Intelligent Infrastructure

Intelligent Infrastructure, much like the predetermined infrastructure of this molecule, is revolutionizing data-driven research.

Just where is the intersection where Information Technology meets Research these days?

Knowledge processing these days happens at multiple locations, through many disciplines, by multi-organizational teams. "When you got up this morning and flicked on the light switch," Stewart told e-Strategy, "you didn’t waste a nano-second wondering where the power came from. Increasingly, when you look at the resources that will be required to process the data" whether you’re an administrator or a researcher or an instructor " you’re simply going to expect that the infrastructure is there. It won’t matter to you where and how the various elements work together. It’s all going to be about your access to that data, or worse, your lack of access."

Summary

This paper traces the development of such transport infrastructures, as well as the overlaid intelligent infrastructures (such as the telegraph, Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition systems, air traffic control, and telecom signaling systems) that have proven necessary for the transport infrastructures to reach their full potential. The authors observe that most transport infrastructures exhibit several common development trends. The authors define the systems that provide this intelligence layer as "intelligent infrastructures." Third, once the intelligent infrastructure is deployed, growth in the underlying transport infrastructure generally accelerates through an inflection point, laying the foundation for several additional decades of growth in both the transport infrastructure and the overall economy. The authors then posit that as a result there is a need for significantly enhanced intelligent infrastructure and introduce six critical characteristics that the new intelligent infrastructure must exhibit: scalability, interoperability, adaptability, reliability, security, and visibility. For the purposes of this paper, we will call the systems that provide this intelligence overlay "intelligent infrastructures."

• The use of digital infrastructures for increasingly critical economic applications


• The convergence of predecessor infrastructures

Just as intelligent infrastructure has played a critical role in mitigating the complexities of transport and communications infrastructures of the past, intelligent infrastructure is needed today to mitigate the complexities of our Digital Age. Intelligent infrastructure must also be able to mediate between myriad technologies and protocols.

Think Safe

Industrial Revolutions are dangerous processes, the previous have as results sequential wars, increasing personal or community power. Now globalization, outsourcing, "The world is flat" have an strong rejection reaction from some parts of the world. I bring here part of my opinions regarding Very Sign white paper "Intelligent infrastructure for 21's century" from Forbes

Abstract

Throughout history, infrastructures for the transport of goods, services, and information (such as the rail system, electric utilities, air travel, and telephony) have had an enormous impact on society and the global economy. These infrastructures have helped to drive profound growth in productivity, incomes, and standards of living by reducing the barriers of time and distance and enabling people to interact, communicate, and conduct commerce in ways that were previously impossible.

This paper traces the development of such transport infrastructures, as well as the overlaid intelligent infrastructures (such as the telegraph, Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition systems, air traffic control, and telecom signaling systems) that have proven necessary for the transport infrastructures to reach their full potential. The authors use these historical examples to draw insights into the future development of the Internet and emerging digital infrastructures.

The authors observe that most transport infrastructures exhibit several common development trends. First, such infrastructures have traditionally taken about thirty years to build out. Second, at some point, generally ten years into deployment and broad-scale adoption, transport infrastructures reach a critical level of usage and complexity, requiring an overlay of intelligence for significantly improved communication, coordination, and fulfillment. The authors define the systems that provide this intelligence layer as "intelligent infrastructures." Third, once the intelligent infrastructure is deployed, growth in the underlying transport infrastructure generally accelerates through an inflection point, laying the foundation for several additional decades of growth in both the transport infrastructure and the overall economy. These gains usually dwarf the gains made prior to the introduction of the intelligence layer. The authors then argue that we are about to reach a similar inflection point in the deployment of the emerging digital infrastructure. This is being driven both by the burgeoning usage of the infrastructure, and the corresponding issues of complexity associated with its broad adoption, including: a) the proliferation of applications, devices, and protocols; b) the use of the infrastructure for increasingly critical economic applications; c) the convergence of predecessor infrastructures; and d) a host of new security and regulatory concerns.

The authors then posit that as a result there is a need for significantly enhanced intelligent infrastructure and introduce six critical characteristics that the new intelligent infrastructure must exhibit: scalability, interoperability, adaptability, reliability, security, and visibility. The paper concludes with illustrations of the role that Intelligent Infrastructure Services are playing- and will continue to play-in enabling such new applications as Voice-over-IP (VoIP), Radio Frequency Identification (RFID)-enabled supply chains, and digital content delivery systems.

My notes

Definition

However, at some point, most transport infrastructures approach a critical level of usage and complexity that threaten to limit their usefulness. At this point, the transport infrastructures require an overlay of intelligence to provide improved coordination, control, and functionality. For the purposes of this paper, we will call the systems that provide this intelligence overlay "intelligent infrastructures."

My underlines

In modern times, intelligent infrastructures have also proved to be prerequisites for the blossoming of infrastructures used in the transport and delivery of information itself, such as telephony networks and the Internet. We are about 10 years into a process through which the global economy is moving inexorably towards a multi-dimensional digital economy. This shift seems to be associated with the kinds of increases in productivity historically associated with other great infrastructural innovations. We have seen usage of both the telecommunications and Internet networks increase at least a hundredfold in just the past few years, six resulting in a dramatic and often unforeseen impact on society and the economy. These trends have been accompanied by a massive increase in complexity, driven by:

• 
  An increased, global demand requiring increases in scale


• The proliferation of applications, devices, and protocols


• The use of digital infrastructures for increasingly critical economic applications


• The convergence of predecessor infrastructures


• A host of new security and regulatory concerns

Just as intelligent infrastructure has played a critical role in mitigating the complexities of transport and communications infrastructures of the past, intelligent infrastructure is needed today to mitigate the complexities of our Digital Age. To do so, intelligent infrastructure for the 21st century must meet a set of six requirements.

• One. Scalability
  Dramatic increases in use have always been, and always will be, a source of complexity.


• Two. Interoperability
  Intelligent infrastructure must also be able to mediate between myriad technologies and protocols.


• Three. Adaptability
  The design of the overlaid intelligent infrastructure must be flexible enough to meet the reality of constantly evolving form and functionality.


• Four. Availability
  As critical medical, legal, supply chain, and financial transactions are processed across the new digital infrastructure, and as that infrastructure becomes the basis for increasingly high-value and high-volume transactions, it must approach levels of reliability and availability superior to even the current wired telecommunications infrastructure.


• Five. Security
  Given the central role that intelligent infrastructures play in coordination, control, and safety, they can make a target for criminals and others who have an interest in disrupting the underlying transport infrastructures.


• Six. Visibility
  The intelligent collection, correlation, and interpretation of data in myriad formats from multiple sources are at the heart of any intelligent infrastructure.

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