Technology Continues to Grow on 2013

Lighting plays a very important role in our daily lives regardless if it is in the household or outside the house. There are various sources of lighting ranging from the natural light emitted by the sun to different sources of lights that have been manufactured and can be connected to advancement in technology. One of the modern sources of lighting that exist in the current times are bulbs or lamps. One of the lamps that is used for this purpose is LED lamps. This phrase is used to refer to light emitting diode. These types of lamps exist in various shapes, sizes and also several colors and they can be used to light up different areas with incredible effects.

There are different aspects that one takes into consideration that makes them settle on this type of lamp as their primary source of lighting. Firstly , it is known to be more efficient when compared to other types of bulbs or lamps. They are known to produce more light per watt compared to other bulbs and this is not dependent on the size of the lamp. One also has the option of being able to get the lamps in various colors. They are also designed to be able to last much longer because this is one of the high qualities that people look for in a lamp. They also have a far better capacity to deal with shock thus not vulnerable to damage like other bulbs.

These lamps can be made use of in various areas to impressive and beautiful effects depending on how imaginative a person is. They can be used in doing advertisements for those billboards which appear eye-catching at night especially with the range of colors that one has at their disposal. They are also used during special occasions to help light up a special event. These lamps can be used to light up a venue for example during opening and closing ceremonies of major sporting tournaments like the Olympics and world cups or even during trophy presentations. These lamps can also be used to serve as signals at night for example in airports to direct landing jets. They can also be used as traffic lights on the streets to help in warning traffic. They can also be used in several areas of a household no matter if it as security lighting, bedside lighting or in the eating place. They exist in different shapes which can be included in a bid to make the house attractive.

There are several forms that have been designed to be able to work for different purposes. There are flashing LED’s which are used as decorations or as signals. Some are bi-color or tri-color which means they are designed to alternate between two or three different colors. There are also the RGB LED’s which are the red green and blue LED’s used in projectors and televisions. Another type is the Superflux LED which is normally used in billboards and large panels for advertising. Miniature LED’s are commonly used to light up keypads in phones or calculators.

If you are looking for a source of lighting that guarantees a long lifetime and is also efficient, its time you considered using LED lamps.

The military standard 130 regarding the unique identification code has undergone several revisions. The new UID, MIL-STD 130 specification document refers to quality standards for unique identification codes and the encoding process to be applied during UID marking.

• According to MIL-STD 130 change 1, ISO -16022 is no longer the recommended print quality for bar codes. The new version includes the ISO/IEC 15415 standard as the approved print quality for unique identification code labels. In addition, code 128 is referred to as a symbol to be ranked according to ISO-15416 specifications. It requires a ‘B’ grade as a minimum passing category.

• The changed version of the MIL-STD 130 specification document emphasizes the use of ISO-15415 on print labels. It recommends the use of a single scan to obtain the overall grade. According to the new standard, symbol contrast, and modulation grading parameters are allowed to drop to a ‘C’ grade. Exceptions were added to do this. In addition, the ‘B’ grade is determined as the minimum grade for all other parameters. Change has been made regarding the use of a 2D data matrix symbol. For instance, the range of nominal x-dimension the data matrix symbol gets changes from 7.5 mil to 25 mil. In addition, a set of new rules has been applied to the linear bar code verification. The rules specify ‘B’ as a minimum grade. The process must go with a test aperture of 5 mil and a light source of 660 nm, per ISO-15416 quality specification.

• The updated UID specifications emphasize new rules for Dot Peen, Laser, and Chemical Etched codes. This new version allows AIM-DPM-2006 quality standards for identification codes. ’C’ has been named the minimum grade with no exceptions. As for illumination, the new version permits using multiple angles. Low angle illumination requires 30 degree lighting from four sides, any of the two sides, or any of the single sides.

• ISO 15415 is recommended as the accepted standard for Dot Peen, laser or Chemical Etched codes. As for lighting wavelength, there is a change from 660 nm +/-10 nm to 640 nm +/- 20 nm.

• The new MIL-STD 130 N allows the APM-DPM specification for all marking processes. It allows diffused or off-axis illumination as a light source. Another important addition is the curved surface rule. It requires the data matrix code to contain a maximum 32 percent of the radius.

Keeping up with the changes to the UID specifications can be difficult. To ensure your products comply with the standards, you may wish to enlist the help of a service provider like www.uid2go.com, who will ensure your nameplates and labels meet the latest standards.

Network routers such as a Cisco Network Routers, Juniper or Brocade Network Routers use a highly distributed routing architecture to deliver feature-rich, wire-speed performance in IPv4/v6/MPLS applications.

