The networks of our time
If there is anyone who still wonders about the level to which we are reliant upon networks and immediate connectivity, consider the extent to which ‘triple play’ now dominates our daily interaction.
‘Triple play’ or the running of multimedia (voice, data and video) over a single channel is really a hotspot for technology application and concentration of expertise.
The ICT and telecommunications supply channel is aware that consumers want to be able to manage multimedia across various platforms simultaneously and with little – or preferably no hiccups. Of course, bandwidth and regulation will always impact user experience, but the overall direction of the networking market is that it is advancing rapidly.
The fact is that networks are a great deal more sophisticated and a lot more exciting, and consumers are more tech-savvy.
From a broad user perspective, incorporating individuals and corporate, the typical network today houses advanced technology solutions and systems. These are geared to help businesses and individuals gain maximum benefit from immediate, high speed and high capacity communication.
On one level we continue to witness increased innovation by global manufacturers specifically to enhance capacity of solutions. The objective remains to develop and introduce compact, robust products that can perform and meet requirements.
At the same time manufacturers are only too aware of changes in globally recognised standards and protocols, such as 802.11 and the growth of 802.11g for wireless networks.
Whilst end users would not ordinarily anticipate or expressly care about these developments, but the truth is that they are significant and do impact on product manufacture.
On another level we have to consider the advent of social networking as a key driver behind growth in networks, solution integration and innovation.
From a global connectivity point of view, there is no doubt that social network sites encourage participation and promote digital interaction. It should come as no surprise that this has fuelled the evolution of networks. It really works on the principle of ‘the more you grow, the more you need, the more you grow’.
We can see evidence of this in the development of corporate governance regulation, the establishment of laws designed to protect both personal and corporate information and the focus of decision makers on corporate policy towards Internet use and social networking.
As we see almost on a daily basis around the world, both in the public and private domain, data remains the most coveted and prized asset.
As such the issue of network security now tops the agenda in terms of network management, maintenance and administration. If employees are engaging social network sites and this is based extensively on information display and manipulation, the rationale behind safety and security is obvious.
An exciting development has been the introduction and use of smart networking technology – solutions that are designed to troubleshoot and rectify issues before they cause major problems on the network.
Typically a network that is constructed with smart technology will alert administrators to possible interference, blockages or other issues that impact on performance.
Smart solutions, from adapters to hubs to routers and more, is changing the way networks are being managed and the level of productivity that can be achieved. Less trouble means less downtime and that means people are using the network and benefitting from the infrastructure.
With new solutions, fresh approaches, innovation and regulation as constant influences, there is every reason to believe that the network space will continue to be active, vibrant and impactful going forward.
This article was originally posted on Africa ICT & Telecom Network
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