How has the internet grown?
No technology has taken over the world as the internet has. Starting out as a few networked computers across different research centers, the internet has become critical to modern life with almost all computing systems being connected to it either directly or indirectly. The nature of life has even changed around technology and the advantages brought about by the internet with remote work becoming increasingly popular, video calling that allows family and friends to stay connected across countries, and even smart factories that can have their entire industrial process monitored by engineers across the globe.
Even though the internet is essential to modern life, trying to conceive its sheer size is impossible. Some sources suggest that there are around 2.25 billion indexed pages, but this does not include those that are not indexed. At the same time, it is estimated that about 5 billion people around the globe use the internet, and there are approximately 376 billion emails sent each day with a total data size of around 175 zettabytes, which is around 175,000,000,000,000 gigabytes.
What does matter, however, is that life is becoming far more software-driven, and a substantial portion of software is moving to the cloud. As the world shifts toward cloud-based solutions, the hardware that runs such solutions is becoming less relevant thanks to the cross-platform nature of internet resources (the only point of concern for modern developers is that the user has access to a modern browser).
Will the internet struggle with congestion?
It is clear that the internet is humanity's greatest infrastructure project with the construction of thousands of data centers, millions of miles of communication cables, and the intricate software solutions that coordinate all this infrastructure together. But while most internet users are oblivious to the engineering behind its operation, there are those that need to worry about its usage, where it is going, and what changes need to be made.
Unfortunately, as more software services turn to cloud-based computing and internet usage continues to increase, ISPs (Internet Service Providers) need to lay more cables, build new exchanges, and install more servers to cope with the increased traffic. Such activities are immensely expensive due to the cost of cables, the cost of labor, and the cost of permits to install cables above or below ground. At the same time, the rate at which technology is improving can quickly see older cable technologies fall behind. For example, 10Mbps ethernet was very quickly replaced by 100Mbps and 1Gbps solutions, and those using ethernet cables need to upgrade most of their infrastructure when moving to a higher-speed technology (10Mbps cables generally cannot handle 1Gbps).
To make matters more cumbersome, the Internet of Things (IoT) industry has seen explosive growth over the past decade, and while most IoT devices send small amounts of data, the combination of tens of billions of devices can quickly use up bandwidth. Emerging industries that rely on IoT technologies (such as Smart Spaces), will also quickly consume internet bandwidth which will require engineers to either integrate new technologies to cope with the additional devices or upgrade existing infrastructure. In fact, it is perfectly reasonable to expect a smart city to have hundreds of thousands of data points that will all be streamed live, and this is a substantial amount of data to send.
When looking at current networking technologies, each has its own respective advantages and disadvantages, which is why most networks consist of different technologies and combine the best of each. For example, LAN using ethernet cables are great for providing high-speed data access, but their cabled nature makes installation difficult, limits where they can be used, and the constantly increasing LAN speeds can expedite the need for older cables quickly replaced.
WLAN is excellent for solutions that require wireless internet, and the widespread use of Wi-Fi and Bluetooth provides engineers with countless options. But while wireless networks can be great for wireless devices, they are generally limited in the total number of devices that can be supported at any one time, and the use of non-directional antennas can cause neighboring networks interference.
Cellular networks are excellent when dealing with large open spaces as they have been engineered to connect thousands of mobile devices simultaneously. Furthermore, improvements in cellular technologies now allow for low-latency/high-bandwidth connections that can work well with industrial environments. However, the cost of installing cellular networks can be extremely high, which makes mass deployment of such networks difficult.
Why are Fiber Optic Cables a Potential Solution for the Future of the Internet?
Of all networking technologies currently in development, fiber optic cables stand above the rest, and this clearly shows with most telecommunication companies shifting toward fiber optics. But while most know that fiber optic cables are better than other cable solutions, the exact reasons are not well understood by the public.
Simply put, most believe that fiber optic cables are superior to electric cables because signals travel at the speed of light, but in reality, fiber optic cables are slower than copper cables (at least, in terms of signal propagation). The speed of light in fiber optic cables is around 0.7c, while the speed of electrical pulses through copper cables is 0.9c, meaning that a data packet would arrive sooner in a copper cable compared to a fiber optic cable.
