Monday, July 12, 2010

M.A.D. Offers Enterprise Security for iPhones, iPads

M.A.D. Partners released a cloud-based, enterprise mobile security solution that forces all iPhone, iPad and iTouch traffic through a fully managed firewall. Mobile Active Defense Enterprise UTM (Unified Threat Management) provides email security, anti-virus, spam and malware detection and removal, encryption, VPN, a granular policy driven firewall, inventory control, provisioning, compliance filtering and extensive reporting.
http://www.mobileactivedefense.com

Internet2 and NOAA to Build New Climate Research Network

Internet2 and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) announced plans for a new high capacity research network called "NWave" that will be built using 10 Gbps dedicated waves on the national Internet2 Network.


NWave, which is funded through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA), will provide dedicated, high speed, and high capacity connection between climate and weather researchers and NOAA's key high performance computing sites across the nation.


Indiana University Global Research Network Operations Center (GRNOC) will provide 24x7x365 professional network support as it does for the Internet2 Network and other advanced research and education networks in the country.


"The Internet2 community is excited to be an enabler of NOAA's critical climate and weather research. The Internet2 Network will connect researchers across the country to the high-performance computing resources that are an absolute requirement for the kinds of distributed, collaborative environmental observations and analyses that will unleash the next wave of discoveries about our natural world," said Rob Vietzke, Internet2 executive director of network services.
http://www.internet2.edu/http://www.noaa.gov

Harmonic Milestone: One Million QAMs Shipped

Harmonic announced a company milestone -- the shipment of more than one million QAMs to cable service providers worldwide.


Harmonic's edgeQAM technology powers video-on-demand (VOD), broadcast, switched digital video (SDV), modular cable modem termination system (M-CMTS) and cable IPTV services that serve more than 50 million cable TV subscribers around the world. The company said eighteen of the 20 largest MSOs in the United States, in addition to Tier 1 MSOs in Europe and Asia, have deployed Harmonic's NSG edgeQAMs.
http://www.harmonicinc.com

Level 3 Connects at Equinix London

Level 3 Communications has activated a new access node in Equinix's International Business Exchange (IBX) London 4/London5 (LD4/5) data center campus located on the outskirts of London. The access node will link the Equinix LD4/5 IBX campus directly with three of Level 3's transatlantic routes to New York, improving diversity and lowering the latency on the route between the UK and North America. Specifically, the new access node provides direct connectivity to three transatlantic routes; Yellow, AC-1 and Apollo North.
http://www.level3.com

Amazon Debuts High-performance Computing (HPC) Cloud Service

Amazon.com is launching a high-performance computing (HPC) cloud service that enables applications to run up to 8.5X faster than its existing cloud computing offering.


Cluster Compute Instances for Amazon EC2 is designed for high-performance computing (HPC) applications and other demanding network-bound applications. Amazon said it is able to deliver the same high compute and networking performance provided by custom-built infrastructure while benefiting from the elasticity, flexibility and cost advantages of Amazon EC2.


"Businesses and researchers have long been utilizing Amazon EC2 to run highly parallel workloads ranging from genomics sequence analysis and automotive design to financial modeling. At the same time, these customers have told us that many of their largest, most complex workloads required additional network performance," said Peter De Santis, General Manager of Amazon EC2. "Cluster Compute Instances provide network latency and bandwidth that previously could only be obtained with expensive, capital intensive, custom-built compute clusters. For perspective, in one of our pre-production tests, an 880 server sub-cluster achieved 41.82 TFlops on a LINPACK test run - we're very excited that Amazon EC2 customers now have access to this type of HPC performance with the low per-hour pricing, elasticity, and functionality they have come to expect from Amazon EC2."http://aws.amazon.com

BridgeWave Cites Growing Adoption of Millimeter Wave Backhaul

The overall 60-70-80 GHz market increased 46 percent globally from 2008 to 2009 even as the overall point-to-point (PTP) microwave radio market declined almost 11 percent, according to a new market report from EJL Wireless Research. In addition, FCC registration data in 2010 for 70/80 GHz installations increased over 400 percent compared to 2009.


BridgeWave Communications, which is listed in the report as the leading global supplier of 60-70-80 GHz millimeter wave systems for 2009, said the growth in millimeter deployments is coming from both etwork operators and enterprise companies.


