101CHAPTER 4Networks, Collaborative Technology,

101
CHAPTER 4
Networks, Collaborative
Technology, and the
Internet of Things
C H A P T E R O U T L I N E
Case 4.1 Opening Case: Sony Builds an IPv6
Network to Fortify Competitive Edge
4.1 Network Fundamentals
4.2 Internet Protocols (IP), APIs,
and Network Capabilities
4.3 Mobile Networks
4.4 Collaborative Technologies and
the Internet of Things (IoT)
Case 4.2 Business Case: Google Maps API for
Business
Case 4.3 Video Case: Small Island Telecom
Company Goes Global

L E A R N I N G O B J E C T I V E S
4.1 Describe the different types of networks and the basic
functions of business networks.
4.2 Understand the purpose of IPs and APIs and compare
wireless
3G, 4G, and 5G networks and how they support businesses.
4.3 Describe the growth in mobile data traffic and understand
the
components of the mobile infrastructure including near-field
communication. List the business functions that near-field
communication supports.
4.4 Evaluate performance improvements gained from
collaborative technology and understand concept of the
Internet of Things (IoT)
102 C H A P T E R 4 Networks, Collaborative Technology,
and the Internet of Things
Introduction
Across all types and sizes of organizations , the Internet and
networks have changed the way
that business is conducted. Twenty years ago, computers were
glorified typewriters that could
not communicate with one another. If we wanted to
communicate we used the telephone.
Today computers constantl y exchange data with each other over
distance and time to provide
companies with a number of significant advantages. The
convergence of access technologies,

cloud, 5G networks, multitasking mobile operating systems, and
collaboration platforms con-
tinues to change the nature of work, the way we do business,
how machines interact, and other
things not yet imagined. In this chapter you will learn about the
different types of networks,
how they affect the way that businesses communicate with
customers, vendors, and other
businesses, and how the largest network, the Internet, is
enabling massive automatic data col-
lection efforts from “things” rather than from people.
Case 4.1 Opening Case
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Sony Builds an IPv6 Network to Fortify

Competitive Edge
Sony’s Rapid Business Growth
In the early 2000s, Sony Corporation had been engaged in
strate-
gic mergers and acquisitions to strengthe n itself against
intensifying
competition (Figure 4.1). By 2007 Sony’s enterprise network
(internal
network) had become too complex and was incapable of
supporting
communication, operations, and further business growth (Table
4.1).
The enterprise network was based on IPv4. A serious limitation
was
that the IPv4 network could not provide real-time collaboration
among
business units and group companies.
Expansion efforts were taking too long because of the
complicated
structure of the network, and total cost of ownership (TCO) was
increas-
ing. Also, a number of technical limitations were blocking
internal com-
munications. To eliminate these limitations, Sony decided to
invest in
IPv6-based networks.
Network Limitations
Many of the Sony Group companies had developed
independently—
and had independent networks. Devices connected to the
independent
networks were using the same IP addresses. That situation is
compara-

ble to users having duplicate telephone numbers —making it
impossi-
ble to know which phone was being called. Also, phones with
the same
number could not call each other.
Once these networks were integrated, the duplicate IP address
caused traffic-routing conflicts. Routing conflicts, in turn, led
to the fol-
lowing problems:
1. Sony’s employee communication options were severely
limited,
which harmed productivity.
2. File sharing and real-time communication were not possible.
3. Introducing cloud services was difficult and time-consuming.
Migration to IPv6 Networks: An Investment
in the Future
With its virtually unlimited number of IP addresses, IPv6 would
support
Sony’s long-term, next-generation information and
communications
technology (ICT) infrastructure strategy and improve
collaboration
and productivity.
Migrating from IPv4 to IPv6 involved 700 sites, hundreds of
thou-
sands of networking devices, and hundreds of thousands of
network
users spread around the globe. During the transition, Sony
realized
that it was necessary to support both IP protocols. That is, while
Sony

wanted to eventually completely migrate to IPv6, the IPv6
would sup-
plement and coexist with the existing enterprise IPv4 network,
rather
than replace it. Running both protocols on the same network at
the
same time was necessary because Sony’s legacy devices and
apps only
worked on IPv4.
Sony selected Cisco as a key partner in the migration and inte-
gration of IPv4 and IPv6 traffic because of the maturity of its
IPv6
Introduction 103
technology. The integrated network has been used by Sony as
infra-
structure for product development. Sony also upgraded its Cisco
net-
work switches at the corporate data center, campuses, and
remote
offices to handle concurrent IPv4 and IPv6 traffic.
Business Results
The use of IPv6 eliminated the issue of conflicting IP addresses,
ena-
bling Sony employees in all divisions to take advantage of the
produc-
tivity benefits of real-time collaboration applications. Other
business
improvements are as follows:
• Flexibility to launch new businesses quickly.

• Reduced TCO of enterprise network.
• Network without communications constraints, supporting “One
Sony” through information systems:
Decreased lead time of connecting a new group to the
enterprise network.
Automated network processes by ridding of manuall y config-
ured NAT devices.
However, Sony’s networks are far from perfect, especially when
it comes to its PlayStation Network Service. Unfortunately for
gamers,
the PSN consistently crashes without warning and for relatively
long
periods of time. The first crash of 2016 on January 4th caused
the ser-
vice to be down for about 8 hours for all users. During that
time, many
users could not play their games, use streaming services, or
access the
online store.
Questions
1. Explain how Sony’s IPv4 enterprise network was restricting
the
productivity of its workers.
Sony Corporation
Global Reach
Network

Solution
Sony aims to accelerate global
collaboration and business across
business units to achieve goal of
“One Sony.”
Cisco Enterprise IPv6 network
integrated with IPv4 network.
Consumer electronics equipment
and services; music, pictures,
computer entertainment.
More versatile network
Network without communications
constraints, supporting “One Sony”
through information systems.
Brand

Business Results
FIGURE 4.1 Sony Corporation overview.
TA B L E 4 . 1 Opening Case Overview
Company Sony Corporation, Sony.com
Location Headquartered in Tokyo, Japan. Over 700 total
network sites worldwide.
Industries One of the largest consumer electronics and
entertainment companies in the world,
including audio/video equipment, semiconductors, computers,
and video games.
Also engaged in production and distribution of recorded music,
motion picture,
and video.
Business
challenges
• Network expansion required too much time due to complexity
of
enterprise network.

