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Time for AltNets in gigabit push

An interview with Jeremy Chelot, CEO of Netomnia; Tom Brook, Head of IT at Broadband for Surrey Hills (B4SH); and Andrew Ingram, Director of High Tide Group

In today's challenging economy, staying agile is key for businesses. This makes having fast, high-capacity internet more important than ever. It's essential to boosting efficiency, facilitating seamless communication, and support the growing demand for data-intensive operations.

In many places, alternative network providers (AltNets) are the answer: these unsung heroes fill in the gaps left by the major national telecoms providers.

We asked our interviewees what the future holds for AltNets and the network landscape they’re helping to shape.

As the latest Project Gigabit reports show 73% of the UK is gigabit-capable, there’s still some way to go before 85% of the population levels up in time for the 2025 deadline.

Tom Brook says: “Gigabit provision will likely be achieved by the national telecoms provider in time – even for almost all of the hardest-to-reach areas. AltNets have an excellent opportunity to provide services far sooner and in better consultation with those in the hardest-to-reach locations.”

“AltNets may also be able to provide the next generation of speeds earlier than the national telecoms provider. We already see some providers offering 2.5, 3 and 10-gigabit services across their network, where the national provider is only just starting trials.”

Jeremy Chelot is quick to point out the achievements of AltNets: “Without us, Openreach and Virgin Media would still be relying on an ancient copper network, no longer fit for serving the needs of the country. Plus, some AltNets are already focusing on the toughest 20% of the UK and doing a very good job at addressing those gaps!”

Opportunities ahead

Post-pandemic growth has been sluggish in the UK, but one way businesses can look to the future is high-capacity, high-speed connectivity. As they seek to do that, AltNets will be aiming to get their piece of the pie. But how?

Tom Brook says: “As other providers eventually cover the properties AltNets have already built to, AltNets like ours will hope to remain the customer’s preferred provider – by being competitively priced for a gigabit service. The customer also needs to feel confident that their service is monitored for reliability, problems are proactively investigated and should they contact their provider, they’ll speak to someone only a few miles away.”

Essentially, when AltNets begin to service areas missed by the major national providers, they need to make the most of their head start. As well as pricing, they need to focus on customer service if they want to compete beyond the short term.

Branching out and offering more value

Rural areas will always be a target for AltNets, particularly where lower connectivity speeds hamper everyday business operations and UK households.

Andrew Ingram believes this policy has now yielded some interesting results: “I’m starting to see that rural areas, in a number of cases, are now getting better connectivity than people in urban centres.”

He continues: “I feel providers have already done the low-hanging fruit in the client centres and now moved to rural areas as the planning, funding and additional costs are less. For example, parts of city centres have high costs for traffic management.”

Tom Brook says: “The presence of any AltNet for a rural business is instantly going to improve their internet speeds and increase productivity. And where multiple full fibre services exist in an area, AltNets can provide higher upload speeds in comparison to the major national provider. Or there could be a vastly lower cost service if the rural business has previously had to buy in a leased fibre line.”

Jeremy Chelot builds on this point: “We have built both a Dark Fibre and a 10-Gbps (XGS-PON) network outside London – to give more options to businesses. With XGS-PON, businesses can access 10-Gbps services (contended) at a fraction of the cost of a leased line, but with the same level of service.”

Challenges to overcome

Of course, rural projects are far from being straightforward operations, and AltNets sometimes have to solve the entrenched problems that the major national providers don’t. Installing their own infrastructure is sometimes the easiest one to overcome.

Tom Brook says: “One issue we come across a lot is a landowner who is unwilling to provide wayleave. Sometimes, this can be as simple as someone falling out with their neighbours. Or it can be a large-scale landowner who is unresponsive or requires many levels of approval and communication, leading to the request stalling or getting lost.

“Another challenge is customers perceiving their existing connectivity as adequate and not engaging with the project. AltNets sometimes have to rely on help and coordination from the neighbourhoods they plan to cover, so it’s difficult to organise installation without this.

“AltNets will need to know where demand is for increasing connectivity speeds – led by a digital-first approach for businesses. But despite rising demand, there shouldn’t be pressure on capacity. If this occurs, then an AltNet has failed at their capacity planning.”

Jeremy Chelot also points out the importance of planning: “A number of factors go into the decision to invest in a new area, but our number-one priority is to never build over another AltNet.”

On the topic of being more sustainable, Chelot talks about the importance of physical infrastructure access (PIA) to AltNets, to “control our cost and speed of deployment”. When AltNets are allowed access to the Openreach network through ducts and poles, they save money and time – and the community suffers less engineering work.

The way forward for AltNets

Even when projects are straightforward, AltNets must keep in mind that they’re not as trusted as the major national providers and have to outperform them at every step.

Tom Brook says: “Upholding high standards in connectivity reliability, speed and customer service is vital. These standards must be above those of the national telecoms provider (and their resellers). If the customer perception of AltNets is damaged, it’ll hinder the enthusiasm, take-up and viability of every AltNet.

“While build timescales can be difficult to estimate, it’s also important to provide reliable expectations on when a build can start and when a customer can order service. Contacting an area and then never building, or building years after the initial promise, also causes harm to the reputation of AltNet provision as a whole.”

Andrew Ingram thinks AltNets will soon face more competition: “The worry I have is that at some point, the likes of BT and Virgin Media will move into rural areas, forcing the AltNets out. AltNets will need to be smart in their investments and growth areas to prepare for this.”

Jeremy Chalot sees such competition as crucial to the expansion of fibre: “Financial savvy and long-term stability among network providers are the most important things to maintain a high level of competition to support rural areas.”

One thing is certain: the 2025 Project Gigabit deadline is looming large. With increasing urgency behind fibre expansion, AltNets have a golden opportunity to deliver the high-capacity, high-speed connectivity that British businesses need. Now they have to rise to the challenge.

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What is a LAN (local area network)?

What is a LAN?

Learn all about local area networks (LANs), how they work, types of LAN connectivity, and the benefits of using a LAN.

What’s a local area network (LAN)?

A local area network (LAN) is a network of computers or other devices interconnected in one location to enable communication and resource sharing.

A LAN may connect one or two people in an office or home or thousands of users across a corporate campus. Initially developed in the 1960s for use in universities and research facilities, LANs were designed to allow users to communicate and share resources with others in the same building or local area.

Thanks to the emergence of Ethernet technology in the 1980s, LANs became the leading technology to locally link devices in businesses and homes worldwide. Today, LANs typically use wired (Ethernet) or wireless (Wi-Fi) connections, also known as WLAN.

What’s the difference between a LAN, WLAN, MAN and WAN?

LAN, WLAN, MAN and WAN all refer to computer networks, but they differ in geographical size, technologies and purpose.

LAN

A LAN connects devices within a small area, like a workplace or office block. Your home or office network is an example of a LAN. Typically, organisations own the copper or fibre optic cabling, routers and switches that make up a LAN.

WLAN

WLAN stands for wireless local area network. WLANs use radio frequency signals to enable devices to connect and communicate on a local area network without using cables. If you’re reading this on your home or office Wi-Fi, you’re on a WLAN.

MAN

MAN stands for metropolitan area network, which organisations use to connect multiple locations across a city or municipality. MANs generally use fibre optic cables to interconnect sites. While most organisations partner with a telecom company to provide their MAN, some use Dark Fibre and own and manage the networking equipment.

WAN

WAN stands for wide area network, which links an organisation’s sites dispersed across a country or worldwide. Modern, software-defined WANs (SD-WANs) can also connect these dispersed LANs directly to cloud services to create one seamless network. Organisations often rely on telecom providers to create and manage WANs.

What are the benefits of using a LAN?

As the name suggests, a LAN allows you to connect computers and other devices in a local area to send and receive information between them. For example, you connect a printer to your home LAN so you can send it files to print.

LANs allow you to:

  • Provide access to local network services, such as printing or application data, without the data going off site
  • Access business-critical data stored in one central location
  • Share a single wired or wireless internet connection between several devices
  • Control and restrict access to your network using security tools like 802.1X authentication

In short, LANs provide a network for collaboration and communication between locally connected devices, whether at home or work.

How do LANs work?

A typical LAN creates a network using ethernet cables, switches, routers and wireless access points (Wi-Fi). Each device on a LAN is assigned a unique internet protocol (IP) address. This maps to a physical address called a MAC (Media Access Control) address on each device, which ethernet switches use to direct data sent across the network.

Below is a simplified diagram of a typical LAN, connecting users to the organisation’s server via a hub or switch.

 

Example of a basic LAN (local area network)

Local area network (LAN)

 

However, LANs differ in their connectivity and network structure.

Types of LAN connectivity

Traditionally, a local area network connected devices using ethernet cables. Devices communicate with each other by sending data packets addressed to specific IP addresses across a wired network. Today’s LANs may combine ethernet and wireless connections.

Ethernet

Standardised in the 1980s, ethernet is the most widely used protocol for wired LANs today.

LANs use coaxial, twisted pair copper, or fibre optic cables to form a wired network. Each device must be physically connected to an ethernet switch or router, typically using a twisted pair ethernet cable with RJ45 connectors. Occasionally, devices will connect using fibre optic cables, although these are generally used for servers or to interconnect switches and routers.

WLAN

Apart from ethernet, many LANs include wireless connections (WLAN), such as Wi-Fi. For example, you can connect your computer to your home router using an ethernet cable or Wi-Fi.

LAN topologies

Another way of classifying LANs is by topology – the physical arrangement of devices on the network.

LAN network topologies

 

Example LAN network topologies

One of the most common LAN topologies, star networks are relatively easy to install and scale up. Each device connects directly to the central hub or switch. However, if the hub fails, the whole network goes down.

