BSNL is mostly famous for its wide reach, lower tariff and good network up time.
But many people, like me, do not get their maximum subscribed internet speed during peak hours. This is mainly due to overloaded backbone network of BSNL. The edge routers which make the transition to a foreign network like TATA, Reliance, Level 3 etc. are overloaded and hence the users get lesser speed during peak hours.
This may be minimized by doing some improvements.
1.) BSNL must improve its backbone network utilization by moving all the bandwidth intensive activities inside its own network. There is a lot of redundant bandwidth inside the network due to presence of optical fibers, but sadly it cannot be used much because major servers like YouTube caching servers lie outside the network.
All the other network biggies like VSNL, Reliance Comm, Airtel and even Spectranet have their own dedicated YouTube caching servers. But BSNL still relies on VSNL server for streaming YouTube videos. If BSNL had its own dedicated server inside its own network then a major data consumption problem would get solved then and there.
Thus, BSNL must setup its own YouTube caching server.
2.) Other thing is that it should also install a network looking glass within its network like Reliance, Tata, Airtel, etc. It would surely help in debugging network and routing problems remotely and customers can also get a proof of the state-of-the-art network of BSNL. End users can also use it to perform trace route from within BSNL network to their respective networks.
3.) Another thing is that the DNS mapping of BSNL servers is flawed. I am especially talking about mapping of domain names of some very popular CDNs like Akamai. Here what happens is that even though BSNL has an Akamai server within its own network (210.212.*.*), its DNS servers tend to resolve domains like "cdn.blinkx.com" to IP addresses belonging to VSNL, NTT America, etc. This finally results in wastage of international bandwidth because the content will then be fetched from far off networks when it actually lies within the ISP's own network.
What's the use of a CDN if you still want to download from remote servers?
4.) BSNL should try to enhance the cluster router capacity that facilitates connection with international networks like Tinet, Level 3, CWW, etc. If possible provide more number of edge routers and that too spread them evenly across the globe. At present all the routers connecting to Tinet, Level 3 and CWW are situated in the US. So if packets have to travel to UK then initially they must go via US!
5.) And finally, BSNL should also partner with other CDNs like Limelight Networks and EdgeCast.
Airtel already has partnered with these CDNs for getting better network performance.
The above points should be taken seriously if BSNL Broadband intends to stay in competition with Airtel, Tata, Reliance and even 3G, 4G service providers.
But many people, like me, do not get their maximum subscribed internet speed during peak hours. This is mainly due to overloaded backbone network of BSNL. The edge routers which make the transition to a foreign network like TATA, Reliance, Level 3 etc. are overloaded and hence the users get lesser speed during peak hours.
This may be minimized by doing some improvements.
1.) BSNL must improve its backbone network utilization by moving all the bandwidth intensive activities inside its own network. There is a lot of redundant bandwidth inside the network due to presence of optical fibers, but sadly it cannot be used much because major servers like YouTube caching servers lie outside the network.
All the other network biggies like VSNL, Reliance Comm, Airtel and even Spectranet have their own dedicated YouTube caching servers. But BSNL still relies on VSNL server for streaming YouTube videos. If BSNL had its own dedicated server inside its own network then a major data consumption problem would get solved then and there.
Thus, BSNL must setup its own YouTube caching server.
2.) Other thing is that it should also install a network looking glass within its network like Reliance, Tata, Airtel, etc. It would surely help in debugging network and routing problems remotely and customers can also get a proof of the state-of-the-art network of BSNL. End users can also use it to perform trace route from within BSNL network to their respective networks.
3.) Another thing is that the DNS mapping of BSNL servers is flawed. I am especially talking about mapping of domain names of some very popular CDNs like Akamai. Here what happens is that even though BSNL has an Akamai server within its own network (210.212.*.*), its DNS servers tend to resolve domains like "cdn.blinkx.com" to IP addresses belonging to VSNL, NTT America, etc. This finally results in wastage of international bandwidth because the content will then be fetched from far off networks when it actually lies within the ISP's own network.
What's the use of a CDN if you still want to download from remote servers?
4.) BSNL should try to enhance the cluster router capacity that facilitates connection with international networks like Tinet, Level 3, CWW, etc. If possible provide more number of edge routers and that too spread them evenly across the globe. At present all the routers connecting to Tinet, Level 3 and CWW are situated in the US. So if packets have to travel to UK then initially they must go via US!
5.) And finally, BSNL should also partner with other CDNs like Limelight Networks and EdgeCast.
Airtel already has partnered with these CDNs for getting better network performance.
The above points should be taken seriously if BSNL Broadband intends to stay in competition with Airtel, Tata, Reliance and even 3G, 4G service providers.
