CloudEthernet Forum Gets Underway

A new CloudEthernet Forum has been established to address the specific issues of scaling and applying suitable Ethernet services to meet the stringent demands of delivering cloud services. The CloudEthernet Forum aims to provide a framework for industry stakeholders to collectively develop solutions that address technical challenges such as VLAN scaling, layer 2 performance and resilience across very large domains and consolidating storage network...

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Internet2 Establishes Direct Peering to Windows Azure

Internet2 has established a direct peering relationship with two Microsoft cloud services:  Windows Azure and Microsoft Office 365 Education. These services will enable unmetered access to both the high-performance computing and the communications infrastructure to aid collaboration. The move to privately peer the Microsoft data centers to the Internet2 Network eliminates the need to traverse these very large data sets over the public Internet. “Microsoft...

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Ethernet's 40th Anniversary: From ALOHA to Ethernety

May 22nd marked the 40th anniversary of the day Bob Metcalf sketched out the basic concept of Ethernet. The anniversary was marked in commemorative event at the Computer History Museum presented by the Metro Ethernet Forum (MEF), parc and NetEvents.  In this video from NetEvents, Bob Metcalfe, UT Austin Professor of Innovation and Ethernet co-creator, sets the scene with reflections on how CSMA emerged from Hawaii, the early choices and challenges,...

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BT Tests 800G Super-Channel with Ciena

BT conducted a series of trials of 100, 200, and 400G, as well as an "800G super-channel," using equipment from Ciena. The trials, which occurred in March 2013, ran over a 410 km network link between BT’s Adastral Park Research and Development Centre in Ipswich and the iconic BT Tower in Central London. The link used high Polarization Mode Dispersion (PMD) fibre, which was unsuitable for traditional 10G operation but supported the higher rates...

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FCC Announces $300 Million in Connect America Second Round Funding

The FCC will allocate $300 million in a second round of Connect America Phase I incremental funding to further leverage private investment in rural America and accelerate the availability of broadband to consumers who lack access.  The funding is available to price cap carriers who will have an opportunity to deploy into newly eligible areas. The FCC also adopted a process to challenge the eligibility of particular census...

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National Photonics Initiative Seeks to Boost U.S. Competitiveness

A new National Photonics Initiative (NPI) has been established with a mission to advance areas of photonics critical to maintaining US competitiveness and national security. Backers of the NPI include the American Physical Society (APS), IEEE Photonics Society, Laser Institute of America (LIA), the Optical Society (OSA) and SPIE, the international society for optics and photonics. Specifically, the NPI was established to raise awareness about photonics...

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Mavenir Announces IMS Unified Access Gateway (UAG)

Mavenir introduced a Unified Access Gateway (UAG) for converged core network services across Circuit Switch (CS) and IP Multimedia System (IMS) networks. The UAG is a standard IMS Session Border Controller (SBC) that supports the latest 3GPP features needed to introduce new services such as RCS/RCS-e and VoLTE services, including SR-VCC. It employs IMS Centralized Services (ICS), which connects legacy CS GSM/UMTS access networks directly to the...

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Verizon Wireless Adds Samsung Galaxy S4

Verizon Wireless announced availability of the Samsung Galaxy S4.   Pricing is set at $199 with a new two-year contract activation.  Key features include LTE connectivity, 13–megapixel camera, 5–inch full HD display, built–in infrared sensor, Android 4.2 Jelly Bean, etc. http://www.verizonwireless.com Separately, Samsung confirmed that the Galaxy has reached 10 million units shipped in its first month of availability. Key...

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Argentina's ARSAT Upgrades to 100G with Alcatel-Lucent

ARSAT, a state-owned telecommunications operator in Argentina, will upgrade its network to 100G using Alcatel-Lucent’s Agile Optical Networking technology. The first routes to be upgraded are Buenos Aires to Mendoza, and Río Gallegos to Ushuaia in the south, crossing the Magellan Strait. Under the US$7.3 million contract, Alcatel-Lucent will supply 40G and 100G DWDM technology on its 1830 Photonic Service Switch (1830 PSS) platform as well as...

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