These platforms enable the delivery of advanced services over a converged IP/MPLS-based infrastructure. The Network routers offer a range of solutions such as:

Point-to-point Layer 2 MPLS VPNs (Virtual Leased Line, VLL)

Multi-point Layer 2 MPLS VPNs (Virtual Private LAN Service, VPLS)

Layer 3 MPLS VPNs (RFC2547bis)

MPLS Traffic Engineering

IP over MPLS

Frequently Asked Questions

What is MPLS?

MPLS stands for Multi-Protocol Label Switching. MPLS is a framework that allows the introduction of label switching to any combination of Layer 3 and Layer 2 protocols. In an MPLS domain, a packet is examined at the ingress point, its headers are parsed, a routing decision is made, and a label is attached to it. The packet is then forwarded to the next router and the label tells the router what to do with the packet. Hence, the switching decision is made based on the label only – not on the Layer 3 headers. The router discards the label and attaches a new label to be used by the next router. The process continues until the packet emerges at the egress point.

How did MPLS evolve?

MPLS evolved from technologies that were primarily developed in the mid-1990s. The concept of using label switching for a Layer 3 connectionless protocol could be traced back to the mid-1980s. At that time, the high speed networking community was faced with the challenge of increasing IP datagram forwarding rates several orders of magnitude, to the rates of OC-3 and OC-12. Routing based on IP headers used to be performed in software, consuming many CPU cycles, and hence, performance was limited by the processing power of the CPU. The technology has advanced greatly since then.

Network researchers investigated the possibility of using label switching as a means of increasing the forwarding performance in an IP network. Label switching was a much simpler function, and could be implemented in hardware, which made it a very promising approach. In the mid-1990s the concept of label switching started drawing attention again, and several technologies were developed based on it, typically in the context of IP and ATM. The most notable developments were:

Toshiba’s Cell Switching Router, 1995

Ipsilon’s IP Switch, 1996

Cisco’s Tag Switching, 1996

IBM’s Aggregate Route-based IP Switching (ARIS), 1996

In 1997, the MPLS working group was formed with the goal of developing a standard approach for label switching.

Since then, the last 15 years, MPLS has become more and more widely used in many businesses worldwide. It’s become the standard technology used to connect multiple locations together securely and reliably regardless of the distance between the locations. MPLS can be implemented from a T1, to bonded T1′s (NxT1′s), to Ds3′s or ethernet. MPLS Ethernet has become more widely used because it is more cost effective than the MPLS Ds3 circuits. Whenever the solution is available, businesses typically will prefer the ethernet solution vs an MPLS DS3 solution if they need more than 10 mbps.

What benefits does MPLS bring to my network?

Originally, the main benefit of label switching was facilitating high-speed switching in Layer 3 devices. However, this is no longer perceived as the main benefit of MPLS, since ASIC-based routers, nowadays, can perform line-speed routing on most interfaces. Today, the main benefits of MPLS are:

Simplifying packet forwarding: Since the routing decision is made only once at the edge of the network, the core could keep only minimal routing information, thus reducing the overall complexity of the network (e.g. BGP could be run at the edge only, but there would be no need for it in the core).

Traffic Engineering: MPLS connection offers the tools to control the paths taken by different flows. Using these tools, traffic could be rerouted to avoid congestion points in an mpls network.

Delivering Quality of Service (QoS) and Differentiated Services: Using MPLS’ inherent mechanisms for traffic prioritization and traffic path control, a service provider like AT&T or Sprint (or a specialized provider like Masergy) could create a network that delivers QoS, facilitates offering differentiated services to customers, and fulfills the offered service level agreements.

Network scalability: Using MPLS’ label stacking capability, MPLS domains could be arranged in a hierarchy, offering multiple levels of abstraction, and therefore, scalability.

Supporting VPNs: Since MPLS service provides tunneling of packets from an ingress point to an egress point, VPN applications that leverage this capability can be created easily.

Who is responsible for creating the MPLS standards?

The IETF has a specialized working group, the MPLS working group, which is categorized as a sub-IP group. The group is responsible for the development of standards that define the core technology. Other IETF working groups, like the Provider Provisioned Virtual Private Networks working group, might develop standards that make use of the MPLS technology.

Is MPLS meant to replace the current routing protocols?

No. MPLS is not a routing protocol. As a matter of fact, MPLS needs the reachability information provided by the current routing protocols in order to calculate the paths that it uses. MPLS augments the functionality of the routing protocols, but does not replace them.

What is GMPLS?

GMPLS stands for “Generalized MPLS.” GMPLS extends the scope of MPLS to include non-packet based devices that realize the actual Layer 1 paths used, e.g. TDM multiplexers, SONET ADMs, optical (lambda) switches, spatial switches (incoming port to outgoing port), etc.

