception" handling capabilities of network applications and devices. Mu's Test Suite modules offer QA, developer and support teams a series of dynamically malformed or mutated packets to the application or device under test (DUT) and determine which mutation negatively affects the DUT's supported services and causes anomalous behavior in control-plane protocols. By conducting a very large number of protocol-specific tests, Mu's Test Suite characterizes the network application reliability, overall robustness and security.


The real-time integration of Mu's Test Suite concurrently with Agilent's N2X makes it possible to evaluate the impact of an exception on overall network performance and service availability under load. For example, if Mu causes a device error, N2X monitors its effect on network traffic by measuring packet loss, latency and other critical parameters. The combination of Agilent and Mu technology helps NEMs and SPs mitigate the overall impact of protocol errors, day-zero attacks and hidden vulnerabilities in network equipment, and ensures uninterrupted service delivery and maximum performance under worst-case conditions.
http://www.agilent.com/find/N2Xhttp://www.mudynamics.com/resources/methods

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BT Discontinues Phorm Behavioral Web Tracking

After several trials, BT is discontinuing use of Phorm's interest based advertising and web tracking software.


In a statement, Phorm said "given our public commitment to developing next generation broadband and television services in the UK we have decided to weigh up the balance of resources devoted to other opportunities. Given these resource commitments, we don't have immediate plans to deploy Webwise today. However the interest based advertising market is extremely dynamic and we intend to monitor Phorm's progress with other ISPs and with Webwise Discover before finalising our plans."http://www.btplc.com
http://www.phorm.com

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ARIN Names New President and CEO

The American Registry for Internet Numbers (ARIN) named John Curran as its new president and chief executive officer, effective July 1, 2009. Mr. Curran will be responsible for building relationships with regional, international, governmental, and regulatory organizations, as well as spearheading education and awareness on issues facing the Internet community such as IPv4 depletion and IPv6 adoption.


Since January 1, 2009, Mr. Curran has served as acting president and CEO of ARIN. He is a founding member of the ARIN Board of Trustees and served as chairman from August 1997 to December 2008.
http://www.arin.net

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Bell Labs Scientists Win 2009 Marconi Prize

Two scientists from Bell Labs, Andrew Chraplyvy and Robert Tkach, have been awarded the prestigious 2009 Marconi Fellowship and Prize for their insights into how information is transmitted over optical networks and for finding innovative ways to significantly increase the speed and capacity of optical fiber communications systems.


Chraplyvy and Tkach recognized that demand for network capacity was growing exponentially and that nonlinearities inherent in optical transmission would make it virtually impossible to achieve the speeds required to meet that demand. The two scientists realized that previous approaches for increasing transmission efficiency were not sufficient and this realization motivated them to develop novel techniques that would overcome these limitations.


Robert Lucky, chairman of the Marconi Society explained, "Andy and Bob developed the concept of dispersion management -- and also conceived a new optical fiber type. The effect of these innovations was to enable wavelength-division-multiplexed (WDM) fiber transmission systems with capacities beyond one Terabit/second per fiber -- a 100-fold capacity increase in a mere ten years."http://www.alcatel-lucent.com

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AT&T Selected for Project in Oman

AT&T has been selected to deliver the design for advanced communications services and related infrastructure for Al Madina A'Zarqa, a major infrastructure project in Oman that will house 200,000 people. Under this agreement, Blue City Company 1 will work with AT&T to develop telecommunications services that will be rolled out to residential customers and businesses in the development, a 32 square kilometer city being constructed in Al Sawadi, a 60-minute drive from Oman's capital Muscat.


AT&T will provide expertise in areas such as product development, business modeling and technical support for advanced technologies as IPTV, Video on Demand, and other Internet Protocol based services, as well as communications infrastructure design and network management.
http://www.att.com/http://www.almadinaazarqa.com

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Metaswitch Signs Systems Integrator for Latin America

MetaSwitch announced a strategic alliance with Technology Bureau, one of the foremost systems integrators in Argentina with experience managing telecommunication projects throughout Latin America. The companies will join forces to enable local operators to benefit from the operational efficiencies of IP infrastructure as well as offer advanced voice services to residential and business subscribers. Technology Bureau will handle provisioning, installation, maintenance and support, as well as a range of professional services from network engineering and training to turn-key solution deployment.


MetaSwitch and Technology Bureau held a seminar earlier this month in Buenos Aires entitled "VoIP -- Carrier Class, Next Generation Converged Solutions".
http://www.metaswitch.com
http://www.tb.com.ar/

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DOCOMO Acquires 45% Stake in PacketVideo

NTT DOCOMO has acquired a 35-percent stake in San Diego-based PacketVideo (a subsidiary of NextWave Wireless) for $45.5 million in cash. The companies have enjoyed a productive partnership since 1998, enabling PacketVideo's technologies to be incorporated in multimedia applications for DOCOMO's FOMA 3G mobile network services. To date, PacketVideo's popular CORE multimedia player, pvPlayer, has been installed in more than 90 DOCOMO handset models.


DOCOMO has the next phase of this strategic alliance will enable it to enhance its music and video service offerings. In particular, the strengthened partnership will facilitate the efficient joint development of PacketVideo's new technologies, ensuring a stable supply of increasingly advanced mobile applications technologies to DOCOMO.
http://www.nttdocomo.com

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ZTE and Qualcomm Boost UMTS Uplink by up to 60%

Qualcomm and ZTE have collaborated to significantly enhance the capacity and performance of UMTS systems with the integration of Qualcomm's Uplink Interference Cancellation (ULIC) technology into ZTE's next-generation UMTS base station products.


The companies claim this technology will enable operators can boost their UMTS data throughput by up to 60 percent and deliver a user experience that is comparable to LTE in a similar channel bandwidth. The technology also enables UMTS operators to increase voice capacity by up to 45 percent.


Specifically, ULIC technology can deliver improved system capacity by eliminating interference from multiple uplink data streams. Enabled by the increased level of integration possible in today's commercial chips, ULIC brings the performance of CDMA-based modems close to their theoretical limits. The design is scalable and supports cancellation for a large number of simultaneous users and transmissions on the uplink.


"ZTE serves the world's top mobile operators based on our ability to consistently deliver high-quality and high-capacity network performance," said Zhang Jianguo, general manager of ZTE's UMTS products. "Our ongoing relationship with Qualcomm has enabled us to commercialize leading edge technologies that bring value to the entire wireless ecosystem. Using ULIC technology, we are providing operators with a highly efficient means to optimize their system performance while also extending the lives of their existing networks."


"Interference cancellation is helping to redefine the performance characteristics of UMTS by improving system capacity and delivering data throughput that is on par with LTE networks," said Jing Wang, executive vice president, Qualcomm Asia Pacific, Middle East and Africa. "It not only provides faster speeds, but also creates a better experience for the growing number of people using mobile devices to upload and share data-intensive content, such as photographs and videos. We are pleased to work with ZTE in their efforts to bring ULIC-enhanced base stations to market."http://www.qualcomm.com/http://www.zte.com.cn

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