ddhr.org - Corporate network obsolescence

ddhr.org

Corporate network obsolescence (4)

Mar 5, 2008

I predict that in 5-10 years, corporate IT networks will be obsolete. Sorry, all my IT readers. You'll probably still have jobs because people's computers will keep breaking. But you can forget about network cables and email servers. With things like wireless broadband and web-based email, there's no need for a corporate-centric network. Anything that can be done on one of those networks can be done on a wireless broadband network. There's no need for corporate IT policies, internet filtering, or bandwidth throttling because it'll have nothing to do with the corporate network. It's all in the hands of each individual user. And corporate software policies like antivirus protection and the slew of standardized, cookie-cutter bloatware that IT departments ~~ruin~~ install on users' computers will become obsolete because, again, those things are network-centric. Who cares if one of your users gets a virus on their machine? It won't affect anyone else on the network because it's a different kind of network. And I've mentioned before my opinion about web-based email: It's infinitely better than corporate email. It's more reliable. It's easier to access. There's more storage space. Who cares about security because nobody does secure things through email anyway (though I have a hard time believing Gmail's https is any less secure than biometrics, a smart card, and a 10-character password). With a $100 wireless broadband card and $60/month unlimited access, I don't need a corporate network. #technology

Comments

#1	Rich	Mar 5, 2008
	You have very clearly summed up the feelings of a lot of end users. I'm not worried about my job security. Few points: 1. "Wireless Broadband" doesn't hold a candle to the raw throughput that can be achieved with any kind of modern cabled connection. And by it's nature, it is shared bandwidth over that narrower pipe. (You will notice a difference in a lot of network based tasks you likely take for granted.) 2. Do you work inside a building? How good is your cellphone coverage in there? Unless it's excellent, you will have poor to no data coverage in your building with that wireless broadband card. 3. Actually, many secure things are done through email. Encrypt the email with pgp or any number of alternative methods, and your data is safe in a way that ssl doesn't address. 4. Gmail's https is equally as secure as anyone else's that's using a cert sold by a trusted vendor. It is not meant to authenticate identity the way biometrics or smart cards do. It is merely encrypting your session so that you are not transmitting your password and emails in plain text. 5. Even in your notion of a decentralized network, virus protection is important. Or will people stop writing viruses that propagate based on your addressbook? Gmail's api is very user friendly and well-documented. I imagine that someone could write a virus that installs as a browser plugin and sends itself to everyone in your gmail address book. The point is, you will still need some relatively standard way to collaborate with your co-workers, and exploits will always exist for any such system. Corporate networks exist largely because they grant some level of control and early warning if these exploits are being attacked. With decentralized or no management of the infrastructure, all the IT staff can do is sit and watch as their users are rendered ineffective. IMHO

#2	Dave	Mar 5, 2008
	Thanks for disagreeing with every single thing I said. Typical IT person. (Though I do sort of agree with all of your points.)

#3	Rich	Mar 6, 2008
	I've dealt with typical IT people... They would have disagreed with everything you said, but not made any points in return for you to agree or disagree with... I'm proud of being atypical. :)

#4	Typical IT Person	Mar 6, 2008
	You guys are both wrong! (Man, they'd let anyone blog on the web these days!!!) :-)