In today's digitally driven world, having a reliable internet connection is essential. ASN Telecom superfast network. But, let's face it, ISP outages can happen at the worst possible times! Whether you're working from home, streaming your favorite show, or just trying to stay connected with friends, losing internet access can be frustrating. So, how do you prepare for these pesky disruptions? Building a robust backup internet solution is key.
First off, it's important to consider multiple internet sources. You might think your primary ISP is stable, but there's no guarantee they won't experience outages. Having a secondary connection, like a mobile hotspot, can save the day when your main service fails. Nowadays, many smartphones offer tethering options, which can be useful in a pinch (though the data limits can be a bummer).
Another option is to invest in a satellite internet service. While it's not the fastest option out there, it can provide a reliable connection when traditional ISPs are down. Plus, you won't have to worry about the same local issues that might affect your primary service. However, be prepared for some latency, so it's not ideal for activities like online gaming.
Now, let's not forget about the importance of a good router. If your router isn't up to par, it can create issues even when your internet is working fine. Make sure you've got a router that can handle multiple connections and has failover capabilities. This way, you can switch from one ISP to another without missing a beat.
And finally, don't underestimate the power of community resources. Sometimes, local businesses or public libraries offer free Wi-Fi. If you know where to go, you won't be completely stranded without internet. Just make sure to have a plan in place so you can get there quickly when things go south.
In conclusion, while you can't avoid ISP outages altogether, you can certainly prepare for them. By building a solid backup internet solution and thinking ahead, you won't find yourself in a bind when the connection drops. So, take some time to set up your backup plan-you'll be glad you did!
Essential Tools and Software for Network Monitoring
Alright, so when it comes to preparing for and surviving ISP network outages, having the right essential tools and software can make all the difference! You know, its no fun being stuck without internet, especially when you rely on it for work or connecting with loved ones. So, what do you need?
First up, you gotta have a good network monitoring tool. There are plenty out there, but the key is to find one that can track your internet connection in real time.
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This way, youll know the second it drops, not an hour later when youve already missed a crucial call or email. And trust me, theres nothing like the panic of realizing your internet was out for hours without you knowing!
Another tool you cant go without is a reliable VPN. Now, I know some folks think VPNs are just for hiding your online activity, but theyre also a lifesaver when your ISP has issues. A VPN can redirect your traffic through servers in other locations, giving you a backup connection when your regular one goes down.
And lets not forget the importance of having a backup internet service. Its not always feasible, but if you can afford a second connection, its worth every penny. A cellular data plan or even a satellite internet service can be your go-to when the primary connection fails.
Dont forget about power backups either. Nothings worse than your internet going out because the power went down with it. A UPS (Uninterruptible Power Supply) can keep your router and other essential devices running until the power comes back on.
Lastly, communication is key. Make sure you have a plan in place for staying in touch with your team or family in case of an outage. SMS messages can still get through when data services are down, so consider setting up a group chat with important contacts.
In short, being prepared for ISP network outages isnt about hoping for the best and hoping it doesnt happen. Its about having the right tools and software at your disposal so you can weather the storm with minimal disruption. And hey, if all else fails, you can always break out that old board game youve been neglecting!
Creating an Emergency Communication Plan
Okay, so, like, ISP outages are, uh, a real bummer, right? No internet – its practically the dark ages! And when that happens, you gotta have a plan. Creating an emergency communication plan isnt just some techy thing; its about staying connected (or at least trying to) when your usual lifeline goes down.
First off, think about who you need to reach. Family, friends, maybe even your boss!
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Dont assume your phone will automatically work, either. What if the outage affects cell towers too? (Yikes!) You definitely shouldn't neglect old-school methods. Remember landlines? If you still have one, make sure it works!
Then, consider how youll contact them. Text messages often get through easier than calls when networks are congested. And, hey, lets not forget the power of, uh, actually talking face-to-face. Designate a physical meeting spot, a place everyone knows, in case all else fails. You know, like, "If we lose internet, meet at the park bench by the oak tree!"
Another point, pre-write important messages. Like, a generic "were okay" text that you can quickly send.
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That way, you aint scrambling to type something out when panic sets in.
Finally, practice your plan! Seriously! It's no good if its just in your head. Do a test run, see what works and what doesnt. And, oh boy, dont forget to charge your devices beforehand! A fully charged power bank could be a lifesaver. This isnt rocket science, but a little prep can make a big difference when the digital world goes dark!
