by Ian Grant

register online @ www.networkingplus.co.uk to receive your free monthly copy managed

Reducing the box countHow virtualisationand cloud platformsare paying off Real World Networks,p9!

WAN optimisationAre software definednetworks the answerto dealing with thedata deluge?Feature, pp10-13!

The government is to spend close to £180min pursuit of a 10 per cent share of a global$400bn market for Smart City technologies.But the report on which it is basing itsinvestment fails to address the networkinfrastructure that is expected to support it.

The report, by consulting engineers Arup,outlines the benefits of �“smartening�” water,waste, energy, transport and assisted livingin cities. It adds that UK firms could earnbillions exporting Smart City technologyand skills, but nowhere does the phrase�“communications infrastructure�” appear.

Department of Business, Innovation andSkills officials said Research Councils UKis spending around £95m on exploringsmart city concepts. In addition, theTechnology Strategy Board is setting up aFuture Cities Catapult in London and will

invest £50m over five years. It has alreadyspent £33m on future city demonstratorsthat were carried out earlier this year.

Other government-funded projectsinclude transport schemes to promoteintelligent systems and smart ticketing,the roll out of telecare and telehealth inthe NHS, and the introduction of smartmeters by 2020. Telefónica and Arqivawill get more than £2bn for standalonenetworks to carry the UK�’s smart meterdata traffic (see News, July/August). Thisraises questions over the fitness forpurpose of the broadband networks nowunder construction.

Many Smart City projects will rely onreal-time data flows and responses withredundant links where human safety is afactor, such as traffic control. This implies

www.networkingplus.co.uk N O V E M B E R 2 0 1 3

The London Stock Exchange (LSE) hasbought a NexxCom Wireless low latencymillimetre wireless network to connect itsCity data centre with Equinix London inSlough. It hopes the deployment will helpit cope with high-frequency trading traffic.

The link uses the specialist ultrabroadband network vendor�’s thirdgeneration proprietary radio technologyto cut latency to under 300 microseconds�– claimed to be 30 to 40 per cent fasterthan fibre �– and provide a totalthroughput capacity of 1Gbps for clients.

The service, which will be shared amongtraders, is due to go live in November.

LSE head of IT business developmentNigel Harold says the NexxCom dealshows the LSE�’s commitment to meetingcustomer demand for wirelesscommunication services. �“It will allowparticipants to manage activity moreefficiently across multiple venues,�” he said.

NexxCom founder and chairman SalBenti adds that the LSE deployment islikely to be the start of a Europe-widenetwork of low-latency links. "

LSE turns to NexxCom for faster-than-fibre wireless network

Government Smart Cities planignores network infrastructure

F I X E D & W I R E L E S S N E T W O R K S F O R E N T E R P R I S E U S E R S

using a different network from the shared�‘best efforts�’ networks now being rolledout, where contention and latency maydisrupt operations.

CityFibre is about to invest £30m in afibre backbone network in Peterborough(see p4), and the city�’s immediate priority isto make fibre available to its businesscommunity and public sector. COO MarkCollins says: �“Peterborough councillors areforward-thinking, and Smart City projectsare integral to our discussions with them.�”He expects wireless, especially Wi-Fi, tooverlay the fibre network and become a keycomponent of many Smart City initiatives.

Mani Manivannan, an associate withArup, says telecoms providers andtechnology suppliers will be key

stakeholders and actors in Smart Citydeployments. He believes that only a fewmay need more rigorous performancemeasures, and that it is likely that non-deterministic protocols, such as EthernetTCP/IP, will support the majority ofapplications, with some smart grid servicesneeding deterministic protocols.

�“The economics of delivering TCP/IPand its historical omnipresence innetworks �– such as municipal and publicWi-Fi access, xDSL and cable, trunkedpublic telecoms, and over 3G/LTE �– meanthat many applications will leverage this,rather than require more expensive orharder to deliver deterministic protocols,�”says Manivannan.

(continued on p2)

Olympic legacyLondon 2012equipment recycledfor World WildlifeFund’s head officeNews, p2! Off-the-shelf, p14!

Data storage A safe and reliable place to store all your growing bits and bytes

Metronet’s ‘Fi-Wi’ network for Manchester’sSuperConnected City project could be afoundation for making it a Smart City.

Net+ 1311 p1 (cover) RN NEW.qxd 22/11/13 15:07 Page 1

news

2

register online @ www.networkingplus.co.uk to receive your free monthly copy

Smart Cities infrastructure(continued from p1)

�“Some performance tolerance will bemade acceptable, and �‘pseudo�’deterministic performance will beacceptable. Indeed, there are adaptationsto Ethernet (TCP/IP) to allow this.�”

Mobile operators are staking out theSmart City market. Vodafone and Telefónicahave ambitious plans for M2M (machine-to-machine) communications, which are thebedrock of Smart City projects. But cellularnetworks are expensive and poorly suited tothe task, according to William Webb, CEOof the Weightless Special Interest Group.

He is the standard bearer for theWeightless protocol, originally developedby Neul and now in the public domain as anopen source standard.�“Weightless is theonly data pipe that has been specificallyoptimised for global, long range, infrequenttransmission of small data packetsgenerated by M2M applications,�” claimsWebb. �“[It] is frequency-agnostic and can

use white space spectrum available withinthe gaps between TV transmissions.�”

Government efforts to get high-speed citynetworks have been somewhat frustrated.As part of its £150m SuperConnected Citiesproject, it had planned to have metronetworks in 22 cities that could deliverFTTP as well as support public utilities. Butthis was changed following a threat oflitigation by BT and Virgin Media to ascheme that allows businesses to apply forgrants of up to £3,000 to pay for a high-speed broadband connection to premises(also see September feature, p10).

BDUK ran a £2.25m pilot of the revisedscheme from the start of August to the endof September in Belfast, Cardiff, Edinburgh,Manchester and Salford. There were 690grant requests of which 443 conditionaloffers were made and 12 rejected, leading to240 quotations from 28 suppliers. BDUKsays this was a �“success�”, adding that lateapplications are still being processed. !

nn ee tt ww oo rr kk ii nngg november 2013

Network equipment used for the LondonOlympics has been redeployed to showcasethe World Wildlife Fund�’s conservationethic at its new head office in Woking.

The £20m HQ, much of which is open tothe public, is said to be the epitome of greenworking practice. It features extensive use ofwireless networking (backed up by Cat6) tosupport hot-desking, BYOD, BYOA (apps)and CYOD (choose), video conferencing tocut travel, energy from solar and geothermalsources, and wide use of natural light.

The equipment was refurbished by Ciscoand the installation managed by resellerDimension Data. It includes a 6500 coreEthernet switch supported by 3750 edgeswitches and ASA 5500 firewalls.

There are only 180 desks for the 300+ staffat the building plus 150 meeting roomspaces. Just four shared printers helpminimise paper usage. Desk phones are athing of the past as all voice and message

comms are via Jabber, Cisco�’s UC app,which encourages people to work remotely,saving carbon miles. The office uses Citrixto support remote workers, but may switchto the Cisco AnyConnect VPN client.

WWF-UK�’s head of IT, David Southern,said the idea was to match the organisation�’sdeeds to its words, and to have the entirebuilding provide a model for a moresustainable way of living and working, bothas a testbed for new ideas, and as livingproof of what can be done.

It has also led to innovation. Thearchitects refused to have wireless accesspoints cluttering the clean lines of thebuilding, so Cisco�’s UK engineers designedand built about 80 unique APs that areflush-mounted in the metal floor.

Southern says that when the buildingopened, it took just 60 minutes for all thestaff to be connected and working, thanksto the wireless network. !

Sustainable wood and glass maximise the use of natural light while the curved roof gives totalflexibility in adapting to new work patterns at WWF’s new HQ in Woking, Surrey. PHOTO: IAN GRANT

TechCity, London�’s digital innovationhotspot near Old Street, will be the firstarea covered by EE�’s new 300Mbps LTE-Advanced (LTE-A) network. Just hoursafter CEO Olaf Swantree announced thisat a London conference earlier this month,EE launched what it claims is the world�’sfirst petabyte mobile data package, offeringcheaper rates than fibre for big data transfers.

