Market intelligence regarding deep packet inspection (DPI) says that the market will exceed $2BN in 2016. Responsible for the positive market data forecast is the improvement of user experience, cost reduction, the new service delivery in mobile networks and of course network packet brokers, Strategy Analytics (News - Alert) tells us.

“Better quality of experience (QoE) for mobile data services requires better tools in the network, with more granular visibility into traffic flowing over networks. DPI is becoming a strategic weapon for mobile operators as they seek to control and monetize mobile data traffic, and leading vendors are stepping up to meet evolving operator needs,” said Susan Welsh de Grimaldo, director, Mobile Broadband Opportunity service at Strategy Analytics in a statement on the latest market research.

DPI is a network surveillance technology that enables operators to scan Internet traffic in real-time and make automated decisions about what to do with it, an integral part of any network packet broker. It has been used for several years to maintain the integrity and security of networks, searching for signs of protocol non-compliance, viruses, malicious code, SPAM and other threats.

Large enterprises can use DPI to manage network performance. A network administrator can use DPI technology to rate limit certain application traffic when the network performance is low, and raise the limit when the performance goes back to normal. Apart from the efficiency aspect, a deep packet inspection can also help in boosting the security level of the network in which it is operating.

Since it’s becoming a rather critical tool for network management and performance, many are seeking out DPI vendors with flexible applications.

"Top DPI vendors are supporting new operator revenue growth by integrating real-time charging, subscriber analytics, policy, and traffic optimization – especially for video – all to enhance customer satisfaction and QoE,” added Strategy Analytics Service Provider Analysis Director, Sue Rudd.

Despite scrutiny by opponents of the Stop Online Piracy Act (SOPA), its usefulness in keeping networks safe is keeping it on the up and up. And the three main players in the DPI segment included in the report were Allot (News - Alert) Communications, Sandvine, and Procera Networks.

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