Face-off: Private Fiber vs. “Traditional” Wide Area Networks

02/28/2012 by 2 Comments

There are basically two types of wide area networks available today:  private fiber networks and what we’ll refer to as a “traditional” network for this discussion.  In a private fiber network, all buildings in the network are connected via a dedicated fiber optic link.  A “traditional” network, on the other hand, connects each building to one another through the public cloud.  Of course, there are advantages and disadvantages to each network.

Security

  • Private fiber WAN
    • Dedicated physical infrastructure ensures internal data does not pass through any public infrastructure, virtually eliminating any security threat.
    • Network architecture allows for a single gateway to outside services such as voice, internet, etc. limiting external security risks.
  • Traditional WAN
    • All data, including internal data, passes through public switches.  VPNs and other security techniques must be relied on to protect data integrity.
    • Often, each location is a separate gateway to the public network enabling the possibility of outside security threats. Read more of this post

Filed under Fiber Optics, Infrastructure, Managed Services, Technology, Telecom, WAN, Wide Area Networks

All Aboard the Dark Fiber Train

02/14/2012 by 1 Comment

When asked to describe a private fiber wide area network (WAN) and particularly dark fiber WANs, I like to use the analogy of a train system. In this analogy, you have:

  • Data or content being transmitted:  People or freight
  • A variety of speeds and protocols available:  Engine and car type such as freight, standard or bullet trains
  • Various nodes or destinations:  Stations
  • Distribution hubs:  ex:  Penn Station, NYC and,
  • A system of pathways and switches that the data traverses:  Railway tracks and switches

In a standard managed network, you have little control over anything but the content you are transmitting; and for various content types such as voice, data, etc. you need separate services. In our analogy, you must then purchase separate tickets for your voice passengers and your data cargo which will be loaded onto a local train, with everyone else’s passengers, to stop at each station on the route. This of course introduces opportunities for lost passengers, overcrowding, and nefarious characters looking at your laptop screen along the way. None of this is necessarily a bad thing; most systems do a fair job of weeding out nefarious characters and provisioning enough trains to handle the traffic at a reasonable price for the level of service. Read more of this post

Filed under Dark Fiber, Fiber Optics, Managed Services, Telecom, WAN

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