The 300Mbps 4G network coversTechCity from launch, and will be rolledout across London throughout 2014. Next

month, the operator will choose firmsfrom the TechCity area to test the servicebefore compatible devices have theircommercial launch in mid-2014.

EE�’s move follows news that BT hasteamed-up with TechCity businessincubator TechHub to launch a BT InfinityLab programme. They will createbroadband applications that BT will sellalongside its existing products. In 2011,Virgin Media trialled a 1.5Gbps networkin the area which led to it doubling the

speeds on its broadband network and thedevelopment of a 152Mbps service whichit plans to introduce next year.

Speaking on the anniversary of EE�’slaunch of 4G, Swantree said his firm expectsUK data usage to rise 750 per cent by 2017.He said capacity in the LTE networkenables mission-critical, high-data businessapplications such as ERP and SAP tobecome cloud-based, improving flexibility.Financial institutions that often transfer largevolumes of data could also benefit, he said.

Swantree claimed that increasedbandwidth across the network also enables anew approach to outside broadcasting as asmall number of 4G SIMs can replace anentire satellite truck and the rental of asatellite connection. However, he believesthe �‘killer app�’ for high-speed broadband is4K television. While the BBC iPlayerstreams at 5Mbps, 4K TV will stream at20Mbps. �“A consistently high averagespeed, enabled by sufficient capacity on thenetwork, is essential,�” said Swantree. !

TechCity gets 300Mbps wireless network

London�’s Gatwick Airport, which alreadyhas the world�’s busiest single runway, isusing a Cisco-based unified communica-tions system hosted by Fujitsu as part of afive-year development project to make it thepremier entry point to the UK and Europe.

Led by its incumbent telephony supplierXchanging, Gatwick is initially setting upvoice, video, IM and presence services for1,100 staff , before extending them to all2,500 end users and commercial customers.

The rollout began in September anduses Fujitsu�’s Cloud Connect Collaboratesolution (CCC) that runs in the company�’sdata centres in north and south London.CCC is a hosted voice and collaborationservice and is in turn based on Cisco�’sHosted Collaboration platform.

�“Each of the staff will be contactable via asingle number, regardless of their chosendevice,�” says John Keegan, Fujitsu�’s directorof networks. �“A device-agnostic serviceprovides a much greater degree offlexibility, meaning users can take callsfrom mobiles, smartphone or laptop-basedsoftware clients, and fixed phone lines.�” Headds that voice and video services will berouted through Cisco�’s Jabber client.

Keegan declined to comment on whetherthere are plans to use Wi-Fi or how Gatwickwill manage security and authentication.But he did point out that shifting to the cloudwill give Gatwick flexibility and consumeservices as necessary. This will help to cutcosts, improve productivity, and ensurebusiness continuity for the airport. !

Gatwick selects Fujitsu and Ciscoin a bid for top-flight status

WWF recycles IT for new HQ

Net+ 1311 p2 (news) RN NEW v2.qxd 22/11/13 15:17 Page 2

newsregister online @ www.networkingplus.co.uk to receive your free monthly copy

3 november 2013 nn ee tt ww oo rr kk ii nngg

The rapid rate of changes in technologyhas placed new demands on IT profes-sionals to upskill and retrain or risk beingleft behind. Despite this, there is a growinggap between the speed technology isadvancing and the uptake of IT training.

Research has revealed that 50 percent of CTOs recognise there is a skillsgap holding back their business(according to IDC). In addition, a newreport published by the UK Commissionfor Employment and Skills says thatcloud computing, mobile technologiesand cyber security are creating demandfor deeper and more specialised IT skills.

Cloud computing and BYOD havebrought many advantages, but there areIT challenges relating to data security andnew modes of working. Consequently,network professionals need access totraining that will equip them with the skillsto keep up with the pace of technology.

As companies move to cloud-hostedservices, maintenance, repair and upgradeservices will be increasingly delivered bythe provider. This is driving a switch inemphasis from support to innovation. Forexample, internal departments are beingrerouted to look at the benefits mobiledevices can bring to their businesses and

the security and logistical challenges thisposes. In addition, the growth of networkshas created a shortage of people who areable to build, design and maintain theinfrastructure needed to communicateand do business.

For example, advances in Cisco’s technologies create new skillsrequirements for network professionals,meaning it is quickly becoming some ofthe most valuable training in the IT field.Formal training on Cisco technologiescan lead to higher productivity amongteams as they make fewer errors thanthose who receive on the job training.For those looking to enter the IT industryand take advantage of the growing sector,Cisco training is also a way to gatherskills that are valued by employers.

In summary, advances in technologycreate new opportunities for IT profes-sionals who are trained to embrace thebenefits they bring. As the role of the ITprofessional continues to adapt to theever-changing technology landscape,training is the best way to future-proof a business and is the only way to closethe skills gap in the industry. Philip Badman is also deputy principal atNewham College of Further Education.

THE WORLD ACCORDING TO...Philip Badman, director, New Horizons London

Moving beyond the helpdesk: thechanging role of the IT professional

C4L has launched a carrier grade MPLSnetwork, claiming it will reduce networkand data centre (DC) installations frommonths to days, and enable users tointroduce products and services to marketfaster and more efficiently than before.

coreTX is the result of a year-long, multi-million pound project by C4L to update anddevelop its infrastructure. It is designed todeliver terabyte scalability with �“very low�”latency on all links, offering on net MPLS/VPLS connections at speeds of 1Gbps,10Gbps and 40Gbps. �“C4L recognises thattraditional networks offering 100Mb and1Gb circuits are no longer suitable. There isa clear desire and need for 10Gb as astandard, with a straightforward upgradepath to 40Gb and 100Gb,�” states the firm.

coreTX is described as a �“true any-to-anynetwork�”, meaning all partner interconnectscan be delivered in all PoP locations. Thecore network connects over 55 PoPsnationwide, but can access multiplecarriers�’ fibre networks that allow it to linkto hundreds more. C4L says this gives usersaccess to thousands of service providers andDCs all from a single port, with same dayprovisioning at many locations.

The network features high-end switchingand equipment including Juniper�’s MXtransit routers. C4L founder Matt Hawkinssays it will support future networkinginnovations such as SDN �– for example, the

software upgradeable Juniper hardware iscompatible with OpenFlow standards.

C4L operates a privately owned 1-100Gb capable dark fibre network thatuses a diverse backbone and DWDMtechnology. It offers colocation,connectivity, cloud and communicationservices from a data centre in Bournemouth,but also has access to more than 100 DCs inthe UK and more than 300 globally. !

C4L’s game-changerfor carrier networks

Seventeen schools, two libraries, andthree rural public service sites have beenconnected to Stirling Council�’s high-capacity network via a high-speed link forthe very first time. As part of a pioneeringproject carried out by The NetworkingPeople (TNP), the council now has itsown carrier-class network.

It comprises microwave radio, switchingequipment, and redundant power supplies.TNP has replaced unreliable ADSL lines,building on Stirling�’s existing infrastructureto provide the council with around 30 percent cost savings compared to anequivalent fixed-line solution.

For the first time, urban and rural schoolsacross Stirling now have access to cloud-based resources, IP telephony and videoconferencing. As an example, the Milton of

Stirling Council achieves ruralconnectivity with help from TNP

EDITORIAL:

Editorial director: Rahiel Nasirrahieln@kadiumpublishing.com

Deputy editor: Ian Grant iang@kadiumpublishing.com

Designer: Alan McClenaghan alanm@kadiumpublishing.com

Contributor: Philip Badman

ADVERTISING & PRODUCTION:

Sales executive: Andy Londonandrewl@kadiumpublishing.com

Production: Suzanne Thomassuzannet@kadiumpublishing.com

Publishing director: Kathy Moynihankathym@kadiumpublishing.com

is published monthly by:Kadium Limited, Brassey House, NewZealand Avenue, Walton-on-Thames,Surrey, KTI2 IQD, United Kingdom.Tel: +44 (0) 1932 886 537Fax: +44 (0) 1932 886 539Annual subscription: £80 (UK); £95(Europe), £100 (USA and the rest of theworld) airmail. Cost per single copy is£8.25.Printed in England by Williams Press.© 2013. All rights reserved.

