Converged IP Networks in Mobility
By Dave Burns
The days of designing, building, and operating service provider networks in silos has finally sunset. Make way for converged IP networks where the “network” is truly an end-to-end solution integrated and automated for networking, security, and compute. As cable providers and telecommunications providers move towards distributed access architectures and virtualization, it is a race to build out capacity, deliver low-latency services, enhance security capabilities, and maximize the network efficiencies. This convergence of IP networks will be pivotal in the delivery of 5G.
Industry trends and drivers
The digital transformation was already well under way when the world came to a screeching halt thanks to the pandemic. Service providers’ networks, both wired and wireless, played a critical role in the shift to remote workforce globally.
“It turns out, behind every wireless network is a great wireline network,” he said. “And the HFC plant with DOCSIS is a really great wireline network.”
— John Chapman, Cisco Fellow / CTO of Broadband Technologies.
The need for network connectivity, whether wired or wireless, grew at an unprecedented rate. The security landscape for service providers drastically changed as well. The attack surface shifted from the edge to multiple locations across the network including the cloud. Cloud providers emerged several years ago resulting in complex network architectures and services. These complex architectures include an all-in public cloud, all-in private cloud, or a combination of the two, commonly called hybrid cloud. Again, even the cloud relies on a great wireline network.
5G, DOCSIS 4.0, and edge compute
As services and content require less latent networks, higher data rates, and increased capacity, the need for an all IP converged network is now a necessity versus luxury. Edge compute is a concept introduced early on by cloud providers. This concept of edge compute enables providers to offer services and content closer to the customer, further enhancing the user experience. Cloud providers continue to invest through building large data centers globally to further enhance the power of edge compute. Customers stand to benefit greatly in the form of lower latency, higher data rates, and increased capacity between the massive buildout by cloud providers and strategic investment in all IP network builds by cable operators and telecommunications providers alike. Several Internet of Things (IoT) studies suggest that 5G will enable billions of new connections with speed and security.
How does DOCSIS 4.0 fit into the picture? Simple, as cable providers move to an all-IP distributed access architecture, the better suited they are to provide backhaul services that are required to deliver a true 5G experience. Cable providers have a unique advantage as they are well equipped to support large numbers of 5G small cells that will be required with 5G.
What’s next?
As cable operators increase network capacity, continue to enhance security, and deliver low-latency capabilities — make way for the innovation evolution. This evolution includes enhanced gaming, virtual reality, augmented reality communications and collaboration capabilities, and more robust solutions that require higher bandwidth and lower latency.
Dave Burns,
Cox Communications, Inc.
Dave Burns has in-depth knowledge of routing and switching technologies, network security, data center, cloud, and mobility. Dave is currently a Senior Director, Data Center Network & Security Engineering and Operations at Cox Communications, Inc., focused on driving architectures, engineering, and security operations, as well as automation and execution for Cox IT and SP Data Center Services. Prior to joining Cox, Dave led various engineering and architecture teams at QTS Data Centers, Cisco Systems, Inc., both in the US and internationally, focused on service providers and enterprise IT. Dave holds various sales, industry, and technical certifications, including CISSP, CCNP Security (formerly CCSP), CCDP, ITIL, and multiple associate-level certifications. Dave is also a published author on intrusion prevention and detection, and actively a technical reviewer for multiple published certification and technology titles in circulation today.
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