The Hindu Business Line : Networks of the future

With action in the Indian telecom sector booming, providers of networking solutions are upbeat on the opportunity. Nagendra Venkaswamy, Managing Director of Juniper Networks, India and SAARC, and A. Prasad Babu, Director, System Engineering and Operations, share their take in a chat with eWorld. Excerpts:

How do you see convergence changing the face of networks in the future?

Consumers want their services bundled into a single, easy to use interface and a single billfor their services. To make this happen, the carrier must deploy and deliver these services over a single network platform. Be it the cash-strapped small and medium businesses sector or the funds-rich large enterprise segment, every company finds it easier and economical to put voice, video and data on a single IP infrastructure. Today we have either built or are in the process of rolling out such networks across the globe and in the Asia-Pacific region.

What are the technology trends that are visible for 2007?

Some of the 2007 technologies are: Endpoint security; Keeping your Network Secure - The Benefits of Access Control: Enterprise networks are growing increasingly complex and mobile with a multitude of devices — laptops, hand-helds, PDAs and a wide variety of users including employees, guests, partners and contractors requiring access to critical business information from diverse parts of the network.

A. Prasad Babu

As a result, securing the network now requires administrators to combine user identity, endpoint integrity and location information to consistently enforce access policies to networks, resources and applications.

We will see enterprises focusing on access control and best practices to dynamically and securely deliver LAN services to user constituents.

Application acceleration: Enterprises will face a dilemma in 2007 - on the one hand, they are expected to provide consistent application performance to all their employees, regardless of where they are and whether they're in HQ, a branch office or using a laptop in a hotel room. At the same time, they are expected to cut costs by centralising servers, Web-enabling their existing client-server applications, and so on.

MPLS: The adoption of the Internet as a strategic business tool is driving the rapid growth of IP as the foundation for multi-service networks and IP-based Virtual Private Networks (VPNs). In order to support these enhanced IP services, IP networks must offer specific quality of service (QoS) and traffic segregation capabilities. The need to provide different levels of service along with VPNs via a connectionless IP network has given rise to an IP switching technology called Multiprotocol Label Switching (MPLS).

Though we have the equipment ready, is the Indian market ready for multiplay?

The launch of multiplay services requires that best-effort Internet networks evolve into resilient infrastructures that can assure user experience. The transition introduces many considerations. For example, video traffic can vary greatly from one time to another with multiple sources, impacting traffic volume and quality. Multiplay also requires securing new voice and video systems, to protect against breaches and misuse.

IPTV seems to be the buzz word. How do you see India transitioning into this space?

The potential is huge as the country is developing at a fast pace. A lot of people think IPTV means watching TV at home through the Internet. But it means much more. It's about the flexibility of watching TV or video at home, on the cell-phone or on the PC because of the common dominator, which is IP. You can take pictures from your video camera, record it on your PC and using the IPTV infrastructure send the video to many people across the world. So, IPTV is all about two-way communication. On a television set we cannot watch programmes at our convenience. In the case of IPTV, you can see your favourite show, even though it has already been telecast. What's more, you can see it on your TV, laptop or even on the cell-phone. You don't have to look far to see that IPTV is taking off and Juniper feels that it will continue to take off in the coming years. The proof — Hong Kong enjoys one of the world's most successful IPTV services. Late last year, PCCW announced the introduction of its video on demand (VoD), a service that is powered by Juniper Networks SDX-300 and Broadband Service Router (BSR).

IPTV service is not unique to Hong Kong. Other examples include Fastweb, Telefonica, Verizon. This momentum is building in the face of strong competition from broadcast and cable television.

How does Juniper see itself playing a role in this next generation networks?

The NGN opportunity is about maximising customer choice and maximising network and business potential.

Consumers and businesses will increasingly demand more customised and unique services from operators.

These services include IPTV, video sharing, my-space type services, you-tube services, instant messaging services on mobiles, etc.

Moving forward, we will see operators remodelling their networks to rapidly accommodate new services as consumers and business users demand them. These networks will need to be built using open standards as apposed to the traditional approach of procuring a single network system from a single vendor, which greatly limits the number of services and applications that can be taken to the market.

Building networks using Open Standards will address two needs: It will enable the operators to build services for consumers and businesses, using their choice of software and hardware partners that are best suited to build and deliver those specific services.

Operators are free to work with any partner of their choice.

It will provide the Indian technology industry the opportunity to deliver customised software and hardware for India, Asia and around the world.

savitharin@gmail.com

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