A bus network has fewer cables and is even simpler to install, so they’re typically more cost-effective than a star network. But the bus topology can suffer from signal loss over long distances, so it only works efficiently in small networks.

Unlike bus networks, the ring topology has the advantage of allocating all devices equal access to network resources, making it potentially efficient for small to medium networks. Yet ring networks can be difficult to configure and scale up and are rarely used today.

An increasingly common alternative for more dispersed networks is the mesh topology. In a mesh network, every device on the LAN can communicate with every other without going through a central hub. Several devices can transmit data simultaneously, so they’re suitable for more extensive networks with heavy traffic.

Virtual LANs (VLANs)

In larger organisations with hundreds or thousands of users, you can split up LANs to manage them more efficiently. Instead of using separate LAN infrastructure, you can use software to divide and group users into virtual local area networks (VLANs).

For instance, you can set up VLANs for different departments in your business, making the network easier to manage.

LANs, WANs and your business

If your business has multiple sites dispersed across the country or internationally, setting up the right LANs for your local needs is only half the battle. You’ll want to integrate each site into one secure wide area network (WAN) to maximise company-wide efficiency.

At Neos Networks, we offer a range of managed WAN services, including IP-VPN and SD-WAN, so get in touch. We’ll be happy to design a cost-effective, scalable WAN for your business.

Local area network FAQs

  • What does a local area network do?

    A local area network (LAN) interconnects computers and other devices in one location, such as an office, home or school. LANs allow interconnected devices to communicate and share an internet connection, file storage and other resources.

  • What types of devices can connect to a LAN?

    Various devices can connect to a LAN, typically by ethernet cable or Wi-Fi (WLAN), including computers, servers, printers, smartphones, tablets, servers, network-attached storage (NAS) drives, and Internet of Things (IoT) devices like smart speakers, lights and TVs.

  • What role do switches and routers play in a LAN?

    Switches interconnect devices on the same LAN. They use MAC addresses to direct the network traffic to the correct device on the LAN. By contrast, routers connect LANs to the internet or interconnect various LANs to create a wide area network (WAN).

  • How do you maintain LAN security?

    You can ensure your LAN remains secure by regularly updating network security protocols and using security measures, such as encryption, strong passwords, firewalls, and user access controls.

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The UK business gigabit connectivity report: could AltNets be the catalyst UK business needs?

As UK businesses look to invest in digital transformation, alternative network providers (AltNets) have an excellent opportunity to provide high-capacity connectivity to businesses nationwide. An analysis by Neos Networks.

The UK Business Gigabit Connectivity Report

All signs point towards businesses continuing their recent digital expansion and diversifying the ways they use technology. In a 2024 Leadership Priorities in Tech survey of over 800 executives across the UK and US, 75% of leaders say digital transformation investment is needed in the next year.

To provide digital operations with the data and bandwidth they require, organisations are becoming increasingly reliant on higher capacity connectivity – speeds of 1Gbps and above. 

While this level of connectivity hasn’t always been equally available to all UK businesses, AltNets have played a crucial role in expanding the reach of high-capacity connectivity – alongside the UK government’s Project Gigabit, first announced in March 2021.

In the most recent update (February 2023), the project announced that 73% of the UK was now gigabit capable. The project’s target is ‘85% gigabit capable connectivity by the end of 2025’. So, what more is needed to help AltNets and other service providers achieve these targets, and what's the appetite for businesses investing in improved connectivity? 

Two years on from the rollout of Project Gigabit, we investigate:

Methodology

We surveyed business leaders and decision-makers from 160 UK companies operating in a wide range of industry sectors. We were interested in the business appetite for connectivity investment to support growth; whether businesses had experienced greater connectivity since the Project Gigabit rollout; if further incentives are needed for Project Gigabit to achieve its levelling up goals and what part AltNets can play in this. 

Key report findings:

  • Project Gigabit claims to have reached the majority of UK businesses. Yet, when business leaders were asked if their business had felt a notable impact since the Project Gigabit rollout, just 52.5% said yes.
  • There is a strong appetite for investment in the UK, with 42% of UK businesses viewing higher capacity connectivity in the next two years as key to their growth plans. 
  • For those that have upgraded since the start of Project Gigabit, nearly one in eight businesses (11.2%) stated that investing in connectivity had a direct impact on increasing business profitability.
  • Of these, 98.3% of businesses said they saw positive indirect impacts such as improved productivity, staff retention or client collaboration.
  • Imbalance remains between urban and rural areas. For every 10 urban businesses that said they’ve seen a positive impact from Project Gigabit, just six rural businesses reported that they had felt the same impact.
  • One in five UK companies still aren’t receiving sufficient business internet speeds to facilitate smooth everyday operations.
  • Over half (55.6%) of UK companies have risked losing a client or customer as a consequence of poor internet connectivity, speed or reliability.

What impact has Project Gigabit had on UK business connectivity so far?

A little over two years into Project Gigabit, and the rollout has had a fair reach across the UK. Yet when business leaders were asked if they’d felt a notable impact from Project Gigabit, only a little over half (52.5%) said yes.

It’s evident from this that there is still room for improvement and greater business engagement.

Pie chart: Has Project Gigabit had a notable impact on improving business internet connectivity?

How does a connectivity shortfall impact business operations?

While 47.5% of businesses are yet to experience connectivity improvements from Project Gigabit, how many of these could be categorised as ‘priority improvement’ businesses, where connectivity issues are hampering daily business operations? 

AltNet providers have a great opportunity to gain substantial market share by meeting business needs.

Worryingly, one in every five UK businesses is not receiving sufficient business internet speeds to conduct seamless everyday operations.

Worse still, bottom lines at more than half of the UK’s businesses have been affected with 55.6% having risked losing a client or customer due to poor internet connectivity, speed or reliability.

Understandably, these are the businesses most likely to be exploring connectivity options to improve daily operations. With almost half of UK companies in this position, AltNet providers have a great opportunity to gain substantial market share by meeting these needs.

Where do businesses see the greatest impact from connectivity investment?

For those organisations who have invested in improved connectivity over the last 24 months, how have their operations been impacted? And does this differ according to geographical location?

Nearly one in eight businesses (11.2%) stated that investing in connectivity had a direct impact on increasing business profitability.

And almost every company surveyed (98.3%) experienced positive indirect impacts, including improved productivity, staff retention or client collaboration. This highlights the power improved connectivity and capacities can have if targeted correctly, with the potential for greater efficiency as well as greater profitability.

Bar graph: What impact has upgrading business internet connectivity had across the UK regions?

 

How AltNets can capitalise on connectivity-dependent growth

To make the business case for AltNet investment, providing businesses in target areas with high-capacity fibre connectivity needs to be commercially viable.

Current challenges

The 100+ UK AltNets currently operating have been building out rapidly in favourable market conditions, demonstrating success by greatly improving ‘homes passed’ numbers. However, securing connected customer numbers is the crucial metric for measuring AltNet success.

Many AltNets have stated ambitions to expand to supply hundreds of thousands (or even millions) of homes with fibre. But the numbers don’t necessarily add up: there is a strong risk that AltNets could overpromise and underdeliver.

Opportunities through business market demand

Here we explore the appetite among businesses to invest in connectivity across the UK, and the extent to which it features in business growth and investment plans:

  • Urban and rural-based companies both prioritise connectivity investment in future growth plans. 42% of UK businesses see moving to higher capacity connectivity in the next two years as key to growth plans.
  • Around 9 in 10 UK businesses say they'll invest in improving internet capacity as part of their growth plans.
  • Nearly twice as many urban businesses as rural ones want better connectivity to give them a competitive advantage.
  • Rural businesses identified connectivity investment over the next two years as a key part of ‘levelling up’, with 25.9% describing it as ‘integral’ to growth plans. They’re over two times more likely than urban businesses to define it that way.
Bar graph: Improving business connectivity over the next two years is ‘integral’ to business growth plans

Are AltNets the bridge to improved business connectivity?

With the appetite there for increased connectivity in competitive urban and underserved rural locations, how can AltNets continue to fill the gaps and play a decisive role in levelling up areas across the UK?

In the towns

Where competition is high in urban areas, companies can gain a competitive edge by upgrading to high-capacity connectivity offered by AltNets.

There’s an opportunity for AltNets to make names for themselves in niche markets here. They can educate organisations on how greater connectivity can support their business functions and offer future-proofed gigabit-capable services. Do this well enough and they could become integral to the development of new tech hubs.

In the country

AltNets have the potential to create rural market competition, allowing rural businesses to compete with their urban counterparts on a level playing field. If there’s less reliance on central business hubs, both businesses and people can become more evenly distributed around the UK. 

However, more incentivised government grants, access rights and wayleaves are needed to make it commercially viable for AltNets to deploy to businesses in underserved areas.

To deliver improved connectivity to both urban and rural businesses more successfully, AltNets will need to rely on third-party network providers, like Neos Networks, that can supply the backhaul required to allow them to access much needed high-capacity fibre infrastructure.

Why high-capacity connectivity is being prioritised by UK businesses aiming to grow

Everyday business operations are increasingly reliant on higher capacity connectivity. But what’s driving this? And how are UK businesses evolving?

Almost a quarter (22.4%) of the businesses we surveyed said they needed increased computer power. Some 21.2% said operational development meant more data and higher capacity requirements. And 11.6% cited greater device usage per employee.

In addition, many businesses are looking to take advantage of new technology with 1 in 10 wanting better connectivity to integrate AI and other next-generation technologies into their growth plans.

