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Google plans test for new ultrafast Internet

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Google strengthened its commitment to bring super fast, gigabit-per-second Internet to homes this week by filing with the FCC for permission to test new Wi-Fi technology.

While the tech giant has requested confidential treatment for the filing, Google has said that it will use frequencies of 5.8 GHz, 24.2 GHz, 72 GHz and 82 GHz in testing their new concept. Currently, 2.4 GHz is the most commonly used Wi-Fi band and it is becoming increasingly congested as more individuals connect more devices to networks.

The project, which was first launched by Google four years ago, is scheduled to have its next test in mid-November. Testing will take place in three locations within the San Francisco Bay area. Experts who are familiar with the filing believe the new technology could be a reliable replacement for traditional fiber, ValueWalk reported. Researchers have also hailed Google's technology as a faster, more cost-effective way to provide ultrafast Internet service.

Telecom expert Stephen Crowley noted in a blog post that Google is experimenting with higher radio frequencies so there will be more available options. With more frequencies to choose from, more bandwidth becomes available and data speed increase dramatically. The frequencies being used in Google's upcoming test work best in short distances and will require users to connect directly to a receiver.

Faster connections not without obstacles 
According to Forbes contributor Elise Ackerman, using a 60 GHz standard known as WiGig would allow connections of up to six gigabits per second, which is six times faster than the speeds currently offered by Google Fiber. While such a frequency would provide ultrafast Internet, it also has its downsides.

"The problem that you encounter when you get to these really high frequencies is the propagation starts to be almost like light," said Bill McFarland, vice president of technology for Qualcomm Atheros. "Sixty gigahertz doesn't like to go through walls. It's very directional. It goes in the direction you point it."

McFarland went on to say that this characteristic is amplified as the frequency increases. He added that as long as receivers have a clean line of sight to the area requiring  the Internet connection, it wouldn't be unreasonable to consider using Google's new Wi-Fi technology as a replacement for fiber.

New study finds mobile work options create more productive employees

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A recently released study by UK communication services provider Azzurri has revealed that employees are more productive when equipped with mobile devices and the ability to work from anywhere.

The majority of respondents – 62 percent – reported using their mobile devices for both the creation and consumption of content. The most common tasks completed by professionals on their devices are sending emails, sharing files and accessing company data. The ability to complete ordinary business processes at any time and any location seems to have invigorated employees, as nine out of 10 participants reported an increase in productivity.

The study, which included surveys from IT and telecom leaders at more than 180 firms, found that 93 percent of participants experienced greater productivity from staff members using mobiles devices outside the office. Almost 50 percent of those claimed the boost was substantial.

With mobile productivity boost, focus shifts to UC
Currently, companies are focusing on ways to enable mobile data access, but according to the report priorities are shifting toward the ability to provide remote business communication. Enterprises are increasingly focused on unified communications in general and workflow management and video conferencing in particular.

"Smartphones and tablets have transformed mobile devices from being for consumption to being used for creation and editing — and so are changing the way we all work," said Azzurri Communications CTO Rufus Grig. "The form factor shift towards devices with larger screens is enabling more meaningful work to be performed. Mobile productivity suites allowing proper editing of documents have made this a reality".

Video conferencing is currently ninth on a list of top priorities for IT specialists, but is expected to jump to second next year. Grig also noted that, as connectivity improves with increased access to Wi-Fi coverage and 4G mobile networks, a variety of services will become more prominent in the enterprise. Instant messaging, presence and Web conferencing will all become more valuable to companies in the near future.

According to the report, only 42 percent of organizations currently utilize tools for mobile device management. While another 17 percent have plans to do so soon, a large portion of companies employing bring-you-own-device and mobile work policies are woefully unprepared for the stress and risks such programs can cause to a network. Utilizing a third-party service provider to roll out an enterprise BYOD or mobile strategy is a reliable way to ensure that security is maintained and company networks are strong enough to handle the increase in traffic related to remote working.

