[Swprograms] Fiber optics, bandwidth, and cloud computing (was: Re: OT: Future of Digital Radio)

[Richard Cuff <rdcuff@xxxxxxxxx>]

However, the capability of fiber networks to add bandwidth is
significant, because the effective capacity of fiber to carry
bandwidth has increased dramatically since that fiber was put in the
ground / in the water.  Primary reason for this, best as I know, is
that we can distinguish between narrow wavelength differences of light
that is transmitted along the fiber -- smaller differences than were
capable when we first laid the fiber down.  The principle is Dense
Wavelength Division Multiplexing -- or DWDM.

As a result, there remains a significant inventory of "dark fiber"
available.  This is cable that was put in the ground, but never "lit
up" to carry data traffic.

As a result, while bandwidth isn't unlimited, we have, collectively, a
huge capacity to add traffic ("bandwidth") to the cable that is
already in place because the capacity of the fiber to carry traffic
has magically grown.  There is a very active "aftermarket" for this
dark fiber among investors, speculators and telco firms.

Google, for example, has been buying up dark fiber in order to
establish super-high-speed, private connections between their data
centers in order for them to offer "cloud computing" delivered
applications.

Now, look at the technologies being used to bring this bandwidth
closer to home.  Companies have been developing many clever ways to
send high-speed traffic down copper wires, which have enabled most of
us to install high-speed Internet connectivity to our homes while
using the same copper wire that was originally envisioned solely for
analog voice and video traffic.  So it costs less for Verizon to
implement FIOS than it was initially envisioned.

You've happened to wander into a technology and market space that I
study for a living...

Richard Cuff / Allentown, PA  USA


On Mon, Jun 1, 2009 at 10:26 PM, Rob de Santos <rdesantos@xxxxxxxxx> wrote:
> The analysis by Cringely is a fascinating one but I see several weaknesses in
> his argument.
>
> First, bandwidth is not unlimited and cannot increase by 50% per year for very
> long.  Physics tells us that either you make the pipe bigger or eventually you
> will run out of room.  Making bigger pipes is very expensive.

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