The contents of the magazine may not bereproduced in part or whole, or stored inelectronic form, without the prior writtenconsent of the publishers. The viewsexpressed in this magazine are notnecessarily those shared by the editor orthe publishers.

ABC audited circulation:19,6791 Jul 2011 – 30 Jun 2012

C4L founder and chairman Matt Hawkinslaunches coreTX. He says the new high-speednetwork gives customers access to thousands of service providers all from a single port.

TNP director Chris Wade on-site at LochVenachar. He says his firm was able to offerthe council asset ownership of the network, as well as cost savings by integrating existinginfrastructure.

Buchanan primary school went from a512kb to a 10Mb broadband connection.

�“This is something that could only beachieved cost-effectively through theexpertise of TNP and not the traditionalISPs,�” says Alan MacDonald, StirlingCouncil�’s ICT infrastructure manager. �“Atthe same time, we have gained increasednetwork security and improved visibility.�”MacDonald says that the schools now

have much more responsive access to thecounty�’s cloud-based schools managementsystem which in the past had been slowand difficult to connect to.

TNP is continuing to extend the networkto other sites in the region. The project hasmeant that Stirling Council has already metgovernment targets to provide access tohigh-speed broadband in rural areas, wellahead of the delayed 2015 deadline. !

Net+ 1311 p3 (news) RN NEW.qxd 22/11/13 15:23 Page 3

A city-wide pure fibre optic networkpromises to deliver gigabit connectivityspeeds to residents and businesses inPeterborough. The new infrastructure willbe paid for by a wholly private investmentof up to £30m by CityFibre.

The company, which claims to be theUK�’s largest independent fibre opticinfrastructure provider to smaller citiesand towns, is currently consideringinvestments to create �‘Gigabit cities�’ in anumber of locations across the country.

It says that a Gigabit city provides localbusinesses, carriers, ISPs and the publicsector with access to a future-proof fibreinfrastructure that will deliver substantial

bandwidth capacity, an ultra-fast userexperience, and significant cost andservice advantages.

CityFibre says it selected Peterboroughas part of its Gigabit cities vision because ofits �“attractive�” high growth business,residential and public sector markets, aswell as its �“progressive and ambitious�”local authority. It adds that Peterborough isone of the UK�’s fastest growing cities witha record 1,400 SMEs launched in 2012.

Peterborough City Council has developeda framework agreement with CityFibre tomeet strategic objectives in the delivery ofgigabit speed services. CityFibre says it willbe implementing the metro network to its

own �“high capacity�” specification, offeringinternet connections with speeds of up to1Gbps, approximately 40 times faster thancurrent superfast broadband. It will initiallyinvest in more than 90km of fibre, ensuringthe new network passes 80 per cent ofPeterborough�’s businesses.

CityFibre CEO Greg Mesch explains:�“The first stage of our deployment willinclude the major commercial districts ofthe city, covering over 4,000 businesses,all of whom will benefit from gigabit levelspeeds and services. The second phase willbring that same level of speed to up to60,000 homes, making Peterborough atruly Gigabit city.�” !

news register online @ www.networkingplus.co.uk to receive your free monthly copy

4nn ee tt ww oo rr kk ii nngg november 2013

G-Cloud 4 attractsrecord submissionsfrom suppliers G-Cloud 4, the fourth supplier framework forthe procurement of government cloud services,went live on 29 October. According to theCabinet Office, even more SMEs now have theopportunity to win government business. Thereare 999 suppliers on the new frameworkcompared to 700 in the previous procurement.The total number of suppliers with services inthe CloudStore are now 1,186 of which 84 percent are SMEs. The Cabinet Office adds thatcumulative sales from the store broke the£50m million barrier in September, with 58per cent of the £53.5m total spend havinggone to SMEs. The CloudStore now offersmore than 13,000 services. !

EE to provide BTwith MVNO servicesAs part of an exclusive multi-year contract, EEwill provide mobile virtual network operator(MVNO) services to BT’s customers and staff.BT currently provides a range of mobileservices mainly to enterprises and the publicsector, while for consumers it has a major Wi-Fi presence that it plans to build upon. Thefirm employs around 88,000 staff worldwideand decided to seek a new mobile partnerearlier this year. It says it will “carefullymanage” the change from its current MVNO,Vodafone, in order to ensure a “seamless”transition for customers. Neither BT norVodafone have publicly stated any reasons fortheir split. !

Siemens EnterpriseCommunicationsbecomes UnifySiemens Enterprise Communications has re-branded itself and will now be known as‘Unify’, with Hamid Akhavan continuing asCEO. The firm says the launch of the newbrand builds upon momentum gained fromProject Ansible, its new communications andcollaboration platform launched last year.Unify says it has now accelerated the timelineof Ansible with customer deliveries expectedto begin in July 2014. The platform will befirst available as a SaaS offering designed tocomplement Unify’s OpenScape solutions aswell as enterprise telephone systems frompeer competitors. !

Leeds City College (LCC) has deployedWatchGuard Technologies�’ unified threatmanagement appliances across a WAN thatconnects three large campuses with fibrecircuits and microwave point-to-point links.

LCC is said to be the UK�’s third-largestFE institution and was formed following themerger of five local colleges. It now has40,000 students and more than 1,500 staff.

This major expansion posed considerablechallenges for LCC�’s IT department �– notleast of these was securing three majorpoints of connection to JANET, the UK�’sresearch and education network. To solvethe problems, the IT team decided to

standardise on WatchGuard�’s integrated,multifunction security platform with thehelp of its IT partner Epic Net. It deployedthree WatchGuard XTM 1520 appliances:one has replaced an existing firewall at theTechnology campus to deliver greaterperformance and control; a second unit is atthe recently opened Printworks campus;while the third appliance has been installedat LCC�’s Park Lane site.

WatchGuard says its platforms providesafe IPSEC or SSL VPN authorised remoteaccess to the college network and resourcesfor all staff and students using Apple,Windows and Android devices. It says that in

addition to providing full Layer 7 firewallprotection and intrusion prevention, LCCnow has a central point of management,with the ability for policies to be easilydeployed across the network. It also benefitsfrom simplified administration andcentralised logging and reporting.

With up to 14Gb throughput, it�’s claimedthe XTM appliances will be able to copewith anticipated bandwidth growth overthe next five years as well as the additionof increasingly complex rule sets, withoutloss of performance. WatchGuard addsthat the clustered hardware configurationprovides 100 per cent resilience. !

WatchGuard secures Leeds City College network

CityFibre to make Peterborough a “Gigabit city”

Colocation specialist Pulsant is hostingScotland�’s first dedicated internet exchangepoint (IXP). At the end of October, it wasannounced that IXScotland is now fullyimplemented and was just days away fromseeing its first internet traffic.

The IXP was developed by the LondonInternet Exchange (LINX) and is hosted atPulsant�’s South Gyle data centre inEdinburgh. It is a single node IXP and usesswitching gear from Extreme Networksthat functions independently of LINX�’snetworks in London and Manchester.

IXScotland is managed in consultationwith a local steering committee of connectedmember networks that includes Brightsolid

Online Technology, Xtraordinary Networks,Fluency, Onyx Internet, and M247. Pulsantsays the new IXP will ensure that theregion�’s ISPs can quickly and securelydeliver traffic to one another, resulting inbusinesses and consumers having accessto better connectivity with reduced latencyand improved resilience.

According to LINX CEO John Souter,IXScotland is a �“real step forward�” not justfor the internet community in Scotland butfor the UK as a whole: �“The exchange willallow networks to stop so-called �‘trom-boning�’ traffic to London and back again,and will help increase resilience by creatinga new centre for interconnection in the UK.�”

Pulsant owns and operates a 10G corenetwork connecting its 10 nationwide ISO27001 compliant data centres, of whichcertain sites are also ILS2-, ILS3- andPCI-certified. The company now plans towork with individual ISPs andorganisations that will use IXScotland andits data hosting services to assist inbuilding a larger connected network. !

Speaking at the launch last month, ScottishGovernment finance secretary John Swinneysaid that IXScotland is a another step towardshis country becoming a “world-leading digitalnation by 2020”.