Maintaining Data Security During ISP Downtime
Okay, so picture this: Your ISP goes down.
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Ugh, the horror! But, hey, keeping your data secure during this isnt, like, impossible. Its actually pretty doable if youve thought things through (ya know, beforehand).
First off, you gotta not rely solely on cloud-based services for everything! Like, seriously. If all your important data is only accessible online, well, youre kinda sunk when the internet vanishes. Consider having physical backups, maybe an external hard drive, or even a NAS (network attached storage) device. That way, important files aint entirely inaccessible.
Another thing: Password management! Dont be using the same, weak password everywhere, especially for stuff stored locally. A password manager (like, LastPass or something) can really help you keep things straight and generate strong, unique passwords. Plus, make sure any local network devices you are using are password-protected, we dont want your neighbor snooping around do we?
And hey, lets not forget about encryption! Encrypting sensitive data, even when its stored locally, adds another layer of protection. If, somehow, someone manages to get their hands on your hard drive, they still wont be able to read the data without the encryption key.
Finally, consider using a VPN, but not when the internet is down, duh! It is more of a preventative measure. If you frequently use public Wi-Fi networks (when your ISP is working!), a VPN helps mask your data and protects it from prying eyes.
Look, no system is foolproof, but by taking these steps, you can significantly minimize the risk of data breaches during an ISP outage. Its all about being proactive and not waiting for disaster to strike!
ICT is also used to refer to the convergence of audiovisuals and telephone networks with computer networks through a single cabling or link system. There are large economic incentives to merge the telephone networks with the computer network system using a single unified system of cabling, signal distribution, and management. ICT is an umbrella term that includes any communication device, encompassing radio, television, cell phones, computer and network hardware, satellite systems and so on, as well as the various services and appliances with them such as video conferencing and distance learning. ICT also includes analog technology, such as paper communication, and any mode that transmits communication.[2]
ICT is a broad subject and the concepts are evolving.[3] It covers any product that will store, retrieve, manipulate, process, transmit, or receive information electronically in a digital form (e.g., personal computers including smartphones, digital television, email, or robots). Skills Framework for the Information Age is one of many models for describing and managing competencies for ICT professionals in the 21st century.[4]
The phrase "information and communication technologies" has been used by academic researchers since the 1980s.[5] The abbreviation "ICT" became popular after it was used in a report to the UK government by Dennis Stevenson in 1997,[6] and then in the revised National Curriculum for England, Wales and Northern Ireland in 2000. However, in 2012, the Royal Society recommended that the use of the term "ICT" should be discontinued in British schools "as it has attracted too many negative connotations".[7] From 2014, the National Curriculum has used the word computing, which reflects the addition of computer programming into the curriculum.[8]
The money spent on IT worldwide has been estimated as US$3.8 trillion[10] in 2017 and has been growing at less than 5% per year since 2009. The estimated 2018 growth of the entire ICT is 5%. The biggest growth of 16% is expected in the area of new technologies (IoT, Robotics, AR/VR, and AI).[11]
The 2014 IT budget of the US federal government was nearly $82 billion.[12] IT costs, as a percentage of corporate revenue, have grown 50% since 2002, putting a strain on IT budgets. When looking at current companies' IT budgets, 75% are recurrent costs, used to "keep the lights on" in the IT department, and 25% are the cost of new initiatives for technology development.[13]
The average IT budget has the following breakdown:[13]
34% personnel costs (internal), 31% after correction
16% software costs (external/purchasing category), 29% after correction
33% hardware costs (external/purchasing category), 26% after correction
17% costs of external service providers (external/services), 14% after correction
The estimated amount of money spent in 2022 is just over US$6 trillion.[14]
