IT infrastructure and networks today are growing at an incredibly fast pace. Daily modern life is only becoming more dependant upon technology, not less: as a result, the need for networks is skyrocketing. What does this mean on the network level — and for those in the trenches of fiber and telecom management every single day? Some areas are under-resourced while other areas are over-resourced.
Myriad telecom carriers (Tier 1, Tier 2, Tier 3), broadband providers, utility providers, municipalities, counties, and states are currently planning (and building) for fiber demand and growth: service providers are currently constructing fiber networks to be bigger than is currently needed with the idea that the new paths will be needed or even leased once they are built.
While building out for fiber and network demand is a must in today’s fiber-dependant climate, how do you actually manage the fiber once it’s built (and how are you managing the fiber you already have)?
With GIS (OSP software), outside plant engineers can plan for capacity and effectively manage both new and existing fiber networks. With netTerrain OSP for example (our outside plant software), engineers can view network capacity in clicks — based on what is actually being used and what is estimated will be used down the road.
With so much dark fiber – and so many fiber networks being overbuilt today in anticipation of future demand – it only makes dollars and sense (pun intended) to have a visual way to manage the network. When you can see what you have, where it is, what’s being used, and where fiber is available – you can plan paths effectively and identify any available fiber that can be leased.
When you have the ability to effectively plan paths and make full use of the fiber you’ve built, you can ensure resources are allocated across the board and minimize the problem of having too many resources in one area and not enough in another.
Bottomline? When you can’t visualize what you have in your fiber network, it’s impossible to manage it. GIS-enabled software that gives you a bird’s eye view of your outside plant gives you more than just a view of physical assets and space….when you can see what you have and where it is, you can make business decisions around what you really need, what you can lease, what you need more of, and so on. Fiber networks are expensive — it only makes sense to be able to visualize them to maximize your budget and fully use what you’re paying for (and to put that dark fiber to work).