Fifty years ago, when the underlying protocol of the Internet was in development, few of its patron architects could have anticipated the demand and resiliency required during the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. Working with his colleague, Robert Kahn, Dr. Vint Cerf often referred to as one of the “Fathers of the Internet,” was among those who saw a clear and impending need to strengthen and reinforce the underlying protocols in the network infrastructure. Transmission Control Protocol/ Internet Protocol or “TCP/IP” formed the heart of the Internet design and included an inherent resilience. As we know it today, TCP/IP is the foundation of the Internet today.
While governments, businesses, and schools worldwide grapple with the stay-at-home orders, forced remote work, and wide-spread distance learning curriculums, the Internet community has been afforded a unique opportunity to see just how much use network infrastructures can handle. In these unprecedented times, populations around the world have turned to the Internet to bridge the gaps created by social isolation or the closure of schools and businesses. Now, more than ever, the Internet has become essential to our social lives, productivity, and entertainment. Usage has spiked at astronomic levels across all sectors and shows little sign of slowing.
Whether over personal applications such as Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and Zoom, or business application like WebEx, Skype or Hangout, the current state of quarantine has tested bandwidths and propelled Internet Exchanges to record levels of throughput worldwide. As with the underlying personal and professional uses of applications, entertainment applications have become central to the ‘new normal’ of pandemic life. Imagine an evening without Netflix, Disney+, or Hulu while sequestered in a one-bedroom apartment for six weeks, and you will soon come to understand the significance of these outlets.
So, what’s the biggest story in news today that isn’t being told?
All of these applications—personal, business, and entertainment are working. They are transporting and delivering all the information (and movies) that millions are depending on now more than ever. The underlying architecture of the Internet is supporting more uses and reaching more users than any single point in its history.
Yet, this demand doesn’t present itself without challenges. Networks with strain will have to grow and diversify by whatever means available. There was no predictive modeling for COVID-19 and little time to take preemptive measures to fortify Internet architecture. Many providers and industry partners are still working feverishly to ensure the Internet community continues to meet the exponential increase in demand 2020 has generated.
As we all continue to traverse these times, it is important for us to understand how the Internet is responding and consider what changes may very well become permanent pieces in the future of communications.
SUMMARY
Clearly, this lockdown could go on more than a few months, and it is happening globally. Remote working could become a more common phenomenon than ever before. As we continue to rely more and more on the Internet for fulfilling various aspects of our lives, we will (as an industry) need to ensure that the Internet remains independent, resilient with enough diversity built in for the seamless functionality of this huge network
of networks. Regardless of the Internet’s ability to pass the current test, we will need to continue to develop new interconnection hubs to address the future. Data will continue to grow and with more remote work, data usage will spread to new nexus points such as Richmond, Hillsboro, Lisbon, Bilbao, Mumbai and others. The ultimate impact of our continued focus on growth will be resilient and diversified infrastructure and expanding economic development reach globally.
IEIC 2020 VIRTUAL SUMMIT SERIES
IEIC presents a new series of exclusive talks and panel discussions revolving around the current underlying need to diversify, strengthen, and prepare our Internet Infrastructure for times of crisis as well as its growth in fortifying regional economies and their bolstered participation in the Digital Economy.
Join IEIC’s most influential leaders in their respective industries-Banking, Healthcare, Automotive, Financial, Internet Infrastructure and SaaS —in a series of three webinars brought to you in 2020.
WEBINAR 1
HOW RESILIENT IS THE INTERNET INFRASTRUCTURE
How was the Internet designed and how is it responding to the exponential growth, accelerated demand of the changing times and evolving needs of today’s users?
WEBINAR 2
HOW RESILIENT IS THE INTERNET INFRASTRUCTURE
How was the Internet designed and how is it responding to the exponential growth, accelerated demand of the changing times and evolving needs of today’s users?
WEBINAR 3
PREPARATION IN THE PUBLIC SECTOR
How are policy makers, government officials and higher education institutions facilitating the opportunity to energize local economies with the Internet?
IEIC Special Coverage | Dr. Barbara Boyan - Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU), Dean, VCU School of Engineering 
IEIC Special Coverage | Nic Barnes - Bank of America, Managing Director Global Head of Data Center Strategy & Operations 
