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This article focuses on standardizing protocols needed for intelligent communication with and among spacecraft scattered around the solar system, as well as with robots sent to explore other planets by the U.S. National Aeronautics & Space Administration. Humans have been voyaging into space, either personally or through robotic presence, for almost 45 years. Space is an all round harsh environment, and communicating with remote spacecraft has required development of highly specialized techniques for handling very long propagation delays, extremely weak radio signal levels and stringent on board power generation limitations inherent while leaving earth. Each early space mission implemented a unique and literally handcrafted protocol for passing data back and forth between ground and spacecraft. As time and technology progressed and the number of missions increased there was a need to drastically reduce costs and allow missions to share international ground support infrastructure. Therefore, about 200 space projects with spacecraft dispersed across the solar system that have opted to use packet switching concepts for sending commands to spacecraft and transmitting measurements back to earth.

The article focuses on the issues concerning data communications in the United States. Photographers and printers use a gray scale to measure shades between black and white. Often referred to, as a gray area is the space between computing and communications. Communicators are beginning to see that they have turned over the definition of business information systems to computer companies and it seemed to try to recover control of the situation. The Federal Communications Commission's (FCC) decision to inject more competition into the communication industry has led to the advent of specialized common carriers and to infighting between them and the traditional common carriers. Packet Communications Inc. is the first to receive approval for instituting this service from FCC, which calls the technique an improved means of satisfying data transmission requirements.

The article discusses end-user management and performance monitoring in the U.S. It states that it will be the next big wave in enterprise application management spending. It discusses how end-user management and packet-capture technologies collect massive amounts of network data for the purpose of troubleshooting. It mentions several user-monitoring methods like those offered by Coradiant, Fluke Networks and NetQoS.

The article offers information on the Openflow switching protocol in the U.S. It states that Openflow defines a controller and how it can securely connect to a network device that it controls and specifies how a controller manipulate a switch or router. It also mentions that Openflow has received support from enterprise networking vendors including Extreme and NEC.

Focuses on the plans of telecommunication companies to invest in packet technology in the U.S. Role of operations and engineering staffs; in packet migration plan; Disadvantages of the migration plan; Strategy used by companies in packet migration.

Focuses on the features of high-speed downlink packet access in the U.S. Evolution of the third generation Universal Mobile Telecommunications System; Citation of the inherent network efficiency of the technology; Enhancement of the downlink portion of mobile data transmissions.

Recommends the packet gateway technology to Internet service providers in the United States. Growth rate of voice traffic; Advantages of the technology; Details on the process of packet-switching; Architectural strategy of packet gateways.

US taxpayer information is at risk because of inadequate security of routers and switches, according to an independent audit. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Looks at issues concerning packet-based voice and video applications in the United States. Impact of advances in coder-decoder technology; Interconnection of packet telephony users in the Internet; Strategies for Asynchronous Transfer Mode; Linking of corporate videoconferencing regime.

The article reports on the launching of the C-300 from Force 10 Networks Inc. in the U.S., a C-Series of switches designed to bring resiliency and high-end switches to middle-sized data centers. It is stated that the efforts of the company are to leverage its reputation for high performance and reliability in local area networks, switching to gain enterprise campus networks. The C-300 provides features of the company's E-Series data center switches including the modular Force10 Operating System, route processor modules and fans and redundant power supplies.

The article reports on the deep packet inspection and packet header classification employed by Startup cPacket Networks Inc. in the U.S. The method is based on pattern-matching algorithms that would justify application-specific standard product for next generation land area network (LAN) switches and line cards. According to chief executive officer (CEO) Rony Kay, leading network equipment vendors and system designers have preferred application-specific standard product for packet inspection.

The article emphasizes the rise of voice-over-the-Internet Protocol (VoIP) technology, a convergence of telephone and Internet technologies. VoIP uses the Internet's alternate packet-switching technology to carry telephone conversations wirelessly or over cable, fiber optic lines, DSL lines, or even (possibly) common electric powerlines. Business Week cites Adventis analysts who project the number of Internet-based phone lines could grow from fewer than a million subscribers in 2002 to more than 5 million by the end of 2004. The Meta Group, a technology consulting firm, estimates nearly 30 percent of U.S. businesses may move to VoIP within two years. The New Millennium Research Council thinks 40 percent of all calls made in the U.S. will be carried over the Internet by 2009. It should not be overlooked that there are some problems with VoIP--delicately called quality-of-service issues--that need to be resolved. Voice quality is inferior to wireline phone service. Regulatory uncertainty compounds the problem, particularly concerning the terms and conditions under which telcos must unbundle new broadband lines and equipment. State regulators in Georgia, Kentucky, and Louisiana are requiring BellSouth to unbundle its high-speed digital subscriber lines (DSL) at rates set by state regulators, which would mean allowing BellSouth's competitors to sell VoIP over its newly installed lines.

