Your Net worth

Thank God, the focus is back on the network.

With so much happening around the world-economic slowdown, social media, BYOD, mobility and remote workers, 24x7 operations, and so on-it was critical that something seriously drastic was done to make the traditional IT networks user-friendly. Software defined networking or SDN is the step in that direction.

Without getting into the nitty-gritty, in simple terms, SDN technology allows the organization's network to be more agile, flexible, and user sensitive by taking some of the key controls away from the network hardware and software and giving it to the network administrator.

It is a little too early because SDN is just coming in, but supporters claim that with this new approach the network continues to be safe and becomes a facilitator rather than a hurdle. A few of the networking biggies disagree, but it seems that SDN is becoming a phenomenon and everybody is jumping into the bandwagon.

What I am very happy about is that this is another great example of technology being driven by user needs. Let me tell you why. Today most of us book our train tickets using IRCTC. While booking regular tickets is a fun experience, but try booking a Tatkal ticket. It is a nightmare, enduring which is still not a guarantee for success. If I as a user had a choice of another network to book my Tatkal ticket, I would have dumped IRCTC.

Similarly, most of the telephone operator websites for their users is a pain-whether it is changing of some service, or paying bills, or updating personal information. The promise of SDN is that all this will be a thing of the past.

Today, there are so many things that are done online-from buying movie and train tickets to paying utility bills to filing customer complaints to apply for a passport. If the online experience is bad, we get upset with the organization, and I think rightly so. And if it is good, we praise them. This is true not just for customers, but even for partners, suppliers, investors, as well as employees.

The organization is getting to be as good or bad as the network is. In days to come, the network will be the face of the organization. Those who have great networks (that are simple, agile, yet secure) will have a big advantage over their competitors.

Let me finish my point by quoting Dr Sadagopan, who zealously heads the IIIT in Bangalore. He says, "Your network is your net worth". This will not just be true for individuals, but will be true for the organizations and the governments too. And SDN seems to be the promise in that direction.