Bar chart: Top reasons for businesses looking for increased connectivity speeds

Impact review: is Project Gigabit achieving its ambition to ‘level-up rural and remote communities’?

The stated aim of Project Gigabit is:
“Reaching parts of the UK that might otherwise miss out on getting the digital connectivity they need. The fast, reliable connections delivered by Project Gigabit will level-up mostly rural and remote communities across the UK…” - Project Gigabit - Building Digital UK

We investigated two key questions:

  • Are rural businesses seeing the improvements Project Gigabit promised?
  • Could grant incentives for AltNets drive investment and help these communities further?

Our research found that businesses in rural areas are less likely to have access to high-capacity connectivity, speed and reliability.

  • For every 10 urban businesses who said they’ve seen a positive impact from Project Gigabit, just six rural businesses felt the same effect.
  • Rural connectivity poverty remains: a quarter of rural businesses state they have insufficient business internet speeds to facilitate smooth everyday operations.
  • In urban areas, this dropped to 18.2%, meaning rural businesses are 37.4% more likely to suffer inadequate connectivity.

How network service providers like Neos Networks can help AltNets deliver improved connectivity

Tom Brook, from Broadband for Surrey Hills (B4SH), recently spoke to Neos Networks about his experience within an AltNet. “Gigabit provision will likely be achieved by the national telecoms provider in time, even for almost all of the hardest to reach areas. AltNets have an excellent opportunity to provide services far sooner and in better consultation with those in the hardest to reach locations.” 

However, despite government figures showing Project Gigabit reaching more underserved locations than ever before, more needs to be done to facilitate effective business operations. The government must go further in making connectivity expansion commercially viable – with grant incentives, access rights and wayleaves.

Urban business could also represent a key opportunity for AltNets, with the potential to expand upon their base of connected customers. Urban businesses experience high levels of competition within markets, with greater connectivity giving them the chance to gain a competitive edge.

That’s where UK network service providers like Neos Networks come in.

AltNets must offer market-leading high-capacity connectivity and speeds to meet customer needs. This is achieved by partnering with UK service providers, like Neos Networks. They can extend AltNets’ networks using backhaul connectivity to provide higher capacity fibre connectivity in hard-to-reach locations. 

Through this kind of collaboration, AltNet providers stand to play a leading role in not only delivering Project Gigabit’s targets, but also in realising the economic impact these targets intend to create.

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What is enterprise WAN?

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What is enterprise WAN?

An enterprise WAN is a network that allows large organisations to securely exchange information over long distances. Learn why you need a WAN, how they work, and which enterprise WAN solutions could help your business.

What is an enterprise WAN?

An enterprise WAN (wide area network) is a computer network that connects an organisation's premises over long distances to form a single, typically private, network. A WAN joins a series of local area networks (LANs) that may be geographically spread around the country or across borders to form a seamless network of networks.

For example, a bank may use an enterprise WAN to connect the LANs of local branches with the company’s head office. The same WAN may also connect to cloud services or offices worldwide, giving employees access to the bank’s critical assets in one private network.

Why do you need an enterprise WAN?

An enterprise WAN is essential for large organisations to securely connect multiple sites over a wide area to exchange information privately.

Multinationals use WANs to connect their sites around the globe. But they’re essential for any large company with multiple, dispersed sites, especially given the rise of remote working.

An enterprise WAN can:

  • Securely connect remote offices, data centres, cloud storage and employees
  • Provide central access to company resources like databases and software
  • Enable video conferencing, file sharing and other types of real-time collaboration
  • Allow IT staff to monitor and control traffic and applications in use across the network
  • Enforce common policies and security measures

How does an enterprise WAN work?

A traditional enterprise WAN connects a large organisation’s local area networks (LANs) to form a single secure network for data exchange. For example, a supermarket chain might use a WAN to connect the LANs of its head office, warehouses and local stores nationwide.

 

Passive optical wavelength

Wide area network (WAN)

 

In a traditional WAN, the networking infrastructure is based on routers and virtual private networks (VPNs). Traffic is typically routed using leased lines or Multiprotocol Label Switching (MPLS), a technology introduced in the early 1990s.

With the rise of cloud computing, remote access and applications like VoIP and video conferencing, enterprise WANs need more flexibility. Today, companies increasingly use Software-Defined Wide Area Networking (SD-WAN), which allows multiple connectivity options and direct connections to the cloud.

However, MPLS-based WANs still have some advantages over SD-WAN. That’s why you need to weigh up specific solutions to see what’s right for your business.

Enterprise WAN solutions

Which WAN technology is right for you will depend on your organisation's size and specific requirements. At Neos Networks, we offer two enterprise WAN solutions designed to meet your needs: IP-VPN and SD-WAN.

IP-VPN

Our MPLS-based solution, IP-VPN, is commonly used for connecting organisations with multiple sites or offices and has long been the go-to technology for IT, voice and data networking.

IP-VPN provides 24/7 monitoring and management with support from our Network Operation Centres (NOCs), ensuring continuous uptime and optimal use of network bandwidth. It enables our customers to create a private network across shared infrastructure and prioritise data types to manage the performance of their network.

SD-WAN, one of our enterprise WAN solutions

How IP-VPN works

 

SD-WAN

SD-WAN splits connectivity (the underlay) from the management of traffic on the WAN (the overlay). This creates a single, seamless view of the network regardless of the connectivity used. It also allows you to breakout to the internet locally if that improves performance for end users, as well as connect all your offices to cloud services.

Unlike IP-VPN, managed SD-WAN solutions can access the cloud directly and support Zero Touch Provisioning (ZTP) for quick and easy deployment.

 

SD-WAN, one of our enterprise WAN solutions

How SD-WAN works

IP-VPN vs SD-WAN

As more businesses look to integrate cloud services and mobile apps in their networks, many want the flexibility and agility SD-WAN offers. However, IP-VPN may still be the better option for your business, depending on your needs.

IP-VPN vs SD-WAN

Why use IP-VPN? Why use SD-WAN?
Get a dedicated network: A secure, private IP-VPN network is ideal for processing highly sensitive information, like financial, health care or government data. Integrate with the cloud: Direct connection to cloud services allows you to optimise access to cloud-based applications (SaaS, IaaS and PaaS).
Completely control your data: All internet traffic is backhauled to a data centre, allowing real-time data inspection and prioritisation.
 Optimise data traffic: Real-time traffic steering lets you prioritise and reroute traffic for greater flexibility.
Ensure enterprise-grade security: A dedicated network allows you to implement industry-specific standards across the WAN. Deploy and scale fast: Zero-touch provisioning makes SD-WANs quick and easy to deploy and scale as your business grows.
Optimise Quality of Service (QoS): Multiple classes of service ensure each application gets the required bandwidth for optimal QoS.
 Ensure service agility: SD-WANs are transport-agnostic for maximum flexibility: add new services using virtual WAN overlays.
Get 24/7 managed support: Our Network Operation Centres provide always-on, real-time updates, fault resolution and support.
 Maintain business continuity: Central management allows easy network maintenance and troubleshooting.

 

To find out more and discuss which enterprise WAN solution is best for you, get in touch. We’ll be happy to design a secure, cost-effective, scalable WAN for your business.

 

Enterprise WAN FAQs

  • What technologies are commonly used in enterprise WANs?

    Traditionally, WANs have used a combination of leased lines, MPLS and VPNs to connect local area networks. As businesses move to cloud services (SaaS, PaaS, and IaaS), they’re increasingly using SD-WAN, which combines various WAN technologies to optimise network traffic and integrate cloud services.

  • What are the main challenges of implementing an enterprise WAN?

    The challenges of implementing an enterprise WAN include high initial set-up costs, ensuring network security, and maintaining and optimising the network. Designing a WAN that you can scale to meet the changing needs of your business is critical.

  • How do enterprise WANs ensure security?

    Enterprise WANs may use a combination of firewalls, role-based access controls, intrusion detection systems and end-to-end encryption, depending on the type and structure of the WAN. Standard security policies define how the WAN should be configured, maintained and accessed. IP-VPN-based WANs provide additional security by ensuring data isn’t sent across the public internet.

  • What role does Quality of Service (QoS) play in an enterprise WAN?

    Quality of Service (QoS) refers to technologies used to manage and prioritise data traffic on a network. Both SD-WAN and IP-VPN technologies can prioritise traffic to ensure sufficient bandwidth and minimal latency for critical applications.

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What is a passive optical network (PON)?

We explain PONs, how they work, their main types, and their advantages over active Ethernet networks.

What is a passive optical network?

Get ultrafast, low latency Optical Wavelengths

Supercharge your network up to 400Gbps

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What’s a passive optical network (PON)?

A passive optical network (PON) is a fibre optic network that uses passive (unpowered) optical splitters to deliver connectivity from a single fibre source to multiple end users.

They’re called “passive” because they don’t require any electrical power to distribute the signal once it’s sent across the network. As PONs can efficiently serve multiple users from a single fibre, internet service providers (ISPs) typically use them to deploy fibre to the premises (FTTP), also known as fibre to the home (FTTH).

What’s the difference between an active and a passive optical network?

The key difference between active optical networks (AON) and passive optical networks is how they split the signal for each end user. AON use multiple fibres and electrically powered switching equipment to distribute the signal to multiple end users.

By contrast, passive optical networks use a single fibre and an unpowered (passive) splitter to serve different customers. With PONs, electrical power is only required at the send and receive points of the network, making them more efficient than active networks.

How does a PON work?

A passive optical network transfers data, voice and video using light signals transmitted through fibre optic cables.

