SVP, service infrastructure, NTT: “To provide network quality bandwidth control is required”

Yukio Ito, Senior Vice President, Service Infrastructure, Ntt Communications

Yukio Ito, senior vice president, service infrastructure, NTT Communications is giving a keynote speech on Day Two of the Broadband World Forum 2012, taking place on the 16-18 October 2012 at the RAI Exhibition and Convention Centre, Amsterdam, the Netherlands. Ahead of the show we catch up with him to speak about the major hot topics and future plans for NTT Communications.

What were the major developments and milestones for you over the past year?

In 1999, I designed the architecture of the transport network for NTT Communications and introduced new technology in the transport network. Since June 2010, I have been in charge of engineering, construction and operation of the IP & L1, L2 backbone network. At present, I am introducing SDN -Open Flow technologies into NTT’s communications’ Business Network.

Net neutrality is a hot topic right now. What are the major concerns for your right now?

What’s hot on “net neutrality” in Japan right now is the fairness of the growing traffic monopolisation by some users. In addition, the pros and cons of advertising using web mail analysis, and also how to maintain fair competition between upper layers, such as content and applications and the lower layers of the network.

Where do you stand on bandwidth caps, line throttling and traffic management?

As a network provider who offers its network to content providers, I think it is necessary for heavy users to pay as they use, with regard to the “net neutrality”that I spoke about earlier. To provide good network quality for cloud services, I think bandwidth control is required. However I understand that there is no broad consensus on it now, I think it is necessary to launch a service with bandwidth control and see what will happen.

Where are the greatest growth areas from your perspective?

As a network provider who is offering services mainly for enterprise users, I believe the most rapidly growing field is the hybrid of cloud and closed networks. Enterprise users desire secure VPN, datacentres and cheap public cloud. There are users who want to migrate one of their functions to cloud by still have on-premise systems. Here I see a hybrid type of cloud market grow by maintaining closed network environments but collaborating with public and private clouds.

What are the key challenges you expect to face over the next 12 months?

There are two key challenges. First, to introduce “network virtualization” into the NTT Communications network to provide a hybrid type of cloud. This will control and manage network devices’ settings and operation through software. This will make it easy to make system and network configuration changes such as migrating virtual servers between two different data centers.

Secondly, to provide a portal which users can manage IT resources, enabling self-provisioning.

Why is your attendance at this event so important for you and your company and what aspect are you looking forward to most?

We especially see that cloud service business expansion in Europe is something worthy of notice. With our strength in providing networks, data centers, servers, and applications, globally and seamlessly as an end-to-end and one-stop service, NTT has the ability to provide cloud services. This time, I’d like to explore possible collaborations with partners to make this happen.

The Broadband World Forum 2012 is taking place on the 16-18 October 2012 at the RAI Exhibition and Convention Centre, Amsterdam, the Netherlands. Click here now to register your interest.