"The evolution of mobile networks is a key driver for millimeter wave high capacity radios as operators and service providers look to enhance their networks to manage consumer demand for more bandwidth," said Amir Makleff, president and CEO of BridgeWave. "Data-hungry devices such as smart phones and netbooks have highlighted the importance of high capacity backhaul as operators look to alleviate network congestion."


"We noted in our report that the overall point-to-point (PTP) microwave radio market declined by 10.9 percent in 2009, however a bright spot in this segment was that shipments of 60-70-80 GHz millimeter wave radios increased by 46 percent, with BridgeWave leading that segment of the market for the third year in a row," said Earl Lum, founder and president of EJL Wireless Research.
http://www.bridgewave.com
http://www.ejlwireless.com/

Slic Selects Occam for GPON Deployment

Slic Network Solutions, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Nicholville Telephone, has chosen Occam Networks' BLC 6000 multiservice access platform (MSAP) to deliver advanced broadband services to more than 700 households and 39 businesses and anchor institutions in remote western Franklin County, NY.


As part of a $5.2 million broadband stimulus fiber project, Slic will offer triple play services including three tiers of high-speed Internet and IPTV. The project will be funded through a combination of Broadband Initiatives Program (BIP) grants and loans and will extend communication options to a region that is currently unserved.


Slic, which has already begun working on the Franklin County project, will deploy a 100 percent fiber optic-based network over 136 miles of cable across five townships and the surrounding areas. Slic will utilize GPON technologies on Occam's BLC 6000 MSAP for the deployment, including the BLC 6322 GPON Optical Line Termination. Residential, business and community organization environments will be supported by the ON 2541 Optical Network Terminal (ONT).
http://www.slic.com/home.htmlhttp://www.occamnetworks.com

Sycamore Targets Adaptive Content Optimization for the RAN

Sycamore Networks is developing mobile broadband optimization solution aimed at dramatically reducing congestion in the radio access network caused by rising demand for Internet video and other rich media applications. The goal is to reduce the traffic traveling across the RAN by looking into the user content flows and optimally delivering the content.



Sycamore said its forthcoming IQstream mobile broadband optimization solution will dynamically adapt to changing traffic patterns, including during peak usage periods and flash events, while maintaining full transparency to 3GPP radio network protocols and operations including critical core-based functions such as billing, policy control, and lawful intercept. The solution can be selectively deployed to parts of the RAN with the highest loads. The company claims its algorithms can deliver burst savings performance during peak usage periods as high as 90%. Other product specifics have not yet been disclosed.


"IQstream takes a unique approach to optimizing video and other rich media content traversing the RAN, employing sophisticated adaptive algorithms that self-tune in response to dynamic traffic behavior to ensure consistent service performance as mobile broadband usage patterns, applications, and devices evolve," said Kevin Oye, vice president of systems and technology, Sycamore Networks.


Sycamore anticipates that IQstream will be available in Q4 2010.
http://www.iqstream.nethttp://www.sycamorenet.com

Alvarion to Support TDD-LTE

Alvarion will support the forthcoming TD-LTE standard as part of its flagship 4Motion WiMAX platform, which encompasses its BreezeMAX family of base stations and antennas, ASN-GW
gateways, and OSS/BSS solutions.


Alvarion's strategy is to continue to actively drive WiMAX standardization activities, ecosystem development and WiMAX products. However, the company will also extend support for 4G networks that use TDD (Time Division Duplexing) spectrum, enabling these operators to take advantage of an expanding device ecosystem based on LTE in relevant frequencies as it develops.


The company said the trend in wireless spectrum availability around the globe supports the fact that unpaired TDD spectrum will have an even greater role to play for broadband wireless deployments in the future. TDD spectrum uses unpaired channels that combine the uplink and downlink, and split resources on the basis of real-time demand. TDD spectrum is relatively plentiful, cost effective and creates attractive opportunities for broadband applications over this spectrum.


Alvarion expects to engage in TD-LTE field trials in the first quarter of 2011.


Alvarion noted that it was first to offer a 4G platform using TDD spectrum in early 2006, and its 4Motion solution was designed to optimize networks using this spectrum.