The reason fiber optic cables are faster than copper cables (with regards to bandwidth) come from multiple factors, which include switching frequency, support for a wide range of frequencies, and the ability to utilize wave direction.
To start, light pulses can be made to be extremely short, and when operating at wave frequencies in the THz, it is theoretically possible to have light modulated at Tbps. This already allows for vast amounts of data to be sent on a single wavelength of light, and this is where the second factor comes in. As light is an electromagnetic wave, its frequency range is virtually infinite, meaning that numerous frequency channels can be used to transmit information. Furthermore, these different frequencies do not interfere with each other, meaning that multiple wavelengths of light can use the same cable without interfering. The use of a prism-like device can then be used on either side to inject and extract each channel separately.
Finally, fiber optic cables can have the same wavelength of light sent down in opposite directions without experiencing interference. Unlike electrical signals, fiber optics use wavefronts that are not dependent on potentials, but instead are physical entities that can be measured and have their own momentum. Thus, a single cable can use two identical transceivers on either side of the cable and use a single frequency for bidirectional communication simultaneously.
At the same time, fiber optic cables have never been the limiting factor in speed. Instead, it is always the transceivers used that rely on electronics to convert electrical signals to light, and these face numerous challenges such as switching frequency, rise/fall times, and amplification.
How would a future smart space be helped with fiber optics?
By far, the biggest application for fiber optics in smart spaces is the replacement of ethernet cables. While ethernet cables can support large distances, fiber optics do not suffer from the same signal-integrity issues as fiber optic cables and are not affected by local interference from electronic devices. As such, fiber optic cables can be used at extreme distances while maintaining full signal integrity.
This lack of interference also makes fiber optics resistant to man-in-the-middle attacks. While ethernet cables can be partially cut open, conductors exposed, and monitored without showing any signs, fiber optic cables cannot be attacked in this way. The moment the cable is broken, both sides of the cable will detect this, and it is impossible to read data flowing through a fiber optic without cutting it open due to total internal reflection. As such, fiber optics are excellent for providing security to networks that may be transmitting sensitive information.
Smart spaces can also benefit from fiber optic technologies by linking WLAN access points together via fiber optic links. The use of such connections not only helps to cope with increased demand, but fiber optics are also future proof, meaning that the replacement of individual access points does not require any changes to the underlying fiber optic network. Thus, smart spaces that grow into thousands of devices will be able to cope with network demands. This will be especially important if sensors being installed are data intensive (such as microphones and cameras).
In addition to improving bandwidths, fiber optic cables are also much smaller and lighter, which makes them easier to install. Furthermore, fiber optic cables are arguably cheaper than copper cables overall when considering that they rarely require upgrading when moving to higher speeds. Thus, smart spaces can invest more money into creating a quality setup that will last for decades.
What solutions exist for fiber optic systems?
Currently, there are many suppliers that provide equipment for fiber optic systems with two being Samtec and Sylex. Sylex offers numerous solutions for smart spaces that include fiber optics, interconnects, and panel systems that can all be leveraged for use in smart spaces where thousands of connected sensors are needed.
One solution that stands out is their range of LC-LC cable solutions that combine up to 24 individual fibers into a single cable that are then terminated at either end. This allows for high-density installations where a single thin cable is used to carry data for 24 separate communication channels.
At the same time, Sylex Fiber To The Antenna (FTTA) provides network solutions for cellular systems such as 4G and 5G. These can help increase signal integrity between antenna systems and data processors, which further helps to increase the data bandwidth of private cellular networks.
IoT networks of the future: Fiber optics
If IoT devices continue to operate over traditional networking technologies, it is likely that such devices will soon struggle. As ethernet can only support so much bandwidth, and wireless networks such as Wi-Fi can quickly become congested, IoT networks of the future will need to look toward fiber optic solutions, especially when deploying private 5G networks.
Fiber optic cables are not only able to support bandwidths that are incomprehensible, but their resistance to cyberattacks and future-proof nature means that any network deploying fiber optics can easily be upgraded without making any changes to cables. In fact, it is even possible that humanity will never be able to max out the bandwidth capabilities of fiber optics, with the only limitation being the electronics used to drive them.