Pulsant hosts internetexchange for Scotland

Net+ 1311 p4 (news) RN NEW.qxd 22/11/13 15:26 Page 4

Net+ 1311 p5 (IBM).qxd 20/11/13 17:27 Page 5

APC has developed ready-made portableinfrastructure designed to connect remoteand branch offices to the cloud. The firmclaims its unique Cloud in a Box solutionenables rapid rollout of unified computingarchitectures while optimising officespace and business productivity.

Inside each secure and sound-proofedenclosure, APC says users will find all thecomponents needed to monitor andmaintain effective cloud networkingconnectivity. This includes: a versatile 19-inch server rack; �“powerful, quiet andlow energy�” ventilation; a basic PDU; a

Smart-UPS; environmental monitoring;access logging and surveillance; plus dustingress protection. The company says thisis all aimed at ensuring business continuitythrough issue anticipation, alerts, remotecontrol and redundant power.

�“Protecting your connection to the cloudfrom downtime is essential,�” says DavidO�’Coimin, solution offer manager forAPC parent company Schneider Electric.�“A lost connection puts everything on holdand a stalled business haemorrhagesmoney while the problem is fixed. Thebest approach to take is to mitigate against

the down event in the first place.�”According to APC, as virtualisation takes

hold and organisations migrate their IT tothe cloud, physical IT on premises isshrinking, particularly in remote, branchand SME offices. It says this poseschallenges for businesses in the form of,among others, space utilisation, right-sizingof cooling capabilities, and adjustments topower and redundancy configurations.

O�’Coimin adds that externally, theCloud in a Box looks like an office cabinet,and once it is built it will �“fade from sight,disappearing among the furniture.�” !

news register online @ www.networkingplus.co.uk to receive your free monthly copy

nn ee tt ww oo rr kk ii nngg november 2013 6

BSI names first two companiesto win CSA STAR CertificationHP and Pulsant have become the firstfirms to be awarded STAR certificationunder the BSI and Cloud SecurityAlliance (CSA) scheme set up inSeptember (see last month�’s News).

BSI risk management specialist SuzanneFribbins says that by gaining accreditation,HP and Pulsant have demonstrated theirdedication to providing a secure cloudservice. �“Obtaining this certificationcreates a transparency in the industry thatwill help consumers and businesses toevaluate the performance of a cloud serviceprovider and offer reassurance that specificcloud security risks have been addressed.�”

To gain STAR certification, a serviceprovider has to have achieved ISO/

IEC 27001. It is then is assessed using 11control areas (as specified in the CSACloud Control Matrix) and judged formaturity levels according to fivemanagement principles.

HP and Pulsant each attained a Silverlevel following the BSI�’s independentassessments. The highest level is Gold. Aswith all STAR certified firms, the twocompanies will now be listed on the CSASTAR Registry of approved organisations.

The BSI points out that no certificationcan ever guarantee information is 100 percent secure. But it adds that ISO/IEC 27001combined with STAR Certification ensuresa cloud provider has an appropriate systemfor the type of data it is handling. !

Off-the-shelf cloud is always on

APC’s ‘Cloud in a Box‘ – or should that be ‘boxin a cloud‘? The firm says it’s been a “littletongue-in-cheek” with this rather literaldepiction of its sound-proofed enclosure thathouses all the components needed to maintaincloud connectivity.

TelecityGroup has launched a platformthat is claimed to enable customers to�“fully leverage�” the potential of the cloud.In particular, it says Cloud-IX will allowcustomers to maximise the efficiency, flexibility and security of the hybrid cloud.

By using Cloud-IX, it says firms will beable to establish dedicated networkconnections from their private ormanaged infrastructure into any of theproviders �– such as Amazon WebServices, Fujitsu and Outsourcery �– thatare part of the platform.

As a result, Telecity says businesseswill be able to make �“sophisticated�”choices around the deployment of their applications, without restrictions �“due todata sovereignty or vendor lock-in�”.

TelecityGroup CEO Michael Tobinsays enterprises across Europe arelooking at ways they can maximise thepower of the cloud to enhance theperformance of their core platforms,

while at the same time maintainingservice levels and maximising the benefitof existing IT investments.

�“Key to solving this challenge is buildingflexible solutions that utilise the elasticityand economic benefits of the public cloudalongside existing IT infrastructure, allwith direct connectivity into local andinternational carriers,�” he says.

Tobin believes Cloud-IX offers thebest of both worlds, combining�“premium�” carrier neutral data centres tohouse existing mission-criticalinfrastructure with access to the keyglobal cloud platforms. !

Dell will help Outsourcery design anddeploy the compute, storage and network-ing infrastructure for its public sector IL3platform. The two firms aim to develop ahighly scalable and modular system capableof supporting the new Microsoft technolo-gies upon which the platform will be based.

This latest collaboration followsOutsourcery�’s recent deal with Microsoft tolead its UK initiative to accelerate IL3

compliant cloud services for the UK publicsector, especially central government. Lastmonth, a range of the firm�’s services wereaccepted onto the latest G-Cloudframework (see News, p4).

Outsourcery says its �“unique�” platformwill initially provide a full range ofapplication and UC services. Storage,archiving, backup, and Big Data analyticswill be offered in a second phase. !

FICO has teamed up with Cloudera toprovide a Big Data platform for the FICOAnalytic Cloud, an environment forcreating, customising and deployinganalytics-driven applications and services.

Both firms are specialist softwareproviders �– FICO (formerly known asFair Isaac) develops tools for predictiveanalytics and decision management,while Cloudera offers enterprise-gradeApache Hadoop data management,support services and training.

The FICO Analytic Cloud will runCloudera Enterprise. This includes CDH,an enterprise-ready, open-source ApacheHadoop distribution platform, andCloudera Manager, an end-to-end

management application for Hadoop. FICOsays these technologies will help spur BigData innovation in the Analytic Cloud bygiving application developers, businessusers, and its partners the ability to process,analyse and act on vast amounts of data.

It�’s claimed that FICO Analytic Cloudwill now enable users to leverage Big Datato solve problems that were previouslythought to be unsolvable. FICO says it is�“knocking down�” the barriers to findinginsights quickly in new and emerging typesof data, and by using technologies likeHadoop and Cloudera its clients, partnersand developers will be able to rapidlyconsume, contribute to and collaborate oninnovations in a cloud environment. !

CEO Michael Tobin saysCloud-IX combinesTelecityGroup’s“premium” carrierneutral data centreswith access to the keycloud platforms.

FICO and Cloudera enable BigData processing and analysis

Cloud-IX offers sophisticatedchoices and no vendor lock-in

Partnership for IL3 platform

Net+ 1311 p6 (news) AM RN.qxd 22/11/13 15:28 Page 6

Net+ 1309 p11 (BT).qxd 19/9/13 17:55 Page 11

Net+ 1311 p8 (APC).qxd 20/11/13 17:30 Page 8

real world networksregister online @ www.networkingplus.co.uk to receive your free monthly copy

9 november 2013 nn ee tt ww oo rr kk ii nngg

Virgin Management goesfor the ‘full cloud’Virgin Management Ltd (VML) providescorporate and general managementservices to all of the global companiesacross the Virgin Group. A decision torelocate its UK head office to a new HQin the Battleship building (picturedbelow) near Paddington prompted thefirm to evaluate its IT requirements.

With its physical infrastructure comingto the end of warranty and supportablelife, VML concluded that its existingsystem was too restrictive and limited inscalability. With many disparatecomponents bolted on over the years, itrequired a great deal of management,such as client updates and upgrades onlocal user machines, which meant highopex. VML also lacked a robust disasterrecovery (DR) strategy.

After a consultation with Codestone,the firm decided to go for a �‘full cloud�’IaaS platform which removed the needfor dedicated hardware in its regionaloffices. The aim was to provide 200users with a centralised and scalablesystem via Citrix XenDesktop, with afailover DR plan deliverable to anydevice or user, thus expanding flexibilitywhilst reducing management costs.

All VML�’s data, settings and virtualservers are now backed up on a dailybasis and replicated to one of two datacentres. Key workloads are automaticallysent to a separate site and protected byVMware�’s Site Recovery Manager(SRM). In the event of a total primarydata centre failure (such as a fire),Codestone says SRM will failoverprotected workloads to the secondarydata centre within 30 minutes. Non-essential workloads will be manuallyrecovered within two hours.