Starbucks experiencing competitive advantage with the cloud

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As cloud becomes an increasingly prevalent enterprise technology, companies are responding to the real world advantages it offers to create new business models, enhance client relationships and incorporate employee and partner expertise into operational processes. During the recent IP Expo 2014, Starbucks Coffee’s EMEA IT director Robert Teagle discussed how the company is experiencing advantages and maintaining a competitive advantage through the use of cloud services, ComputerWeekly reported.

Starbucks has been employing a variety of cloud services for some time now, like utilizing cloud-based email solutions and tying client relationship management tools to data from their loyalty card program. This is because the cloud provides an effective way to deploy changes in business processes and find new ways to connect with clients, creating a more agile enterprise.

Organizations are also utilizing the cloud to create flexible assembly models, allowing them to integrate previous investments with current innovations and quickly transform their business models whenever necessary. In the case of Starbucks, the coffee chain’s point-of-sale systems’ data warehouse is integrated with a cloud infrastructure which has allowed the company to seamlessly migrate its existing warehouse into an expanded platform that offers insight through big data tools.

Many large organizations are finding advantages through use of hybrid cloud environments, which offer the ability to host automated services in a protected environment that is still easily accessible. This ensures the security and privacy of the information stored within the cloud while still providing flexibility and ease of use.

Cloud platforms drive enterprise innovation
During the expo, Teagle noted how one of the major benefits of the cloud is its ability to drive innovation.

“IT innovation has to be aligned with business goals and when we are trying to manage innovations, cloud IT certainly helps,” Teagle said.

He added that IT is able to respond more quickly to business needs through the flexibility and agility provided by the cloud.

Another major benefit of utilizing an enterprise cloud platform is that it allows companies to develop and experiment with new systems and processes in a safe environment. Starbucks has certainly taken advantage of this. Teagle said in his talk that enterprises can more effectively manage their innovations through experimentation and testing frequently before deployment.

“Being innovative really helps and all IT teams looking to drive their businesses forward bust start innovating,” Teagle said. “And cloud certainly helps in facilitating innovations.”

Majority of companies using hosted virtual servers, new study finds

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A report recently released by Kaspersky Lab has found that the large majority of enterprises utilize third-party providers to host their virtualization servers. IT managers appear to prefer the lower costs offered by third-party providers, as well as the ability to have someone else take care of system maintenance.

The study, which included surveys of more than 2,000 IT professionals who use virtual servers revealed that 67 percent of organizations employ at least a partially hosted system. Firms with smaller IT departments were more likely to implement virtual servers. According to the report, 41 percent of small- and medium-sized businesses reported using a virtualization service.

More than half of survey participants reported housing business-critical applications and core parts of their IT infrastructure in their virtual environments. Of those using virtual servers for important systems, 68 percent stored email and other communication applications, 65 percent hosted database programs and 56 percent used the virtual servers to host accounting packages.

Hosted virtual servers offer enterprises a variety of benefits, including reduced costs and lowered complexity for onsite IT staff. Through the use of server virtualization, capacity can be easily added by third-party service providers and support growing enterprises.

Server virtualization also provides companies with a cost-effective way to detect security breaches, which offers protection for not just servers but an entire network. Virtualized servers are capable of detecting compromised and unstable applications, providing increased malware identification, enabling enterprises to quickly and effectively separate any compromised systems from the rest of the network.

Organizations using virtual servers can easily have systems remotely monitored by administrators in one virtual location, allowing for enhanced visibility of traffic activity and user access. A master image of the server can be created, enabling IT departments to quickly identify abnormal behavior, improving the security posture of the enterprise.

Growing digital health market highlights need for secure data storage solutions

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A recently released study by Juniper Research revealed that the digital health market is making dramatic gains, especially in the area of wearable tech and mobile phones. According to the report, applications targeting healthcare will be a driving factor behind the digital market for that industry reaching more than $3 billion over the next five years. The market is rising so fast, in fact, that other research has suggested it may grow to more than twice that size in an even shorter amount of time, with Visiongain predicting the market will be worth $6.7 billion by the end of this year.

