Data Backup Digest

Amidst growing security concerns within networks across the globe, hardware developers are stepping up their game in the fight against cybercrime. Nokia, known for primarily for their presence in the world of smartphone connectivity, has recently announced the “world's most powerful internet routing platforms,” in the form of the Nokia FP4. Whether or not the FP4 will stand the test of time is anybody’s guess, but it’s certainly a stop in the right direction toward reducing online threats.

What is the Nokia FP4?

Apart from their presence in the world of consumer IT, Nokia has provided IP networking solutions for years. They’ve shown the ability to adapt to the new obstacles, challenges and innovations introduced throughout the years, including the recent growth in big data and the prevalence of the Internet of Things. Nokia’s FP4 is a series of silicon-based microprocessors that are meant specifically for high-speed network connectivity and reliability.

How is the Nokia FP4 Being Used?

The Nokia FP4 is already seen in two new devices by the company: the 7750 Service Router and the 7950 Extensible Routing System. While both products are aimed at enterprise-level connectivity, the latter is noticeably faster with a whopping 576 terabits per second of transfer speed. In contrast, the 7750 is only capable of achieving 144 terabits per second.

In either case, the remarkable speed is achieved by the FP4. Touted as the world’s first network process that is capable of reaching 2.4 Tb/s, it’s up to six times faster than comparable market options. Many believe it could serve as a stepping stone for measurable speeds in the petabit range.

A recent report by Nokia Bell Labs outlined the importance of enhanced speeds and connectivity by stating: “IP traffic will more than double in the next five years, reaching 330 exabytes a month by 2022 while growing at 25 percent compound annual growth rates. Peak data rates will grow even faster, at nearly 40 percent annually. This surge is a direct result of insatiable consumer and business demand for services - including high-definition video streaming and, more recently, virtual reality - combined with the advent of high-speed, low-latency networks that connect people and things. Nokia Bell Labs expects this latter market to reach 100 billion connected devices by 2025.”

Improved Security, Too

The FP4 isn’t all about speed; it offers security, too. According to some studies, there will be more than 10 million DDoS attacks in 2017 alone. To combat this and similar threats, Nokia has included next-gen security such as enhanced packet intelligence and their own Deepfield IP analytics to maximize security. Nokia’s P4 also enables deep pack lookups and flow control at scale; making it the first-ever DDoS mitigation solution to include a fully integrated router.

Accommodating Data Storage on a Massive Scale

Data is being generated on a bigger scale than ever before. It’s become so prevalent in enterprise-level computing that it’s regularly referred to as big data. Not only does this data require servers and drives with larger storage hardware of a larger capacity, but it also requires faster transfer speeds of computer peripherals and network devices alike.