| Hi-tech just got "scary-tech." As in, downloading at | | | | closest competitor. Pricing of the new large-scale |
| the speed of light. Not literally, but how does 322 | | | | core router will start at $90,000. |
| terabits per second sound? Cisco Systems says | | | | Because of the amazing growth of video online in all |
| that's enough to handle every person in China | | | | forms, Cisco says the CRS-3 is merely a response to |
| simultaneously on a video call, if that's something | | | | this rapid uptick in video usage. Cisco Chairman and |
| you've been dreaming of. And, that's not the half of | | | | CEO, John Chambers says, "Video brings the Internet |
| it. | | | | to life. You are moving from a messaging platform to |
| The CRS-3 (CRS stands for "Carrier Routing | | | | a video platform." He predicted the bandwidth |
| System") is the latest technological innovation from | | | | required for Internet video would grow by 200-500 |
| Cisco Systems. Cisco says it's new brainchild will | | | | percent per year: "The Internet will scale faster than |
| "forever change the Internet and its impact on | | | | any of us anticipate." We already know that is a |
| consumers, businesses and governments." Who's to | | | | certainty. |
| disagree? A terabit, by the way, is a trillion bits. | | | | While the new Cisco router is targeting Internet |
| That's getting into budget deficit territory, and it's per | | | | providers and telecom companies, how it will play out |
| second! The highest speeds of today's broadband | | | | with businesses will be an interesting phenomenon to |
| connections are measured in megabits-per-second. | | | | watch evolve. The fact that the demand for |
| Now here's where it gets stupid: 322 terabits per | | | | bandwidth shows no signs of slowing is the main |
| second would allow you to download every movie | | | | point to emphasize. Video, as we've literally seen with |
| ever made in 5 minutes. You'd be able to download | | | | our own two eyes will play an integral fast-moving |
| the entire printed collection in The Library of | | | | role in the fiber-optic future of the Internet. |
| Congress in 1 second. It would take the same | | | | As with any new technology, one can only imagine |
| amount of time to download the entire DNA | | | | what the Net will look and feel like next week, next |
| sequence of 56,000 people. | | | | month, next year, 5 years from now, and into the |
| The new CRS-3 router should be available by the end | | | | next decade. It's about as mind-boggling as anything |
| of the year after more field testing is done. Cisco | | | | we have ever seen in our Web lifetimes. And, it's |
| Systems has sunk $1.6 billion dollars into the product's | | | | only going to get crazier out there. That you can |
| design and engineering. It is three times faster than | | | | count on. |
| it's predecessor and 12 times faster than Cisco's | | | | |