3 Ways the Future of Networking Is Interoperability
How data networks are improving their connections.
As we hurtle toward a tech saturated future where every aspect of our lives is infused with some kind of device or application, the question remains, how will these technologies work together to help our tech experience be seamless and productive? The increasing importance of big data is also creating stresses on data management platforms, and interoperability is becoming a greater challenge all the time.
Few people stop to consider how many systems exist to support our various data and technology needs, but businesses that rely on data have to carefully consider what systems will support their efforts and prevent costly network and data failures.
Data Interconnect Improves Networks
Data interconnect is changing the way companies and large enterprise clients leverage their networks. Simply put, data interconnect is the networking of various data centers to achieve business objectives. Previously, this space was dominated by a small number of providers, which stifled innovation. But as companies have been looking to modernize their data centers new experts and providers have emerged to meet the need.
Tim Dixon, optics expert and CEO of InterOptic, a data interconnect firm, explains, “The biggest opportunity for companies to improve network performance is to consult optical engineering experts at the initial design stage so they can offer best practices to prevent bit errors and retransmissions before exponential growth hits.” These kinds of errors can create significant interruptions to a business’s IT efforts, which is why it’s important to address them up front.
Internet of Things (IoT) Interoperability Making Data Useful
As IoT providers work to scale the technology for enterprise use, interoperability and networking will increase in importance. Whether a company is using IoT to increase the flow of data, improve operational efficiency, or manage infrastructure, it is important to consider how well IoT devices can interact with one another.
Research shows that as of 2016 there were 325 million wearables on the market, with 11 million of them having some sort of cellular connection. With so many connected devices, the need for interoperable systems has never been more significant. Companies are working to develop more unified platforms through which IoT tools can communicate, but the number of manufacturers and applications means that there is still a long way to go before the IoT can be considered standardized. As such, it may be better to recognize that differences across IoT platforms might be a helpful way to prevent stagnation and keep the industry innovative.
CyberSecurity for the Connected Age
We are quickly entering a future in which the entire world will be networked. As the IoT grows, we plan on connecting cars, homes, and countless other everyday functions to the cloud. Similarly as cloud storage and big data continue to get better, more and more people will store critical data on some kind of server, instead of local devices.
As a result the opportunities for data to be compromised are increasing, so cybersecurity will continue to grow in importance. Research has found that 48% of cyber breaches are the result of a sophisticated hack, while the remaining 52% are caused by simple human error. Regardless of the source, breaches like this can cause major problems for networks, so devices will need multiple layers of protection in order to prevent loss of function or data.
As our lives become more connected and the world around us gets smaller, it is important to remember that the wealth of technology we have at our disposal can drive positive change in our lives. The key is making sure we continue to innovate, while making sure our various networks and devices are able to talk to one another.