Focuses on the enhancements to the 1xEV-DO data-only code division multiple access (CDMA) standard which are optimized for packet data service in the United States. Effects on CDMA subscribers; Approval of the enhancements in response to demands for improved support for multimedia services.

This article describes the emergence of voice-over-Internet Protocol technology, a convergence of telephone and Internet technologies that could replace the current Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN) in the U.S. VoIP uses the Internet's alternate packet-switching technology to carry telephone conversations wirelessly or over cable, fiber optic lines, digital subscriber lines, or even common electric powerlines. It should not be overlooked that there are some problems with VoIP that need to be resolved. Voice quality is inferior to wireline telephone service. VoIP is the latest wave of technology-driven competition that has affected the telecommunication industry. The regional Bell operating companies, or RBOC are engaged in a battle for survival. They are reeling from the loss of customers to wireless and cable companies, and losing investors. They are also diversifying into less-regulated wireless, long-distance, and broadband services. However, the biggest challenge the RBOC face is a regulatory environment that denies the reality that competition across platforms--wireless, cable, and the Internet--has effectively ended whatever monopoly power they once had.

Two year old Wan Optlmization startup Peribit Networks this Fall will turn its attention to application response time and larger networks, with new software and hardware for each. The Santa Clara, California, company next month will add new PFA (Packet Flow Acceleration) technology to its Sequence Reducer hardware, which employs proprietary Molecular Sequence Reduction technology to compress redundant data flows crossing expensive WAN links. With wait times fairly lengthy over long distances, the PFA technology promises to bring LAN-like performance to users accessing remote ERP (enterprise resource planning) applications from one continent to the next, according to Peribit user Chip Greel, architect at Finisar Corp., in Sunnyvale, California.

Reports on the use of packet switching technology by Sprint Corp. in the U.S. Amount invested in the technology; Benefits of the move for the long-distance carrier; Expansion of Sprint's multimedia services.

Deals with the packet-based voice-over-Internet Protocol technology in the United States. Emerging approaches to the packet-based voice service; Comments from Tom Nolle, president of the research firm, CIMI; Alternatives to traditional Class 5 switches.

Reports on the development of the Afterburner transceiver in the United States by Blaze Networks Inc. for use in computer networks. Extension of gigabit Ethernet runs; Use of wavelength-division multiplexing to distribute packets across carrier systems; Slowing of packet speeds; Sending of signals over different wavelengths.

Informs that Motorola's Network Systems Division will become one of the first telephony equipment vendors to enable packet data services over ISDN's D channel. Focuses on embedded, industrial and transaction-processing applications; Details.

The article focuses on Carrier Ethernet, a system which promises low-cost, high-speed services that can transparently extend a user's Local Area Network across a Wide Area Network in the U.S. The system standardizes service-quality measures for packet delivery, latency, jitter and availability. The Metro Ethernet Forum is the industry body driving the standardization of Ethernet services and testing, which coordinates standards with the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers and the Internet Engineering Task Force. Carrier Ethernet offers benefits for service providers and customers because both benefit from lower costs and flexibility improvements. However, its availability is limited to midsize or large metro areas and providers may have to rely on partners for coverage.

Assesses a California dispute delaying Verizon Communications' efforts to deploy packet switches. Approval of a temporary restraining order requiring Verizon to provide unbundled switching yo AT&T by the Public Utility Commission (PUC); Deployment of the packet switches; Ruling of the PUC.

Reports that Telcordia Technologies Inc. has been awarded a U.S. patent number for its method and system known as softswitch architecture for media connectivity over a packet-based network. Remarks from Michael Cook, vice president at SAIC, parent company of Telcordia, concerning the development of the softswitch architecture; Intention of Telcordia to identify potential licensees of its technology; Explanations concerning the technology likely used in other softswitch architectures. INSET: METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR MEDIA CONNECTIVITY OVER A PACKET-BASED....