The world's technological capacity to store information grew from 2.6 (optimally compressed) exabytes in 1986 to 15.8 in 1993, over 54.5 in 2000, and to 295 (optimally compressed) exabytes in 2007, and some 5 zettabytes in 2014.[15][16] This is the informational equivalent to 1.25 stacks of CD-ROM from the earth to the moon in 2007, and the equivalent of 4,500 stacks of printed books from the earth to the sun in 2014. The world's technological capacity to receive information through one-way broadcast networks was 432 exabytes of (optimally compressed) information in 1986, 715 (optimally compressed) exabytes in 1993, 1.2 (optimally compressed) zettabytes in 2000, and 1.9 zettabytes in 2007.[15] The world's effective capacity to exchange information through two-way telecommunication networks was 281 petabytes of (optimally compressed) information in 1986, 471 petabytes in 1993, 2.2 (optimally compressed) exabytes in 2000, 65 (optimally compressed) exabytes in 2007,[15] and some 100 exabytes in 2014.[17] The world's technological capacity to compute information with humanly guided general-purpose computers grew from 3.0 × 10^8 MIPS in 1986, to 6.4 x 10^12 MIPS in 2007.[15]
The ICT Development Index ranks and compares the level of ICT use and access across the various countries around the world.[19] In 2014 ITU (International Telecommunication Union) released the latest rankings of the IDI, with Denmark attaining the top spot, followed by South Korea. The top 30 countries in the rankings include most high-income countries where the quality of life is higher than average, which includes countries from Europe and other regions such as "Australia, Bahrain, Canada, Japan, Macao (China), New Zealand, Singapore, and the United States; almost all countries surveyed improved their IDI ranking this year."[20]
On 21 December 2001, the United Nations General Assembly approved Resolution 56/183, endorsing the holding of the World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS) to discuss the opportunities and challenges facing today's information society.[21] According to this resolution, the General Assembly related the Summit to the United Nations Millennium Declaration's goal of implementing ICT to achieve Millennium Development Goals. It also emphasized a multi-stakeholder approach to achieve these goals, using all stakeholders including civil society and the private sector, in addition to governments.
To help anchor and expand ICT to every habitable part of the world, "2015 is the deadline for achievements of the UN Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), which global leaders agreed upon in the year 2000."[22]
Today's society shows the ever-growing computer-centric lifestyle, which includes the rapid influx of computers in the modern classroom.
There is evidence that, to be effective in education, ICT must be fully integrated into the pedagogy. Specifically, when teaching literacy and math, using ICT in combination with Writing to Learn[23][24] produces better results than traditional methods alone or ICT alone.[25] The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO), a division of the United Nations, has made integrating ICT into education as part of its efforts to ensure equity and access to education. The following, which was taken directly from a UNESCO publication on educational ICT, explains the organization's position on the initiative.
Information and Communication Technology can contribute to universal access to education, equity in education, the delivery of quality learning and teaching, teachers' professional development and more efficient education management, governance, and administration. UNESCO takes a holistic and comprehensive approach to promote ICT in education. Access, inclusion, and quality are among the main challenges they can address. The Organization's Intersectoral Platform for ICT in education focuses on these issues through the joint work of three of its sectors: Communication & Information, Education and Science.[26]
OLPC Laptops at school in Rwanda
Despite the power of computers to enhance and reform teaching and learning practices, improper implementation is a widespread issue beyond the reach of increased funding and technological advances with little evidence that teachers and tutors are properly integrating ICT into everyday learning.[27] Intrinsic barriers such as a belief in more traditional teaching practices and individual attitudes towards computers in education as well as the teachers own comfort with computers and their ability to use them all as result in varying effectiveness in the integration of ICT in the classroom.[28]
School environments play an important role in facilitating language learning. However, language and literacy barriers are obstacles preventing refugees from accessing and attending school, especially outside camp settings.[29]
Mobile-assisted language learning apps are key tools for language learning. Mobile solutions can provide support for refugees' language and literacy challenges in three main areas: literacy development, foreign language learning and translations. Mobile technology is relevant because communicative practice is a key asset for refugees and immigrants as they immerse themselves in a new language and a new society. Well-designed mobile language learning activities connect refugees with mainstream cultures, helping them learn in authentic contexts.[29]
Representatives meet for a policy forum on M-Learning at UNESCO's Mobile Learning Week in March 2017.
