Session Management Technology Emerging as a Key Enabler For Next-Gen Telecom Services, New Report FindsTelecom operators will turn to distributed session management to deliver next-gen services including IMS, says Heavy ReadingPRNewswire The push by telecom service providers of all stripes to deliver converged and integrated services based on next-generation packet networks is creating a potentially massive opportunity for suppliers of session management and session border controller (SBC) technology, but significant obstacles remain before vendors can capitalize on that opportunity, according to a major new report from Heavy Reading (www.heavyreading.com), the paid research division of Light Reading Inc. (www.lightreading.com). Session Management, IMS, and the Future of Session Border Controllers analyzes the role of SBCs in the broader context of session management and how their role may change with the arrival of next-gen networks, IMS, and ETSI/Tispan standards. The cornerstone of this all-new 67-page report is an exclusive worldwide survey of 80 network operators regarding session management and SBC deployment plans. The survey, conducted in February 2006, offers direct insight into current and projected use of session management technologies by network operators. The report includes in-depth interviews with marketing and network professionals from service provider organizations representing the cable industry, global network and wholesale VOIP providers, and local VOIP service providers. The report also presents detailed product and strategic analyses for 23 different technology suppliers in this sector, including Cisco Systems, Ericsson, Juniper Networks, Lucent Technologies, and Nortel Networks. "The fundamental question this report addresses is how service providers manage sessions across multiple networks and how the role of the SBC will evolve with the broader adoption of session management," notes John Longo, Senior Analyst with Heavy Reading and author of the report. "SBCs were created to sit at the network's edge and facilitate interconnection of VOIP networks, but have now been deployed as a device to serve the coordination function between the VOIP application and the IP network. With the wide-scale deployment of service provider next-gen networks, along with standards such as IMS and ETSI's Tispan, session management functions are now being distributed across the infrastructure." Key findings of Session Management, IMS, and the Future of Session Border Controllers include the following: Service providers do not manage session quality across multiple IP networks today. Survey results clearly indicate that although service providers use session management and SBC technology today, they are not utilizing the ability of these technologies to manage quality across multiple IP networks at the session layer. The industry continues to focus on standards for quality measurement, but carriers still guard service performance data within their networks. Service providers want security boxes at the borders of their networks, a requirement that will fuel demand for SBCs for the foreseeable future. Our interviews and survey results show that service providers definitely want to know they have a device at the border of their network performing, first and foremost, security -- protecting their network. And with a relatively small portion of overall voice traffic carried as VOIP today, the demand for border control devices will continue to be strong for the foreseeable future. What those devices look like and where they are positioned in the network will evolve over time. Large service providers will continue to purchase standalone SBCs for at least the next five years. In addition to knowing they have a security device at the border of their network, most service providers expressed a clear interest in having a dedicated box. Initially these standalone devices must be able to partition signaling control from media control. Over time they will evolve to focus on media control, as signaling control moves to the core of the network and is more tightly integrated with each operator's softswitch migration strategy. Session Management, IMS, and the Future of Session Border Controllers costs $3,795 and is published in PDF format. The price includes an enterprise license covering all of the employees at the purchaser's company. For more information, or to request a free executive summary, contact: Dave Williams Sales Director, Heavy Reading 858-485-8870 dave.williams@heavyreading.com Press/analyst contact: Dennis Mendyk Managing Director, Heavy Reading 201-587-2154 mendyk@heavyreading.com About Heavy Reading Heavy Reading is an independent market research organization offering quantitative analysis of telecom technology to service providers, vendors, and investors. Its mandate is to provide the comprehensive competitive analysis needed today for the deployment of profitable networks based on next-generation hardware and software. About Light Reading Reaching a core audience of more than 917,000 enterprise IT managers and executives, Light Reading Inc. publishes www.lightreading.com, the leading global content site for the telecom industry; www.byteandswitch.com, a storage networking site; www.unstrung.com, dedicated to wireless networking; and coming May 2006, Dark Reading, a data security site. Light Reading is also affiliated with www.heavyreading.com. Light Reading was acquired by United Business Media in August 2005, and operates as a unit of CMP Media LLC. About CMP Media Through its market-leading portfolio of trusted information brands in the technology, healthcare, and lifestyles industries, CMP (www.cmp.com) has earned the confidence of more professionals and enthusiasts in these fields than any other media company. As a result, CMP is the premier provider of access, insight, and actionable programs designed to connect sellers and buyers in each of these industries in ways that yield superior return on investment. CMP is a subsidiary of United Business Media (www.unitedbusinessmedia.com), a global provider of news distribution and specialist information services with a market capitalization of more than $3 billion. SOURCE: Heavy Reading CONTACT: Dave Williams, Sales Director, Heavy Reading, +1-858-485-8870, Web site: http://www.heavyreading.com/ |