• Networking TCO (total cost of ownership) was continually
increasing.
• Numerous constraints on networks obstructing communication
between com-
panies in Sony Group.
Network
technology
• Integrated its IPv4 networks with new IPv6 solutions from
Cisco. The integrated
IPv4/IPv6 network has been used by Sony as infrastructure for
the development of
new products and enterprise-wide collaboration.
• Sony also upgraded its Cisco switches at the corporate data
center, campuses, and
remote offices to handle concurrent IPv4 and IPv6 traffic.

4.1 Network Fundamentals
Today’s managers need to understand the technical side of
computer networks to make intel-
ligent investment decisions that impact operations and
competitive position. Enterprises run
on networks—wired and mobile—and depend upon their ability
to interface with other net-
works and applications. Computer networks are changing
significantly in their capacity and
capabilities.
Network Types
Computers on a network are called nodes. The connection
between computers can be
done via cabling, most commonly through Ethernet, or
wirelessly through radio waves.
Connected computers share resources, such as the Internet,
printers, file servers, and other
devices. The multipurpose connections enabled by a network
allow a single computer to
do more than if it were not connected to other devices. The most
well-known network is
the Internet.

Computer networks are typically categorized by their scope.
Common types of networks
are shown in Table 4.2. Of these, LAN and WAN are the two
primary and best-known categories
of networks.
Computer networks are a set of
computers connected together for
the purpose sharing resources.
TA B L E 4 . 2 Types of Networks
Acronym Type Characteristics Example
LAN Local Area Network Connects network devices over a
relatively short distance
Owned, controlled, and managed by one individual or
organization
Office building
School
Home
WAN Wide Area Network Spans a large physical distance
Geographically dispersed collection of LANs

Owned and managed by multiple entities
Internet
Large company
WLAN Wireless Local
Area Network
LAN based on Wi-Fi wireless network technology Internet
Large company
MAN Metropolitan Area
Network
Spans a physical area larger than a LAN but smaller
than a WAN
Owned and operated by a single entity, e.g.,
government agency, large company
City
Network of suburban fire stations
SAN Storage Area Network
Server Area Network

Connects servers to data storage devices High-performance
database
CAN Campus Area Network
Cluster Area Network
Spans multiple LANs but smaller than a MAN University
Local business campus
PAN Personal Area Network Spans a small physical space,
typically 35 feet or less
Connects personal IT devices of a single individual
Laptop, smartphone, and portable
printer connected together
2. What problems did duplicate IP addresses cause at Sony?
Give
an analogy.
3. Why did Sony need to run both protocols on its network
instead of
replacing IPv4 with IPv6?
4. Describe the strategic benefit of Sony’s IPv6 implementation.

5. Do research to determine the accuracy of this prediction:
“Today, almost everything on the Internet is reachable over
IPv4. In a few years, both IPv4 and IPv6 will be required for
universal access.”
Sources: Cisco (2016) and Neal (2016).
Network Fundamentals 105
Intranets, Extranets, and Virtual Private Networks
Intranets are used within a company for data access, sharing,
and collaboration. They are por-
tals or gateways that provide easy and inexpensive browsing
and search capabilities. Colleges
and universities rely on intranets to provide services to students
and faculty. Using screen shar-
ing and other groupware tools, intranets can support team work.
An extranet is a private, company-owned network that can be
logged into remotely via
the Internet. Typical users are suppliers, vendors, partners, or
customers. Basically, an extranet

is a network that connects two or more companies so they can
securely share information.
Since authorized users remotely access content from a central
server, extranets can drastically
reduce storage space on individual hard drives.
A major concern is the security of the transmissions that could
be intercepted or compro-
mised. One solution is to use virtual private networks (VPNs),
which encrypt the packets before
they are transferred over the network. VPNs consist of
encryption software and hardware that
encrypt, send, and decrypt transmissions, as shown in
Figure 4.2. In effect, instead of using a
leased line to create a dedicated, physical connection, a
company can invest in VPN technology
to create virtual connections routed through the Internet from
the company’s private net-
work to the remote site or employee. Extranets can be expensive
to implement and maintain
because of hardware, software, and employee training costs if
hosted internally rather than by
an application service provider (ASP).
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FIGURE 4.2 Virtual private networks (VPNs) create encrypted
connections to company networks.
Network Terminology
To be able to evaluate the different types of networks and the
factors that determine their func-
tionality, you need to be familiar with the following network
terminology:

• Modem It is a device designed to adapt/modify the
information signals in a way that can
be transported by the media. The word modem is composed of
two terms: Modulator and
Demodulator, the modulator adapts the information signal in
order to be transported by
the media and the demodulator does the inverse process at
reception. Digital modems are
called “CSU/DSU” (Channel Service Unit/Data Service Units).
• Modulation and coding These are the specific techniques used
by the modem to
adapt the signal to the media. There are several ways to do this
process like Amplitude
Modulation, Phase modulation, Frequency Modulation. In a few
words modulation/
coding is to decide how the “1s” and “0s” are represented in
terms of voltages and/or
frequencies.

