Me@127.0.0.0 - Home Networking & the last meter dilema

I will begin this entry with a disclaimer: I know clearly that the title is similar to the previous one, but we can say that is just “my style”. In other words, I was thinking in another name, but all come to the same one.
Carriers and ISPs had always in mind the target to increase the data access penetration (not caring if narrowband at early years or broadband now) , leveraging the high tech gadgets industry.
At the beginning, the networks were for the “corporate” users, but more and more, the network is jumping into the house (and soon into our body, but is not the subject of this article). This created a new “layer” into the network architecture: “home network”.
A new problem came to the service providers, because the “home network” can affect the user perception of the quality of service provided. Just think about the bottlenecks or failures that it can suffer.
From my point of view, two approaches can be taken. The first, is to manage remotelly this network, using proper equipment and software, and encouraging the user only to use certain devices. The second, is to assure interoperability between the devices, making them work “plug & play” in a common language (ej. UpnP). Both are perfect for customers that don’t want to spend a second repairing the network and want a “turn key” solution.
Anyway, guys like me that want to design their own LAN and to rule in their kingdom is something unavoidable, but this is out of this discussion.
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