ChannelVision September - October 2016

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enablers of new capabilities and
drivers of new solutions requiring
advanced services. For example, net-
work virtualization, software-defined
networks and network functions vir-
tualization migrate hardware-based
functions into cloud- and software-
based capabilities, enhancing the
flexibility and agility of the telecom-
munications infrastructure, enabling,
among other things, dynamic route
optimization for anycast services or
bandwidth on demand to back up
data to the cloud. New services in
the cloud can leverage this new flex-
ibility and dynamism. For example, a
workload can migrate from an enter-
prise data center to the cloud or from
one cloud provider to another, lever-
aging bandwidth-on-demand capabili-
ties and pay-per-use pricing inherent
in this new, emerging infrastructure.
Architectures are also evolving. It
is clear that cloud computing is not
just a fad but a compelling proposi-
tion and reality in terms of econom-
ics and user experience. However,
rather than all workloads migrating
to the cloud, a more nuanced, het-
erogeneous architecture is likely,
including the cloud, colocation facili-
ties, enterprise data centers, the
edge, and distributed things such as
smart meters, wind turbines, auto-
mobiles, farm equipment, wearables,
drones, robots, and so forth.
Such a world entails more than
merely multiple layers that are in-
terconnected. It entails complex
information and communications
technology optimization strategies
that migrate data and processing up
or down throughout the hierarchy. In
some cases, data might be aggre-
gated from edge devices in the cloud
and processed centrally. In others,
it might be processed in a distrib-
uted fashion. Such decisions might
be made in real time, based on the
quantity of data and dynamic pricing
of both network services and cloud
computing or storage services. Such
a reality, greatly changed from the
simple days of mainframes and na-
scent data communications technolo-
gies, requires inherently agile and
flexible network capabilities but also
the policy-based orchestration and
optimization logic to make it work.
As another example of this more in-
telligent, network-centric world, consid-
er an application running in a data cen-
ter. Dynamic pricing for electricity and
the geographic nexus of the data the
application needs might mean that the
application could run more effectively
in another data center. Artificial intel-
ligence could orchestrate the migration
of the application and some of its data
to the new data center, based on ev-
erything from analysis of hot spots and
data center infrastructure management
to data center airflow simulations to
the cost of virtual machine, container,
or microservices migration. If this
seems like a fantastic scenario, con-
sider that Google is already applying
the same AI and deep learning behind
its world-class Go-playing system,
Google DeepMind AlphaGo, to data
center energy optimization.
Of course, it isn’t just applica-
tions and technology that matter. The
regulatory environment, ranging from
“broadband as a human right” to “net
neutrality” to spectrum auctions and
whitespace allocations will have a
deep impact on facilities investments
by operators; consumer uptake; and
investments by venture capitalists,
private equity and angel investors.
Cybersecurity, privacy and nation-
al sovereignty and self-interest also
are critical elements. Consider any
of the cyberattacks, such as distrib-
uted denial of service, data leaks,
ransomware, and the like – from
criminal organizations, nation-states,
Internet trolls and bored youths –
that regularly befall virtually every
company, government or other orga-
nization; the challenge of delivering
“free” services which are actually
advertiser supported, but based
on advertisers’ insatiable need for
increasing data on customers and
prospects; and the patchwork of reg-
ulations across countries interested
in achieving a challenging, delicate
balance between economic growth
through entrepreneurship and in-
novation while respecting citizen’s
rights to privacy and such concepts
as the “right to be forgotten.”
The Pacific Rim represents the
nexus of all these evolutionary and
revolutionary forces. The United
States is obviously an important
player in terms of network service
providers, over-the-top players and
technology innovations. But in addi-
tion, Japan is getting ready to deploy
the world’s first 5G networks, in part
to support the coming 2020 Olym-
pics. Various areas in Asia offer op-
portunities for deploying ubiquitous
wireless connectivity through solar-
powered planes. Island nations offer
great opportunities for low-Earth
orbit satellites due to their unique
characteristics of economy and
population density.
Although most people would
name Amazon, Microsoft, and
Google as the key players in cloud,
China has its own leaders, such as
Baidu, Alibaba, and Tencent, as do
other countries and regions, all with
unique configurations of capabili-
ties. Tencent, for its part, now offers
cloud services but is a global leader
in gaming and also messaging and
related services through its QQ
email and messaging, WeChat mes-
saging, photosharing, and payments
services, which have more than 700
million monthly active users.
The exciting, changing realities
of disruptive technologies, business
models, industry structure, consum-
er demands, investments, security,
and the regulatory environment will
be discussed in depth at PTC’17,
the Pacific Telecommunications
Council’s next conference in Waikiki
at the Hilton Hawaiian Village,
January 15 to 18, 2017. Keynotes,
industry briefings, executive roundta-
bles, and panel discussions will help
explore the nuances and ramifica-
tions of the changing realities of the
telecom and related industries.
Joe Weinman is a PTC’17 Program
Advisor, industry executive, and
the author of “Cloudonomics: The
Business Value of Cloud Computing”
and “Digital Disciplines: Attaining
Market Leadership via the Cloud, Big
Data, Social, Mobile, and the Internet
of Things.”
INTERNATIONAL AGENTs
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September - October, 2016 | ChannelVision 85