Yesterday Cisco announced its new Carrier Routing System-3 core routing product (CRS-3) that can deliver up to 322 terabytes per second of capacity. This is incredible capacity. It is said to be enough to download the entire Library of Congress in less than a second, any movie ever made in less than 4 minutes and allow for every person in America to stream a movie simultaneously. The router is targeting carriers with IP telephony as a priority such as Broadvox.
According to John Chambers, CEO of Cisco, "When it comes to mobile devices, I want to get any video, anytime and be able to share that on any device in your living room." I hope that he meant "his living room", but I am not writing to quibble over that.
No, shortly after reading this yesterday, my neighborhood experienced a power outage of around three hours. The only things working were the battery powered alarm system, an alarm clock, two laptops and, of course, the one analog phone we keep upstairs. The Internet was no longer available. I could not check email, stream a movie, or read every book in the Library of Congress. It made me realize that if these marvelous things are going to replace all of the mundane such as reading a newspaper or a book, or shopping within a brick and mortar confine, then we need to address our electrical infrastructure and house designs.
An often-stated problem with IP Communications has been the loss of power. As it now supports our data delivery, voice communications and entertainment activity, moving to a world of 24/7 within our homes is becoming a reality. While connecting homes to multiple grids may prove to be cost prohibitive, providing battery backup as a basic component of the house should be strongly considered. Just as within a data center or switch room, certain outlets should be supported by batteries while other remain AC only. Delivering on the promise of Anytime will require this approach to new house designs and construction.
By the way, I spent my time reading the newspaper and then as darkness fell, a new book. It made for a quiet and pleasant evening.
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