In simplified terms, a passive optical network consists of the following basic components:

  1. Optical line terminal (OLT) at the provider’s central office or point of presence (PoP)
  2. Passive (unpowered) optical splitters, which split the signal and distribute it to multiple output fibres
  3. Optical network terminals (ONTs), also known as optical network units (ONUs), which relay the signal to points near the end user

 

Passive optical wavelength

Passive optical network

 

A single fibre optic is run to a passive optical splitter from the OLT at the provider’s central office or PoP. The splitter replicates and divides the light signal, relaying it to many ONTs near end users. Typically, the signal is split between 32 ONTs, although the latest PON standards support 64 or more.

The ONTs then provide the signal to end users. Depending on where the PON ends, this can be:

  • Fibre to the premises (FTTP): The fibre connection runs all the way to a customer’s home or business.
  • Fibre to the building (FTTB): The fibre cabling runs to the building, for example, serving an apartment block, school or office block.
  • Fibre to the cabinet (FTTC): The fire cabling runs to a curbside cabinet, where it’s distributed to individual homes and businesses via copper wires.
  • Fibre to the neighbourhood (FTTN): The fibre may end a few miles from the customer’s premises.

Since a PON uses a single fibre, it typically uses wavelength-division multiplexing to split the light signal into upstream and downstream channels. Downstream, the signal is visible to all ONTs. However, each ONT only reads the data addressed to it, and encryption is used to stop eavesdropping on adjacent channels.

Upstream, the wavelength is typically divided by time-division multiplexing, meaning each ONT takes turns transmitting with time slots assigned by the OLT.

With the fibre signal powered only by the OLT, the latest PONs can cover distances of 20-40 km (12-24 miles) between the OLT and the end user.

What are the advantages of passive optical networks?

The passive nature of PONs gives them several advantages over active optical networks:

  • Lower costs: PONs are simpler, with fewer components, unpowered splitters and fewer fibre cables, so they tend to cost less to deploy and maintain.
  • Energy efficiency: PONs are more energy efficient than active networks because they don’t require power to run and cool active components.
  • Reliability: As PONs use fewer passive optical components, which are less prone to failure than powered switching equipment, PONs tend to be more reliable.
  • Scalability: PONs are easy to scale by adding more optical network terminals (ONTs), while active networks are more likely to require infrastructure upgrades as they expand.

Types of passive optical networks

Originally developed in the 1990s, the first passive optical networks used Asynchronous Transfer Mode (ATM) to distribute the light signal. APON (ATM PON), which quickly evolved into BPON (Broadband PON), typically delivers data transfer speeds of up to 622Mbps downstream and 155Mbps downstream.

Over the last two decades, GPON and EPON emerged as the main PON standards, although these are fast being superseded by next-generation standards.

GPON

First ratified by the ITU-T in 2003, Gigabit PON (GPON) uses a mixture of ATM and ethernet technology protocols and typically provides speeds of 2.5Gbps downstream and 1.25Mbps upstream. GPON is currently one of the most widely deployed PON standards.

EPON

An alternative protocol ratified by the IEEE in 2004, Ethernet PON (EPON) uses ethernet as its transport protocol and typically provides the same upstream and downstream speeds -- up to 1.25Gbps. Network providers sometimes choose EPON because it works seamlessly with ethernet-based networks and services.

Later-generation PON standards, like XGS-PON and 10G-EPON, can deliver speeds of 10Gbps, while next-generation protocols, like NG-PON2, are set to achieve speeds of up to 40Gbps or more.

Deploying passive optical networks

As UK businesses look to invest in digital transformation, internet service providers are using passive optical networks to give businesses the high-capacity, gigabit-enabled networks they need.

At Neos Networks, we’re helping businesses build their digital future across the UK. To find out more about options for deploying optical connectivity, get in touch.

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Passive optical network FAQs

  • Why are passive optical networks called “passive”?

    “Passive” means that a PON requires no power or active electronic parts once the light signal is transmitted across the network. A PON relies on passive optical splitters to distribute the signal to end users. By contrast, active optical networks (AONs) rely on powered (active) components like switches or amplifiers to operate.

  • What are the advantages of PONs over traditional copper-based networks?

    Compared to traditional copper-based networks, like Digital Subscriber Line (DSL), PONs offer higher bandwidth and data transfer speeds and lower latency. They can also transmit data over much longer distances without signal degradation. Unlike DSL cables, PON fibre optic cables are immune to electrical interference, and their passive nature means they’re generally more reliable than traditional DSL networks. As PONs can handle higher bandwidths, they’re also easier to scale for future technologies without upgrading infrastructure.

  • What are the main disadvantages of PONs?

    PONs require laying fibre optic cables and setting up an optical distribution network, so initial installation costs can be high. In addition, with PONs, a single optical line transmitter (OLT) serves multiple optical network units, so the failure of a central OLT can impact many end users.

  • Is a PON the same as FTTP?

    FTTP (fibre to the premises), also known as fibre to the home (FTTH), is a broad term comprising various technologies to deploy fibre optic connectivity to homes and businesses. PON is one optical networking technology that is commonly used for FTTP.

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What is 400G?

400G is the next generation of cloud infrastructure set to supercharge your business network capacity to meet ever-growing demand.

What is 400Gc?

The relentless rise of cloud computing, 5G and edge-enabled networks, the Internet of Things (IoT), and artificial intelligence (AI) is fuelling massive demand for ever higher data speeds and greater network efficiency. 

Learn why data-hungry UK businesses are looking to 400G to scale up their network capacity and get ahead for the future.

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What is 400G?

400G is next-generation optical networking technology that can transfer data at speeds of up to 400 gigabits per second on a one optical wavelength.

While “400G”, “400GbE” and “400Gbps” are sometimes used interchangeably, they’re not the same:

  • 400G typically refers to optical networking solutions that offer a 400Gbps capacity or data transfer rate on a single optical wavelength.
  • 400GbE (400Gb Ethernet) is the next capacity rate for ethernet services based on the IEEE 802.3bs 400 Gigabit Ethernet standard – often interchangeable with “400G”, depending on the context.
  • 400Gbps is the data transfer rate of these networks – 400 billion bits per second on a single wavelength.

How does 400G work?

400G works by combining a higher symbol rate and advanced modulation formats to boost the data transport capacity to 400Gbps on one optical wavelength. It can be used to transport either four 100GbE client services or one 400GbE client service.

400G optical wavelength carrying either 4 x 100GbE or 400GbE

 

400G optical wavelength

Using a single wavelength can mean less hardware to set up and maintain, fewer points of failure, and less power and heating, all leading to lower cost per bit.

What challenges does 400G solve?

With significantly higher data transmission rates, 400G wavelengths can meet the ever-growing demand for higher network capacity in data-hungry applications like cloud computing, telecommunications, media, finance, and healthcare.

400G also allows businesses to simplify networks, increasing efficiency and transparency. But they’re not the only advantages of 400G.

What are the benefits of 400G wavelengths?

Deploying 400G optical wavelengths has several potential advantages for your business, including:

  • Higher capacity: The IEEE 802.3bs 400GbE standard achieves four times faster data transfer speeds on a single wavelength.
  • Cost savings: 400G simplifies your network, providing one single 400Gbps connection instead of multiple wavelengths in a bundle. Save on hardware costs and cut your cost per bit over time.
  • Low latency: When correctly configured, 400G’s higher speeds and greater efficiency can mean lower latency per bit. So 400G can give you an edge, especially if data speeds are critical for your business.
  • Easy scalability: The latest 400G hardware, such as high-speed optical transceivers, allows you to scale up and scale out your network architecture. Start small and transition to higher capacities as demand grows.
  • Greater network transparency: By providing increased bandwidth and simplified, more advanced network infrastructure, 400G can be more transparent than previous-generation technology.

Who are 400G optical networks suitable for?

While every business will need increasing data bandwidth in future, not all need 400G right now.

400G optical networks are ideal for organisations that need to transport massive amounts of data with minimum latency and maximum reliability.

Here are some industries and sectors that can benefit from 400G now.

400G optical networks – typical applications

Industry/sector Example use case
Telecoms providers 5G networks and high-quality streaming and video conferencing
Data centres Cloud computing, data centre interconnects (DCI) and big data processing
Financial services Real-time trading and transaction processing
Media companies 4K video streaming and content distribution
Manufacturing Real-time control of industrial operations, including the Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT)
Energy and utilities Monitoring and managing energy infrastructure, including remote sites
Healthcare organisations Sharing large medical images, patient medical histories and research data

 

Is 400GbE right for your business?

If you think 400G might work for you, we can help. At Neos Networks, we design our optical networking solutions to meet your unique business needs and scale as you grow.

With Neos Networks 400Gbps Optical Wavelengths, you get:

  • Flexibility: Optical wavelengths scalable from 10Gbps to 100Gbps or 400Gbps with options for multiple wavelengths between your sites
  • UK-wide availability: 10Gbps and 100Gbps available from 400+ exchanges and 90+ data centres; 400Gbps from 26 UK data centres
  • Reliability: Robust, ultra-high bandwidth data transfer using ROADM and DWDM technology with at least 99.85% uptime
  • Route diversity: On-net and off-net routing tailored to your business for maximum resilience
  • Low latency: Network engineered with the shortest hops for low or ultra-low latency
  • Security: Optical protection and options for bespoke encryption

To find out more and discuss if optical networks are right for you, get in touch. We’ll be happy to help you supercharge your business network – for now and the future.

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400G optical wavelength FAQs

  • How does 400G internet speed differ from previous networking speeds, like 100G?

    400G provides a data transfer rate of 400 gigabits per second (Gbps) on one optical wavelength, four times faster than 100G.

  • What are the advantages of 400G?

