As we look ahead to 2022 and what the future holds for the data networking industry, we have some thoughts and predictions for areas that we think will continue to grow and change to adapt to the current climate. Following a continued global pandemic with permanent shifts in how people work and connect, the telecom industry needs to look at the new “Internet of the Future,” building a network for the next unexpected event and looking at ways to build upon the current public Internet through open and disaggregated networks while keeping security top of mind. While carriers need to examine their network infrastructure and work toward increasing bandwidth for Enterprises, relying more on cloud-based networking and open optic networks, it is important to do all of this with an eye on sustainability for the future.
#1: Building on Public Internet to Continue Supporting Remote Work and Access
Enterprises have traditionally relied on private Internet routes and establishing “pipes” between their headquarters and offices with VPN and private internal network access to employees. These routes are usually physical server-based, requiring not only physical space and additional power sources for these servers to occupy, but additional people to manage these servers. Enterprises have been starting to build their networks on top of the public Internet, as this exists virtually everywhere, and now companies can build in the cloud. By building in the cloud, you reduce the need for physical servers, saving on space and resources, reducing the manpower needed to support servers and reducing the complexity of building private networks.
#2: Moving to the Cloud
Cloud-based networking is a fantastic opportunity for Enterprise customers to shift to a model that allows experts to perfect servers and upgrades, determining the perfect load for your organization and maintaining this on a regular basis. It provides customers with the ability to move to bigger data centers that they may not have had access to in the past, providing multiple points of connection and increasing security and sustainability by reducing the energy needed to power the network. In addition, the move to encrypted data in the cloud is faster than fiber and is also secure ensuring the data is only delivered to the person it is intended for. We feel there will be an increase in Enterprises moving to more cloud-based networking for 2022 and beyond.
#3: Security Concerns
There has been a rise in cybercrimes, and sadly this is a trend we predict will continue to increase. The one area we feel will be a big discussion point in 2022 and beyond is the shift from encryption and blocking access to data, which will still be important, and to focusing on the prevention of the flow of data. Many ransomware attacks focus not just on hacking data, but on preventing the flow of data, and this is an area organizations need to be aware of and take steps to protect themselves from.
Additionally, a single point of failure is a concern for the future. No longer can organizations have a single vendor or point of connection. We saw this a lot with the COVID-19 pandemic and DDoS attacks, where enterprises were sending data to one point and hackers were able to disrupt traffic. In fact, the most recent DDoS report showed an increase in high-intensity cybersecurity attacks in 2020 versus 2019, and a 50 percent rise in peak attack traffic over this period. Fortunately, with the information coming out of the DDoS report IT and Enterprise managers are recognizing this threat and taking it seriously, looking at more connection and more service providers to connect with so that their flow of traffic won’t be stopped at one connection point.
#4: Sustainability and Increasing Network Speed
Every industry needs to look at how they can reduce carbon footprint, and one area our industry can focus on is how change to be more sustainable will also support the network. If we examine where we store data and how we build and expand our network, we can build a more sustainable network while still delivering fast and reliable data. New innovations in open optics and open networks, have the potential to help us build more efficient networks and select best-in-class vendors. This will help improve supply chain diversity and resilience. And it isn’t just about building better networks, we also need to look at areas where old, power-hungry equipment can be removed. Sourcing the most sustainable pieces, building on existing networks using open optics and removing inefficient equipment are all ways the industry can move towards a more sustainable network.
While discussions around sustainability within the industry traditionally focus on the reduction in power and fossil fuel consumption while looking for greener alternative power sources, we as an industry need to expand our thinking and include things such as industry diversity and equality. We can lead these efforts by ensuring we are not only building a network that is sustainable but also focus on building an ethical business that supports gender and racial diversity in our workforce, education opportunities to help close these gaps and the continued diversity within our organization and industry.
The coming year brings many opportunities for our industry and the chance to continue to grow and build the networks. As organizations continue to grow and expand their networks, they need consider additional layers of security including utilizing multiple connection points and continuing the flow of data. Building on public Internet, moving to the cloud, decommissioning old equipment, and building open networks, this is all part of the Internet of the future in 2022 and beyond.