Focuses on the packet services offered by Sprint Corp. in the U.S. Emulation of Frame Relay, Packet Private Line and Virtual LAN in the internet telephony backbone; Increase of worldwide frame relay revenue; Challenges associated with the implementation of internet protocols.

Reports on the upgrading of the Los Angeles-to-San Francisco, California link of the very high speed backbone network service (vBNS) to OC-48 using M40 routers from Juniper Networks Inc. Emergence of multiprotocol label switching (MPLS); Role of MPLS in determining how efficiently and inexpensively service providers address the demand for data services.

Focuses on the emergence of a new breed of carriers that combine fiber links with Internet protocol-based networks for increased bandwidth at less cost. Construction of backbones around the popular IP and packet switches; Qwest Communications Corp.'s Macro Capacity Fiber Network; Level 3 Communications' offering of end-to-end IP service; IXC Communications' pursuit of an aggressive acquisition strategy.

The article examines a report from the Aberdeen Group finding that the total growth in bandwidth required by all U.S. organizations will lead to an increased switch from asynchronous transfer mode (ATM) to Ethernet and multiprotocol label switching (MPLS) transmission technologies in 2007. A poll is cited finding a majority of public and private enterprises either find the MPLS technology unnecessary or that the complexities of the change make it too expensive for them.

The article reports on the merging of several digital product vendors for technological innovations in the U.S. Application specific integrated circuits and application specific standard product vendors are expected to work on technology jointly, and foundries will share resources. Field programmable gate arrays and Display System Protocol (DSP) are merging their system components, while intellectual-property providers look to merge functionality to make functions in communications and video. Moreover, DSP is seen as good at handling tasks like multimedia distribution, power control, and motor control.

This article reports on the edge-switching technology developed by Foundry Networks Inc. and Extreme Networks Inc. in California. Foundry is introducing two FastIron Edge X-Series rack-mounted switches that offer 10 Gigabit Ethernet uplink capabilities to core networks. Extreme is announcing that its Unified Access architecture and Power over Ethernet capability will be extended to its Alpine 3800 series switches, which can be used in small core networks or on network edges. Analyst Joel Conover said edge switching accounts for about 40% of all switch revenues. He added that there is a constant need for innovation at the edges of networks to keep up with new technologies in desktop computers and other end-user devices. The Information Sciences Institute plans to begin testing Foundry's X424 and X448 switches inside 12 wiring closets, using the devices to connect 350 computers to a data center. The San Francisco Museum of Modern Art has connected 20 wireless access points to Extreme's Summit 300 switches, partly to take advantage of their Power over Ethernet capability . Museum director Leo Ballate added that the Unified Access architecture also provides security and administration features to the switches and not in the access points, which are vulnerable to backing.

Reports on the plan of Verizon Communications to shift its U.S.-wide telecommunications network to packet-switched technology as part of a plan to offer new voice-over-Internet protocol (VoIP) and multimedia services. Coverage of the network upgrade; Manufacturer of the VoIP equipment that will be installed; Cost of the project according to Paul Lacouture of Verizon.

Discusses the use of packet-switched General Packet Radio Service (GPRS) and CDMA2000 1XRTT for data transmission by major wireless carrier companies in the U.S. Comparison between GPRS and 1XRTT; Price rates of various wireless carriers; Conduction of GPRS and 1XRTT by the companies networking tests to inspect their job performance.

Presents information on the Service-Level-Agreements (SLA) of the computer networks in the U.S. Assurances of a private network; Stipulating performance levels on network capability, latency and packet loss of Broadwing and Quest network; Capabilities of the SLA; Usefulness of the Broadwing SLA.

Reports the debut of a 4-Port Universal Serial Bus Switch by Belkin for notebook computers in Compton, California.

Features the AirBridge packet data service from Bell Atlantic Mobile which lets New Jersey police access a database of mug shots from a laptop in their patrol cars. Use of software from Keystone Information Systems Inc.; Network's use of cellular digital packet data.

Looks at the telecommunications market in the United States. Information on Internet protocol (IP) players that provide private network services to big corporations; Improvement in packet-switching and companion technologies; Decline in the cost of deploying IP networks.

Reports that the University of California at Berkeley is implementing a next-generation network as it integrates Layer 3 switching into its local area network (LAN). How long the school has used a switched network; The systems which the school is using; Comments from Fred Archibald, a network manager for the Electrical Engineering and Computer Sciences department at the school; Challenges the school has faced.