    As 400G can deliver next-generation 400Gb Ethernet on one wavelength, potential advantages include greater network efficiency, lower latency, and enhanced flexibility and scalability.

  • What is the line rate of 400Gb Ethernet?

    While the headline speed of 400GbE services is 400Gbps, the actual line rate is 425Gbps. That’s because the IEEE 802.3bs 400GbE standard includes a forward error connection (FEC) mechanism, which detects and corrects errors in transmission. The additional 25Gbps are for FEC.

  • What are the main applications or use cases for 400G?

    400G is suitable for any data-intensive applications that need to transfer huge volumes of data reliably at speed. Use cases include cloud computing, data centres, media and 4K video streaming, financial services, 5G networks, AI and machine learning, and virtual and augmented reality.

  • How does 400G affect network latency and overall performance?

    When designed and configured correctly, 400G optical networks can improve network latency per bit because higher data transfer rates enable faster data transmission for a given length of fibre. Similarly, 400G’s higher capacity and reduced congestion can lead to better overall performance.

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The opportunities Network Services 3 (NS3) brings to the UK public sector

Get easy access to cost-effective telecoms services to future-proof your organisation’s connectivity.

Neos Networks | 26 September 2023

Are you a public sector organisation facing the challenge of upgrading your connectivity on an ever tighter budget? The Crown Commercial Service RM6116 Network Services 3 (NS3) framework can help.

NS3 offers streamlined, cost-effective procurement of a wide range of network telecoms solutions, including cloud services, video conferencing, radio and satellite networking, and support for emerging technologies like IoT and smart cities.

What are the benefits of NS3 for the public sector?

If you’re upgrading your connectivity to meet government digital transformation targets, NS3 can help you cut costs with:

  • Simplified procurement: Save time and resources procuring connectivity.
  • Competitive pricing: Access a wide range of pre-approved network services suppliers.
  • Enhance efficiency: Supercharge your operations with the latest digital infrastructure technologies.

Partner with Neos Networks for your digital future

As a Critical National Infrastructure (CNI) and certified NS3 provider, we’ve been making connectivity work for the UK public sector for over 20 years. We’ve built our B2B-only network specifically for CNI – secure and resilient with almost limitless scalability.

Leverage our high capacity network without costly upfront investment in infrastructure. By choosing a direct award on NS3, you can bypass the tender process and get up and running quickly, saving time and money. Then scale up your connectivity as technology evolves and your budget allows.

Get 100Gbps optical connectivity on NS3

Our Optical Wavelengths standard service offer on the NS3 framework gives you:

  • UK-wide 100Gbps optical connectivity scalable up to 400Gbps
  • Stringent uptime SLAs and CNI-grade resilience and security
  • Quick access via a direct award, eliminating lengthy, costly procurement.

Learn more about Optical Wavelengths

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Want to explore your options? Learn more about how we make connectivity work for the public sector and speak to an expert.

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Welcoming our new CFO

New C-level

In August we welcomed our new Chief Financial Officer (CFO), Craig Forrester, into the Neos Networks family. Craig is a telecoms industry veteran, having held senior roles at BT Global Services and Colt Technology Services, with remits across Finance, Procurement and Commercial Operations. As Craig settles into life here at Neos, we sat down with him to find out more about his experience, passion for the industry and what his plans are for the business.

So, Craig, tell us about yourself, your experiences and how you got into the telecoms industry?

Well, my educational background at a degree level is in Engineering and Material Sciences. Career-wise though, I’m a qualified accountant. I trained with one of the ‘big six’ firms and have worked with technology businesses at an international level – companies like Sony – for most of my career.

It was around 2008 that I made the decision to move to a UK multinational telecoms company, joining BT where I was initially responsible for managing its global networks. Subsequently over the last 15 years I’ve worked for three different telcos with roles that covered financial and operational responsibilities.

I’d describe myself as a hands-on commercial finance leader who’s accountable, leads by example and believes in removing bureaucracy whilst maintaining strong controls aligned to the success of a business. I’m looking forward to getting my feet under the table to understand where Neos is as a business, exploring our go to market strategy, and ensuring our team is continuously adding value and challenging the business in the correct way.

Having worked for several telcos now, what is it about the telecoms industry that has kept you interested?

If we look back at the last three years alone, we would have had a very different COVID lock down had it not been for the outstanding work of this industry. There were numerous new challenges that the industry hadn’t faced before. Despite having little time to react and adapt to those changes, the transition to virtual meetings or a virtual pub quiz on a Friday night was made seamless by telco. The industry showed how critical, reliable and resilient it truly is.

As an industry we enable so much of our daily lives. We connect people and businesses. We’ve helped diminish barriers to working with people around the world and democratised access to information and new opportunities. Communications are a core foundation of providing support for humanitarian aid and disaster relief. Our networks underpin support for some of societies biggest issues, enabling the mobilisation of people and the distribution of resources.

And we, Neos, as a business, are integral to supporting the development of this country, providing new opportunities for UK businesses and citizens.

Why did you choose to join Neos Networks? And what are your ambitions for the company?

I’ve been aware of Neos for many years through my previous roles. What’s really impressed me are the investments it has made; from expanding its network, to unbundling BT’s exchange estate and increasing its presence across the UK. I think Neos has a fantastic asset base and a great set of customers. The SSE heritage coupled with the role we’ve played in supporting Three UK’s 5G network rollout and our model for aggregating UK alternative network providers has made us a key, established connectivity player in the UK.

Looking at where the business is now and our opportunities to support the UK’s digital economy through initiatives like Project Reach, we have several strong footholds to help impel the growth of the UK’s businesses and its communities. Project Reach is a huge opportunity for the business – I was part of conversations with Network Rail about such a project more than 10 years ago. It’s exciting to join the company as it takes on the build and design of a new national backbone for the country.

I’m looking forward to working with other leaders in the business to both leverage that strong asset base, but to also make Neos a fun place to work, and a company whose employees are proud to work for. We have a significant base in the UK, and I’ll be exploring how we can continue adding value for our employees, shareholders and customers to help drive new business opportunities and talented people towards us.

It’s undeniably a challenging time for the telecoms market, both in the UK and internationally. What are your priorities for the business to help navigate this period of turbulence?

The last three to four years have been interesting for any business that is looking to grow. Traditional channels for growth were completely changed and the needs of businesses and individuals evolved to support flexi-working models. Businesses were so focused on stabilising as the economy recovered that there was less change in terms of procuring new telecoms solutions, despite how imperative connectivity is for business resiliency.

With organisations moving to the cloud to support new working norms, there is greater need for digital infrastructure and services. As a business, our focus needs to be on continuing to bring value to customers. That means delivering continuous service innovation and developing our understanding of how our customers are impacted by circumstances like the cost-of-living crisis and finding innovative ways to support them.

What do you see as the key challenges that Neos helps UK businesses to solve?

Fundamentally, we’re an enabler for our customer base. The digital infrastructure and services we provide act as a springboard to support their wider business functions, regardless of industry or sector. There is a fair amount of the ‘invisible’ that our services are core to. Providing our customers with the connectivity solution that fits their needs now and into the future, is instrumental as a foundation for their growth and profitability. The UK is also on a trajectory towards Fibre-to-the-Premise connectivity, a country-wide transformation that will be key in driving socio-economic growth and regeneration projects. We really are at the heart of the UK’s digital future.

We can also help UK businesses with commercial flexibility behind our services and offerings. We need to think about how we structure deals, how we measure, agree payment terms and how we operate with our customers in a way that suits their needs whilst ensuring our own are met. We also need to ensure the right level of CxO engagement with our current and prospective customers, to ensure they get a complete feeling for what it is like to work with us as a business.

And finally, who has inspired you in your career, what’s some advice that you live by?

I wouldn’t say there’s a singular role model that stands out for me, rather, I’ve worked with lots of leaders who I’ve learned a variety of valuable skills from. Pulling from different environments and different personalities has helped expand my capabilities and helped me to develop meaningful relationships with my colleagues. Little learnings from a lot of people have made a big difference.

In terms of advice, something I tend to apply to everything I do is to be inquisitive. Take an interest in an area or a new subject, look at how to optimise, leverage opportunity or address inherent risks, identify solutions, and deliver the changes needed.

I encourage anyone to always ask questions. Business is about empowering ourselves and each other for the benefit of the whole organisation. I think it’s so important to spend time with people, and to find out about them to recognise what works for them. Encouraging learning and fostering a culture built on curiosity is key to our continuous development.

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The Difference Between Traditional WAN & SD-WAN

  • Neos Networks
  • SD-WAN , WAN ,
SD-WAN

What is WAN  and how does it work?

A traditional Wide Area Network (WAN) is used to connect multiple office locations, or Local Area Networks (LANs). It provides a widely dispersed IT, voice and data networking infrastructure based on routers and Virtual Private Networks (VPN).

These solutions are completely reliant on hardware devices and often incorporate a mix of private and public connections. Traffic is normally routed using Multiprotocol Label Switching (MPLS), a telecommunications technology introduced in the early 1990s. MPLS allows a business to shape its data packet transmissions, prioritising voice, video and data traffic across a network.

Due to the layers of physical hardware required, the management and scalability of a traditional WAN can be a complex and manual process, requiring advanced planning. However, despite its disadvantages, traditional WAN does have its benefits, and can still be the right solution for some types of businesses.

What are the advantages of traditional WAN?

  • Security

Traditional WAN offers a high level of security, as the data packets transmitted over MPLS can only be accessed through the intended MPLS link. All associated hardware is used exclusively by a single enterprise, while dedicated leased lines ensure data remains private and secure as it travels from site to site.

