All computing, all communications, all networking as we know it today is the result of over 50 years of centralized computing. The client-server model of computing is well entrenched. Security, and communications are highly centralized.
And while efforts have been made to adopt to the need for realtime point-to-point communication, these efforts have been futile and messy. In effect, several companies have been trying to decentralize communications by making one center into a bunch of little centers. While this seems logical, the management of and possibility for things to go awry multiples with each new little center added.
Need Today
Heavily centralized systems which rely on some level of centralized control, have left the edges of systems, in particular, “dumb” operating technology (OT) unsecured. Much of the OT on which critical national infrastructure (CNI), manufacturing, and other operations depend, are incapable of running the same algorithms as the central IT systems required for security or required for fully interoperability communications. There is a need today for both security at the edges and for the ability of many of these assets to communicate directly with other assets.
It should be noted that even new technology which may be more secure than older equipment still suffers from the inability to communicate widely in realtime without going through some centralized control center.
Looking Ahead
Imagine a world where everything can communicate securely with everything else when relevant without the need for human management of security. The true world of automation including data analytics and action on the fly without any human interaction, is truly an intelligent automated world. This level of intelligence is what is needed for the smart cities of both today and tomorrow.
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