ICT has been employed as an educational enhancement in Sub-Saharan Africa since the 1960s. Beginning with television and radio, it extended the reach of education from the classroom to the living room, and to geographical areas that had been beyond the reach of the traditional classroom. As the technology evolved and became more widely used, efforts in Sub-Saharan Africa were also expanded. In the 1990s a massive effort to push computer hardware and software into schools was undertaken, with the goal of familiarizing both students and teachers with computers in the classroom. Since then, multiple projects have endeavoured to continue the expansion of ICT's reach in the region, including the One Laptop Per Child (OLPC) project, which by 2015 had distributed over 2.4 million laptops to nearly two million students and teachers.[30]
The inclusion of ICT in the classroom, often referred to as M-Learning, has expanded the reach of educators and improved their ability to track student progress in Sub-Saharan Africa. In particular, the mobile phone has been most important in this effort. Mobile phone use is widespread, and mobile networks cover a wider area than internet networks in the region. The devices are familiar to student, teacher, and parent, and allow increased communication and access to educational materials. In addition to benefits for students, M-learning also offers the opportunity for better teacher training, which leads to a more consistent curriculum across the educational service area. In 2011, UNESCO started a yearly symposium called Mobile Learning Week with the purpose of gathering stakeholders to discuss the M-learning initiative.[30]
Implementation is not without its challenges. While mobile phone and internet use are increasing much more rapidly in Sub-Saharan Africa than in other developing countries, the progress is still slow compared to the rest of the developed world, with smartphone penetration only expected to reach 20% by 2017.[30] Additionally, there are gender, social, and geo-political barriers to educational access, and the severity of these barriers vary greatly by country. Overall, 29.6 million children in Sub-Saharan Africa were not in school in the year 2012, owing not just to the geographical divide, but also to political instability, the importance of social origins, social structure, and gender inequality. Once in school, students also face barriers to quality education, such as teacher competency, training and preparedness, access to educational materials, and lack of information management.[30]
In modern society, ICT is ever-present, with over three billion people having access to the Internet.[31] With approximately 8 out of 10 Internet users owning a smartphone, information and data are increasing by leaps and bounds.[32] This rapid growth, especially in developing countries, has led ICT to become a keystone of everyday life, in which life without some facet of technology renders most of clerical, work and routine tasks dysfunctional.
The most recent authoritative data, released in 2014, shows "that Internet use continues to grow steadily, at 6.6% globally in 2014 (3.3% in developed countries, 8.7% in the developing world); the number of Internet users in developing countries has doubled in five years (2009–2014), with two-thirds of all people online now living in the developing world."[20]
However, hurdles are still large. "Of the 4.3 billion people not yet using the Internet, 90% live in developing countries. In the world's 42 Least Connected Countries (LCCs), which are home to 2.5 billion people, access to ICTs remains largely out of reach, particularly for these countries' large rural populations."[33] ICT has yet to penetrate the remote areas of some countries, with many developing countries dearth of any type of Internet. This also includes the availability of telephone lines, particularly the availability of cellular coverage, and other forms of electronic transmission of data. The latest "Measuring the Information Society Report" cautiously stated that the increase in the aforementioned cellular data coverage is ostensible, as "many users have multiple subscriptions, with global growth figures sometimes translating into little real improvement in the level of connectivity of those at the very bottom of the pyramid; an estimated 450 million people worldwide live in places which are still out of reach of mobile cellular service."[31]
Favourably, the gap between the access to the Internet and mobile coverage has decreased substantially in the last fifteen years, in which "2015 was the deadline for achievements of the UN Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), which global leaders agreed upon in the year 2000, and the new data show ICT progress and highlight remaining gaps."[22] ICT continues to take on a new form, with nanotechnology set to usher in a new wave of ICT electronics and gadgets. ICT newest editions into the modern electronic world include smartwatches, such as the Apple Watch, smart wristbands such as the Nike+ FuelBand, and smart TVs such as Google TV. With desktops soon becoming part of a bygone era, and laptops becoming the preferred method of computing, ICT continues to insinuate and alter itself in the ever-changing globe.