  • Reliability

High service quality and consistent reliability are achieved through a combination of dedicated circuitry and the use of MPLS transmission technology. Packet loss is prevented, latency is low and bandwidth availability is high; all contributing to reliable, efficient communications.

  • Control

Traffic can be managed and shaped, with a wide scope for prioritisation and control over routing. This allows an organisation to ensure video conferencing is smooth and without lag, as well as safeguarding against voice calls being lost. Traditional WAN offers traffic predictability, yet when any changes are required, these need to be carried out manually.

What is SD-WAN and how does it work?

A Software Defined Wide Area Network (SD-WAN) takes some elements of traditional WAN, such as MPLS, and combines them with other transport mechanisms like broadband services to create a virtual network. As the name suggests, its architecture is based on software, which manages, prioritises, routes and monitors traffic.

To transmit and protect data between locations, SD-WAN uses tunnelling (wrapping a data packet inside another packet to move it from one network to another), and can provide network encryption and firewall software. It actively measures and evaluates traffic, selecting the optimal real-time route for every data packet.

SD-WAN can also allow for consistent enforcement of company data policies, while automatically adapting to changes in the network. This reduces the amount of manual intervention required and minimises any outages or congestion.

What are the advantages of SD-WAN?

  • Operational simplicity

SD-WAN reduces complexity by providing centralised management and configuration. It’s easier to control, as everything can be monitored from a single location, and IT teams can create and update rules in real time.

  • Higher capacity bandwidth

By using cloud-based resources, static routes are replaced with dynamic routes. SD-WAN allows IT departments to adapt to changing network conditions and adjusts accordingly, ensuring capacity needs are met.

  • Scalability

It’s easy to accommodate increased traffic and additional devices because SD-WAN connections can be scaled up or down quickly, based on actual demand. Instead of having to rely solely on MPLS, network administrators can use broadband connectivity to add or remove capacity as necessary.

  • Reduced costs

MPLS is expensive, both in terms of creating the connection and using the bandwidth. With SD-WAN, businesses can minimise using MPLS, employing a combination of services that includes broadband, 4G, 5G and DSL, bringing down costs significantly. MPLS can still be used when required but isn’t the only available option.

SD-WAN also reduces costs by relying on software instead of hardware, avoiding purchase, installation and ongoing maintenance expenditures.

Should I use traditional WAN or SD-WAN?

When you’re weighing up the benefits of SD-WAN vs traditional WAN, it’s important to consider your company’s current circumstances and future digital transformation roadmap. If you’re running a relatively small multi-site business, which is unlikely to expand in the mid-to long-term, the security and traffic prioritisation elements of traditional WAN may be your best option.

However, if your business is cloud-centric and operating across many sites or internationally, the scalability, performance and simplified management of SD-WAN will make it the preferred choice. You’ll be able to build a network that supports your company’s ongoing digital transformation and supports future expansion.

The needs of every enterprise are different, and if you’re currently considering your WAN options, we can help. Find out more about our WAN solutions or contact one of our experts today.

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How does SD-WAN simplify network management?

  • Neos Networks
  • SD-WAN ,

SD-WAN offers network management solutions that can simplify operations, reduce workloads and optimise connectivity. Find out more today.

How does SD-WAN simplify network management?

Software-Defined Wide Area Networks (SD-WAN), enable businesses to better understand the performance of their WAN networks. These software-based network management solutions deliver better-than-ever visibility, allowing IT decision-makers to make more informed choices around capacity, security and flexibility.

In this article, we explore SD-WAN, the opportunities and challenges of using traditional WAN, and how SD-WAN can simplify your network performance.

What is SD-WAN?

SD-WAN is a software layer that allows you to manage a network of networks. It’s a highly efficient and advanced way to connect a group of local area networks (LANs) in to a Wide Area Network (WAN), allowing multiple locations to communicate with each other seamlessly.

Unlike traditional WAN deployments, SD-WAN services are designed to support an increasingly remote and mobile workforce. They are far more flexible and scalable, allowing organisations embracing cloud computing an option to scale quickly and more seamlessly.

What are the challenges of using traditional WAN?

Traditional WAN was created before widespread cloud adoption. It just wasn’t designed for a business landscape where bandwidth prioritisation, granular data visibility and app performance under heavy load are continually demanded of a network.

As hybrid working has become the norm, the WAN situation has grown more challenging. If you combine a widely dispersed workforce with applications that are also accessed by partners, contractors, vendors and customers, then traditional WAN infrastructures create many security and performance challenges.

With digital transformation comes opportunity, but it also uncovers the limitations of traditional WAN.

Six ways SD-WAN can simplify network management

There are many reasons why you need SD-WAN, and it provides a wide range of advantages for business. Here are some of the key ways in which it can simplify network management for you.

Central management

SD-WAN enables central visibility and management of multiple sites, reducing complexity, duplication and cost. By assigning several sites to a policy template, a network manager can apply updates to all the assigned sites together, with changes rolling out near-instantaneously.

Web-based consoles

Speedy configuration and deployment of hybrid WAN links is easy with SD-WAN’s web-based interfaces, regardless of the type of underlying connectivity. In contrast, with traditional WAN, each router would have to be configured on an individual basis.

Automation

Built-in automation capabilities allow network managers to implement dynamic responses to changes in traffic conditions. Examples include increasing bandwidth without sacrificing the quality of service when a user suddenly adds video to a voice session, or allowing applications to automatically switch from one link to another when congestion occurs.

Through reporting

SD-WAN’s granular system reporting and enhanced visibility allows network administrators to use bandwidth more efficiently. This ensures high levels of performance for critical applications without sacrificing security or data privacy, delivering the optimal user experience on a highly personalised case-by-case basis.

Increased security

With the ability to orchestrate comprehensive end-to-end security protocols, SD-WAN helps businesses to minimise any cybersecurity risks.

Optimised cloud connectivity

SD-WAN allows seamless connection with multiple public clouds, including real-time optimised performance for all the major SaaS applications, like Microsoft Office 365, Salesforce, Google Workspace and more. Optimised workflows for cloud platforms such as AWS and Microsoft Azure make SD-WAN a must-have component for any business on a journey of digital transformation.

Is SD-WAN the right move for your business?

If you’re looking to improve network performance and adapt quickly in times of change or disruption, SD-WAN should be a key consideration. With stable, reliable and more control and visibility than ever before, SD-WAN simplifies your network management and places your business in a highly competitive position. To explore your options in more detail, contact one of our experts today.

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What is Ethernet WAN (Wide Area Network)

Ethernet WAN, also known as Ethernet wide area network or Wide Area Ethernet, is a type of wide area network. It allows a business to seamlessly extend its Ethernet network beyond its location, connecting local area networks (LANs) together. This enables reliable, higher-bandwidth connectivity between sites, while using a standardised Ethernet connection.

How does Ethernet WAN work?

Ethernet WAN works by physically connecting separate network structures together using fibre optic cable and an Ethernet interface, rather than utilising the time-division multiplexing (TDM) method.

TDM is a way of combining multiple data streams in a single signal. In summary, this is done by separating the signal into very short segments, then reassembling them at the receiving end. However, Ethernet WAN is the better option for two main reasons. The cost of Ethernet devices is much lower than TDM, and Ethernet WAN provides businesses with a faster private network of interconnecting sites, ensuring traffic remains safe and secure.

In addition, as businesses use Ethernet local area networks (LANs) to communicate within each of their locations, it often makes sense to use Ethernet technology to extend communications beyond each individual location.

What’s the difference between Ethernet WAN and Ethernet LAN?

Although Ethernet LAN and Ethernet WAN both employ fibre optic cable, they operate in different ways. The fundamental difference between Ethernet WAN and Ethernet LAN is that an Ethernet LAN is a network that operates within a small geographical area, such as an office or industrial facility, whereas an Ethernet WAN covers a larger area, such as a city or a country. In its simplest form, an Ethernet WAN is a collection of Ethernet LANs.

Individually, the LANs use layer 1 (physical) and layer 2 (data link) devices, such as switches, hubs and bridges, plus layer 3 (network) devices. The WAN is then typically built using layer 3 devices, such as routers and multi-layer switches, to connect the infrastructure together.

What’s the purpose of a wide area network (WAN) connection?

WANs have many uses and benefits. Without them, businesses would be restricted in their growth, and would incur prohibitive costs when communicating between locations.

Uses of WAN

Businesses use WANs to communicate using voice and video, access data storage and create remote backups, as well as to host applications and connect to them in the cloud. When there’s a need to connect securely, quickly and reliably to people or data that reside beyond the physical office location, it’s likely that a WAN will make it happen.

Benefits of WAN

As well as being able to cover huge geographical areas, connecting offices and facilities situated at different locations, advantages of using a WAN include:

  • A continuously reliable and stable connection, with guaranteed uptime backed up by robust SLAs.
  • No overprovisioning of servers and other network assets, because all branch files and backups can be supported at a single location. A WAN allows a business to centralise its data without compromising on speed of access or reliability of service.
  • No duplication of data or version control issues, as all files are shared among all authorised users, and everyone has access to the latest versions.
  • Improvements in employee productivity, with higher bandwidths that allow for faster, more collaborative communications.

What are the different types of WAN technologies?

