Social Networking
Riding the social media wave
Thursday 21 February 2008, 1:23 PM
All hail dark fibre: the bandwidth saviour?
I think it’s fair to say that the ever increasing popularity of social networking Web sites and TV (video) over the Web are contributing heavily to our small island’s bandwidth problems.
Breath... And relax... A North West-based outfit called H2O Networks is hailing dark fibre as the solution. Dark fibre offers unlimited bandwidth connectivity yet surprisingly no carriers are willing to sell it.
Dark fibre is fibre optic cable that has been laid for use by telecoms networks, but which is not used. There are a number of reasons why fibre may remain dark: ill-judged over-investment in capacity (this was particularly bad during the dotcom boom); deliberate planning for future growth. My money’s on the former...
Deliberate building of excess capacity happens because of the difficulties involved in laying fibre optic cables: digging up the ground (or even worse, running cables through oceans) is very expensive (but more importantly I have to keep moving my Jeep!), so there is every reason to lay more than you need immediately, in order not to have to do it again in the near future. Dark fibre is sometimes sold, the buyers presumably having plans to make it ‘lit’.
H2O Networks is flying the flag for take up of dark fibre and is offering a unique local fibre service for £699 per month with no connection fee, offering virtual ownership of the fibre and a future-proofed network for at least the next ten years. And, regardless of your bandwidth requirements 100Mbps, 200Mbps or Gigabit, the price remains the same. Additional fibres will be charged at an incredible price of 0.25p.
Dark fibre is much overlooked, but is it a totally viable solution to solve the UK’s bandwidth needs? BT set the bandwidth tariff about 30 years ago and not only is it hugely expensive, it is also extremely restrictive. No-one could have predicted the current levels of demand for bandwidth, so does the future lie with dark fibre? H2O Networks uses a Fibre Optical Cable Underground Sewer System (FS) to deploy its cable via the UK’s sewer network. The company works with organisations to build bespoke networks while staying in line with its ethos of low cost leasing with no uplift charge on bandwidth.
The company says the low cost platform provided by FS can be implemented 80% faster than traditional methods and there is no need for the complex negotiations that come with getting the permission to dig up the roads and pavements. As existing networks become increasingly congested with cables of all types, it has become much more difficult for network companies to find new pathways.
The cost advantages of an H2O network mean that not only is it cheaper to install, but it offers a fixed term cost rather than bandwidth tariffs. The bandwidth is hugely scalable so should will cope with the evolution of technology and the capacity this will eat up for the foreseeable future. Apparently, every city and town has ready-made ducts that can be used without causing disruption. An additional advantage is that the cables lie at depths of up to 5m below the ground, compared with 450mm for conventional cables, making it far more secure.
I really do like the idea of no restriction on bandwidth and the fact that the customer is firmly in control with the ability to upgrade at any time.
Breath... And relax... A North West-based outfit called H2O Networks is hailing dark fibre as the solution. Dark fibre offers unlimited bandwidth connectivity yet surprisingly no carriers are willing to sell it.
Dark fibre is fibre optic cable that has been laid for use by telecoms networks, but which is not used. There are a number of reasons why fibre may remain dark: ill-judged over-investment in capacity (this was particularly bad during the dotcom boom); deliberate planning for future growth. My money’s on the former...
Deliberate building of excess capacity happens because of the difficulties involved in laying fibre optic cables: digging up the ground (or even worse, running cables through oceans) is very expensive (but more importantly I have to keep moving my Jeep!), so there is every reason to lay more than you need immediately, in order not to have to do it again in the near future. Dark fibre is sometimes sold, the buyers presumably having plans to make it ‘lit’.
H2O Networks is flying the flag for take up of dark fibre and is offering a unique local fibre service for £699 per month with no connection fee, offering virtual ownership of the fibre and a future-proofed network for at least the next ten years. And, regardless of your bandwidth requirements 100Mbps, 200Mbps or Gigabit, the price remains the same. Additional fibres will be charged at an incredible price of 0.25p.
Dark fibre is much overlooked, but is it a totally viable solution to solve the UK’s bandwidth needs? BT set the bandwidth tariff about 30 years ago and not only is it hugely expensive, it is also extremely restrictive. No-one could have predicted the current levels of demand for bandwidth, so does the future lie with dark fibre? H2O Networks uses a Fibre Optical Cable Underground Sewer System (FS) to deploy its cable via the UK’s sewer network. The company works with organisations to build bespoke networks while staying in line with its ethos of low cost leasing with no uplift charge on bandwidth.
The company says the low cost platform provided by FS can be implemented 80% faster than traditional methods and there is no need for the complex negotiations that come with getting the permission to dig up the roads and pavements. As existing networks become increasingly congested with cables of all types, it has become much more difficult for network companies to find new pathways.