To enable staff with any supporteddevices to use IM, video conferencingand VoIP, Codestone designed andimplemented a new Microsoft Lync server.It also migrated the existing BlackberryEnterprise Server to the new system forongoing Blackberry device management.Supported devices can run applicationswithout an active connection to the cloud,enabling users to work on local versions.They can then sync their applications anddata when a connection is restored.

The firm adds that it built the IaaSplatform in parallel to VML�’s officemove, and minimised disruption bykeeping all legacy systems in serviceduring the process. It carried out a stagedapproach to the cloud migration project,making it achievable in manageablesteps and using a single �‘Gold Build�’Citrix desktop image to deliver all userapplications and services.

On yer bike for legacy ICT at Evans Cycles

Evans Cycles has 50 stores across the UK and also sells via the internet. In 2011, its IT team was tasked withfinding a suitable replacement for a PBX that was no longer meeting thecompany�’s growing needs. At the same time, the team was asked to make savings, and this prompted it to approach InTechnology to discusshosted telephony options.

Working with the Harrogate-basedmanaged service provider, Evansdiscovered that its legacy telephony estatewas effectively being mismanaged by athird party, with evidence of significantover-charging. It also had a tape-basedbackup system that was not always 100per cent reliable and consumed adminresources, with single file restores oftentaking hours to complete.

Furthermore, the firm�’s growing dataestate of more than 2TB was adding tothe pressure on the backup system, whilea lack of redundancy within the ITenvironment was at odds with thecompany�’s desire to have enterprise-grade DR and business continuity.

InTechnology�’s solution was to firstmove Evans onto its online managedbackup service. It says this not onlyaccelerated the speed of restores but alsoadded an extra layer of DR-oriented datasecurity. The company claims thataverage backup windows have now beenslashed from four hours to fifteenminutes, while reliability and securityhave also been transformed with databacked up across multiple data centreswith any failures identified and alerted.

The migration of the backup systemwas followed by a two stage telephonyproject: the moving of Evans�’ Gatwick-based head office onto InTechnology�’shosted telephony platform, and the signingover of its entire calls and lines estate.

Overall, Evans Cycles is confident ofsecuring a 20 per cent reduction in ITcosts through its adoption of managedservices: the automation and proactivemonitoring of the backup system hasstreamlined the whole process, strippingout cost and freeing the systemadministrator from low value tasks;while the fully managed provisioning ofnew telephony sites has removed afurther burden from the internal team.

InTechnology adds that the ability totap into an end-to-end portfolio andbring on line new systems quickly andcost-efficiently is helping Evans shapeits broader IT strategy. For example, ithas recently moved its web proxy serversonto an InTechnology managed IaaSplatform.

Cloudy with a chance of virtualisationHow organisations are capitalising on virtualisation and cloud-based platforms to boosttheir productivity, efficiency and network performance.

Your Housing maximisesstorage utilisationYour Housing Group (YHG) was formedwhen Arena Housing Group and HarvestHousing Group merged. It is now one ofthe UK�’s largest social housing providers,with 32,000 homes in north-west England,Yorkshire and Staffordshire.

YHG has to be able to provide its 1,200staff and emergency repair partners withround-the-clock access to its housingmanagement systems. Prior to the merger,Harvest had lots of different systemsacross 16 locations which were becomingdifficult to manage. Following a tender forthe replacement of its IT infrastructure, itchose JMC to implement 40 DellPowerEdge R710 servers and twoCompellent Storage Center arrays,together with Citrix XenDesktop. Allstorage has been consolidated onto thearrays and Citrix�’s desktop virtualisationsoftware is used to provide access tocentral applications and data.

The two Dell storage arrays (picturedright) support two tiers of storage. Tierone consists of 75 15k Serial AttachedSCSI drives, while tier two has 12 7k SASdrives. Together, they provide over 69TBof raw storage and 46TB after RAID.

The arrays feature Dell�’s Fluid Datatechnology for automated tiering. Thismoves data to the optimal storageresource and is said to help increaseperformance, improve disk utilisation,and accelerate access to information.�“Simple things like loading MicrosoftOutlook on a virtual desktop are [now]much quicker,�” says Sarah Macadam,YHG�’s ICT head of customer service.

She adds that now that the Dell storagearrays have been moved to twin datacentres, maintenance can be carried outwith very little impact on staff. �“Thatsimply wasn�’t possible before. If youwanted to perform updates, you had totake all the users off the system.�”

The arrays�’ built-in resilience enablesYHG to take half of its systems offlineover a weekend, when user numbers arelow, and still support employees with100 per cent data availability. �“Thatmeans our staff can continue to respondto any tenant emergency as soon as it�’sreported,�” says Macadam.

IMAGE COURTESY OF DELL INC

Net+ 1311 p9 (rwn) RN NEW.qxd 22/11/13 15:34 Page 9

The cost of moving a bit of informationfrom A to B may have dropped to avanishingly small fraction of a penny

but it is not zero. Multiply that fraction bythe number of bits on the network,currently in the exabyte (1018) per monthrange, and it quickly becomes a significantchunk of the GDP of the global economy.

At least that�’s what managementconsultancy McKinsey discovered when itinvestigated the impact of networks on theworld economy. Reporting to the e-G8Forum in 2011, the firm said: �“Onaverage, the internet contributes 3.4 percent to GDP in the 13 countries covered bythe research �– an amount the size of Spainor Canada in terms of GDP, and growingat a faster rate than that of Brazil.�”

But the impact of networking is evenmore profound. McKinsey found theinternet accounted for 21 per cent of GDPgrowth over the previous five years in thedeveloped countries, a time when mostdeveloped economies were struggling toshow any growth at all following thebanking crisis of 2007/8.

It added that most of the new economicvalue fell outside of the technology sector,with 75 per cent of the benefits captured bycompanies in more traditional industries.�“The internet is also a catalyst for jobcreation. Among 4,800 SMEs surveyed, theinternet created 2.6 jobs for each one lostto technology-related efficiencies.�”

Awe-inspiring as this may be,networking�’s contribution to the generalwelfare is still constrained by severalfactors. Google, one of the prime moversbehind software defined networking(SDN), believes that cost per bit doesn�’tdecrease with volume. This is becausecomplexity in one-to-one and any-to-anycommunications requires more advancedforecasting and control mechanisms.

Further, a lack of control and�“determinism�” (predictability) in distributedprotocols means firms have to build forworst case scenarios �– i.e. over-provision.Non-standard vendor configuration APIsincrease the complexity of automatedconfigurations, and existing routingmechanisms do not allow for schedulingor optimisation to meet explicit objectivessuch as latency.

While Google was speaking about theinternal WANs that connect its data centres,all firms also have to consider the impact oftechnical network issues related to BYOD,the internet of things (IoT) or machine-to-machine, and staff and customer mobility.They are mostly still working across athree tier public network architecture �–core, aggregation and access �– whichmeans messages need to be translated at theinterfaces, which can add delay and error.

Many have fought this by building theirown networks or leasing private lines fromnetwork operators, effectively cutting outthe aggregation layer. But this is expen-sive and still requires access to the publicnetworks to support mobility and IoT.

There is also a growing gap betweennetwork speeds experienced inside andoutside the firewall. While carriernetworks are upgrading their corenetworks to data centre-like velocities of10/40/100Gbps (and testing 400Gbps),access speeds are small fractions of that.

Relying on the availability of �‘nextgeneration�’ all-digital IP/Ethernet-basedbroadband is also not a realistic optionbecause most carrier implementations areasymmetric, offering faster downloads thanuploads. This makes them fundamentally atodds with the growing upload traffic due tocloud storage and services, and video conferencing in particular.

The video threatThe danger that video traffic will congestthe networks has been long feared. JoachimHorn, group CTO of Swedish pan-Europeancarrier Tele2, told a London conference in November that 4K video (expected to becommonplace within 12 to 18 months)requires 16x more pixels than HDTV to bedelivered at once. This will strain existingnetworks, particularly access networks.

Since the airwaves are even moreconstrained by physical limits than fixedcables, much of this traffic will have to govia fixed routes. This swap between whatwas first broadcast (TV) and what was firstdelivered point-to-point (voice) waspredicted in the 1990s by former MITMedia Lab head Nicholas Negroponte andis now known as the �‘Negroponte Switch�’.