Information communication technologies play a role in facilitating accelerated pluralism in new social movements today. The internet according to Bruce Bimber is "accelerating the process of issue group formation and action"[34] and coined the term accelerated pluralism to explain this new phenomena. ICTs are tools for "enabling social movement leaders and empowering dictators"[35] in effect promoting societal change. ICTs can be used to garner grassroots support for a cause due to the internet allowing for political discourse and direct interventions with state policy[36] as well as change the way complaints from the populace are handled by governments. Furthermore, ICTs in a household are associated with women rejecting justifications for intimate partner violence. According to a study published in 2017, this is likely because "access to ICTs exposes women to different ways of life and different notions about women's role in society and the household, especially in culturally conservative regions where traditional gender expectations contrast observed alternatives."[37]
A review found that in general, outcomes of such ICT-use – which were envisioned as early as 1925[38] – are or can be as good as in-person care with health care use staying similar.[39]
Scholar Mark Warschauer defines a "models of access" framework for analyzing ICT accessibility. In the second chapter of his book, Technology and Social Inclusion: Rethinking the Digital Divide, he describes three models of access to ICTs: devices, conduits, and literacy.[40] Devices and conduits are the most common descriptors for access to ICTs, but they are insufficient for meaningful access to ICTs without third model of access, literacy.[40] Combined, these three models roughly incorporate all twelve of the criteria of "Real Access" to ICT use, conceptualized by a non-profit organization called Bridges.org in 2005:[41]
Physical access to technology
Appropriateness of technology
Affordability of technology and technology use
Human capacity and training
Locally relevant content, applications, and services
The most straightforward model of access for ICT in Mark Warschauer's theory is devices.[40] In this model, access is defined most simply as the ownership of a device such as a phone or computer.[40] Warschauer identifies many flaws with this model, including its inability to account for additional costs of ownership such as software, access to telecommunications, knowledge gaps surrounding computer use, and the role of government regulation in some countries.[40] Therefore, Warschauer argues that considering only devices understates the magnitude of digital inequality. For example, the Pew Research Center notes that 96% of Americans own a smartphone,[42] although most scholars in this field would contend that comprehensive access to ICT in the United States is likely much lower than that.
A conduit requires a connection to a supply line, which for ICT could be a telephone line or Internet line. Accessing the supply requires investment in the proper infrastructure from a commercial company or local government and recurring payments from the user once the line is set up. For this reason, conduits usually divide people based on their geographic locations. As a Pew Research Center poll reports, Americans in rural areas are 12% less likely to have broadband access than other Americans, thereby making them less likely to own the devices.[43] Additionally, these costs can be prohibitive to lower-income families accessing ICTs. These difficulties have led to a shift toward mobile technology; fewer people are purchasing broadband connection and are instead relying on their smartphones for Internet access, which can be found for free at public places such as libraries.[44] Indeed, smartphones are on the rise, with 37% of Americans using smartphones as their primary medium for internet access[44] and 96% of Americans owning a smartphone.[42]
In 1981, Sylvia Scribner and Michael Cole studied a tribe in Liberia, the Vai people, who have their own local script. Since about half of those literate in Vai have never had formal schooling, Scribner and Cole were able to test more than 1,000 subjects to measure the mental capabilities of literates over non-literates.[45] This research, which they laid out in their book The Psychology of Literacy,[45] allowed them to study whether the literacy divide exists at the individual level. Warschauer applied their literacy research to ICT literacy as part of his model of ICT access.
Scribner and Cole found no generalizable cognitive benefits from Vai literacy; instead, individual differences on cognitive tasks were due to other factors, like schooling or living environment.[45] The results suggested that there is "no single construct of literacy that divides people into two cognitive camps; [...] rather, there are gradations and types of literacies, with a range of benefits closely related to the specific functions of literacy practices."[40] Furthermore, literacy and social development are intertwined, and the literacy divide does not exist on the individual level.
Warschauer draws on Scribner and Cole's research to argue that ICT literacy functions similarly to literacy acquisition, as they both require resources rather than a narrow cognitive skill. Conclusions about literacy serve as the basis for a theory of the digital divide and ICT access, as detailed below:
There is not just one type of ICT access, but many types. The meaning and value of access varies in particular social contexts. Access exists in gradations rather than in a bipolar opposition. Computer and Internet use brings no automatic benefit outside of its particular functions. ICT use is a social practice, involving access to physical artifacts, content, skills, and social support. And acquisition of ICT access is a matter not only of education but also of power.[40]
Therefore, Warschauer concludes that access to ICT cannot rest on devices or conduits alone; it must also engage physical, digital, human, and social resources.[40] Each of these categories of resources have iterative relations with ICT use. If ICT is used well, it can promote these resources, but if it is used poorly, it can contribute to a cycle of underdevelopment and exclusion.[45]
In the early 21st century a rapid development of ICT services and electronical devices took place, in which the internet servers multiplied by a factor of 1000 to 395 million and its still increasing. This increase can be explained by Moore's law, which states, that the development of ICT increases every year by 16–20%, so it will double in numbers every four to five years.[46] Alongside this development and the high investments in increasing demand for ICT capable products, a high environmental impact came with it. Software and Hardware development as well as production causing already in 2008 the same amount of CO2 emissions as global air travels.[46]
There are two sides of ICT, the positive environmental possibilities and the shadow side. On the positive side, studies proved, that for instance in the OECD countries a reduction of 0.235% energy use is caused by an increase in ICT capital by 1%.[47] On the other side the more digitization is happening, the more energy is consumed, that means for OECD countries 1% increase in internet users causes a raise of 0.026% electricity consumption per capita and for emerging countries the impact is more than 4 times as high.