Wearable technology has found its way into a variety of industries, but healthcare shows the biggest opportunity for success, according to the study. Healthcare apps are being widely adopted because of the myriad benefits they offer. Wearable health devices can collect a massive amount of user data that can then be analyzed to track trends in a variety of healthcare populations. Having the ability to connect smartphones and tablets to medical devices like heart rate monitors and blood pressure cuffs offers a variety of benefits, like improved in-home monitoring and an enhanced ability to screen for related health issues.

The report suggests that the advancement of electronic health records will create an enhanced and widened digital health environment, as the records can provide a baseline for mobile health databases.The data collected through healthcare applications can also be used to help reduce the price of medical insurance for users. Existing federal laws allow information gathered by wearables and mobile devices to influence the price of health insurance as long as they meet a predefined set of requirements that constitute an employee wellness program. However, now that the growing amount of personal medical data can be integrated into insurance information, it's only a matter of time before more modern frameworks is developed to utilize this new data.

Protect sensitive medial data in the cloud
As more hospitals and healthcare providers adopt the use of wearable medical devices, the ability to store and protect the vast amounts of information created will become a top priority. A reliable way to increase the security of sensitive patient data is to employ cloud storage services. Storing sensitive information in the cloud provides organizations automatic encryption, as well as disaster recovery solutions that ensure necessary data will be available even a primary system were to fail or be damaged. Cloud services are also a cost-effective solution, as they are easy to scale to meet needs. 

Travelers find quality of Wi-Fi increasingly important

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The website Hotel Wi-Fi Test, which provides travelers with detailed information on the quality of the Internet at their specific hotel, has introduced its new Wi-Fi Happiness Ranking, highlighting how important access to quality Internet is to people when they travel.

Prior to the happiness ranking, hotels on the site were sorted by the expected speed of their Internet. Often times this was misleading, however, as a hotel with a great download speed may have a dismal upload speed, making the quality of video calls terrible and disrupting communication. In an age when so many people travel for work and rely on cloud-based communication strategies, expecting one speed and getting another is unacceptable.

The new ranking uses a variety of metrics, including latency, stability and both download and upload speeds to provide users with a comprehensive score. The site also provides an overall confidence rating that reflects how well the Wi-Fi has been tested.

A solid Internet connection has become increasingly important to travelers as so many are now on trips for work instead of pleasure. A recent survey by online retailer Pixmania found that respondents were more interested in Wi-Fi access at their hotel than having a clean room while on vacation. Almost one-third of respondents put Wi-Fi access ahead of cleanliness, ranking Internet second overall in terms of desired comforts while traveling. Only a nice view was thought to be more important.

Mobile use increasing importance of quality Wi-Fi
The growing reliance on mobile devices has also made reliable Wi-Fi a valuable commodity. According to a new study by online travel company Expedia, travelers are becoming more reliant on their mobile devices, treating them as a concierge, tour guide and travel companion all in one. More than half of the survey's participants reported that their decisions on booking flights and hotels were impacted by the price and availability of Wi-Fi.

The Expedia report, which included surveys of more than 8,800 employed adults in 25 countries, found that 76 percent of travelers believe their smartphones to be either very important or critical to their daily lives. Seventy percent said the same about their laptops. The study also found that 35 percent of travelers use their smartphones more when they are on a trip than they do at home. In fact, 30 percent of respondents reported carrying some type of device to recharge their smartphones while on the go when traveling so they don't have to wait until they're back in the hotel to plug in. 

"For business trips, mobile devices are already a requirement for most travelers, and mobile usage trends are still increasing," said Rob Greyber, president of Expedia's business travel brand, Egencia. "This is because mobile devices and enabling-apps make corporate travel smoother and more productive."

As travelers – especially those on business – rely more heavily on their mobile devices, access to reliable Wi-Fi is becoming increasingly important. Hotels with good Internet connections are being singled-out and earning a better reputation among guests than accommodations without decent Wi-Fi. Hotels looking to gain an advantage over their competition would be remiss not to take a hard look at their Wi-Fi offerings and make necessary upgrades to provide improved latency, resiliency and speed.