To cope, fixed and wireless operatorshave introduced traffic management or�“shaping�” policies to ensure the averageuser gets �“an equally bad�” service, saystelecommunications consultant MartinGeddes. But this results in a service tooinconsistent for firms that do business viavideo conference, archive data at remotesites, or transact business online.

Geddes predicts that networks willevolve into �“trading spaces�” whereservices such as video conferencing andemail will compete for bandwidth basedon their contents�’ tolerance of latency �–the less tolerant, the higher the price.

This concept is already hard-wired intothe basics of WAN optimisation. Already,firms like Exinda allow netadmin staff tocreate policies that restrict the bandwidthavailable to different types of traffic and/orusers. Setting up and maintaining thepolicies is a slow, complicated process thatcan be gamed by corporate politicians.

The shift to cloud-based applications andvirtualisation cause further complications.When the basic compute/store/connectinfrastructures suddenly become fluid, thecomplexity of managing the processincreases enormously.

As a result, Geddes foresees a time whenmuch of the allocation of bandwidth may bedone dynamically under program control,and perhaps by auction. Moreover, thiscould happen in both private and publicnetworks. Current experiments with TVwhite space, where unlicensed users cangain temporary access to licensed spectrumon condition that they do not interfere withlicensed traffic, are a step in this direction.

Governments presently have no way tomonetise this �‘free to air�’ spectrum, butthey have a vested interest in doing so; andsince demand for spectrum is rising, it isalmost inevitable that they will.

When network traffic becomesgridlocked, network managers have threeoptions: add bandwidth, accelerate trafficand prioritise mission-critical traffic.Because of the cost of leased lines, firmshave long been aware of the need to max-imise bandwidth efficiency. But the businessreason for having them in the first place �–the user�’s experience of interacting withthe application �– has often been lost in the

technical fog of managing bandwidth, re-routing congested traffic, defendingagainst DDoS attacks, and the like.

Don’t ignore the appIgnoring the application is dangerous tothe wealth of a company. A new study ofonline shopping behaviour commissionedby WAN optimisation specialist Riverbedfound that speed is paramount. Aroundhalf of internet shoppers in Europe willabandon an online purchase if the webpage loads too slowly (UK 46 per cent;France 41 per cent; Germany 51 percent). For more than one-third, 10seconds is the cut-off point; after thatthey abandon the shopping cart (UK 27per cent; France 42 per cent; andGermany 36 per cent).

Kavitha Mariappan, director ofmarketing for Riverbed�’s Stingraydivision, says shoppers are nowemotionally engaged in their onlineexperience: �“ Tolerance has evolved intostress, anxiety and, in some cases, angerwith slow or poor experiences. This isputting a premium on efficient back officefunctions, including a website that loadsaccording to the expectations ofconsumers. These are critical for customerservice, engagement and loyalty.�”

In its 2013 Magic Quadrant report onWAN optimisation controllers (WOCs)(see graph overleaf), market researcherGartner said: �“The primary function ofWOCs is to improve the response timesof business-critical applications overWAN links, but they can also help tomaximise return on the investment inWAN bandwidth and sometimes avoidthe need for costly bandwidth upgrades.�”

Most attempts to optimise wide areanetworking have made things moreefficient at Layers 1 to 3 of the OSInetwork model. But this addresses onlyhalf the problem, and increasing numbersof vendors acknowledge they need a morecomplete answer. But it�’s not here yet.

WOCs can be either hardware orsoftware. They are usually deployed on theLAN side of WAN routers that connect datacentres to remote offices. They ensuremission-critical applications get the band-

WAN optimisation register online @ www.networkingplus.co.uk to receive your free monthly copy

Software defined networking (SDN) is likely to impact IT way beyond the data centre,making WAN optimisation crucial to economic growth. IAN GRANT finds out more.

nn ee tt ww oo rr kk ii nngg november 2013 10

Taming the floodTaming the flood

Enterprises face a deluge of data fromBYOD, mobility, IOT, and video. To ensuremission-critical information gets through,

they need to address WAN and applicationoptimisation as a matter of urgency.

Net+ 1311 p10-13 (WAN Optimation) RN NEW.qxd 22/11/13 16:29 Page 10

Net+ 1311 p11 (Aten).qxd 22/11/13 17:07 Page 11

width they need at all times by prioritisingtheir access to network resources and byshaping or restricting other traffic. WOCscan also limit the effects of networklatency by optimising transmissionprotocols and applications. Finally, theycan reduce the amount of bandwidthneeded by compressing and caching data,and transmitting only changes to them.

CTO and co-founder of cloud operatorExponential-e Adrian Hobbins, says systemic risk often comes not from theWAN but from the application. �“ITdecision makers need a comprehensiveawareness of the applications that run overthe company network and a view of howdemand for these applications is going togrow over time. Only once the behaviourof all mission-critical applications,including office apps, is undesrtood shoulda WAN solution be rolled out.�”

He goes on to warn against rolling outa WAN all at once: �“The delivery of newnetwork solutions can be staged, withstepped upgrades of WANs being rolledout in line with budget and projectedgrowth. This ensures the network isneither overloaded nor under-utilised, both of which hurt profit streams.�”

Hobbins argues that the better approachis to test applications in both data centreand cloud deployments. This allows firmsto see which location is best, app by app.He believes that this is especially true forSMEs. �“The cloud will solve all of thecompany�’s networking problems only if arollout is accompanied by a robustplanning process that ensures the companyunderstands what it is implementing.�”

Mark Urban, senior director of productmarketing for WAN optimisation vendorBlue Coat, says 19 September 2013 was a

case in point. �“One-third of total internettraffic was taken by smartphone usersupdating to iOS 7. That was not good newsfor any IT organisation who had plannedpatch updates or security fixes that night.�”

Urban says rather than buy more band-width, network managers should look atcaching or stream-splitting to boostapplication performance. The process ofcaching stores frequently used contentlocally, reducing the need for WANcapacity. Coupling that with SDN allowsto re-configure networks on the fly asdemand shifts, he says.

Where’s the end user?Adding server virtualisation to the issuesnoted above makes a complex picture evenmore complicated by orders of magnitude.The present initiatives around SDN andnetwork function virtualisation (NFV) aredesigned largely to draw a veil over thecomplexity, leaving network managerswith a single smooth and largely automatedmanagement interface to their networks.

But if they want to be able to setnetwork policy and �‘fire and forget�’, theyshould look away now. Nathan Pearce,product manager at application deliveryspecialist F5, says: �“We would encouragethem to not lose sight of why networksexist; SDN needs complementary services atLayers 4-7 so that organisations can reducethe cost and complexity of deployingsoftware defined application services.�”

While most network managers havegoverned events at the Layer 3 and below,they are increasingly required to addressmatters at Layers 4-7. This is becausemanaging the customer experience, asindicated by Riverbed�’s research, is nowthe competitive edge for attracting andkeeping both customers and staff.

However, apps and customer experienceare largely unfamiliar territory for networkstaff. But can they afford to ignore this?After all, the hype around SDN and NFVlargely disregards the customer experienceaspects of networking. It�’s unlikely. Themost recent and high profile sign came inNovember from Cisco. The market-leadingvendor made its new focus on applicationsexplicit with the launch of ApplicationCentric Infrastructure (ACI). The brainchildof Insieme, the systems development house

WAN optimisation

12nn ee tt ww oo rr kk ii nngg november 2013

register online @ www.networkingplus.co.uk to receive your free monthly copy

Decongesting the networkMost network managers increasebandwidth rather than seek to match thenetwork to the applications, according tooptimisation specialist Exinda.

It says that despite the need tounderstand the behaviour of applicationson their networks, only 35 per cent of ITmanagers have invested in such a toolwhile 81 per cent have increasedbandwidth. So if you want to worksmarter and save your employer moneyrather than control an ever-increasingcapacity and budget, here are Exinda�’sseven life-affirming virtues:

Look into the network. If you don�’tknow what�’s causing congestion, youcan�’t fix it. Find out which applicationsare in use, how much traffic is generatedby each, and the relative priorities ofthese applications.