• Signal It is the information we want to send, every signal is
composed of a combination
of 1s and 0s. Every signal has a frequency spectrum.
• Signal frequency spectrum These are all the frequency
components of a signal. The
more 1s and 0s are transmitted per unit of time (i.e., per second)
the highest will be the
frequency components of a signal. The bandwidth of the signal
is measured in hertz or
number of variations per second. The more 1s and 0s are
transmitted within one second
the higher will be the frequency spectrum or signal bandwidth.
• Media bandwidth Every media (i.e., Copper, Coaxial, and
Fiber Optics) has a limitation
in the range of frequency signals that can move through it
without significant attenua-
tion. The bandwidth of the media varies by type, is limited, and
typically can’t accept the
entire signals frequency spectrum (Figure 4.3). The range of
frequencies that can move
through the media without significant attenuation is called
bandwidth and it is also mea-

sured in hertz.
The mission of a modem/DSU-CSU is to adapt the information
signal so that it can
move through the media without significant attenuation.
Typically “significant attenua-
tion” means that the signal has not lost more than half of its
original power.
Generally speaking, the media bandwidth (in hertz) can be
defined as the range of
frequencies (i.e., fmax − fmin) at which the signal has not lost
more than 50% of its power.
Upon coding-modulation techniques, it is possible to pack many
binary symbols in
one hertz (many binary symbols per second), for example, it is
possible to pack 5 bits in
each hertz of the signal. So if the bandwidth is 200,000 hertz
then up to 1,000,000 bits/s
(2000,000 hertz *5 bits/hertz) can be transmitted.
A different modulation/coding technique (i.e., for the same
signal and the same
media) might pack 10 bits per every hertz of bandwidth and up
to 2 Mbits/s (200,000 hertz

*10 bits/hertz = 2 Mbits/s). The media bandwidth provided
should be capable of transport-
ing this coded-modulated signal without significant attenuation.
• Capacity or digital bandwidth It is the maximum amount of
bits/second that can be
transmitted over the media. Upon ideal conditions, it is possible
to reach the maximum
capacity in a connection although this seldom happens (see
Figure 4.4).
Functions Supported by Business Networks
Figure 4.5 describes the basic business functions supported
business networks: communica-
tion, mobility, collaboration, relationships, and search. These
functions depend on network
switches and routers—devices that transmit data packets from
their source to their destina-
tion based on IP addresses. A switch acts as a controller,
enabling networked devices to talk to
each other efficiently. For example, switches connect
computers, printers, and servers within an
office building. Switches create a network. Routers connect
networks. A router links computers

1 Gbps Ethernet
100 Mbps Ethernet
Gigabit Passive Optical Network (GPON)
Ethernet Passive Optical Network (EPON)
CableDSL
ISDN
FIGURE 4.3 Bandwidth variation by media type.
Network Fundamentals 107
to the Internet, so users can share the connection. Routers act
like a dispatcher, choosing the
best paths for packets to travel.
Investments in network infrastructure, including data networks,
IP addresses, routers, and
switches are business decisions because of their impact on
productivity, security, user experi-
ences, and customer service.

Quality of Service
An important management decision is the network’s quality of
service (QoS), especially for
delay-sensitive data such as real-time voice and high-quality
video. The higher the required
QoS, the more expensive the technologies needed to manage
organizational networks.
Bandwidth-intensive apps are important to business processes,
but they also strain network
capabilities and resources. Regardless of the type of traffic,
networks must provide secure, pre-
dictable, measurable, and sometimes guaranteed services for
certain types of traffic. For exam-
ple, QoS technologies can be applied to create two tiers of
traffic:
• Prioritize traffic Data and apps that are time-delay-sensitive or
latency-sensitive apps,
such as voice and video, are given priority on the network.
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Current Bandwidth Usage - Last 5 Minutes
Enterprise Current Policy Threshold
Bandwidth Monitor
Current Policy Threshold(06:51:55): 300
FIGURE 4.4 Bandwidth capacity monitor.
Communication
Mobility
Provides secure, trusted,
and reliable access from any
mobile device anywhere at
satisfactory download and
upload speeds.

Relationships
Manages interaction with
customers, supply chain
partners, shareholders,
employees, regulatory
agencies, and so on.
Search
Able to locate data, contracts,
documents, spreadsheets, and other
knowledge within an organization
easily and efficiently.
Collaboration
Supports teamwork
that may be synchronous
or asynchronous;
brainstorming; and
knowledge and
document sharing.
Provides sufficient capacity for human
and machine-generated transmissions.
Delays are frustrating, such as when

large video files pause during download
waiting for the packets to arrive.
Buffering means the network cannot
handle the speed at which the video is
being delivered and therefore stops to
collect packets.
FIGURE 4.5 Basic functions of business networks.
• Throttle traffic In order to give latency-sensitive apps priority,
other types of traffic need
to be held back (throttled).
The ability to prioritize and throttle network traffic is referred
to as traffic shaping and
forms the core of the hotly debated Net neutrality issue, which
is discussed in IT at Work 4.1.
Net neutrality is a principle that Internet service providers
(ISPs) and their regulators

treat all Internet traffic the same way. It’s essentially equal
opportunity for Internet speeds and
access to website—no unfair fast or slow lanes and no blocking
of anything that’s legal on your
phone, computer, or table.
IT at Work 4.1
Net Neutrality Debate Intensifies
In 2016, the battle over the complicated issue of net neutrality
heated up due to AT&T’s purchase of Time-Warner. However,
with
AT&T’s takeover of Time-Warner, which owns HBO and DC
Comics,
it is almost certain that AT&T will give priority to customers
who
try to access its newfound property (Pachal, 2016). On the
opposing
side of that issue is traffic shaping. Traffic shaping creates a
two-tier
system for specific purposes such as:
1. Time-sensitive data are given priority over traffic that can be
delayed briefly with little-to-no adverse effect. Companies like
Comcast and AT&T argue that Net neutrality rules hurt con-

sumers. Certain applications are more sensitive to delays than
others, such as streaming video and Internet phone services.
Managing data transfer makes it possible to assure a certain
level of performance or QoS.
2. In a corporate environment, business-related traffic may be
given priority over other traffic, in effect, by paying a premium
price for that service. Proponents of traffic shaping argue that
ISPs should be able to charge more to customers who want to
pay a premium for priority service.
Specifically, traffic is shaped by delaying the flow of less
important
network traffic, such as bulk data transfers, P2P file-sharing
pro-
grams, and BitTorrent traffic.
Traffic shaping is hotly debated by those in favor of Net neu-
trality. They want a one-tier system in which all Internet data
packets are treated the same, regardless of their content,
destina-
tion, or source. In contrast, those who favor the two-tiered
system
argue that there have always been different levels of Internet
ser-

vice and that a two-tiered system would enable more freedom of
choice and promote Internet-based commerce.
Federal Communications Commission’s 2010 Decision
On December 21, 2010, the Federal Communications
Commission
(FCC) approved a compromise that created two classes of Inter -
net access: one for fixed-line providers and the other for the
wireless Net. In effect, the new rules are Net semi-neutrality.
The FCC banned any outright blocking of and “unreasonable
discrimination” against websites or applications by fixed-line
broadband providers. But the rules do not explicitly forbid
“paid
prioritization,” which would allow a company to pay an ISP for
faster data transmission. Net neutrality supporters include major
internet companies who provide the content you read and watch
online, including AOL, Facebook, Netflix, Twitter, and Vimeo
who
don’t want to be discriminated against by network owners.
Those
against it include AT&T, Comcast Time Warner Cable, Verizon,
and
other internet service providers who own the networks and fear
price controls.