Schools see benefits with cloud computing

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Businesses have been reaping the benefits of cloud environments for years now, but other organizations have been slower to follow along. Now, the education sector is also beginning to experience advantages by virtualizing, storing and analyzing their data in the cloud. However, the benefits of cloud adoption by schools are greater than simply being able to automate daily operations.

Students are able to get more individual attentions through use of the cloud, as teachers can track individual progress. This enables teachers to get a more comprehensive view of the classroom's strengths and weaknesses and allow them to identify potential issues before they arise. Sharing and collaboration are also enhanced through use of the cloud, as students can work on a document together from multiple locations or share notes for an upcoming test through a convenient Web portal. Cloud platforms offer students the ability to interact more with their lessons. Presentations and assignments can be shared with the class through the cloud environment and include videos, links to related site and webinars.

Cloud computing beneficial to student learning
Educational cloud environments have been found to help improve student performance. Google performed a case study of NYC Intermediate School 339, tracking performance before and after a cloud platform was implemented. Prior to the use of cloud computing, 22 percent of the school's students completed grade-level math. After introducing cloud technology, 47 percent were able to complete the course. According to the principal, Jason Levy, behavior was also improved and attendance increased after the school started using the cloud.

As well as enhancing learning and improving students' performance, cloud computing also save teachers time by reducing the number of mundane tasks required on a day to day basis. Activities like photocopying, hole punching and making packets for students are no longer necessary because worksheets and homework can be provided electronically, which also reduces paper waste and saves money on materials.

The cost-effectiveness of the cloud can be especially beneficial for budget conscious schools. According to Public School Review, Oregon has adopted cloud computing within all of its public schools and estimates it will save the state's Department of Education $1.5 million annually. Overhead and maintenance costs can be dramatically reduced by implementing an educational cloud environment. Machines such as printers and copiers are no longer needed, saving money on costly materials like ink. Physical storage space within school buildings can also be re-purposed, creating lucrative real estate space at zero cost.

Demand for data center power solutions growing

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As the use of technology continues to increase, the amount of data created grows as well and the need for a place to store all of that information becomes more urgent. The demand for data center space and the ability to safely and efficiently process information are rising, creating a sharp rise in the need for data center providers to expand their capacity. However, to support the growing number of new data centers, a massive amount of energy is required.

Along with the creation of new computing facilities, the demand for efficient power solutions for data centers is also expected to grow at a strong pace over the next few years, according to a new study by MarketsandMarkets. Nearly half of the total cost associated with the operation of a data center comes from power usage, causing companies to develop increasingly efficient energy solutions to help facility managers reduce their power expenditures, as well as their total cost of ownership.

According to the study, providers of power solutions are beginning to broaden their offerings in order to meet the business demands of their data center clients. Vendors are helping facility managers to reduce their infrastructure and operational costs by providing efficient electrical solutions, which also servers to increase data center capacity. A growing number of facilities are employing high-density zones in which each server rack uses more than 10kW, and to fully leverage the benefits of these zones, efficient power solutions are necessary.

Data center power market to grow over next five years
As a result of the growing use of efficient energy, the global data center industry has seen a decreased consumption of electricity over the last two years. While electricity usage is declining, the use of energy in data centers is growing rapidly, and the report estimates that the global data center power market will rise from $15.19 billion this year to more than $23 billion by 2019, increasing at a compound annual growth of 9.3 percent.

Data center power solutions currently contribute to a variety of industry verticals in a vital way, as they offer cost-effective ways to network, as well as enabling facilities to increase their capabilities while maintaining the life cycle of their IT equipment. Energy efficient data center practices are becoming more popular across the globe, but the report expects North America to be the largest region for the global data center power market.

