Source: www.voip-news.com

Optenet has a new content security solution that includes a new bandwidth optimization function. The Optenet Bandwidth Management enables highly granular, real-time network traffic control.

According to the company:

With Optenet’s bandwidth management capability, the ISP or customer administrator can monitor and control the bandwidth resources consumed by a URL connection, an IP address, or a traffic group, in efforts to reduce network congestion caused by increasingly popular practices such as streaming video, frequenting social network sites, and the downloading of large multi-media files.

“It’s critical for companies to optimize bandwidth capacity for the most significant traffic, whether that’s mission-critical data or the CEO’s email,” said Joel Silberman, vice president, North America, Optenet. “Prioritizing traffic is particularly important as businesses expand or add new, bandwidth-intensive applications, like VoIP and Web conferencing which require high-quality connectivity.”

Source: www.voip-news.com

The first phase implementation of Bandwidth.com’s new all-IP network has been completed by Sonus Networks. The Next-gen network deployment is intended to provide secure, advanced business communications services to small and medium businesses in the US.

“Our ability to serve small businesses has driven Bandwidth.com’s dramatic growth,” said David Morken, co-founder, CEO and president at Bandwidth.com. “We partner with Sonus because they share our vision for innovation and have a track record of delivering reliable, scalable and cost effective networks. We invest in industry leading technology, anticipating demand for our mission critical services like SIP trunking. Using Sonus infrastructure ensures that Bandwidth.com’s network is optimized intelligently to provide for and ultimately capture that demand.”

Bandwidth intends to use the complete Sonus solution.

“Meeting the demands of enterprise customers requires secure, scalable and highly available networks,” said Mohammed Shanableh, vice president of global sales at Sonus Networks. “The Sonus portfolio of integrated solutions delivers a robust IP-based network for advanced services. The intelligent session control technology enables Bandwidth.com to make its network more resource efficient. Bandwidth.com will be able to offer its business customers a range of innovative applications such as IP Business trunks, IP Centrex and collaboration applications.”

Source: www.voip-news.com

Response Point customers can now take advantage of a strategic alliance between Response Point-manufacturer Microsoft and Bandwidth.com. Bandwidth offers SIP-based phone lines.

“Bandwidth.com’s advanced network capabilities and ubiquitous U.S. coverage will greatly expand the IP service options available to Response Point customers,” said Xuedong Huang, general manager of Microsoft Response Point. “Bandwidth.com’s exceptional quality standards, focus on small businesses and ability to deliver a complete IP-based solution will benefit our Response Point customers from coast to coast.”

The companies plan to layout more details at the SMB Nation 2008 conference in Seattle that begins on Oct. 3.

“Bandwidth.com plans a nationwide roll out to train Microsoft’s small-business specialists, On-Line retailers and other value added Microsoft resellers on the simplicity of connecting Response Point to Bandwidth’s bundled voice service portfolio this fall,” said Jeff Uphues, VP of Sales, Partner Services of Bandwidth.com.

Source: www.voip-news.com

Bandwidth.com has introduced BoxSet service bundles that combine unlimited calling, bundled internet service and flat rate pricing. the BoxSet is intended for the SMB sector. The flat rate starts at $179 per month.

“Small and Medium businesses nationwide can benefit from the ease of use, scalability and price of bundled service offerings for their voice and data communications,” said John Macario, President of Savatar. “Additionally, service providers such as Bandwidth.com who can offer the flexibility of a range of bandwidth options and solutions will drive faster adoption in this rapidly growing segment.”

Source: voipcentral.org

Thus, the telecom service provider has issued a warning today saying that some consumer VoIP products are using a peer-to-peer (p2p) models resulting in bandwidth being used to carry other individuals’ voice and data traffic without the user’s consent or knowledge.
It said that such applications were designed to bypass firewall restrictions by emulating a web browser.

This can spell trouble on corporate network as it makes the VoIP packets difficult to monitor, identify and audit.

Thus suggests certain measure can be taken by business that can protect them from such VoIP associated vulnerabilities.

It suggested the following measure that can be adopted by the companies

1. Make the employees aware regarding VoIP security and emphasize the risk it can put on a business.
2. Lock down desktops or certain drives to restrict users ability from installing applications.
3. Regularly monitor devices and traffic flows for unknown or unexpected activity.
4. Include VoIP applications in the list of applications that may not be appropriate for employee use (acceptable use policy).

Thus said that the company should try doing the following if a business allows consumer VoIP packages to be downloaded:

1. Ensure that anti-virus applications are installed on all desktops and that they are kept updated to the latest virus definations.
2. VoIP application should be managed with the same zeal as if it is a supported business application.
3. Specific applications should be thoroughly tested and included in the list of applications that are tested, recognized and installed for employee usage.

Via: vnunet Thanks