Introduction

In the fast-paced world of Wall Street trading, seamless communication is paramount. Traders rely on instant, uninterrupted connections to make split-second decisions that can significantly impact their financial outcomes. Traditional communication systems often fall short, requiring traders to redial and rejoin conferences during technical disruptions. However, with the advent of hitless switching in IP-based Hoot and Holler applications, this challenge is being effectively addressed.

What is Hitless Switching?

Hitless switching is an innovative technology that allows calls to transition between hoot bridges without any noticeable disruption. Unlike traditional methods that require traders to redial to join a new hoot conference, hitless switching ensures continuous communication, maintaining the flow of information without interruption.

The Importance of IP-Based Hoot and Holler Applications

IP-based Hoot and Holler applications are essential tools for traders, providing instant communication channels that are crucial for sharing market updates, trading positions, and strategic decisions. By leveraging IP technology, these applications offer enhanced reliability and audio quality compared to traditional leased line-based systems.

Benefits of Hitless Switching

1. Seamless Communication: Traders can continue their conversations without any interruptions, ensuring that critical information is shared in real-time.
2. Increased Efficiency: Eliminating the need to redial saves valuable time and reduces the risk of missed opportunities.
3. Enhanced Reliability: IP-based systems provide more stable connections, reducing the likelihood of technical issues that can disrupt communication.

Real-World Impact

The implementation of hitless switching has received positive feedback from traders who appreciate the uninterrupted communication and increased efficiency. This technology is transforming the way traders interact, allowing them to focus on their strategies without worrying about technical disruptions.

Conclusion

Hitless switching in IP-based Hoot and Holler applications is revolutionizing communication on Wall Street. By providing seamless transitions between hoot bridges, this technology ensures that traders can maintain continuous, efficient communication, enhancing their ability to make informed decisions in a fast-paced environment.

XOP Networks’ Universal Services Node (USN), a state of the art conferencing and collaboration bridge supports IP based Hoot and Holler application with ‘hitless switching’. Typically, the H-n-H conference runs on the Primary USN and simultaneously a proxy H-n-H conference runs on the Secondary USN.

The Automatic Conference Coordinator capability of the USN is always aware of the health of both the Primary and the Secondary USNS. If the Primary USN conference server or the cloud provider network fails, the Automatic Conference Coordinator quickly enables the H-n-H conferences on the secondary conference server located in a different cloud vendor’s network, datacenter, or premise-based server without any intervention. With hitless switching, the traders using the H-n-H conferences are unaware that their conference has moved from Primary USN to the Secondary USN.

Here is a highly technical secret:  If a user must dial back in, or an admin has to restart something, it isn’t automatic failover.

Is there a good reason for your email interface, folders, files, chat/IM, PSTN and collaboration to all be in one environment? If there is, that’s great. But if you only purchased that option because of the old adage about never getting fired if you bought a particular enormous vendor, shouldn’t it work? By integrating a separate multi cloud system, you can decrease your exposure and increase your security. XOP offers secure remote access, LDAP compatibility, and CAPEX and OPEX service options.
 
Conclusion

I was the Chief Engineer of a global telecom company that was about to IPO a few years back. At an event, I asked a customer why they went with us, and not a larger company. The answer was that they were a little fish in the scheme of things, and that our pond was smaller. They could call me or our CEO on our cell phones and know they had the ear of someone who cared about their business and would help them with the problem. I was impressed by that answer and have always remembered the conversation. If I couldn’t say the same about the vendors that I was considering, why would I do business with them? Critical communications such as Financial or Command and Control cannot tolerate 2-hour outages or such a total lack of diversity, redundancy, and proper testing prior to a commercial release. If your communication infrastructure is as critical to your enterprise, then perhaps you should be speaking to your XOP Networks representative about their conferencing, collaboration, mission critical voice, and other integrated services today.

Bill Wagner is a financial industry technology consultant with over 30 years’ experience as an industry executive in hardware, software, engineering, operations, R&D, product development and introduction, and strategic development.