Net Neutrality Overturned in 2014
In January 2014, an appeals court struck down the FCC’s 2010
decision. The court allowed ISPs to create a two-tiered Internet,
but
promised close supervision to avoid anticompetitive practices,
and
banned “unreasonable” discrimination against providers.
On April 24, 2014 FCC Chairman Tom Wheeler reported that
his agency would propose new rules to comply with the court’s
decision. These new rules were approved by the FCC in 2015.
Wheeler stated that these rules “would establish that behavior
harmful to consumers or competition by limiting the openness
of
the Internet will not be permitted” (Wheeler, 2014). But
Wheeler’s
proposal would allow network owners to charge extra fees to
content providers. This decision has angered consumer
advocates
and Net neutrality advocates who view Wheeler with suspicion
because of his past work as a lobbyist for the cable industry and
wireless phone companies.
Rolling Back Net Neutrality Protections in 2017

The process to overhaul how the Internet is regulated is now
offi-
cially underway. On May 18, 2017 the FCC voted 2-1 to move
forward
with a proposal to roll back net neutrality protections. The
contro-
versial vote is the first step in a lengthy process to overturn the
rules
put into place during the Obama administration. Longtime net
neu-
trality advocates predict there will be negative consequences for
businesses and consumers if net neutrality is overturned.
Michael
Cheah, general counsel at Vimeo, summed it up by saying that
net
neutrality is about “allowing consumers to pick the winners and
losers and not [having] the cable companies make those
decisions
for them” (Fiegerman, 2017).
IT at Work Questions
1. What is Net neutrality?
2. What tiers are created by traffic shaping?
3. Why did the battle over Net neutrality intensify in 2014?
4. Did the FCC’s 2015 net neutrality rules favor either side of

the
debate? Explain.
5. What consequences may occur when the 2015 net neutrality
rules are overturned?
Sources: Compiled from Federal Communications Commission
(fcc.gov, 2017),
Fiegerman (2017), Pachal (2016), Wheeler (2014), and various
blog posts.
Internet Protocols (IP), APIs, and Network Capabilities 109
Questions
1. Name the different types of networks.
2. What is meant by “bandwidth”?
3. What is the difference between an intranet and an extranet?
4. How does a virtual private network (VPN) provide security?
5. What is the purpose of a modem?
6. Describe the basic functions of business networks.
7. How do investments in network infrastructure impact an

organization?
8. Name the two tiers of traffic to which quality of service is
applied.
4.2 Internet Protocols (IP), APIs,
and Network Capabilities
The basic technology that makes global communication possible
is a network protocol com-
monly known as an Internet Protocol (IP). Each device attached
to a network has a unique
IP address that enables it to send and receive files. Files are
broken down into blocks known
as packets in order to be transmitted over a network to their
destination’s IP address. Ini-
tially, networks used IP Version 4 (IPv4). In April 2014 ARIN,
the group that oversees Internet
addresses, reported that IPv4 addresses were running out—
making it urgent that enterprises
move to the newer IP Version 6 (IPv6) (Figure 4.6).
The IPv6 Internet protocol has features that are not present in
IPv4. For example, IPv6
simplifies aspects of how addresses are assigned, how networks
are renumbered and places
responsibility for packet fragmentation when packets are

processed in routers. The IPv6 pro-
tocol does not offer direct interoperability with IPv4, instead it
creates a parallel, independent
network. Fortunately, several transition mechanisms, such as
NAT64 and 6rd, have been devel-
oped to allow IPv6 hosts to communicate with IPv4 servers.
Network protocols serve the following three basic functions:
1. Send data to the correct recipient(s).
2. Physically transmit data from source to destination, with
security protected as needed.
3. Receive messages and send responses to the correct
recipient(s).
The capacity and capabilities of data networks provide
opportunities for more automated
operations and new business strategies. M2M communications
over wireless and wired
Internet Protocol (IP) is the
method by which data are sent
from one device to another over
a network.

IP address is a unique
identifier for each device that
communicates with a network
that identifies and locates
each device. An IP address is
comparable to a telephone
number or home address.
Packet is a piece of a message
that is collected and re-assembled
with the other pieces of the same
message at their destination.
To improve communication
performance and reliability, each
larger message sent between
two network devices is often
subdivided into packets.
IP Version 4 (IPv4) has been
Internet protocol for over three
decades, but has reached the
limits of its 32-bit address design.
It is difficult to configure, it is
running out of addressing space,
and it provides no features for site

renumbering to allow for an easy
change of Internet Service Provider
(ISP), among other limitations.
IP Version 6 (IPv6) is the most
recent version of the Internet
Protocol. IPv6 is replacing IPv4
because of IPv4’s limitations in
number of IP addresses it can
generate. IPv6 has a 128-bit address
and allows 7.9 × 1028 times as many
addresses as IPv4, which provides
about 4.3 billion addresses.
IPv4
IPv6
32 bit address
0000.0000.0000.0000
128 bit address
0000.0000.0000.0000.0000.0000.0000.0000
FIGURE 4.6 IPv4 addresses have 4 groups of four

