Network optimization is becoming critical, study finds
Rising data transmission rates are making network optimization critical for many businesses.
By Donna DonnowitzSeptember 26, 2011
Network traffic is rising at such a rapid pace that businesses can no longer expect to keep up with bandwidth needs by adding new infrastructure. Instead, organizations need to invest in network optimization to make the most out of available bandwidth and improve network performance, a recent study from the Association for Telecommunications Solutions found, according to a recent Connected Planet report
A variety of technologies are impacting how much bandwidth businesses need, and it all adds up to a circumstance where data transmission rates are expanding so rapidly that few organizations can keep up. However, optimizing the network can take the bandwidth that is available and maximize the performance it can offer.
According to industry expert Tom Anderson, ATIS found that many vendors offer their own individual network optimization solutions. However, the problem of network optimization has become such an issue that large-scale programs need to be initiated, and standards must emerge so different vendor solutions can be combined to support large-scale optimization projects, Connected Planet report.
While network optimization may be getting more complex, the industry has dealt with some technological problems, especially optimizing networks for voice traffic, according to industry expert Kevin Sparks.
"The voice world is mature and pretty well understood in terms of how to engineer for voice traffic. Most of the optimization scenarios we discuss involve vast amount of Internet traffic, all in the same best-effort class. What you see is just a collision between all different sorts of users with peaks and valleys that are much more dynamic," said Sparks, according to Connected Planet.
ATIS explored seven different usage scenarios and eventually found a few optimization formats that stand out above the crowd.
Congestion awareness is one of the policies accepted by the ATIS study. This process involves monitoring the network so any congestion can be identified quickly and act as a trigger for dynamic optimization solutions.
Traffic detection, which includes policies to identify data transmissions and optimize the network based on the importance of content in the network, is also becoming important, according to ATIS.
There are a variety of ways to employ traffic detection. According to a recent TechTarget report, businesses can adapt the technologies used to provide monitoring for quality of service systems to label data packets and develop protocols that help optimize routing within the network. However, there are a variety of standards for accomplishing this, and businesses need to carefully evaluate infrastructure to ensure their systems can support the practice, the report said.
A variety of technologies are impacting how much bandwidth businesses need, and it all adds up to a circumstance where data transmission rates are expanding so rapidly that few organizations can keep up. However, optimizing the network can take the bandwidth that is available and maximize the performance it can offer.
According to industry expert Tom Anderson, ATIS found that many vendors offer their own individual network optimization solutions. However, the problem of network optimization has become such an issue that large-scale programs need to be initiated, and standards must emerge so different vendor solutions can be combined to support large-scale optimization projects, Connected Planet report.
While network optimization may be getting more complex, the industry has dealt with some technological problems, especially optimizing networks for voice traffic, according to industry expert Kevin Sparks.
"The voice world is mature and pretty well understood in terms of how to engineer for voice traffic. Most of the optimization scenarios we discuss involve vast amount of Internet traffic, all in the same best-effort class. What you see is just a collision between all different sorts of users with peaks and valleys that are much more dynamic," said Sparks, according to Connected Planet.
ATIS explored seven different usage scenarios and eventually found a few optimization formats that stand out above the crowd.
Congestion awareness is one of the policies accepted by the ATIS study. This process involves monitoring the network so any congestion can be identified quickly and act as a trigger for dynamic optimization solutions.
Traffic detection, which includes policies to identify data transmissions and optimize the network based on the importance of content in the network, is also becoming important, according to ATIS.
There are a variety of ways to employ traffic detection. According to a recent TechTarget report, businesses can adapt the technologies used to provide monitoring for quality of service systems to label data packets and develop protocols that help optimize routing within the network. However, there are a variety of standards for accomplishing this, and businesses need to carefully evaluate infrastructure to ensure their systems can support the practice, the report said.
