Would you, could you…try something new? I never expected a Dr. Seuss rhyme to inspire a networking blog—but here we are. It turns out, a classic children’s book has a lot to teach us about business decisions.
A colleague recently shared a sweet story about reading to his grandchild. If you have ever read to a little tyke, you know there are certain books that are read and re-read over and over. In this situation, the book was the perennial favorite, Green Eggs and Ham. The story’s message is simple: we often say we don’t like something just because it’s new or unfamiliar to us. But with a little curiosity—and a willingness to try—sometimes the new thing ends up becoming our favorite.
That lesson mirrors the story of passive optical networking (PON). At first, the idea of moving away from the familiar, trusty copper infrastructure—something we’ve relied on for decades—can feel strange… even a little scary. But once you dive in, explore the possibilities, and see the benefits for yourself, it quickly becomes obvious: it’s faster, simpler, and smarter. Not just good—it’s better! And just like that childhood tale, we learn that trying something new can turn out to be exactly what we needed.
So, in the true spirit of trying something new, here’s a playful little ode to PON.
Bonus points if you read it aloud…
Green Fibers and LAN
Do you need a better LAN?
Would you try a thing called PON?
Not copper stacks. Not switch on switch.
A fiber network—clean and rich.
“I do not want this PON,” you say.
“I like my network just this way.
With closets full of blinking lights,
And cables tangled day and night.”
But wait, dear friend, just take a look.
Let’s read a different networking book.
Would you try it in a school?
Where budgets must be tight and cool?
Would you try it in a hall?
With fewer switches on the wall?
Passive Optical Networking, you see,
Runs fiber out quite gracefully.
No power here, no fans that spin,
Just passive splits that sit within.
“Too new! Too strange!” you say with doubt.
“But hear me now—just hear me out.”
Would you try it for more reach?
Across a campus, each to each?
With copper runs you hit a wall—
A hundred meters, that is all.
But fiber stretches far and wide,
Across the quad, from side to side.
Would you like less gear to cool?
No switch in every closet pool?
No racks that hum. No heat to fight.
No midnight calls when fans ignite.
You pause a bit. You scratch your head.
“Less power use?” at last you said.
Yes! Less power. Less space too.
Fewer devices built for you.
“Could it scale?” you ask again.
“For tomorrow’s needs, not only when?”
Indeed it can—this PON so bright—
With bandwidth ready for future sight.
Devices here, devices there,
Cameras, Wi-Fi everywhere.
So would you try it in your LAN?
Would you test this fiber plan?
Would you try it in your school?
Where growth is fast and budgets rule?
You think a bit. You start to grin.
Perhaps this PON could fit right in.
You’d try it here.
You’d try it there.
You’d try it nearly anywhere.
You like the reach.
You like the space.
You like the calmer wiring place.
And now you know—
Yes, now you see—
Why PON might be the LAN to be!