alphanumeric
characters, which allow for 232 or roughly 4.3 billion unique IP
addresses. IPv6 addresses have 8 groups of alphanumeric
characters,
which allows for 2128, or 340 trillion, trillion, trillion
addresses. IPv6
also offers enhanced quality of service that is needed by the
latest
in video, interactive games, and e-commerce.
networks automate operations, for instance, by triggering action
such as sending a message
or closing a valve. The speed at which data can be sent depends
on several factors, including
capacity, server usage, computer usage, noise, and the amount
of network traffic. Transfer rate
or speed is an instantaneous measurement.
Comparing 3G, 4G, 4G LTE, and 5G Network Standards
Over the past 20 years, networks have evolved from 3G

networks designed for voice and
data to 4G and 5G networks that support broadband Internet
connectivity. In its 2016 report,
SNS Research, a major market analysis and consulting firm,
announced its forecast of 5G
network contribution to the world economy. Experts predict that
by 2020, “LTE and 5G infra-
structure investments are expected to account for a market
worth $32 billion” (PRNews-
wire, 2016).
3G networks support multimedia and broadband services over a
wider distance
and at faster speeds than prior generation networks. 3G
networks have far greater ranges
than 1G and 2G networks since they use large satellite
connections to telecommunica-
tion towers.
4G networks are digital, or IP, networks that enable even faster
data transfer rates. 4G
delivers average realistic download rates of 3 Mbps or higher
(as opposed to theoretical rates,
which are much higher). In contrast, today’s 3G networks
typically deliver average download

speeds about one-tenth of that rate.
5G networks—the coming generation of broadband technology.
5G builds on the
foundation created by 4G. 5G will dramatically increase the
speed at which data is transferred
across the network.
Unlike its predecessors, 2G and 3G that have a circuit-switched
subsystem, 4G is based
purely on the packet-based IP. Users can obtain 4G wireless
connectivity through one of the
following standards:
1. WiMAX is a technology standard for long-range wireless
networks. WiMax is based on the
IEEE 802.16 standard. IEEE 802.16 specifications are as
follows:
• Range: 30 miles (50 km) from base station.
• Speed: 70 megabits per second (Mbps).
• Line-of-sight not needed between user and base station.
WiMAX operates on the same basic principles as Wi-Fi in that
it transmits data from one
device to another via radio signals.

2. Long-Term Evolution (LTE) is a GSM-based technology that
provides the fastest and most
consistent download speeds and most closely follows the United
Nation technical stand-
ard for 4G networks. In the United States, LTE is deployed by
Verizon, AT&T, and T-Mobile.
LTE capabilities include the following:
• Speed: Downlink data rates of 100 Mbps and uplink data rates
of 50 Mbps.
Improved network performance, which is measured by its data
transfer capacity, pro-
vides fantastic opportunities for mobility, mobile commerce,
collaboration, supply chain
management, remote work, and other productivity gains.
5G mobile networks will offer huge gains in both speed and
capacity over existing 4G net-
works—along with opportunities at the operations and strategic
levels. In the short term, the
5G infrastructure build-out will create new jobs. In the longer
term, 5G will create entirely new
markets and economic opportunities driven by superior mobile
capabilities in industries rang-
ing from health care to automotive.

5G networks are designed to support the escalation in mobile
data consumption, with
users demanding higher data speeds and traffic volumes
expected to increase by hundreds or
even thousands of times over the next 10 years. It is likely that
5G networks will have to deliver
baseline data speeds of 100 Mbit/s and peak speeds of up to 10
Gbit/s. 5G will make it easier to
Internet Protocols (IP), APIs, and Network Capabilities 111
send texts, make calls, and download and upload Ultra HD and
3D videos. 5G operates with a
5-Ghz signal and is set to offer speeds of up to 1 gigabyte per
second for tens of thousands of
connections or tens of megabytes per second for tens of
thousands of connections.
The move to 5G is being driven by the significant increase in
the number of devices to
be supported. Mobile networks will no longer be concerned
primarily with person-to-person

communications, as the Internet of Things (IoT) creates billions
of new devices for remote
sensing, telemetry, and control applications which will lead to
huge numbers of machine-to-
machine and person-to-machine interactions. Although 5G isn’t
expected until 2020, many
organizations are already investing in the infrastructure required
to run this new mobile
wireless standard.
Circuit versus Packet Switching
All generations of networks are based on switching. Prior to 4G,
networks included
circuit switching, which is slower than packet switching. 4G
was first to be fully packet
switched, which significantly improved performance. The two
basic types of switching are
as follows:
Circuit switching A circuit is a dedicated connection between a
source and destination.
In the past, when a call was placed between two landline
phones, a circuit or connection
was created that remained until one party hung up. Circuit
switching is older technology

that originated with telephone calls; it is inefficient for digital
transmission.
Packet switching Packet switching transfers data or voice in
packets. Files are broken
into packets, numbered sequentially, and routed individually to
their destination. When
received at the destination, the packets are reassembled into
their proper sequence.
Wireless networks use packet switching and wireless routers
whose antennae transmit
and receive packets. At some point, wireless routers are
connected by cables to wired net-
works. The first real network to run on packet-switching
technology was ARPAnet described in
Tech Note 4.1.
Tech Note 4.1
Origin of the Internet, E-mail, and TCP/IP
The Advanced Research Projects Agency network (ARPAnet)
was
the first real network to run on packet-switching technology. In
October 1969, computers at Stanford University, UCLA, and
two

other U.S universities connected for the first time—making
them
the first hosts on what would become the Internet. ARPAnet
was
designed for research, education, and government agencies.
ARPAnet provided a communications network linking the
country
in the event that a military attack or nuclear war destroyed
conven-
tional communications systems.
In 1971 e-mail was developed by Ray Tomlinson, who used
the @ symbol to separate the username from the network’s
name,
which became the domain name.
On January 1, 1983, ARPAnet computers switched over to
the transmission control protocol/Internet protocols (TCP/IPs)
developed by Vinton Cerf. A few hundred computers were
affected
by the switch. The original ARPAnet protocol had been limited
to
1,000 hosts, but the adoption of the TCP/IP standard made
larger
numbers of hosts possible. The number of Internet hosts in the

domain name system (DNS) topped 1.05 billion in 2016, almost
double the number reported in 2010.
Application Program Interfaces and Operating Systems
When software developers create applications, they must write
and compile the code for a spe-
cific operating system (OS). Figure 4.7 lists the common OSs.
Each OS communicates with
hardware in its own unique way; each OS has a specific API
that programmers must use. Video
game consoles and other hardware devices also have application
program interfaces (APIs)
that run software programs.
Application program interface
(API) An interface is the
boundary where two separate
systems meet. An API provides a
standard way for different things,
such as software, content, or
websites, to talk to each other in
a way that they both understand
without extensive programming.