"Our primary aim is to offer tailored broadband wireless solutions which can also evolve along with customers' needs. Our development effort over the past two years has been designed to accommodate the support for TD-LTE as a natural extension of our existing solution," said Eran Gorev, president and CEO of Alvarion. "We are moving full speed ahead both with our ongoing WiMAX development to bring the latest 802.16e enhancements, as well as incorporating TD-LTE into our platform. This approach allows our customers to offer the latest 4G features currently available and will also enable them to leverage the LTE device ecosystem as it evolves."http://www.alvarion.com

Tyco Electronics to Acquire ADC for $1.25 Billion

Tyco Electronics agreed to acquire ADC for $12.75 per share in cash, or an enterprise value of approximately $1.25 billion. The deal will position Tyco Electronics' Network Solutions segment as a leading global provider of broadband connectivity products to carrier and enterprise networks. ADC's connectivity product portfolio provides end-to-end network infrastructure solutions for central office, data center, outside plant and wireless network and cell-site deployments. Tyco Electronics' Network Solutions group supplies infrastructure components and systems for the communication service provider, building networks and energy markets, including connectors, above- and below-ground enclosures, heat shrink sleeves, cable accessories, surge arrestors, fiber optic cabling, copper cabling and racks for copper and fiber networks. The company is also a leader in developing, manufacturing, installing and maintaining advanced fiber optic undersea networks.


The combined organization will offer a connectivity product portfolio for both wireless and wireline network operators. In addition to extended geographic reach, the deal will provide Tyco with ADC's Distributed Antenna System (DAS) products, which extend mobile network coverage into commercial buildings. Additionally, Tyco Electronics will add ADC's professional services organization in the US to its business.



ADC reported FY 2009 annual sales of $1.15 billion. Approximately 35% of the company's sales are international. The company has 9,000 employees and is headquartered in Minneapolis, Minn.


In addition, Tyco Electronics reported preliminary results for the fiscal third quarter ended June 25, 2010. The company reported sales of $3.1 billion, an increase of 23 percent over the prior year quarter and up 4 percent sequentially. GAAP EPS were $0.72 in the quarter which included $0.02 per share of income related to other items net of restructuring charges. Adjusted EPS were $0.70 in the quarter. The company's book-to-bill ratio was 1.06 for the quarter and 1.08 excluding Subsea Communications.
http://www.adc.com
http://www.tycoelectronics.com
  • In May 2009, Tyco Electronics acquired the assets of Zarlink Semiconductor's Optical Products for approximately US$15 million in cash.


  • ADC was founded in 1935 by Ralph Allison to build audio products as well as amplifiers and transformers for the broadcast industry.

GSA Tracks Rapid Rise in HSPA Devices on the Market

The number of HSPA mobile broadband devices launched in the market has soared to 2,579 according to the Global mobile Suppliers Association (GSA), which represents GSM/EDGE/WCDMA-HSPA/LTE suppliers.


This represents more than 48% expansion in the number of HSPA devices on the market since October 2009. The number of suppliers increased from 190 to 235 in the same period.


Some other notes:

  • The number of devices supporting HSUPA (High Speed Uplink Packet Access) has increased 110% since October 2009 to 724 models. More than half (364) support, or are easily upgradeable for 5.76 Mbps peak or higher data speed.


  • Smartphones are another strong growth segment. Approximately 1 in 3 models of HSPA phones launched in the market today incorporate WiFi and GPS technologies.


  • Over 55% of HSPA devices support a peak data speed of at least 7.2 Mbps on the downlink (excluding notebooks and e-book readers). 50 HSPA Evolution (HSPA+) devices have been launched.


  • The main HSPA band globally is 2100 MHz.


  • Excluding notebooks and e-book readers, 401 HSPA devices i.e. 19% can operate in the 900 MHz band.


  • The 850 MHz band is very well supported by 940 devices (excluding notebooks and e-book readers). The 850/2100 MHz frequency combination is supported by 806 devices, and 690 tri-band 850/1900/2100 MHz devices enable global roaming.


  • GSA recently confirmed that mobile broadband service is now commercially available on 357 HSPA networks in 148 countries.
http://www.gsacom.com