Reduce traffic via caching. Cachefrequently accessed web objects locally so only new ones are downloaded. Ifmultiple requests are made for the sameobjects multiple times, the overallbandwidth utilisation accumulates.

Control recreational traffic. If it isyour policy to allow access to recreational

Gartner’s Magic Quadrant for WAN optimisationcompanies: who will be left after the SDN wars?

ABIL

ITY

TO E

XECU

TE

COMPLETENESS OF VISION

RiverbedTechnology

Citrix

ExindaBlue Coat Systems

Circadence

Array Networks-CerteonSangfor

CHALLENGERS

NICHE PLAYERS VISIONARIES

LEADERS

As of April 2013

Cisco

FatPipe Networks

Virtela

F5

Ipanema Technologies Silver Peak

Aryaka

Net+ 1311 p10-13 (WAN Optimation) RN NEW.qxd 22/11/13 16:29 Page 12

it largely financed and is now acquiringfor $863m, ACI seeks to extend SDN-like programmability from a centralcontroller to all seven network layersusing �‘open�’ APIs.

Jim DeHaven, head of data centre andvirtualisation in Cisco�’s UK and Irelandoffice, says most SDN implementations areoverlays that concentrate the intelligence inthe controllers so that all network staff do isconnect pipes and IP addresses. �“We�’remaking the networking team far morerelevant in the world of SDN. Cisco isleveraging the skills they�’ve developed overthe last 20-25 years around troubleshooting,scaling, development of data centres andinvestment in Cisco technology.�”

DeHaven reckons ACI gives enterprises�“extremely powerful�” options for bothprivate and hybrid or federated cloudimplementations. It will also allow hostproviders �“to build their own AWS-like[Amazon Web Services] services,�” he adds.

Key to ACI is the Application PolicyInfrastructure Controller (APIC).According to David Krozier, telecomsinfrastructure analyst for market researcherOvum, this supports a common policyframework that Cisco will extend to bringcompute, storage, and networkinfrastructure under a �“common pane ofglass�”. He notes that while ACI generallysupports SDN protocols such as OpenFlowwith merchant silicon, to get extra featuresyou�’ll need Cisco ASICs. �“While this mayraise the hackles of those who believe futurenetworks should be based on generic hard-ware platforms, this approach is unlikely tomatch the performance capabilities of ACI.�”

The new 100Gbps-ready Nexus 9000series switches in the ACI run a newoptimised version of Cisco�’s NX-OSand support up to 1.92Tbps per slot. Theeight-slot Nexus 9508 is available now.The APIC, which allow applications to be untied from an IP address, and the newNX-OS will be available in April 2014.

Cisco claims that the APIC will cutapplication deployment times to minutes,while application network profiles andL4-7 network service automation will�“tear down�” apps that are no longerneeded, conserving bandwidth.

HP�’s response was scathing. NickWatson, EMEA VP of the firm�’sNetworking division, says Cisco is

ignoring the SDN movement �“onceagain�”. He accuses it of continuing tocreate a �“hardware-defined�” alternativethat locks customers into Cisco, thusdenying customers �“the economic andgame-changing simplification,automation and application developmentbenefits promised by SDN�”.

Cisco is also battling VMware, whichbought SDN specialist Nicira last yearand introduced its NSX networkvirtualisation platform in October. In ablogpost in response to NSX, Cisco CTOPadmasree Warrior said: �“A software-only approach doesn�’t scale and it fails to provide full real-time visibility of bothphysical and virtual infrastructure. [It]does not provide key capabilities such as multi-hypervisor support, integratedsecurity, systems point-of-view or end-to-end telemetry for application placement

and troubleshooting.�” That meanscompanies have to tie together multiplethird-party components, adding cost andcomplexity, and manage them. And whileWOC makers might have to pick winners,

for now, while Cisco and the world warover SDN, network managers need toavoid the crossfire. But service providerswith bandwidth to sell should be rubbingtheir hands in anticipation. !

WAN optimisation register online @ www.networkingplus.co.uk to receive your free monthly copy

13 november 2013 nn ee tt ww oo rr kk ii nngg

traffic (social networks, YouTube, etc)during work hours, grant priority tobusiness applications.

Time-shift your network. Noteverything needs to be done at once, but some things may have to happen at the right time. Create policies thatreflect this, and shift resources to thoseapplications. For instance, backupscould be shifted to prevent overlaps with batch data transfers or replicationtransports. This cut in network contentioncan massively improve end-to-endperformance and usability.

Don�’t treat all business traffic thesame. Traffic comes in three classes:reputational, revenue-affecting, andmission-critical internal. Do the analysis,gauge the risks, set the policies andmonitor the feedback.

Manage and prioritise at a userlevel. Some roles need more bandwidththan others. Make it so.

Be smart. Once you know where yourpackets are going and why, use thatknowledge. Allocate network resourcesbased on a pre-determined set of criteriathat match the company�’s activities asthey change yearly, quarterly, monthly,weekly and daily.

“Only once the behaviourof all mission-critical

applications is understood,including office apps,

should a WAN solution berolled out.”Adrian Hobbins,

CTO and co-founder, Exponential-e

Net+ 1311 p10-13 (WAN Optimation) RN NEW.qxd 22/11/13 16:30 Page 13

14nn ee tt ww oo rr kk ii nngg november 2013

off-the-shelf: storage

With data volumes constantly on the rise, organisations needsomewhere safe and reliable to store their valuable bits and bytes.

HP has launched several models as part ofits StoreVirtual Storage portfolio. They areavailable as a software-only Virtual StorageAppliance or a pre-configured ConvergedStorage Appliance that runs on rack- orblade-based HP ProLiant Gen 8 hardware.

The range includes the iSCSI-based,bladed StoreVirtual 4630. HP says thisenables customers to improve workflowproductivity by increasing applicationperformance with 6Gb Serial AttachedSCSI connectivity and ProLiant Gen8server technology.

Its smaller footprint is said to result inlower energy costs, while 11.25TB per rackunit capacity delivers double the density ofprevious generations, thus minimising futurehardware investments. HP says the 4630can easily accommodate virtualisationgrowth by scaling to 180TB withinthe same BladeSystem chassis, and720TB within a management group.

The StoreVirtual 4330 (pictured) and4730 models each offer 2.5TB-1152TB ofcapacity and dual connectivity forincreased flexibility. The addition of FCconnectivity to the existing iSCSI 10 GbEsupport on the new platforms enablescustomers to meet application servicelevels by providing multi-protocol accessand a single pool of shared storage.

HP says they can replace multiple anddisparate legacy storage platforms with asingle storage architecture that supportsall data centre applications. It adds thatsimplified migration between FC andiSCSI connections gives users a speedtransition to new technologies.

Brocade claims to have enhanced itsFabric Vision technology with �“break-through capabilities�”. It says these willdramatically simplify SAN administrationand reduce operational costs, while furtherimproving the availability and performanceof its Fibre Channel (FC) SANs.

The new features include a Monitoringand Alerting Policy Suite (MAPS) and aFlow Vision tool.

Brocade says MAPS proactivelymonitors the health and performance ofthe SAN infrastructure to help ensureapplication uptime and availability. Itallows for customising rules for specificports across fabrics at one time using asingle dialogue box. An integrateddashboard displays a health report foreach switch, along with details onout-of-policy conditions to quicklyhelp pinpoint potential issues.

Flow Vision allows users to non-disruptively identify, monitor and analysespecific application and data flows in orderto maximise performance, optimiseresources, and avoid congestion. Brocadesays it�’s �“superior�” to expensive third-partytools that typically disrupt applications andcan degrade optical signal strengths.

Fabric Vision is a collection of featuresand tools that includes the 6520 SANswitch (pictured) launched earlier thisyear. This has 96 FC ports in a 2U formfactor to deliver what�’s said to be�“industry-leading�” port density and spaceutilisation. Brocade adds that the densityof the 6520 results in fewer inter-switchlinks, cables and switches to manage.

According to QNAP Systems, its TS-x70series Turbo NAS devices are highlyscalable, and by connecting multiple QNAPRAID expansion enclosures their total rawstorage capacity can be expanded to 100TB.