What Is an API? An API consists of a set of functions,
commands, and protocols used
by programmers to build software for an OS. The API allows
programmers to use predefined
functions or reusable codes to interact with an OS without
having to write a software program
from scratch. APIs simplify the programmer’s job.
APIs are the common method for accessing information,
websites, and databases.
They were created as gateways to popular apps such as Twitter,
Facebook, and Amazon and
enterprise apps provided by SAP, Oracle, NetSuite, and many
other vendors.
Automated API The current trend is toward automatically
created APIs that are making
innovative IT developments possible. Here are two examples of
the benefits of automated
APIs:

• Websites such as the European Union Patent office have
mappings of every one of their
pages to both URLs for browser access and URLs for REST
APIs. Whenever a new page is
published, both access methods are supported.
• McDonald’s, along with Unilever and Gatorade, are using
automated API’s to bring adver-
tisements to Snapchat users. The social network app is using an
auction-based system and
targeting to choose which users see which advertisements
(Joseph, 2016).
API Value Chain in Business APIs deliver more than half of all
the traffic to major
companies like Twitter and eBay. APIs are used to access
business assets, such as cus-
tomer information or a product or service, as shown in Figure
4.8. IT developers use APIs
to quickly and easily connect diverse data and services to each
other. APIs from Google,
Twitter, Amazon, Facebook, Accuweather, Sears, and E*Trade
are used to create many
thousands of applications. For example, Google Maps API is a
collection of APIs used by

developers to create customized Google Maps that can be
accessed on a Web browser or
mobile devices. Tech Note 4.2 describes a new API that
Amazon developed for its Internet
assistant, Alexa.
API Developers
Provides quick,
easy access to
business assets.
Applications
created using
APIs
Use APIs to
create new
business.
Business Assets
Data
information
products

services
Customers, employees,
and end-users use the
business apps that give
them access to assets.
FIGURE 4.8 API value chain in business.
Android
iOS
Windows Phone
Common Mobile OS
Windows
Mac OS X
Linux
Common Desktop OS
FIGURE 4.7 Common mobile and desktop operating systems.
Each computer OS provides an API for programmers. Mobile
OSs are
designed around touchscreen input.

Mobile Networks and Near-Field Communication 113
Questions
1. Why has IPv6 become increasingly important?
2. What is the difference between IPv4 and Ipv6?
3. What is the purpose of an IP address?
4. What are the benefits of using an API?
5. What is the difference between 4G and 5G?
6. What is the most current network standard?
7. What benefits will the upcoming 5G network standard offer
businesses?
8. What is the difference between circuit switching and packet
switching?
Tech Note 4.2
Amazon Develops New API for Alexa
Online retail giant Amazon announced in 2016 its new and
improved
API for its voice-automated speaker Alexa, along with other
devel-
oped applications. The new API allows software developers to

increase the efficiency of Alexa’s list feature, which allows
users to
add items to their lists within Alexa. For example, a user can
ask
Alexa to “add buy soccer cleats” to their to-do lists
(Zeman, 2016).
This application extends to shopping lists, buy lists, and even
music playlists.
The new API called the List Skills API means that developers
will have a standardized voice interaction model instead of
having
to create one of their own. In other words, applications like
Alexa
will all have standardized instructions that users can take
advan-
tage of universally. Similarly, Apple developed Siri for iPhones,
Apple compuers, and iPads. List Skills API gives customers the
ability to add anything to their lists or give commands across
any
device or application that uses it.
The API value chain takes many forms because the organiza-
tion that owns the business asset may or may not be the same as
the organization that builds the APIs. Different people or

organiza-
tions may build, distribute, and market the applications. At the
end
of the chain are end-users who benefit from the business asset.
Often, many APIs are used to create a new user experience. The
business benefits of APIs are listed in Table 4.3.
TA B L E 4 . 3 Business Benefits of APIs
Characteristic Benefit
APIs are channels to new
customers and markets
APIs enable partners to use
business assets to extend the
reach of a company’s products
or services to customers and
markets they might not
APIs promote innovation Through an API, people who
are committed to a challenge or
problem can solve it themselves
APIs are a better way to
organize IT

APIs promote innovation by
allowing everyone in a company
to use each other’s assets
without delay
APIs create a path to
lots of Apps
Apps are going to be a crucial
channel in the next 10 years.
Apps are powered by APIs.
Developers use APIs and
combinations of APIs to create
new user experiences
4.3 Mobile Networks and Near-Field
Communication
In the 21st-century global economy, advanced wireless networks
are a foundation on which
global economic activity takes place. Current 4G and 5G
networks and technologies provide
that foundation for moving entire economies. For any nation to
stay competitive and prosper-
ous, it is imperative that investment and upgrades in these

technologies continue to advance
to satisfy demand. Cisco forecasts that the average global
mobile connection speed will more
than double from the current 1.4 to 3 Mbps and 5G networks are
promising speeds that will
be 100 times faster than current speeds. The factors that are
driving global mobile traffic are
shown in Figure 4.9.
More Mobile
Connections
• Over 11.6
billion
Faster Mobile
Speeds
• 3Megabits

per second
(Mbs)
More Mobile
Users
• Appx. 6.1
billion
More Mobile
Video
• 75% of
mobile traffic
FIGURE 4.9 Four drivers of global mobile traffic through
2020.
Busy-hour Internet
Traffic
Increase by factor of 4.6
Average traffic will only increase by factor of 2
29% of network traffic

