In the last few years, the pace of growth of technology has been meteoric. Today we live in the age of the Internet of Things (IoT). The Internet of Things is when all the objects in our life are connected to the internet, to the user and to each other to form a seamless network of devices. These devices can communicate with us as well as each other because of interconnectivity. Slowly, our whole worlds have become interconnected. Now, we can change the temperature of our home as we are walking towards it using our smartphone, unlock the front door using our smartwatch, enter and give a voice command to a smart speaker to turn the lights on and then tell our fridge to pour us a glass of water! Here, not only are we interacting with and commanding our devices, but we are also making them give commands to each other – for example, our phone controlling the thermostat in the house and our watch controlling the security system on our door. That is what interconnectivity is! And this interconnectivity is driving the world, including the business world, forward.
Anything that can be connected, will be connected
In the business and enterprise world, interconnected refers to a network of systems whose linkages allow enterprises to share information and resources across multiple servers and locations. With data connectivity and networking services, enterprises can enable the expansion of their ability to handle traffic while keeping costs down. Think about it, arranging for on-site storage at every facility a business worked out of would involve a lot of expense in terms of space and hardware. But connecting all the systems through one network would shorten the digital distances, improve response times and enhance output.
Colocation means placement of several different entities in a single location. For example, a business can have a colocation centre which is a data centre where they can have all the space, equipment and bandwidth needed for their computing services and then share it across their network.
This is many-to-many connectivity that can create value for companies by connecting partners, customers and employees globally to collaborate or exchange data. They must be able to connect instantly and simultaneously over a variety of devices and through various sources to work together and collaborate.
Benefits of interconnectivity
The following are the benefits of interconnection in an enterprise:
- Sharing of resources – by using a network of multiple data centres, enterprises will be able to share information quickly and securely no matter the amount of traffic online.
- Scalability – data centres have scalable hosting and bandwidth that can be expanded dynamically when required.
- Reliability – the system allows for creation of backups in case unforeseen circumstances damage the servers.
- Monitoring – the traffic flow of data can be easily monitored and managed.
- Security and recovery – by using multiple providers together, businesses can reduce risk of data loss in case of a system failure or disaster.
Driving telecom growth through interconnectivity
One industry where interconnectivity is vital is telecom. Traditionally each telecom provider has had to set up individual point to point connections for each service. Each dedicated connection takes months to set up and is very expensive.
Telecom networks are hugely important and complex because they carry data between many different systems and many different networks. Using interconnectivity, telecom providers can create a single unified network that is secure and connects users across the globe rather easily. Such a connection can be private, come with guaranteed bandwidth, promise low latency and prioritize local emergency numbers on its channel depending on its location.
Expanded applications for Internet of Things technologies in different facets of life
IoT designers and increasingly looking for easy connectivity options where all the devices that need to be connected can connect with each other easily and seamlessly. These networks can range from Bluetooth to Wi-Fi to 5G. Industrial IoT goes a step beyond smart home IoT and wants to achieve this at a city level where all the services are interconnected. The potential could be endless.
For example, smart cars need data input to be able to take actions. For this they need to be constantly connected to the cloud without interruptions. Without this data being received, processed and sent back immediately, the car could easily have an accident. To avoid this situation, cities may be looking at building interconnected smart cities.
Reduce business cost of information sharing
Interconnected builds the foundation to connect everything from one smart device to an entire smart city. This will in turn, largely reduce costs for information sharing. That, in turn, will allow detailed analysis of large-scale data and provide unique insights. This will mean continual iterations improvement of business processes, products and services.
Privacy and security protocols to gain users’ trust
For interconnection to work, it needs to collect a lot of data. This data collection leads ultimately to reduced privacy and security. All the security protocols need to be in place for interconnection to work and designers need to make sure that all security measures are highlighted in order to gain the users’ trust.
Seamless global business
Today business is global and asynchronous. Different teams all over the world can be collaborating on the same project at many different times. With the demand for customer service being 24x7, businesses cannot afford any disruptions. Interconnectivity ensures that teams can collaborate efficiently no matter where they are, what device they are using and what time it is.
Interconnectivity also makes networks more resilient and less prone to errors and downtimes and point to point connections. Even if one part of the network goes down, interconnectivity will ensure that other lines of communication remain open and the collaboration keeps happening. This can save businesses thousands of dollars. Thus, interconnectivity definitely enhances growth in business.
Conclusion
It is inevitable that in the future, networks will become more and more interconnected and less and less centralised than today. As interconnection becomes a reality, its utilizations will also increase. Newer tech like Augmented Reality, Virtual Reality, Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning will work more seamlessly and possibly at scale thanks to interconnectivity. The possibilities for the developments that await us in the future grow much faster with the adoption of interconnectivity.