The cost advantages of an H2O network mean that not only is it cheaper to install, but it offers a fixed term cost rather than bandwidth tariffs. The bandwidth is hugely scalable so should will cope with the evolution of technology and the capacity this will eat up for the foreseeable future. Apparently, every city and town has ready-made ducts that can be used without causing disruption. An additional advantage is that the cables lie at depths of up to 5m below the ground, compared with 450mm for conventional cables, making it far more secure.
I really do like the idea of no restriction on bandwidth and the fact that the customer is firmly in control with the ability to upgrade at any time.
Wednesday 20 February 2008, 2:42 PM
Harvard Uni Hack Made Me Smile
Monday's report on Harvard University’s Web site being seriously hacked - with copies of the main server database appearing on a BitTorrent file-sharing network - is a cautionary tale for anyone involved with IT security issues. It’s also pretty funny (sorry!).
Although it remains to be seen what Harvard’s IT department has to say about the site hack (its media office has been embarrassingly quiet of late), it looks like the hackers got everything from the University’s servers, including information from the back office and system file data that is not normally accessible to the public. The compressed 125MB file is said to include contacts details, as well as other files associated with Joomla, the open-source content management system. It’s currently doing the rounds on The Pirate Bay.
So how did this happen? Easy. The University didn’t use a data encryption system on its most sensitive files. If it did, the systematic site hack would probably not have occurred. The worst that could have happened is that the publicly-accessible Web site could have been downloaded and distributed, which is no big deal for anyone.
Database losses and hacks can, and do occur, often through human error, but the Harvard University hack apparently involves the complete site database - allegedly including hidden system files. This is a potentially worse-case scenario for any IT director as it means the complete site, right down to its root-and-branch structure, and, presumably, all system files, can be downloaded and cloned by just about anyone on the Internet. I'm about to try it...
Although it remains to be seen what Harvard’s IT department has to say about the site hack (its media office has been embarrassingly quiet of late), it looks like the hackers got everything from the University’s servers, including information from the back office and system file data that is not normally accessible to the public. The compressed 125MB file is said to include contacts details, as well as other files associated with Joomla, the open-source content management system. It’s currently doing the rounds on The Pirate Bay.
So how did this happen? Easy. The University didn’t use a data encryption system on its most sensitive files. If it did, the systematic site hack would probably not have occurred. The worst that could have happened is that the publicly-accessible Web site could have been downloaded and distributed, which is no big deal for anyone.
Database losses and hacks can, and do occur, often through human error, but the Harvard University hack apparently involves the complete site database - allegedly including hidden system files. This is a potentially worse-case scenario for any IT director as it means the complete site, right down to its root-and-branch structure, and, presumably, all system files, can be downloaded and cloned by just about anyone on the Internet. I'm about to try it...
Wednesday 20 February 2008, 10:56 AM
‘Office 14’ Web-Friendly - Yippee! Still Not Wallet-Friendly
Big Bill has been quoted in the press recently saying that ‘Office 14’ will be Web-friendly. Welcome to the Internet revolution! Microsoft won’t provide the full functionality of Office online, but it will offer limited capabilities to view and edit the data in Office applications. Haven’t the Redmond suits even heard of Web 2.0? Microsoft already does this for its Outlook e-mail client with Outlook Web Access...
Microsoft seems to be feeling the squeeze from online office applications, and I’m glad to see the company sweating and having to adapt to the change on the application side. I guess the next step for it will be to adapt to the new pricing model for productivity applications - FREE! Oh, and how about it chucks in a little open source while it is at it. We can dream...
Microsoft’s productivity applications have been around longer than the BT engineer at the end of my street, so isn’t it about time they should be commodity by now? Paying £400 for an office suite made sense when the price of the desktop/laptop was £3K. Now the price of the hardware has come down to £300 and we still pay £400 for an office suite.
On top of it, there is a new version every two or three years asking for an upgrade. What’s wrong with this picture? Maybe someday we’ll see a model like Web applications where ‘all upgrades are included’. Productivity apps should be a commodity by now and I'm putting my foot down...
Microsoft seems to be feeling the squeeze from online office applications, and I’m glad to see the company sweating and having to adapt to the change on the application side. I guess the next step for it will be to adapt to the new pricing model for productivity applications - FREE! Oh, and how about it chucks in a little open source while it is at it. We can dream...
Microsoft’s productivity applications have been around longer than the BT engineer at the end of my street, so isn’t it about time they should be commodity by now? Paying £400 for an office suite made sense when the price of the desktop/laptop was £3K. Now the price of the hardware has come down to £300 and we still pay £400 for an office suite.
On top of it, there is a new version every two or three years asking for an upgrade. What’s wrong with this picture? Maybe someday we’ll see a model like Web applications where ‘all upgrades are included’. Productivity apps should be a commodity by now and I'm putting my foot down...