30% of network traffic
67% of total network traffic
Three times the entire global population
Increase 100%
Equivalent to 95 times the volume of the entire global
Internet in 2005
It will take an individual 5 million years to watch the amount of
video that will cross global IP networks EACH month!
PCs
Smartphones
Wireless & Mobile
Global Internet
Traffic
Devices connected to

IP networks
Broadband Speeds
Video
FIGURE 4.10 Mobile Data Traffic Milestone by 2020.
Increase in Mobile Network Traffic and Users
In its most recent Visual Networking Index Forecast (VNI),
Cisco reported that mobile data
traffic has grown 400 million times over the past 15 years. They
also predict that by 2020
monthly global mobile data traffic will be 30.6 Exabytes;
number of mobile-connected
devices will exceed 11.6 billion (exceeding the world’s
projected population of 7.8 billion)
and smartphones will account for 81% of total mobile traffic.
This includes a major
increase in machine-to-machine communications and the
number of wearable technol-
ogy devices.
Smartphone users are expected to rise from the 2.6 billion
reported in 2014 to 6.1 billion

in 2020 and 80% of these new smartphone users will be located
in Asia Pacific, the Middle East,
and Africa. Much of that traffic will be driven by billions of
devices talking to other devices wire-
lessly and consumers’ growing demand for more and more
videos.
According to the Cisco Visual Networking Index (VNI):
Forecast and Methodology 2015–2020.
(Cisco 2016), annual global IP traffic will reach 2.3 Zettabytes
or 194 Exabytes per month and
smartphone traffic will exceed PC traffic by 2020. Figure 4.10
lists the milestones that mobile
data traffic will reach by 2020.
Exabyte is one quintillion bytes
(1,000,000,000,000,000,000 Bytes)
which is the equivalent of 1,000
petabytes of data or 7 trillion
online video clips. Five Exabytes is
equal to all words ever spoken by
human beings.
Zettabyte is one sextillion bytes
(1,000,000,000,000,000,000,000

Bytes) which is approximately
equal to 1,000 Exabytes.
Higher Demand for High-Capacity Mobile Networks
This increase in mobile networks capacity and use is increasing
the demand for high-capacity
mobile networks. The four drivers of the increase in global
mobile traffic demand are shown in
Figure 4.10. Demand for high-capacity networks is growing at
unprecedented rates. Examples
of high-capacity networks are wireless mobile, satellite,
wireless sensor, and VoIP (voice over
Internet Protocol) such as Skype. Voice over IP (VoIP)
networks carry voice calls by converting
voice (analog signals) to digital signals that are sent as packets.
With VoIP, voice and data trans-
missions travel in packets over telephone wires. VoIP has grown
to become one of the most
used and least costly ways to communicate. Improved
productivity, flexibility, and advanced
features make VoIP an appealing technology.

Mobile Infrastructure
Enterprises are moving away from the ad hoc adoption of
mobile devices and network infra-
structure to a more strategic planning build-out of their mobile
capabilities. As technologies
that make up the mobile infrastructure evolve, identifying
strategic technologies and avoid-
ing wasted investments require more extensive planning and
forecasting. Factors to consider
are the network demands of multitasking mobile devices, more
robust mobile OSs, and their
applications. Mobile infrastructure consists of the integration of
technology, software, support,
standards, security measures, and devices for the management
and delivery of wireless com-
munications, including the following.
Wi-Fi and Bluetooth Bluetooth is a short-range—up to 100
meters or 328 feet—wireless
communications technology found in billions of devices, such
as smartphones, computers,
medical devices, and home entertainment products. When two
Bluetooth-enabled devices
connect to each other, this is called pairing.

Wi-Fi is the standard way computers connect to wireless
networks. Nearly all computers
have built-in Wi-Fi chips that allow users to find and connect to
wireless routers. The router
must be connected to the Internet in order to provide Internet
access to connected devices.
Wi-Fi technology allows devices to share a network or Internet
connection without the
need to connect to a commercial network. Wi-Fi networks beam
packets over short distances
using part of the radio spectrum, or they can extend over larger
areas, such as municipal Wi-Fi
networks. However, municipal networks are not common
because of their huge costs. See
Figure 4.11 for an overview of how Wi-Fi works.
Wi-Fi Networking Standards
• 802.11ac This is the newest generation of Wi-Fi signaling in
popular use. 802.11ac uti-
lizes dual-band wireless technology and support simultaneous
connections on both the
2.4 and 5 GHz Wi-Fi bands. 802.11ac offers backward

compatibility to 802.11b/g/n and
bandwidth rated up to 130 Mbps on 5 GHz, plus up to 450 Mbps
on 2.4 GHz.
• 802.11b This standard shares spectrum with 2.4-GHz cordless
phones, microwave
ovens, and many Bluetooth products. Data are transferred at
distances up to 100 meters
or 328 feet.
• 802.11a This standard runs on 12 channels in the 5-GHz
spectrum in North America,
which reduces interference issues. Data are transferred about 5
times faster than 802.11b,
improving the quality of streaming media. It has extra
bandwidth for large files. Since the
802.11a and b standards are not interoperable, data sent from an
802.11b network cannot
be accessed by 802.11a networks.
• 802.11g This standard runs on three channels in the 2.4-GHz
spectrum, but at the speed
of 802.11a. It is compatible with the 802.11b standard.
• 802.11n This standard improves upon prior 802.11 standards

by adding multiple-input
multiple-output (MIMO) and newer features. Frequency ranges
from 2.4 to 5 GHz with a
data rate of about 22 Mbps, but perhaps as high as 100 Mbps.
Bluetooth is a short-range
wireless communications
technology.
Wi-Fi is the standard
way computers connect to
wireless networks.
Two Components of Wireless Infrastructure
There are three general types of mobile networks: wide area
networks (WANs), WiMAX, and
local area networks (LANs). WANs for mobile computing are
known as wireless wide area
networks (WWANs). The range of a WWAN depends on the
transmission media and the wire-

less generation, which determines which services are available.
The two components of wire-
less infrastructures are wireless LANs and WiMAX.
WLANs Wireless LANs use high-frequency radio waves to
communicate between com-
puters, devices, or other nodes on the network. A wireless LAN
typically extends an existing
wired LAN by attaching a wireless AP to a wired network.
WiMAX Wireless broadband WiMAX transmits voice, data, and
video over high-frequency
radio signals to businesses, homes, and mobile devices. It was
designed to bypass traditional
telephone lines and is an alternative to cable and DSL. WiMAX
is based on the IEEE 802.16 set of
standards and the metropolitan area network (MAN) access
standard. Its range is 20–30 miles
and it does not require a clear line of sight to function.
Figure 4.12 shows the components of a
WiMAX/Wi-Fi network.
Wireless Network
Access Point

