Web traffic volumes will almost double every two years from 2007 to 2012, driven by video and web 2.0 applications, according to a report from Cisco Systems. Increased use of video and social networking has created what Cisco calls "visual networking", which is raising traffic volumes at a compound annual growth rate of 46 per cent.
Cisco"s Visual Networking Index (PDF) predicts that visual networking will account for 90 per cent of the traffic coursing through the world"s IP networks by 2012. The upward trend is not only driven by consumer demand for YouTube clips and IPTV, according to the report, as business use of video conferencing will grow at 35 per cent CAGR over the same period.