[Fwd: Re: april 17 meeting- SoftTECH Telecom SIG]

ME dugan at passwall.com
Mon Apr 9 22:42:15 PDT 2001


Sorry for the comical comments, but I feel I must...

(As Dustin stated, more background would be good on this suggested
meeting. I like networking as much as the next person, but most of the
message sounds like a marketing seminar on new products coming from AFC
and how they can be used. More info on this group, their direction and the
purposes of their meetings would be good. Until then, I'll amuse
myself. ;-) - if you want to e-mail me direct with followup information,
that is fine.

> Title:  How will Next Generation Access Networks impact you?
If there aren't homologous services available in Linux, probably not too
much of an impact. (Ah, the token reference to linux so my post will be
kind-of-sort-of-almost on-topic.)

> · What are the trends in carrier networks?
Gee, that is a tough one.

Bigger, faster pipes with lower costs for present speeds after
adjustments for inflation in real valued dollars.

Continuing present trends from a metered domestic rate to a flat rate for
home users with prices adjusted for inflation coming down over time.

Continued metered rate services for commercial organizations with better
offerings for uptimes and longer term contracts for augmenting pipesize
on-demand for peak hours without paying for the large pipes during less
busy times.

True fiber-optic switches and routers come into maturity - Adopted first
by larger organizations, later by mid-size organizations and large ISPs.

(Just a few guesses)

> · What are Gateways?

That depends. If you are Microsoft*1, then they define it as an
Application layer proxy server of sorts. If you are the rest of the world
- including the IETF, ISO, etc then it is a router that operates at the
network layer. (Even part of some of the exams for becoming a MS Certified
Network Engineer include the term "gateway" that must be used in their
defined manner or else it is wrong.)

However, if you are new to computers and the Internet, then it is an
on-line computer vendor that sells direct, and has nifty black and white
boxes invented by a marketeer*1 with a bovine fettish.

*1 like a buckaneer, or privateer but lacking a sword or pirate flag. They
have been known to force one eye to squint and let out an
Arrrrrrrrrrrrr! as they spy your purse of booty and begin their
speech of catch phrases and keywords like, "better value", "leverage
existing capital and resources", or "easily integrated into a diverse
infrastructure". They like bullet charts.

:-)

P.S. a URL for their organization, topics, direction, etc would be good
too.





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