ISG operates multiple data centers in the Midwest and is actively employing energy efficient strategies to keep costs down for clients and protect the environment. At ISG’s Wichita data center, the company has been testing a hot aisle-cool aisle system that captures heat from servers before it can circulate. Heat generated from active servers is captured and directed immediately out of the room to be cooled before it can raise the heat of the surrounding area, while in alternating aisles cool air is pumped in through the floor to keep the room at a constant temperature. Curtis Mead, head of sales for ISG’s data center services segment, says the limited testing of the technique has been so successful that the company plans to expand its use to other aisles within the facility.

Virtualization driving global SDN market

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As businesses increasingly look for the most effective and efficient technologies to power their operations, software defined networking continues to become more popular within the larger enterprise and cloud service provider markets in regards to data center networking.

SDN refers to an innovative architectural model that delivers network virtualization, automated provisioning and network programmability to enterprise networks and data centers. Companies are quickly realizing that SDN offers tremendous value to tech-based organizations, and the technology has shown itself to be a driving force for change and innovation in the sector. While SDN is still fairly new to many companies, the landscape of the technology is likely to change in the next three to four years as vendors continue to make large investments in the area and enterprises keep acquiring the technology, according to Cloud Times.

"SDN is taking center stage among innovative approaches to some of the networking challenges brought about by the rise of the third platform, particularly virtualization and cloud computing," said Rohit Mehra, Vice President of Network Infrastructure at International Data Corporation. "With SDN's growing traction in the datacenter for cloud deployments, enterprise IT is beginning to see the value in potentially extending SDN to the WAN and into the campus to meet the demand for more agile approaches to network architecture, provisioning, and operations."

Global SDN market expanding rapidly
A study conducted by IDC predicted that the enterprise SDN market will grow by 89 percent annually, increasing from $960 million in 2014 to $8 billion in 2018, due in large part to the implementation of software virtualization, physical infrastructure, network controllers and security services. A separate report published by MarketsandMarkets estimated that the software defined data center market will rise to $5.4 billion over the next four years. The growth in that market is mostly attributed to more frequent use of network virtualization and the practice of corporate data center consolidation. The study also found that network controllers and switches will also contribute to higher market share.

According to MarketsandMarkets, the major industries driving the SDN market are financial services, government, telecom and education. All of the sectors most commonly utilizing SDN can benefit from the technology's simplified network designs and operations, directly programmable network control, ability to increase the network's agility in adjusting to traffic flow and single interface management capabilities.

Cloud computing, virtualization offer benefits to healthcare industry

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Recent advancements in technology have impacted every industry, but none more so than healthcare. The emergence of mobile devices like smartphones and tablets have influenced medical providers, as those devices are beginning to replace traditional monitoring and recording systems and allowing patients more flexibility in their treatment. The growing use of cloud computing has especially had an effect on healthcare, improving communication, data storage and ease-of-use.

One of the biggest advantages technology has brought to the healthcare industry is an improvement in the way doctors and patients communicate with one another. It can often be hard for patients to get ahold of their physicians, but with a variety of cloud communication options like voice and video conferencing, as well as technology focused solely on connecting doctors and patients, the burden is being eased.

Remote monitoring is another major benefit of the use of technology in medicine. Just as it can be difficult for patients to get in touch with their doctors, it can also be hard for many people to make it to the hospital at all. Home monitoring technology allows patients to use a small device designed specifically for their health problem from the comfort of their home. According to a report by Research and Markets, 2.8 million patients worldwide were utilizing home monitoring by the end of 2012. This provides patients with reliable care while reducing the cost of multiple visits to the doctor and lowering the risk of having to be readmitted. Readmission rates for cardiac patients using home monitoring dropped from 25 percent to just 2 percent, Becker's Hospital Review reported.

Cloud computing and virtualization are now also able to take remote monitoring one step further and provide patients with complete medical treatment from their homes using a telehealth platform. Just as home monitoring helped to reduce expenses, telemedicine is also cost-effective as it reduces travel times for patients and allows doctors to see more people each day. For patients living in rural or underserved areas, being able to have a doctor's visit over a video conference and receive prescriptions and medical records through a cloud-based portal is a dramatic improvement from having to travel long distances to see a physician, or not getting any treatment at all.