Building a Future-Ready Network: The Case for 400G

Customers today increasingly demand real-time, data-driven services. To keep up with the competition and satisfy customers, organizations must take advantage of bandwidth-intensive applications like artificial intelligence, the Internet of Things (IoT), and advanced analytics. These applications require high bandwidth and low-latency connectivity to work optimally. Legacy infrastructure and small circuits simply can’t keep up with today’s demand. 

First introduced in 2017, 400G bandwidth hasn’t been in demand until fairly recently as new, bandwidth-intensive applications are introduced and gain popularity. Zayo, however, anticipated future demand and began investing in 400G Wavelength connectivity before demand spiked. We continue to build new networks and fortify existing ones with 400G capacity. 

Providing more bandwidth and faster speeds than previous iterations of fiber optic networks, 400G-enabled networks are poised to power the next generation of innovations, applications, and technologies.

Benefits of 400G Connectivity 

Quadruple the capacity of their 100G predecessors, 400G fiber optic networks allow enterprises to scale their bandwidth as their needs increase, transfer data faster, and take advantage of the latest technologies, often at a reduced cost-per-bit.

Scalability

There’s no telling exactly what the future of technology holds but we do know this – applications of the future will likely require a lot of bandwidth. So-called next-generation applications like real-time analytics, IoT, and AI aren’t so “next-gen” anymore. With one survey finding that 97.2% of companies are tapping into the wealth of actionable insights from big data and AI, the future is already at our doorstep. 

With so much data being collected, consumed, transferred, and analyzed companies find that the bandwidth of legacy fiber optic networks can’t keep up. Companies not yet tapping into the wealth of data at their fingertips likely will soon to keep up with the competition and innovate. 

Having a future-ready bandwidth that provides not only the bandwidth you need today but also the bandwidth you’ll likely need tomorrow is key to staying ahead and adapting to changing customer demands. A 400G-enabled network provides the scalability to meet your and your customer’s needs today and tomorrow. Investing in bigger pipes today means less need for costly infrastructure overhauls and upgrades to your existing, lower-capacity cables in the future.

Low Latency 

A 400G-enabled network not only gives you the bandwidth needed to take full advantage of big data, but it enables you to transfer data quickly and analyze it in real time. Real-time applications require low-latency network solutions and the infrastructure of the past a lot of times just won’t cut it. 

Aside from data analytics, higher-capacity cables enable other real-time applications like video conferencing, tracking and monitoring tools, department-specific dashboards, and live broadcasting to work seamlessly for better internal and external users.  

High Capacity 

Today’s organizations require more capacity to take advantage of the Cloud and cloud-based applications and support multiple internal and external users. In fact, over 90% of organizations today use the Cloud in some capacity. Cloud computing and data-intensive applications require high-capacity networks to operate optimally. Plus, organizations increasingly need to support multiple internal and external users and devices accessing the network at one time – without compromising performance. 

What’s more, media today requires greater capacity than ever – applications like 4K video and video streaming depend on smooth playback with minimal buffering for the highest-quality user experience. Transformative tools like machine learning, AI, and data processing all require higher-capacity connections to function, as well. 

Who Needs 400G? 

Forward-thinking organizations in any industry can benefit from 400G. Here are four examples of industries where organizations are successfully realizing the power of 400G today. 

Data Centers and Hyperscalers

Some of the earliest and most enthusiastic adopters of 400G, data centers and cloud service providers (CSPs) depend heavily on high-capacity data transfer. Processing, storing, and transmitting massive quantities of data requires bandwidth that can keep up with the demand. 

High speed and high capacity aren’t just on the “wants” list for this group – their whole business is centered around data. That said, hyperscalers and data centers depend on their network provider to offer the high-bandwidth connectivity needed to accommodate increasing customer demands for data storage and use and boost their data transfer capabilities.

Carriers 

In the same vein, Internet service providers (ISPs) and telecommunications companies, too, are in the business of data. Satisfying their customers depends entirely on the speed and bandwidth they’re able to offer them. 

The increased use of streaming services, gaming, and video conferencing tools has boosted the demand for faster Internet in both residential and commercial contexts. “High-speed Internet connectivity” is a major selling point. At the same time, slow speeds can damage an ISP’s reputation and lose them customers. Using 400G capacity cables allows carriers to provide their end users with the fast Internet connections they need to accommodate growing data requirements. 

Financial Institutions 

Low-latency connections are equally important to financial institutions – especially high-frequency trading firms which depend on the lowest possible latency to act on real-time trading data. These firms need to have a precise, in-the-moment view of the market and execute orders based on that data simultaneously. In a cut-throat industry where mere microseconds can impact a firm’s bottom line, low-latency connections are critical to survival. Any network congestion can be devastating to a high-frequency trading firm’s aims. 

Healthcare Organizations

More than ever before, healthcare organizations generate vast amounts of medical data and use it to inform decisions for better patient outcomes. Patient records, research data, and medical images must be captured, transferred, and stored in a secure way. High-speed connectivity enables modern practices like telemedicine, IoT applications like remote patient monitoring, medical imaging, and data-intensive research. It also enables high-speed data transfer between hospital branches and other medical facilities. 

What’s more, 400G fiber is more secure than its predecessors. 400G fiber supports advanced security practices like encryption and data transfer security, protecting precious patient data and ensuring hospitals remain compliant with industry regulations like HIPAA. 

Zayo: Top 400G-Enabled Network Provider in North America and Europe

Zayo is proud to announce that all of our routes in Europe are now 400G-enabled. We continue to commit to our customers by enhancing our modern, global network and extending our reach into new markets. Over half of our 142,000-mile backbone is 400G-enabled and we’re not stopping there – we plan to reach 100% 400G-enablement on all routes by the end of 2024. With 39 long-haul Wavelength routes to be completed by the end of 2023, Zayo is helping to meet the increasing demand for bandwidth now and in the future.