Professionals who develop and maintain systems becoming increasingly important, says Anil Singhal
In a fully digitalised world, service assurance firm NetScout argues that a growing reliance on interrupted communications, coupled with the "fragility" of the network, leaves users more and more exposed to risk and failure.
One only has to look at the estimated damage done when services such as Google or Microsoft Office 365 experience downtime.
"In today's fully digitised world with Internet on- and off-ramps, being connected and staying connected with uninterrupted communication is an absolute necessity, and yet, leaves us vulnerable due to the fragility of our connectivity," said NetScout co-founder, president and CEO Anil Singhal.
"Because of the complexity of the technology, the professionals who develop and maintain these systems are becoming increasingly important in keeping us connected," he continued.
Singhal believes service assurance professionals are the "guardians of the connected world", a view that even managed to turn the head of celebrated film director Werner Herzog.
"NetScout introduced me to a project and a topic that was much larger than a handful of public service announcements," said Herzog.
"The future of the connected world and its impact on humanity is an extraordinary topic for all of mankind. I am thankful to NetScout for starting this conversation and as I have said to Anil Singhal, ‘Our work is not yet done.'"
The results of Herzog's investigations into what global connectivity actually means are explored in his latest film, Lo and Behold: Reveries of a Connected World which sees UK release on 28 October 2016.
Speaking to Computing about the film earlier this year at its Sundance Film Festival premier, Herzog described how getting to grips with the true scope and meaning of digital connectivity is "like seeing a new continent".
"You can say, ‘Oh look, there's something there: ice floes and cold water on a whole continent, Antarctica is materialising. And you just take a few dogs and a sledge and food and you start to explore. It's unknown terrain, and for the next 10, 20, 30 or 50 years we'll continue to navigate and move into very, very uncharted terrain."
