Think back 12 years or so. What was your work life like? How many computers did you have? How many secretaries were on your team? How big was the stack of post and memos you received each morning? Now, could you to go back to working that way?
We might just have to, if one of America's largest telecoms providers is right. AT&T claims that Internet's current network architecture will reach the limits of its capacity in just two years, unless there is some serious investment in networks right now.
They point to the surge in video and other rich content that's being uploaded thanks to advances in Web 2.0 technology. They predict that in three years' time, 20 typical households will generate more traffic than the entire Internet today.
AT&T spokesperson Jim Cicconi says that at least $55 billion worth of investment is needed in new infrastructure in the next three years in the U.S. alone, with the figure rising to $130 billion to improve the network worldwide.
Thankfully, here in the Isle of Man, we are ahead of the game with Manx Telecom's next generation network (NGN), a world first. Due to go live at the end of 2008 and costing £25 million, NGN will ultimately see Isle of Man residents enjoying a seamless 'converged' service across home entertainment and telecommunications. The NGN is based on Internet Protocol (IP), which means the network can handle voice calls, data and a whole range of different media like video - hence the term 'converged'. Let's hope the rest of the world catches up with us in time to save the Internet!
But even if they do, there is another issue lurking that could cause 'the Internet to fill up' and that is the lack of available IP addresses which some experts predict will run out by 2010. The current system of allocating IP address, called IPv4, uses various combinations of numbers to provide over 4 billion IP unique addresses, but still, this is not enough to keep up with demand.
Today's 'always on' users and the increasing popularity of smart phones (such as my beloved Blackberry) means that, theoretically, every man, woman and child on this Earth could be IP-addressable.
But there is no need to panic. IPv6 is now rolling out and will pick up the slack when the IPv4 pool of address is exhausted. It's just those wanting an IPv4 address won't be able to get one.
And as with most commodities, the laws of supply and demand hold true with IP addresses. Already we are seeing an increase in domain name poaching or front running. This is when someone uses insider information to register domains for the purpose of re-selling them or to run ads on a landing page to generate income.
By registering the domains, the registrar locks out other potential registrars from selling the domain to a customer. The registrar typically takes advantage of a five-day 'domain tasting' period where the domain can be locked without payment.
Imaging you've come up with a brilliant website name and check with a domain name registrar to make sure it's available. The next day you go to register it and find out some else has got it. Now you have to pay them for it if you want to use it. This is the 'insider' aspect of front running. It's illegal but incredibly difficult to police and enforce.
The nice people at Manx Telecom offer the following dos and don'ts to defend against domain name front running:
>>Do wait! If your chosen domain name was free when you searched and taken when you went to register it, try waiting for a few days. The registrar may be taking advantage of a 'domain tasting' trial period.
>>Do your research! Look at online discussion forums to find out if a domain name registrar is seen as reputable and reliable.
>>Don't shop around! Go only to the registrar that you plan to buy from. Don't check the domain with other registrars. Don't check for the existence of a domain by typing it in your browser window.
>>Do buy it! Once you see that the domain is available, buy it immediately. It may be available now, but not a few seconds later. If you don't have a plan for the domain, don't check it. Or just buy it now, and plan later.
>>Do buy them all! If your not sure which is the perfect domain name, buy all your variants. New domain names are cheap; second hand ones are not. Let it expire if you later decide you don't want it.
Ends
>>Sherrilynne Starkie is the managing partner of Strive Public Relations, a strategic communications consultancy serving the Isle of Man. She provides her views on business and technology each week in Tech Talk. Visit her business blog, Strive Notes for frequent updates www.strivepr.com or follow her on twitter.com/sherrilynne.