Is MPLS a protocol?

No. MPLS is a framework of functions, not a protocol. The framework incorporates concepts, mechanisms, and protocols to achieve functions that enhance the current Layer 3 and Layer 2 technologies.

Where does MPLS fit in the OSI reference model?

Some might argue that MPLS does not fit in the OSI reference model. The fact that MPLS is a framework that contains enhancements to the current Layer 3 and Layer 2 technologies makes it hard to fit MPLS within one layer of the OSI model. MPLS alone cannot be considered a layer in the OSI sense as it doesn’t have a unified format for the transport of data from the layer above: it uses a shim header over SONET or Ethernet, it uses the existing VPI/VCI of ATM, etc. However, an individual MPLS function could be categorized as either an OSI Layer 3 or Layer 2 function.

Does MPLS support other protocols other than IP?

Yes. MPLS, by design, was meant to support many Layer 3 and Layer 2 protocols. At Layer 3, MPLS supports IPv4, IPv6, IPX, and AppleTalk. At Layer 2, MPLS supports Ethernet, PPP (for point to point links), Token Ring, FDDI, ATM, and Frame Relay. MPLS was designed to be flexible so that it could work with virtually any Layer 3 and Layer 2 technologies.

How does MPLS compare to ATM?

MPLS brings the label switching and traffic engineering functions of ATM to packet-based networks. MPLS, unlike ATM, runs over any Layer 2 infrastructure, i.e., it is not tied to a certain technology, which allows its use in a heterogeneous environment.

What is the relation between MPLS and VPN’s?

Since MPLS provides tunneling of packets from an ingress point to an egress point, it is an attractive technology for VPN applications. Several types of VPNs – defined in IETF drafts and RFCs – can be implemented over MPLS. These VPNs can be broadly categorized as either MPLS Layer 3 VPNs, or MPLS Layer 2 VPNs.

What does VLL mean?

VLL stands for “Virtual Leased Line”. VLL is a form of MPLS Layer 2 VPN offered as a service by a service provider. The service connects two Customer Edge (CE) devices at two different locations, as if they had a traditional leased line in between. That is, whatever Layer 2 frames the CE device on one end sends are transparently transported to the CE device at the other end of the VLL.

What does TLS mean?

TLS stands for Transparent LAN Services. A service provider offering Layer 2 connectivity to multiple customer sites in a manner that is transparent to the Customer Edge (CE) devices is said to be offering Transparent LAN Services (TLS). The provider takes care of transporting customer Layer 2 frames and switching them across the provider network from one customer site to the other(s). MPLS Layer 2 VPNs could be used to implement these services. In the context of MPLS and provider provisioned IP based VPNs, the preferred term for this service is “VPLS”, which is mentioned in RFC 2764 – “A Framework for IP Based Virtual Private Networks”.

What does VPLS mean?

VPLS stands for “Virtual Private LAN Segment”. A service provider offering Layer 2 connectivity to multiple customer sites in a manner that is transparent to the Customer Edge (CE) devices is said to be offering a Virtual Private LAN Segment (VPLS). This is a new term that was chosen because the service resembles connecting the CE devices via a switch, i.e., all in the same broadcast domain/LAN segment. The provider takes care of transporting customer Layer 2 frames and switching them across the provider network from one customer site to the other(s). MPLS Layer 2 VPNs could be used to implement this service. In the context of classical Layer 2 service provider networks, or ATM networks, the term TLS is used. In the context of MPLS and provider provisioned IP based VPNs, the terms TLS and VPLS are often used interchangeably; however, the preferred term for this service is “VPLS,” which is mentioned in RFC 2764 – “A Framework for IP Based Virtual Private Networks”.

Are there any networks currently utilizing MPLS?

Many service providers have announced that they are using MPLS in their networks. Names include: AT&T, Verizon, Sprint, Centurylink, British Telecom, Cable and Wireless, China Unicom, Deutsche Telekom, France Telecom, Global Crossing/Level 3 Communications, Infonet, Japan Telecom, NTT, Teleglobe, and Time Warner Telecom.

Are there any organizations that perform MPLS interoperability testing?

The Advanced Internet Lab at George Mason University provides interoperability testing services. The lab is sponsored by several equipment manufacturers – including Cisco, Brocade, and Juniper – as well as service providers.

Also, the InterOperability Lab MPLS Consortium at the University of New Hampshire provides these services. Members include Brocade, Cisco, Avici, and others.

This article was written with the information provided by Cisco, Juniper Networks and Brocade Networks as well as the mpls service providers like AT&T, Verizon, Sprint, CenturyLink, Level3, etc.

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