There are three models available in 4-, 6-and 8-bay designs. They�’re each poweredby a dual core Intel 2.6GHz processor, andfeature 2GB DDR3 RAM, four Gb LANports, support for SATA 6Gbps hard drives/SSD, plus twin USB 3.0 and HDMI ports.

QNAP says its tests show that devicereading speed is up to 450MB per secondand writing speed up to 423MB persecond in typical Windows environmentsin network trunking mode. It adds thatthe TS-x70 series supports 10GbE high-speed networking making it an idealsolution for applications such as real-timeHD video editing and in data centres.

QNAP�’s QTS 4.0 operating system isincluded for IT administrators to easilyfind desired functions, monitor system

information, and run multiple taskssimultaneously. The OS is also said to offera full range of applications for businessuse, including file management, sharing,backup, multimedia applications, and more.

The TS-x70 series can be used as storageunits for server virtualisation via iSCSI/IP-SAN deployment. Users can also increasethe functionalities of the units withQNAP�’s built-in App Centre that providesvarious install-on-demand apps developedby the firm and third-party developers.

off-the-shelf register online @ www.networkingplus.co.uk to receive your free monthly copy

flash is a �“tremendous�” enabler for scale-out storage because small modular arrayscan now outperform large legacy arrayswith thousands of hard drives.

The SRX6000 is said to offer flashperformance in a scale-out architecture,leveraging the power of connectionless,massively parallel Layer 2 Ethernet. Itdelivers scale-out network storage forblock workloads, as well as capacity forCoraid�’s ZX file storage products. Eachappliance runs the CorOS distributedstorage operating system to pool individualsystems together into a single platform.

They all work in conjunction with thefirm�’s EtherDrive VSX storagevirtualisation appliances to providelogical volume management and featuressuch as snapshots, clones, and remote

replication. The appliances can beconfigured and managed using CoraidEtherCloud, said to be the industry�’s firstsoftware-defined storage platform.

The SRX6000 series units are availablein 16- to 36-disk configurations, with theability to mix-and-match SATA, SAS, andSSDs. Each one is a self-contained storagesystem providing RAID protection withlocal storage processing. The vendor addsthat they provide JBOD and RAID 0, 1, 5,6, and 10 with minimal overhead.

Coraid has added the EtherDriveSRX6000 Series to its range of scale-outEthernet storage appliances.

Aimed at cloud and enterprise datacentres, the firm says the devices featurea faster processor, new bus architecture,and its latest CorOS 7.0 software todeliver more than 700,000 IOPS in a

single chassis, and more than 4,800MBper second of throughput.

By giving customers the flexibility tomaximise the performance of all drivetypes in a single platform, Coraid says theSRX6000 helps customers integrate flashperformance into their core storageenvironments. According to the firm,

Pump up the volume

Toshiba Electronics Europe (TEE) hasexpanded its range with the launch of anew range of Enterprise Endurance SSDsdesigned for use in business-criticalserver and storage platforms.

Using advanced 24nm enterprise multi-level cell (eMLC) NAND technology, thenew drives are available with capacities of100GB (PX02SSF010), 200GB(PX02SSF020), 400GB (PX02SSF040),and 800GB (PX02SSB080).

TEE says that thanks to a novel use ofeMLC NAND, the units achieve randomwrite speeds up to 42KIOPS, random readspeeds up to 130KIOPS, and increaseeSSD endurance capability to 30 fullDWPDs (drive writes per day).

The firm adds that these high-levels ofperformance make the new drives ideal for

use in applications such as data processingand online transaction applications.

The 2.5-inch PX02SSx series SSDs eachfeature a dual-port 12Gbps Serial AttachedSCSI interface and incorporate Toshiba�’sQuadruple Swing-By Code system forimproved error correction and reliability.

The company addsthat cryptographicerase versions of theeSSDs are alsoavailable:PX02SSU010(100GB),PX02SSU020(200GB),PX02SSU040 (400GB)and PX02SSQ080(800GB).

Net+ 1311 p14-15 (off the shelf & net knowledge) RN NEW.qxd 22/11/13 16:40 Page 14

Cloud computing is the most valuable skillfor IT professionals to have in terms ofcareer path and advancement, according tonew research from recruitment specialistRobert Half Technology (RHT).

In a survey carried out with 100 CIOsand IT directors across the UK earlier thisyear, it found that the �“huge rise�” in theadoption of cloud computing initiatives isdriving organisations to employ morecloud experts. 41 per cent said theywould hire additional staff to supportcloud projects; of these, permanentemployees would make up 17 per cent ofnew recruits, while contractors orinterims would comprise 24 per cent.

Just 18 per cent said they did not havecloud initiatives in place, suggesting therest have undertaken or will undertakecloud projects, says RHT.

The study also found that IT directorsare continuing to invest in training andeducation to bring their teams up tospeed. 49 per cent said they deliver in-house training and development, whilea third invest in external training courses.30 per cent provide webinar and e-learning,a quarter of companies deliver on-the-jobtraining, while a fifth rely on previousexperience in another company.

Among some of the other highly rated ITskills were security, project management,and virtualisation (see chart below).

ANS Group launches Cloud AcademyANS Group has launched a scheme tocreate more apprenticeship opportunitiesfor young people in the IT sector.

The managed services specialist saysits Cloud Academy will offer training toaround 60 apprentices each year, andemployment with the group is guaranteedfor all those who successfully completethe 12-month programme.

The firm plans to recruit apprenticesthrough schools, colleges and youthcharities. As well as receiving on the jobtraining and support from ANS�’ cloudinfrastructure and virtualisation experts,they will also have the opportunity topursue vendor certifications. ANS addsthat there are plans for a future academythat will accept apprentices sponsored byother IT businesses.

ANS launched its scheme followingrecent statistics from the NationalApprenticeship Service which show thatdigital apprenticeships are amongst themost over-subscribed in the UK, attractingan average of 17 applications per role.

Company founder Scott Fletcher adds:�“I�’ve always championed apprenticeships,having started my own career through theYouth Training Scheme which gave meenough experience to set up ANS at 22.�”

NEW COURSESCloud Maturity: How to Solve Your CloudSecurity Challenges �– ISACATo help enterprises effectively solvecloud security issues, ISACA is hosting afree virtual conference, Cloud Maturity:How to Solve Your Cloud SecurityChallenges. The global association of IT

professionals says participants will learnhow to facilitate the decision processconcerning cloud maturity. For example,ISACA VP Ramsés Gallego will offerguidance on defining the right policies,standards and procedures to provide arobust approach to change management,service delivery and asset optimisation.

Among the other educational sessionsare security best practices for identity andaccess management, and tools fortracking cloud-stored information.

As well as gaining access to theseminars, participants will be able tointeract with exhibitors and sponsors in avirtual exhibit hall. In addition, ISACAsays they will earn up to five freecontinuing professional education hours.

The event takes place on 4 Decemberfrom 8.15am to 5pm EST (1.15pm to10pm GMT). www.isaca.org/elearning

End-user Self-care �– VOSS SolutionsThis is the first course in a new onlineprogramme that aims to give students thechance to learn at their own pace.

The 12-month module is designed togive VOSS and Cisco HCS end users thetools to administer their own unifiedcommunications services and applications,from any smart device or tablet. It explainshow to self-manage extension mobility,speed dials, presence, conferencing,voicemail, single number reach, corporateand personal directories, and preferences.

At the end of the programme, VOSSsays end users will have the knowledgeand tools to carry out changes to UCsettings in real-time, which will increaseproductivity, speed time to resolution, andimprove inter-company collaboration. Thisfirst course is offered free of charge for alimited period. www.voss-solutions.com

network knowledgeregister online @ www.networkingplus.co.uk to receive your free monthly copy

15 november 2013 nn ee tt ww oo rr kk ii nngg

IT directors ratecloud computingas top skill

Cloud computing 39%

Security 37%

Project management 33%

Virtualisation 29%

Network admin & engineering 27%

Mobile & app development 27%

Database management 24%

C# development 15%

Business intelligence

Java development

14%

13%

SOURCE: ROBERT HALF TECHNOLOGY

Net+ 1311 p14-15 (off the shelf & net knowledge) RN NEW.qxd 22/11/13 16:40 Page 15

Net+ 1310 p20 (Colt) NEW.qxd 11/10/13 17:41 Page 20