Broadband over Power Line

Broadband over Power Line (BPL) is a system that provides high-speed internet into home and office by means of electrical outlet. Theoretically, BPL has the ability to enable data to be transmitted over power lines into homes and offices systematically. BPL is also called Power-line Communications (PLC).(Christian, 2004)

How BPL Works? The below image shows how the electricity is distributed to the end-users at home. First, electricity generates power from the power plant. Second, the power is transferred by using high voltage transmission lines to power substation inorder to reduce the power of the voltage to medium. Third, it passes to power poles using low-voltage line to deliver safely the needed power to start up BPL at home.

 

Figure 1(example of how the power dilivered to our home, 2011).

The transmission of line is not simply diffusing electricity to pass the data at home because it carries high voltage. The voltage of transmission is broke down into medium yet safe mode to be able to transmit the data safely at home by power poles. The BPL uses Substation (Medium-Voltage) which is suitable for data transmission. The data travel from one point to another point by using special device called coupler. The repeater take the data until it reaches the last station which is the home.BPL modems connect the power socket in the building to access BPL RF signal. It converts the RF signal to digital data and vice-versa. The process on how to connect using BPL modem are: 1) End-user connects the BPL modem to any power socket in the building or at home to access the BPL RF signal; 2) The BPL modem converts the RF signal back into digital data; 3) End-user then connects the BPL modem into a computer, server, switch, or wireless access point (Valdes).

Figure 2(example of how data traval by using power line, 2011).



The applications for Broadband over Power Line systems are divided into two broad categories:

1. In-house BPL, this application allow you to use traditional channels: telephone or cable broadband to access internet on all parts of your home by using power outlets. You simply plug the Ethernet lead from your normal modem into a special adapter that fits into one of the power outlets. The home electricity circuit takes the broadband to and from every room in your home as a high-frequency signal superimposed on top of the power supply. If you want to use broadband to any parts in your home, you simply plug another Ethernet adapter into one of the power outlets in that room and plug your computer into it.

2. Access BPL,it provides communications between homes and ISP outside the home by using the power outlet within the home or by using the access point attached within power poles through wireless devices.

BPL is already being tested in several cities around the United States and the United Kingdom. In these places, network and infrastructure are already in place.  Applying BPL elsewhere is a cost-effective type data transmission since almost hundred percent anywhere has electricity. It empowers the community to be in touch with the world e.g. using voice, data, internet. Moreover, it helps technical people build WAN, MAN and LAN without spending extra cost. On the otherhand, BPL has its downside, it never get the chance to be materialized since its application is always in the pilot stage. Although some areas have electricity but it does not guarantee stability.

References:

Christian, D. (2004). What is Broadband over Power Line (BPL). Retrieved 11 08, 2011, from SearchNetworking: http://searchnetworking.techtarget.com/definition/Broadband-over-Power-Line

Valdes, R. (n.d.). How Broadband Over Powerlines Works. Retrieved 11 08, 2011, from howstuff works: http://computer.howstuffworks.com/bpl3.htm

Figures:

Figure 1:example of how the power dilivered to our home, 2011,

retrieved from http://computer.howstuffworks.com/bpl3.htm

Figure 2:example of how data traval by using power line, 2011,

retrieved from http://computer.howstuffworks.com/bpl3.htm

What is SharePoint® 2010?

It was a humble beginning for the SharePoint before it became the most sought organizer by facilitating the sharing and managing of information for business purposes.

SharePoint is an integrated web application which was launched in 2001. Years of development of upgraded version of it lead to the convergence of the business intelligence vendor and tool vendors. In 2003, Microsoft launched "SharePoint portal server 2003".

These products and the development during those years for SharePoint derived another version became called "Microsoft Office SharePoint Server 2007" in end of 2006. Understanding the needs of the business and the development lets the Microsoft to acquired ProClarity, a business intelligence (BI) vendor, and Groove, a peer-to-peer collaborating tool vendors. In 2007, Microsoft released Performance Point, a BI solution that was integrated with SharePoint. (Holland (2011))

"SharePoint is a platform or suite of services that enables a team of information workers to easily collaborate and work together better by facilitating the development, sharing, and management of information, and the tracking and management of business processes"(Marty & Nancy (2010))

SharePoint 2010 helps you and your team work better, faster, and smarter. It helps your team access the right information at the right time for better decisions and get the job done successfully. Moreover,  with the help of SharePoint 2010 you can work comfortably and confidently because it has familiar interface and can connect directly to Microsoft Office.

SharePoint provides powerful customizable web applications and set of built-in applications that helps any organization to improve their team works, collaboration and even create paper-less environment. 

The vital advantage of SharePoint is the compatibility with other office applications ( Outlook , Word, excel…. ).

What Can SharePoint do? 

Microsoft divides SharePoint to six areas: 

1. Sites: Gives you the ability to create department, team or your own website within your organization. The simple steps do not require you to be developer or undergo special program. It also gives you the ability to manage the contents in your site.
2. Communities: Helps you work with other people through shared calendar, task list, issue list, dissuasion board , wikis , Workspace. As a general, it gives you the freedom to work with other people using the same documents. The idea of collaboration is built-in these things.
3. Content: Provides you in control of contents through citrine permission and privileges. Working seamlessly instead of putting content in local drive; can share it with other in your organization. 
4. Search:Let you search using super search techniques.
5. Insights: Organize your information for better understand by acquiring it from different source and gives you the ability to present your knowledge using dashboard and scorecard 
6. Composites: Extends your work through built-in tools that does not require you to be a developer. 

What are the Components of SharePoint? 

• SharePoint Foundation 2010:
  Download for free and is under the server’s license model.
• Microsoft SharePoint Server 2010:
  Install added components, costs about a thousands of dollars (depending on volume license) and requires at least one Client Access License (CAL) for each user.

Two core tools for SharePoint needed by developers: 

• SharePoint Designer 2010:
  Developer main tool for SharePoint, it is an Integrated Development environment that manages SharePoint.
• Visual- Studio 2010:
  As alternative tool for SharePoint Development , this is needed to install the SharePoint extension for VS 2010.

What is the minimum hardware and software required to implement SharePoint 2010? 

There are different requirement based on the type of implementation and the organization size. For more information about that please refer to the following link:Hardware and software requirements (SharePoint Server 2010)

Training Resource:

• SharePoint 2010 Developer Training Course
• Sharepoint 2010 Developer Training Kit 
• SharePoint 2010 Walkthrough Guide 
• SharePoint Development in Visual Studio 
• Official Website for ​Microsoft SharePoint 2010
• Microsoft SharePoint Team Blog
• Home - SharePoint for End Users
• Microsoft SharePoint Case Study
  

References:

1. http://sharepoint.microsoft.com/en-us/product/benefits/end-user/Pages/default.aspx
2. Matthews , Marty & Buchanan, Nancy (2010) Microsoft SharePoint 2010 Quicksteps. McGraw-Hill)
3. http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/ee210640.aspx
4. Charlie, Holland (2011)The Complete Reference: Microsoft® SharePoint 2010 Web Applications. McGraw-Hill