Connection Model

Today's dial modem users connect to the Internet through a remote access server (RAS). A RAS answers the telephone call from the modem, authenticates the call, and facilitates a connection.

The terminal server model has served consumers well for online services and the Internet. For many RBB applications, however, another model is preferable in which the consumer is always connected to the network, such as in a business local-area network (LAN). The following list details some of these applications:

• Personal Web servers in the home— This trend is encouraged by faster speeds, large PC disks, authoring freeware, and second phone lines.

• Push-mode data— To receive data unattended, the network connection must be on.

• Internet telephony— The consumer must be connected to the Internet before receiving an Internet phone call.

• Business applications— Examples of these, such as software updates and push-mode data, are always connected to a local-area network (LAN).

When permanently connected to the Access Network, the consumer is relieved of the dialing process, making the system easier and faster to use. Another advantage of always being connected is that the carrier can perform certain functions, such as software modification, without involving the consumer. This facilitates ease of use.

The drawback of always being connected, however, is that an idle consumer device consumes some network resources, a little bit of bandwidth, and a little bit of memory. More importantly, always being connected means consuming an address even when the address is not in use. On the whole, though, RBB networks will gravitate toward the always-connected model because of ease of use and new applications.