Disaster Recovery Journal Spring 2023

is a framework which traditional WANs began struggling with because the amount of traffic put across the network became unwieldy. Additionally, backhauling to data centers for security added unnecessary transport time and costs. SD-WAN solves existing network challenges by delivering versatility and simplicity: businesses can choose how their traffic is routed (options include LTE, MPLS, or broadband inter net, for instance) from a centralized con trol system. This method of maintaining and managing the network adds unprece dented visibility across the entire footprint, allowing for increased data protection by helping businesses securely manage traf fic to and from branches and cloud-based applications. Greater control over site-to site data transport means every element can be more easily held to reliable safety standards. This means no more messing around with independently managing fire walls or VPNs – it’s an all-around win. DIA Dedicated internet access (DIA) is quickly becoming a must-have for com panies which need their connectivity to deliver the utmost reliability, reduced latency, and predictability. As opposed to shared internet connections, we see DIA presents a wide array of benefits. Most notably, when organizations utilize shared internet service, they are at the mercy of whoever is sharing connectivity with them. This means risking sluggish speeds, congestion, and unpredictability – even outages or security issues. While shared internet connectivity might work for a home office or small business location (but increasingly not), many organizations simply cannot afford to have their net working capabilities impacted by outside factors – especially when customer experi ences and bottom lines are at stake. DIA delivers better, more reliable network performance with symmetrical download and upload speeds (depending on who it’s procured from) by eliminat ing outside influences from the equation. With a private connection, applications and communications are free to flow and operate smoothly any time, regardless of the peak usage hours of outside users.

When combined with SLAs and faster troubleshooting (fixing a roadblock on DIA takes a few hours or less, compared to problems on shared connections, which can take days to resolve at their worst), the advantage of DIA is clear. Furthermore, by partitioning data and traffic away from outside organizations, sensitive data and information can be kept more secure. This makes DIA a particularly great solution for highly regulated industries. Dark Fiber and Private-Line Ethernet When service providers lay fiber optic cable in support of their networks, they typically deploy cables with larger counts of fiber than are needed to support their ‘lit” networks – this is dark fiber. Large enterprise customers have historically pur chased fiber strands within these cables to operate their own private networks. Commended for its added security, many are opting to leverage dark fiber in their network foundations. In fact, the market for dark fiber is projected to grow to $8.7 billion by 2026, up from $5.2 billion in 2021, at a CAGR of 11%. Dark fiber does differ from its lit or eth ernet-based service counterparts because once it’s leased, the company needs to deploy and maintain the equipment which keeps the fiber functional. For many, it’s worth the effort. To start, the scalability is near-limitless across this fiber, reduc ing any drag on growth. Dark fiber point to-point connectivity also offers greater control and security over connections as it’s not a shared strand. It is completely managed by the business itself and the data transferred across it never encounters public internet. This means no network intrusions, and it also enables changes to be made on an as-needed, as-desired basis. Not to mention, dark fiber offers the opportunity to leverage DWDM (dense wavelength division multiplexing), which keeps latencies low and increases capaci ties by enabling organizations to send traf fic across several wavelengths in the same strand. However, private-line ethernet is the preferred solution for most. The expense of deploying optical equipment and the dark fiber lease itself can be significant,

not to mention the day-to-day operating and maintenance costs. This explains the prominence of Private-Line services in use today by nearly all organizations. It should be noted private-line services are highly secure and highly reliable, with most service providers offering geographic diversity and resiliency. These services are easy to operate for the end user, requiring little more than an Ethernet port to accept the service. The service can also be con figured in a point-to-point or multipoint option, further simplifying deployment for the customer. It is also worth noting private line connections have historically been more expensive than DIA connections, but these costs have decreased significantly in recent years and will likely continue to do so as average connection sizes increase. Whether it’s healthcare, manufactur ing, government, education, or otherwise, every organization and vertical depends on its network to support every other function of business. The network, and the connec tivity it delivers, is the nervous system of the company, playing a role in the health and well-being of any operational process. This means reliability, security, agility, and efficiency are non-negotiables. The pressure is on for networks to con tinue their journey of optimization, which means every organization should be on the lookout for the new tools, processes, and services that will help their connectivity rise to the challenge of digital business. In 2023, ease and simplicity must go hand in-hand with expanded functionality and power. This means solutions like SD-WAN, DIA, dark fiber, private-line ethernet, or a hybrid of all of the above will continue to serve network evolution well and keep net works immune from disruption – keeping businesses firmly on track for success. v James (Jim) Capuano is the president and chief executive officer of Horizon Telecom. Capuano has more than 30 years of experi ence in the telecommunications industry. Prior to joining Horizon, he served in mul tiple C-level and executive roles including chief operating officer and chief technology officer. Where is the Future of Connectivity Headed?

46 DISASTER RECOVERY JOURNAL | SPRING 2023