Networks '98: World Cup scores networking own goal
There are two main causes of the problem, according to research conducted by Spikes Cavell in a survey of the UK's top companies. One, most IT managers are watching the football, so if you have a networking problem during an important game, you may have to wait for the final whistle to get help.
The second problem is the boom in live video Internet feeds, with some staff watching the game surreptitiously on their PCs, causing additional unplanned strain on the network.
The research was sponsored by Newbridge Computers who, surprise surprise, sell networking products. The firm's marketing director, Andy Williams, said: "Getting high quality real-time video across a busy network isn't easy. I anticipate uproar if poor network performance causes the viewer to miss that all important Alan Shearer winner."
It's going to be "an eye opener for most network managers" and they will find that their users are a lot less tolerant of missing a goal than they are of some mundane business application going down.
ZDNet has a cheaper solution than investing in extra bandwidth, and it can be found @ the pub.