Wide area networks and managed WAN services are underpinned by a range of different technologies. These include:

  • Frame relay, which is a technology for transmitting data between LANs using packet switching.
  • MPLS, or Multiprotocol Label Switching, a network routing technique that uses short path labels to avoid time-consuming table lookups.
  • Overlay networks, where software is used to create a virtual network on top of another network, usually to ensure greater security for data communications.
  • Packet over SONET or SDH, which is a protocol that defines how point-to-point links communicate when using optical fibre and Synchronous Optical Network (SONET) or Synchronous Digital Hierarchy (SDH) communication protocols.
  • Packet switching, where the transmission is broken into several parts, called packets, which are sent independently, over different routes, and in triplicate. Once they reach the destination, at least two copies have to match.
  • Routers, which are used to connect LANs together to form a WAN.
  • SD-WAN, or Software Defined Wide Area Networking, which is an easily deployed overlay network solution. It adds control to Hybrid WAN, and allows greater visibility of the entire network estate, helping businesses optimise their networks and become more efficient.
  • TCP/IP, or Transmission Control Protocol/Internet Protocol, which is used to interconnect network devices across the internet and other networks.

What is the future of Ethernet WAN?

As digital transformation continues to present new opportunities, and businesses evaluate their cloud strategies, more are exploiting leading edge technologies to improve their competitive position. The future of Ethernet WAN points to ultrafast performance, with a roadmap that suggests speeds of over 400Gbps in the next five years.

That means the use of advanced, bandwidth-hungry applications, IoT technologies and edge devices won’t add undue strain to the network, allowing shrewd and knowledgeable businesses to thrive in the new digital world. And with cybercrime continuing to escalate, the latest WAN technologies help maintain a secure network.

These are just some of the compelling reasons pointing businesses in the direction of Ethernet WAN. So, if you’re considering your next connectivity move, contact one of our experts today and we’ll help you make the most of the opportunity.

 

“As a Critical National Infrastructure provider, ensuring our production facilities and multiple sites have a reliable, resilient network to operate is essential. The power of SD-WAN technology delivers independence to our sites, with improved network visibility and resilience, ensuring maximum up-time for our essential production facilities.”
Neos Networks provide the most robust solutions, and took time to understand our specific needs, allowing us to focus on what matters most – delivering highly reliable, ‘always on’ services to our clients.
"Neos Networks has been our managed network provider for many years, thanks to the partnership our teams are now better equipped to do their jobs and collaborate with their peers, from anywhere in the country."

– Chris Barnicott, CTO, SSE Group

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What is Cloud Connect and how does it work?

Cloud Connect is a direct, secure connection between your network and your cloud service provider (CSP). It bypasses the public internet, using a private network instead, which ensures consistent performance, capacity and improved security.

When you choose Cloud Connect, you can enjoy easy, affordable access to applications and resources without the need for physical infrastructure or hardware. You’ll be able to connect to multiple major providers, such as Microsoft Azure and Amazon Web Services (AWS), using the same secure, high-performance connection across all services.

Cloud Connect works by acting as a natural extension of your private network into the virtual network of your chosen CSP. It offers seamless cloud connectivity, with data travelling between endpoints as if they were communicating within the same network.

Why is it worth using Cloud Connect for your business?

When you use a Cloud Connect service, your connection bypasses the public internet. You don’t share your connection, or your bandwidth, with anyone else. This means you’ll avoid all the associated performance irregularities and security issues. You’ll also benefit from increased flexibility, scalability, resilience and consistency.

With a Cloud Connect service, security is enhanced, with a private and direct virtual connection to your chosen CSP offering multiple layers of protection. Plus, as well as avoiding the risks that come with using the public internet, your provider will also have additional security and threat detection measures in place to protect your data.

Cloud Connect puts you in a more flexible position, as well, with a subscription model that lets you pay only for what you need. You can scale your bandwidth up and down to meet your requirements.

If your organisation is heavily dependent on your connectivity infrastructure, it needs to be resilient and reliable. With Cloud Connect you’re protected from interruptions, with failover options that keep your business connected, no matter what. Collaboration and productivity can also be enhanced with Cloud Connect. If your business is supported by nationally or globally diverse teams, they will be able to work together more effectively and share ideas anywhere, on any device, without compromising sensitive company data.

What are the different types of cloud connectivity?

When you’re considering how to connect to the cloud, there are many different methods that you can use. The most basic and cheapest route to cloud connectivity is through a standard internet connection over the public internet.

Although this type of connection is easy to deploy, it also has many challenges. That’s why more sophisticated connectivity options have been developed, which include direct Ethernet, MPLS IP VPN and SD-WAN Cloud Connect.

Using the public internet

When an organisation connects to the cloud using a standard public internet connection, it’s easy to set up and the costs are low. However, accessing cloud applications in this way can result in performance inconsistencies, and it also exposes the organisation to more security risks.

Accessing cloud applications using the public internet means your business is competing for bandwidth with other users, too. You’ll experience congestion, and you’ll have no control over how your data is routed. If the shortest, fastest link isn’t available, data will be redirected over a more indirect route, potentially resulting in packet loss and a less stable, high-latency connection with higher security risks.

Using direct Ethernet

Using a direct Ethernet connection provides a rapid and safe route to cloud. It bypasses the public internet completely, and ensures high-performance, end-to-end connectivity without any of the potential security issues associated with the public internet.

When you choose the direct Ethernet route, your organisation is guaranteed a reliable, low-latency and consistent connection that delivers high bandwidth. The connection is private and uncontended, which means your business doesn’t compete for bandwidth with other users. As a result, you’ll enjoy an exceptionally fast service, with no bottlenecks and a choice of bandwidths and service options to match your needs.

Using MPLS IP VPN

An MPLS IP VPN network, or Multiprotocol Label Switching Internet Protocol to create a Virtual Private Network, allows multi-site businesses to access cloud services, sharing connectivity and data within a high-bandwidth network.

When you choose MPLS IP VPN, your cloud connection is directly integrated into the network, which means it is completely private and totally secure. Your individual business locations share the connectivity to access resources in the cloud and, as your business grows, your MPLS IP VPN can scale with you.

With its combination of high data privacy, high performance, and security and compliance advantages, MPLS IP VPN is a commonplace option for businesses that want a secure and reliable connection to cloud providers.

Using SD-WAN Cloud Connect

With SD-WAN Cloud Connect, or a Software-Defined Wide Area Network, an organisation can connect its multiple business locations to several cloud service providers at once. For cost-effective, direct connectivity into multiple cloud environments, SD-WAN provides a wide range of advantages that is hard to beat.

SD-WAN’s secure and private connection mitigates the risk of using the public internet, while providing guaranteed reliability and predictable spend. Plus, there aren’t any large outlay costs, just a quarterly bill, and the flexibility to use what you need. With SD-WAN Cloud Connect, organisations can add or remove capabilities quickly and easily.

Key advantages include end-to-end visibility and the ability to manage the entire enterprise network, as well as providing access to sophisticated and comprehensive connectivity capabilities. From networking and routing, to analytics and traffic optimisation, SD-WAN delivers a wide range of connectivity benefits.

Explore your secure connectivity options

If you’re looking for a direct, secure connection between your network and your cloud service provider then Cloud Connect can provide a wide range of benefits to your organisation. To explore your secure cloud connectivity options in detail, and ensure you achieve the best possible outcome for your business, contact one of our experts today.

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What is a colocation data centre?

What is a colocation data centre?

A colocation data centre, or colo, is a purpose-built data facility designed to provide the optimal environment for servers. The difference between a colocation data centre and a typical data centre is that a colo leases its rack space to third parties, providing businesses with a suitable location for their servers or other network equipment.

This is a popular service for UK businesses that don’t have the necessary on-premise resources to maintain their own data centre, or have outgrown the capacity of their in-house server room. However, it isn’t always a question of whether a business has enough space. It could be that power or cooling demands, or the desire for a more secure solution, are determining factors behind exploring the possibilities of colocation data centres.

In this article, we’ll outline the colocation options available to you, and help you make the right decision for your business.

What is colocation?

Colocation itself is a little different to a colocation data centre as colocation is the actual service provided. It’s the process of having your IT hardware hosted in a commercial data centre, and taking advantage of the infrastructure it provides.

The easiest way to differentiate them is to think of colocation as the service, and a colocation data centre as the place.

Colocation can also be interpreted in different ways. As well as referring to servers and other equipment from multiple companies all being housed together in one data centre, it can also describe one company that has its equipment located in multiple places. This is a key consideration for any business that have their operations dispersed across a wide geographical area as they may wish to locate their computing infrastructure close to a number of their physical offices.

What are the benefits of data centre colocation?

Colocation presents a viable option for any UK business with an expanding infrastructure. As a relatively small server room becomes overcrowded, there’s a greater demand for power and cooling. Particularly if servers begin to encroach upon each other’s airflow space, this creates potential safety risks.

In contrast, commercial data centres benefit from economies of scale that make colocation data centre pricing a far more affordable option. And when your computing requirements expand, there’s plenty of space to accommodate the extra hardware. As well as paying less to operate your servers, your business will also be far more energy efficient, aligning with sustainability goals.

You’ll be able to rest easy, too, with experienced professionals dedicated to managing your infrastructure. Plus, choosing a colocation solution significantly reduces the danger of fire, flood or theft, with sophisticated risk detection systems in place and around-the-clock data centre security.

Many commercial data centres also provide additional services to make colocation an even more attractive prospect. Add-ons include having a resource on site to carry out small maintenance jobs and troubleshooting, as well as cyber security and cloud infrastructure packages.

What types of colocation facilities are available?

The three main types of colocation data centre facility are retail, wholesale and hybrid cloud-based colocation.

Retail colocation is when multiple customers lease a set amount of space within a multi-tenanted data centre. This tends to be either space within a rack, a full rack, or a caged-off area.

Wholesale colocation is when a customer leases an entire data centre location. This generally commands a cheaper rate than retail colocation.

While retail colocation and wholesale colocation are long-standing, relatively traditional solutions, hybrid cloud-based colocation facilities are a newer, more flexible option. This offers a mix of in-house and outsourced data centre services, delivered on a hybrid cloud platform.