Cable/DSL
Modem
Antenna
Radio
Waves
Directional Antenna
and PC Card
Laptop(s) or Desktop(s)
1
2
3
Radio-equipped access point connected to the Internet
(or via a router). It generates and receives radio waves
(up to 400 feet).
Several client devices, equipped with PC cards, generate
and receive radio waves.
Router is connected to the Internet via a cable or

DSL modem, or is connected via a satellite.
Wireless Network
PC Card
2
1 3
Satellite
Internet
PC
Router
FIGURE 4.11 Overview of Wi-Fi.
Mashup of GPS and Bluetooth The mashup of GPS positioning
and short-range

wireless technologies, such as Bluetooth and Wi-Fi, can provide
unprecedented intelligence.
These technologies create opportunities for companies to
develop solutions that make a
consumer’s life better. They could, for example, revolutionize
traffic and road safety. Intelligent
transport systems being developed by car manufacturers allow
cars to communicate with
each other and send alerts about sudden braking and will even
allow for remote driving in the
future. In the event of a collision, the car’s system could
automatically call emergency services.
The technology can also apply the brakes automatically if it was
determined that two cars
were getting too close to each other or alert the driver to a car
that is in their blind spot in the
next lane.
Advancements in networks, devices, and RFID sensor networks
are changing enterprise
information infrastructures and business environments
dramatically. The preceding exam-
ples and network standards illustrate the declining need for a
physical computer, as other
devices provide access to data, people, or services at anytime,

anywhere in the world, on
high-capacity networks.
Business Use of Near-Field Communication
If you’ve used AirDrop on your smartphone you’ve engaged in
near-field communication.
NFC is a location-aware technology that is more secure than
other wireless technolo-
gies like Bluetooth and Wi-Fi. And, unlike RFID, NFC is a
two-way communication tool.
An NFC tag contains small microchips with tiny aerials which
can store a small amount of
information for transfer to another near-field communication
(NFC) device, such as a
mobile phone.
Location-aware NFC technology can be used to transfer photos
and files, make pur-
chases in restaurants, resorts, hotels, theme parks and theaters,
at gas stations, and
on buses and trains. Here are some examples of NFC
applications and their potential
business value.
• The Apple iWatch wearable device with NFC communication

capabilities could be ideal
for mobile payments. Instead of a wallet, users utilize their
iWatch as a credit card
or wave their wrists to pay for their Starbucks coffee. With GPS
and location-based
e-commerce services, retailers could send a coupon alert to the
iWatch when a user
Mashup is a general term
referring to the integration of two
or more technologies.
Near-field communication
(NFC) enables two devices
within close proximity to establish
a communication channel and
transfer data through radio waves.
Notebook with
built-in
WiMAX adapter
Wi-Fi
Hotspots

Base Station
WiMAX
Hub
InternetWiMAX
Network
FIGURE 4.12 WiMAX/Wi-Fi network.
passes their store. Consumers would then see the coupon and
pay for the product with
the iWatch.
• The self-healthcare industry is being radically transformed by
the growing use of NFC tech-
nology. Wearable devices such as Fit-Bits, smart glucose
monitors, and electrical nerve
stimulators are becoming increasingly cheap and popular due to

the proliferation of NFC
tech. These devices can not only monitor, but they also can
provide “automated or remote
treatment” to users (Patrick, 2016). Remote control with
health-care devices allow for
smarter preventive care without the need for doctor or hospital
visits and can increase the
well-being of those living with chronic illnesses.
• Passengers on public transportation systems can pay fares by
waving an NFC smartphone
as they board.
Another interesting near-field application is described in IT at
Work 4.2 when technology
was used as an incentive in a marketing campaign by Warner
Music.
IT at Work 4.2
NFC-Embedded Guitar Picks
Fans attending gigs by The Wild Feathers were given guitar
picks
embedded with an NFC tag. Warner Music had distributed the
guitar picks for fans to enter a competition, share content via

social
media, and vote at the gig simply by tapping with an NFC
phone.
NFC-embedded picks were inserted into the band’s promotional
flyers at six European venues. Each pick was encoded with a
unique
URL and also printed with a unique code for iPhone users to
enable
tracking and monitoring.
Marketing Campaign Success Shows an Exciting
Future for NFC
The tags generated a high response rate. Over 65% of the NFC
guitar
picks had registered in the competition. And 35% of the fans
had
shared content on social media—spending an average of five
min-
utes on the site.
NFC is being used in marketing campaigns because the
technology offers slick one-tap interaction. NFC allows brands
to
engage with their customers in unique ways and create exciting

user experiences. With millions of NFC-equipped smartphones
set
to reach users over the next few years and the technology’s
advan-
tages for shoppers and businesses, NFC is emerging as a major
technology.
IT at Work Questions
1. Assume you attended a concert and were given a brochure
similar to the one distributed to fans at The Wild Feathers
concert. Would you use the guitar pick or comparable
NFC-embedded item to participate in a contest? To post
on Facebook or tweet about the concert? Explain why
or why not.
2. How can NFC be applied to create an interesting user
experience at a sporting event? At a retail store or coffee
shop?
3. Refer to your answers in Question 2. What valuable informa-
tion could be collected by the NFC tag in these businesses?
Bluetooth and Wi-Fi seem similar to near-field communication
on the surface. All three

allow wireless communication and data exchange between
digital devices like smartphones.
The difference is that near-field communication utilizes
electromagnetic radio fields while
technologies such as Bluetooth and Wi-Fi focus on radio
transmissions instead.
Choosing Mobile Network

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