Networking investments needed to unleash cloud computing's power
Cloud computing can be used to its full potential when supporting by the right networking investments.
By Donna DonnawitzJuly 3, 2012
Cloud computing is creating a new paradigm for how companies access data center resources. Traditionally, companies host applications and services in their data center, equip the internal network to handle external distribution and send data to users through the LAN and a dedicated data center interconnect link to go between the facility and the LAN. According to a recent GigaOM report, the rise of the cloud has created an environment in which organizations can no longer depend on a basic interconnect option that carries the mainstream internet, as the bandwidth demands of the cloud are too great to be supported by the connectivity option.
The news source explained that delivering the cloud on the same network pipe that brings the global internet to offices creates such bandwidth problems that it severely limits how organizations can use the technology. With cloud computing becoming more popular, employees increasingly expect high-quality performance and will be unlikely to use the technology optimally if the network cannot support functionality.
This is problematic, as cloud computing is able to break down the walls of the data center. In theory, businesses do not need to run their own data centers anymore. All they really need is a network closet. They can outsource infrastructure, software and platform resources to the cloud, use services like colocation to host any critical systems offsite and expand their data center into a system that is not limited by facility walls. However, the report said unlocking such an establishment is dependent on investing in the network in order to break down the walls of the network.
To accomplish this, businesses have to invest in the networks that exist between data centers and their offices, the news source explained. This enables the cloud to become fully-realized within corporate settings and ensures the technology can meet performance requirements.
Investing in fiber-optic cabling infrastructure can help with the interconnection between data centers and offices. For example, the traditional WAN generally experiences poor performance when trying to handle cloud computing's demands. However, investing in MAN infrastructure can help businesses overcome those limitations through a network that takes advantage of fiber-optic cabling and enables greater performance and data throughput between corporate facilities. As a result, MAN systems have the potential to help businesses improve their ability to handle cloud computing, freeing them to optimize their use of the technology.
Perle has an extensive range of Managed and Unmanaged Fiber Media Converters to extended copper-based Ethernet equipment over a fiber optic link, multimode to multimode and multimode to single mode fiber up to 160km.
The news source explained that delivering the cloud on the same network pipe that brings the global internet to offices creates such bandwidth problems that it severely limits how organizations can use the technology. With cloud computing becoming more popular, employees increasingly expect high-quality performance and will be unlikely to use the technology optimally if the network cannot support functionality.
This is problematic, as cloud computing is able to break down the walls of the data center. In theory, businesses do not need to run their own data centers anymore. All they really need is a network closet. They can outsource infrastructure, software and platform resources to the cloud, use services like colocation to host any critical systems offsite and expand their data center into a system that is not limited by facility walls. However, the report said unlocking such an establishment is dependent on investing in the network in order to break down the walls of the network.
To accomplish this, businesses have to invest in the networks that exist between data centers and their offices, the news source explained. This enables the cloud to become fully-realized within corporate settings and ensures the technology can meet performance requirements.
Investing in fiber-optic cabling infrastructure can help with the interconnection between data centers and offices. For example, the traditional WAN generally experiences poor performance when trying to handle cloud computing's demands. However, investing in MAN infrastructure can help businesses overcome those limitations through a network that takes advantage of fiber-optic cabling and enables greater performance and data throughput between corporate facilities. As a result, MAN systems have the potential to help businesses improve their ability to handle cloud computing, freeing them to optimize their use of the technology.
Perle has an extensive range of Managed and Unmanaged Fiber Media Converters to extended copper-based Ethernet equipment over a fiber optic link, multimode to multimode and multimode to single mode fiber up to 160km.
