Author: Tom Nolle

I’ve noted before that the weak link in NFV is operations, or management if you prefer.  A big part of the problem, IMHO, is the need for the ISG to contain its efforts to meet its schedule for completing its Phase One work.  Another issue is the fact that the body didn’t approach NFV from…

I’ve been critical of the state of NFV in most of my posts, not because I’m opposed to it (I’m a big supporter) but because it’s deserved it.  There is an avalanche of NFV hype and nonsense out there, so much so that it’s rare to be able to say anything that’s not a criticism. …

One of the biggest issues I have with companies’ positioning is that they are postulating a totally revolutionary impact for something that differs in no significant sense from the status quo.  If a new technology is going to change the world of networking, don’t you think it should do something significantly different?  Perhaps the “revolutionary…

A number of independent rumor sources say that Google is finally going to make the MVNO move, striking reseller deals with Sprint and T-Mobile to become a Mobile Virtual Network Operator (MVNO).  This is what I thought Amazon should have done with its Fire phone, and what I still think would be a possible move…

You’ve probably noticed by now my enthusiasm for the metro space.  I think that enthusiasm is vindicated by the recent Street speculation on Verizon’s next-gen metro program, which the Street analysts say will go primarily to Ciena with a nod toward Cisco.  The thing is, there are other fundamental numbers in play that have been…

My blog recently on NFV performance has generated a long thread of comments (for which I thank everyone who’s participated), and from the thread I see a point emerging that’s really important to NFV.  The point is one I’ll call scope of benefits. Operators build networks to sell services from.  If you presume that the…

We’re not there yet, not in the age of online video where TV networks are dinosaurs and Netflix reigns supreme.  Even though (not surprisingy) Netflix’s CEO thinks that TV as we know it will be extinct in five years or so.  But we are clearly in a period of change, driven by a bunch of…

With all the ink net neutrality is getting, I feel like I just have to say something about it.  Regulatory policy, after all, is perhaps the largest single factor in setting business policies for network operators and so one of the largest factors in setting capex policies too.  Since I’ve blogged before on the broad…

One of the ongoing themes in both SDN and NFV is that operators need these technologies to compete with the OTT players.  We also hear that operators need a cultural transformation to do that, or that they need to form subsidiaries or buy somebody.  We could almost claim to have a cottage industry here, people…

Cloud computing is probably the most important concept of our time, but also likely the most misunderstood.  It will never do what proponents say it will—displace private IT.  In fact, it’s not likely it will displace more than about a quarter of today’s IT spending.  However, it will generate new spending and in the end…