Tool Gives Service Providers Visibility into Networks

To address this problem, Xangati is releasing a version of its application management software that will allow ISPs to identify what types of applications are being consumed most and by whom. Despite protestations about the amount of bandwidth being consumed on their networks, it frequently turns out that that most of the high-bandwidth activity on a a network is being consumed by a fraction of the total ISP customer base.

Rather than antagonizing the entire customer base by rationing bandwidth allocation, the Xangati software creates an opportunity for ISPs to identify those customers and offer them special services that most of them would happily pay extra to receive in return for guaranteed levels of service. This approach would then theoretically mitigate that need to broadly reintroduce metered pricing for Internet services.

While the existence of the Xangati software is not likely to render the debate surrounding Net Neutrality moot, it does give ISPs a framework through which they can begin to plan for better bandwidth allocation that should ultimately serve to maintain or increase profitability.