How does the bandwidth cap work? I'm having a hard time fully understanding the rules of it.

for example: I hear on this forum about OC-192's not being fully lit. does that mean that the the line is run at a slower speed like and OC-12.

Also, if the owner of the OC-192 wanted some increase he would just have to make a phone call and the rest would be lit at the negociated rate.


-Sqposter / Michael

It all depends on the set-up.

For example, our datacenter has 3 OC3 connections but they are actually 3 OC48 lines (because the equipment at both ends are capable of OC48) that are lit to OC3 capacity (they only will allow up to OC3 burstability). Our provider can feed us up-to OC48 because the cards in the routers on both ends are capable of handling it. If we need more, we just need to upgrade the cards. Fiber is pretty much fiber, it's just what card/interface is connected at each end.

Some providers will tell you they are on an OC192 connection, blah, blah, blah... The truth is in what they have lit! :)

Hope that helps!

thanks, that what I thought.

So as long as you have the money for the upgrades. You can have the highest type fiber placed into the NOC then, upgrade your fiber's network cards as your firm grows.

Sqposter / Michael

It's not that simple.
The hard part is the fiber...which can takes months to run...especially if there is nothing around you that already has fiber that you can tie into. After that, you need to order the actual bandwidth that runs over the fiber...
You can order for example an OC3 and have them only turn on 60mbps of that 155mbps capable line.
so the truth is you are lit for and OC3, have fiber for whatever, possibly OC48 or OC192, but also still only have 60mbps capacity currently.
Now you can make a simple phone call to your provider, and have them up your current OC3 to the full 155mbps, instead of 60mbps, but that may still take 7-10 days depending on the backbone. You cannot however make a call and get another OC3, a DS3, or fill up the rest of the fiber line so easily. That will take 30 days minimum for a DS3, 60 days for an OC3, etc....to add another line...often much much longer knowing delays from the telco and/or backbones....
SO the name of the game here is planning ahead, and never being caught short, but on the same time...not overbuying bandwith so you go broke.

Sean R.
BurstNET

You said that nicely, Planning is the name of the game.

Since you have your own center, is the cost of the fiber line ( not bandwidth related but the fiber itself ) the same if it's an OC-192 or an OC-12.

simple reason is that if the cost are close, why not lay the thickest pipe around and keep increasing the capacity ( i think that the right word) for example stating at 10Mbps then going to 20, 30, 50 ... just based on the demand.

-Michael / Sqposter

is the cost of the fiber line ( not bandwidth related but the fiber itself ) the same if it's an OC-192 or an OC-12. Really, fiber is fiber (there is a little difference in brand and freq range from product to product) but the capacity really depends on what interface cards/equipment are connected to each end.

If the interace card/equipment can only handle OC3, that's all your going to do.