Monday 18 February 2008, 4:08 PM
UK Broadband Sucks - Official
Broadband users will be delighted to know that the average speed in the UK is a pitiful 2.95Mbps.
According to 18,558 tests carried out this month by a large broadband comparison site, some poor souls get a paltry 1.72Mbps from Tiscali through to the highest average of 6.07Mbps with Be broadband. The higher download speeds of Be, who also provides the technology behind O2’s broadband service, is partially due to the ADSL2+ technology which allows much greater speeds to be achieved. Most providers currently provide their broadband connections through the more traditional ADSL technology.
Current advertising campaigns like the one for Tiscali broadband promise superfast broadband download speeds of up to 8Mbps. Someone somewhere (and probably in a suit) is obviously telling porkies, as Tiscali came bottom in the test results with an average actual download speed of just 1.72Mbps. Call that superfast? Despite ongoing pressure from Ofcom and various consumer groups, broadband providers are still misleading us over broadband speeds, and it really isn’t on.
For heaven’s sake, stop confusing my poor Mum & Dad (not that they know what the numbers mean anyway) by stating maximum broadband speeds that are often only achieved by a very small percentage of subscribers in central London (we stand no chance in the 'sticks'). Instead, clearly state the average download and upload speeds achieved by your broadband subscribers. This would give us a better idea of the sort of speeds we are likely to receive and would encourage providers to deliver better broadband products.
According to 18,558 tests carried out this month by a large broadband comparison site, some poor souls get a paltry 1.72Mbps from Tiscali through to the highest average of 6.07Mbps with Be broadband. The higher download speeds of Be, who also provides the technology behind O2’s broadband service, is partially due to the ADSL2+ technology which allows much greater speeds to be achieved. Most providers currently provide their broadband connections through the more traditional ADSL technology.
Current advertising campaigns like the one for Tiscali broadband promise superfast broadband download speeds of up to 8Mbps. Someone somewhere (and probably in a suit) is obviously telling porkies, as Tiscali came bottom in the test results with an average actual download speed of just 1.72Mbps. Call that superfast? Despite ongoing pressure from Ofcom and various consumer groups, broadband providers are still misleading us over broadband speeds, and it really isn’t on.
For heaven’s sake, stop confusing my poor Mum & Dad (not that they know what the numbers mean anyway) by stating maximum broadband speeds that are often only achieved by a very small percentage of subscribers in central London (we stand no chance in the 'sticks'). Instead, clearly state the average download and upload speeds achieved by your broadband subscribers. This would give us a better idea of the sort of speeds we are likely to receive and would encourage providers to deliver better broadband products.
Monday 18 February 2008, 3:10 PM
Die HD DVD, Die!
More speculations on the demise of HD DVD have emerged today - like it needs anymore!
After receiving several blows in the past few weeks, the Toshiba-backed HD DVD format is now running on its last leg. After Warner Bros' exclusive Blu-ray deal, retailers and DVD rental companies have decided to stop stocking HD DVD products. Come on, HD DVD is now a dead duck. What does it take to die? Toshiba and the Promotion Group are likely to officially support the format until April 2008, but in reality the race is now over.
The big question is how this impacts on Toshiba as an electronics company. It has, after all, bet its disc media business on HD DVD, as well as gone for HD DVD integration into some of its laptop PCs. And then there's the whole Microsoft HD DVD conspiracy.
The channel has inventory to clear, and demands from owners of HD DVD players. This once again shows why incompatible and mutually exclusive formats should be avoided at all cost by the industry. It reduces profitability and delays customer adoption. Plus, it pisses me off because it doubles my workload.
Toshiba is now stuck between a rock and a hard place, and HD DVD will be a big and nasty sword for the Japanese electronics company to fall on. I feel your pain.
After receiving several blows in the past few weeks, the Toshiba-backed HD DVD format is now running on its last leg. After Warner Bros' exclusive Blu-ray deal, retailers and DVD rental companies have decided to stop stocking HD DVD products. Come on, HD DVD is now a dead duck. What does it take to die? Toshiba and the Promotion Group are likely to officially support the format until April 2008, but in reality the race is now over.
The big question is how this impacts on Toshiba as an electronics company. It has, after all, bet its disc media business on HD DVD, as well as gone for HD DVD integration into some of its laptop PCs. And then there's the whole Microsoft HD DVD conspiracy.
The channel has inventory to clear, and demands from owners of HD DVD players. This once again shows why incompatible and mutually exclusive formats should be avoided at all cost by the industry. It reduces profitability and delays customer adoption. Plus, it pisses me off because it doubles my workload.
Toshiba is now stuck between a rock and a hard place, and HD DVD will be a big and nasty sword for the Japanese electronics company to fall on. I feel your pain.