Is colocation right for your business and why?

Colocation may not be right for everyone. However, it delivers a predictable, robust expenditure model with the flexibility and scalability that usually appeals to larger UK businesses with substantial and complex hosting requirements.

The resiliency and uptime that can be achieved with best-in-class tools also makes colocation a good choice for many, particularly for hosting non-critical data where network bandwidth and performance are crucial factors.

Why should you choose Neos Networks for colocation services?

Neos Networks is the ideal home for your data replication, data archive, data backup, network access, network aggregation, switching and routing systems. We can help you reduce costs, improve connectivity and network security, with an extensive national colocation network that offers exceptional scalability.

Our 15 colocation facilities are purpose-built, designed and owned by us, and all located close to major UK towns and cities. Combined with a tailor-made service to suit every customer’s budgetary and business needs, and supported by our dedicated team of specialists, it’s likely that we’ll have exactly what you’re looking for. Take a closer look at our colocation services, or contact one of our experts today.

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What is SoGEA?

What Is Single order Generic Ethernet Access (SoGEA)

Single Order Generic Ethernet Access (or SoGEA for short) is a way to subscribe to a broadband service in one single order. That means there’s no need to have a traditional phone line installed, and then add an ADSL broadband or fibre broadband service on top.

Choosing a SoGEA service doesn’t stop you having a voice line, but you will require an overlaying VoIP application.

How does SoGEA work and why was it created?

SoGEA was created as a response to the reduced demand for traditional phone line services within businesses and homes across the UK. It is delivered using existing Fibre to the Cabinet (FTTC) broadband infrastructure.

Fibre technology is used for the majority of the cabling, and copper wire provides the connection between the green cabinet and the customer’s premises. As a result, SoGEA operates in much the same way as FTTC broadband, delivering similar performance and data rates.

How is SoGEA installed?

SoGEA is installed in a similar way to many other business broadband services. This could involve a survey of your premises, to evaluate the fastest, most efficient way of achieving the connection. However, if you currently have a fibre broadband connection, a survey may not be necessary.

On your installation day, an engineer will carry out the necessary work to install your broadband equipment. This could include working at height, and drilling holes to allow cable to access your property. With only a single connection required, you may be up and running faster than a regular FTTC broadband installation.

What is SoGFast, the GFast variant of SoGEA?

G-Series Fast Access to Subscriber Terminals (or GFast for short) is an improved version of FTTC broadband, achieving speeds up to four times faster than traditional FTTC broadband. Whereas FTTP requires additional infrastructure, Gfast employs the existing FTTC infrastructure, such as copper wires. However, a device is fitted into the fibre cabinet to increase data speeds through the copper cable.

SoGFast is the GFast variant of SoGEA. SoGFast allows users to achieve speeds of up to 330Mbps using the existing FTTC service, without having to take an analogue telephone service.

Before GFast, the only way for customers to reach these speeds was through the installation of an FTTP connection, which is still being rolled out nationwide and so, isn’t available for all.

What are the benefits of SoGEA broadband?

The advantages of choosing a SoGEA broadband connection are:

  • Lower cost, because you’re only paying for a broadband data connection, with no landline rental charges included. Prices will of course vary from provider to provider.
  • Increased reliability, as there won’t be any interference from traditional phone line frequencies, which can result in an unstable connection.
  • Speed of installation, without the additional time needed to install a landline connection first.
  • Future-prepared connectivity, ensuring that your business will be ready for a data-only future, when traditional analogue phone lines are discontinued in 2025.

SoGEA vs FTTC: what are the differences?

The key difference between SoGEA and FTTC is that FTTC is capable of providing a data and a voice service, whereas SoGEA only carries the data element.

In terms of speed and performance, overall performance may be marginally better with SoGEA, as there is no phone traffic to interfere with the integrity of the data service.

Where is SoGEA available in the UK?

As SoGEA uses the same infrastructure as FTTC, SoGEA availability is dependent on whether you currently have access to fibre broadband. If you’re using fibre broadband at the moment, or it is available to your business, it’s highly likely that you will be able to get SoGEA.

Does SoGEA provide a good alternative for businesses preparing for Openreach’s PSTN, ISDN, ADSL and FTTC 2025 switch off?

In 2015, Openreach announced that it will terminate the UK PSTN by December 2025. PSTN supports a range of legacy telephone and broadband products, including basic telephone lines, multi-lines, ISDN, and ADSL broadband, as well as FTTC broadband. As part of the migration to an all-IP communications network, BT exchanges are now closed to new PSTN orders.

All this activity means that traditional phone lines will soon be replaced by fibre connections. If your business is preparing for PSTN, ISDN, ADSL and FTTC 2025 switch off, then SoGEA provides a comparable alternative to FTTC and futureproofs against upcoming changes. You’ll enjoy a similar service, and you’ll be able to use VoIP to maintain a voice line and retain a traditional phone number.

How can Neos Networks help?

If SoGEA seems like it could be the right choice for your business, we can help you explore your options in detail. Our Ethernet over Fibre To The Cabinet service (EoFTTC) is available in a range of capacities, 80/20Mbps upwards, to suit any business type. We’ll also validate whether your current modem is compliant. And because we have one of the largest business Ethernet networks in the UK, with access to over 550 exchanges, you’ll be well connected.

With our knowledgeable specialists, our extensive product and service portfolio, and the right strategic approach, we can help you achieve the best possible connectivity outcome for your business. Get in touch with one of our experts today.

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What is optical networking?

What is optical networking technology?

Optical networking is a system of communication that uses pulses of light, instead of pulses of electricity. These light pulses are created by a laser or LED light source, and send information between two or more points.

This is the fastest way to transmit and receive data, and an optical network allows reliable electronic communications to take place over extremely long distances. Also, when compared with copper, an optical network is far less prone to external inference and can achieve substantially higher bandwidth speeds.

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What are the different types of optical networks available?

There are currently two types of optical networks, fibre optic networks and free-space optic networks.

A fibre optic network, as the name suggests, uses optical fibre to carry the data signal between the light source and the receiver.

A free-space optic network transmits data between two line-of-sight points across air, space or a vacuum. No physical connection is needed between the transmitter and the receiver, as the light simply travels through free space.

What is optical fibre cable in networking?

Optical fibre cable is constructed from bundles of individual optical fibres. Each individual fibre is the medium that the light travels through, divided into multiple optical wavelengths. Optical fibre cable consists of two constituent parts, the core and the cladding.

The core is the innermost layer of the fibre. This is the part that the light travels through and is typically made of glass.

The cladding is the material wrapped around the core. It can be constructed from glass or plastic, and has a different density to the core. Its purpose is to prevent the light from escaping. When light inside the fibre hits the cladding, it is reflected back into the core in a process known as total internal reflection, and continues along its journey.

What are the different components of an optical fibre network system?

In addition to the optical fibre cable, an optical fibre network system requires the following components for it to function:

  • A laser or LED light source, to create and transmit the signal
  • A multiplexer, so multiple pieces of data can be sent over the same wire
  • Amplifiers, to allow the signal to travel longer distances by increasing its strength
  • Repeaters may also be needed if the data has to travel across extreme distances. Repeaters are cheaper than amplifiers and act by receiving and then re-broadcasting the signal
  • A photodiode receiver, to capture the signal at the end of its journey

The light source transmitting the signal and the receiver capturing it are both known as transceivers. These transceivers can be tuned down to reduce their performance. This reduces the total bandwidth capacity, but it also allows the signal to be carried over a greater distance without any noticeable degradation.

What are the advantages of an optical fibre network?

Optical fibre networking provides many advantages for businesses, particularly when compared to copper wire. Benefits include:

  • Higher speeds, with faster data transfer than copper cable can achieve
  • Better signal quality, because there’s no electromagnetic interference between adjacent optical fibres
  • Easy scalability, as new equipment can be installed over the original fibre, and wavelengths can be turned on or off as required
  • Heightened security, because data is transmitted as packets of light, which makes it much more difficult for hackers to intercept
  • Long-term savings, as there’s no signal loss, which makes fibre networks simpler and cheaper to operate and maintain

What is next-generation optical networking?

Next-generation optical networks are focused on ultra-high data throughput to support ever-increasing traffic demands, as well as improving energy efficiency and simplifying network design and deployment. These next-generation technologies will support transmission rates of multiple terabits of data per second, with the ability to scale up beyond 10Tbps and travel distances of up to 1,000km.

Convergence and access will form the foundations of next-generation optical networking. With lower latency, enhanced reliability and heightened security, these networks will be ideally suited to handle the heavy demands of edge networking, 8K video streaming services, and the metaverse as it merges with industry 4.0. In addition, next-generation optical networks will become a prominent focus of 5G and 6G mobile networks, due to the demand for extreme bandwidth, coverage and device synchronisation.

What optical networking solutions do Neos Networks offer?

Our optical networking and wavelength services deliver low latency, high capacity connectivity solutions to businesses across the UK. They are designed for flexibility, and deployed to meet your exacting connectivity needs.

We can provide you with a choice of optical connectivity bandwidths, from 10Gbps, 100Gbps and 400Gbps, with a focus on high capacity, long distance networks, and support for Ethernet, Fiberchannel and Infiniband. Whatever your optical networking requirements, we can help.

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"We began working with Neos Networks in 2015, when they deployed a robust core connectivity platform to help us expand our reach and meet ambitious growth plans. We’ve since taken advantage of the expansion of Neos Networks’ UK network to deliver more critical services to our customers."

– Mark Holden, Head of Data Networks, NatWest Group

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