Currently the scientific forecasts are showing an increase up to 30700 TWh in 2030 which is 20 times more than it was in 2010.[47]
To tackle the environmental issues of ICT, the EU commission plans proper monitoring and reporting of the GHG emissions of different ICT platforms, countries and infrastructure in general. Further the establishment of international norms for reporting and compliance are promoted to foster transparency in this sector.[48]
Moreover it is suggested by scientists to make more ICT investments to exploit the potentials of ICT to alleviate CO2 emissions in general, and to implement a more effective coordination of ICT, energy and growth policies.[49] Consequently, applying the principle of the coase theorem makes sense. It recommends to make investments there, where the marginal avoidance costs of emissions are the lowest, therefore in the developing countries with comparatively lower technological standards and policies as high-tech countries. With these measures, ICT can reduce environmental damage from economic growth and energy consumption by facilitating communication and infrastructure.
^Ozdamli, Fezile; Ozdal, Hasan (May 2015). "Life-long Learning Competence Perceptions of the Teachers and Abilities in Using Information-Communication .Technologies". Procedia - Social and Behavioral Sciences. 182: 718–725. doi:10.1016/j.access=free.
^William Melody et al., Information and Communication Technologies: Social Sciences Research and Training: A Report by the ESRC Programme on Information and Communication Technologies, ISBN0-86226-179-1, 1986. Roger Silverstone et al., "Listening to a long conversation: an ethnographic approach to the study of information and communication technologies in the home", Cultural Studies, 5(2), pages 204–227, 1991.
^Blackwell, C.K., Lauricella, A.R. and Wartella, E., 2014. Factors influencing digital technology use in early childhood education. Computers & Education, 77, pp.82-90.
^Bimber, Bruce (1998-01-01). "The Internet and Political Transformation: Populism, Community, and Accelerated Pluralism". Polity. 31 (1): 133–160. doi:10.2307/3235370. JSTOR3235370. S2CID145159285.
^Hussain, Muzammil M.; Howard, Philip N. (2013-03-01). "What Best Explains Successful Protest Cascades? ICTs and the Fuzzy Causes of the Arab Spring". International Studies Review. 15 (1): 48–66. doi:10.1111/misr.12020. hdl:2027.42/97489. ISSN1521-9488.
^Cardoso LG, Sorenson SB. Violence against women and household ownership of radios, computers, and phones in 20 countries. American Journal of Public Health. 2017; 107(7):1175–1181.
^ abcdScribner and Cole, Sylvia and Michael (1981). The Psychology of Literacy. ISBN9780674433014.
^ abGerhard, Fettweis; Zimmermann, Ernesto (2008). "ITC Energy Consumption - Trends and Challenges". The 11th International Symposium on Wireless Personal Multimedia Communications (WPMC 2008) – via ResearchGate.
Feridun, Mete; Karagiannis, Stelios (2009). "Growth Effects of Information and Communication Technologies: Empirical Evidence from the Enlarged EU". Transformations in Business and Economics. 8 (2): 86–99.
Set of information technology components that are the foundation of an IT service
A server is a physical component to IT Infrastructure.
Information technology infrastructure is defined broadly as a set of information technology (IT) components that are the foundation of an IT service; typically physical components (computer and networking hardware and facilities), but also various software and network components.[1][2]
According to the ITIL Foundation Course Glossary, IT Infrastructure can also be termed as “All of the hardware, software, networks, facilities, etc., that are required to develop, test, deliver, monitor, control or support IT services. The term IT infrastructure includes all of the Information Technology but not the associated People, Processes and documentation.”[3]
In IT Infrastructure, the above technological components contribute to and drive business functions. Leaders and managers within the IT field are responsible for ensuring that both the physical hardware and software networks and resources are working optimally. IT infrastructure can be looked at as the foundation of an organization's technology systems, thereby playing an integral part in driving its success.[4] All organizations who rely on technology to do their business can benefit from having a robust, interconnected IT Infrastructure. With the current speed that technology changes and the competitive nature of businesses, IT leaders have to ensure that their IT Infrastructure is designed such that changes can be made quickly and without impacting the business continuity.[5] While traditionally companies used to typically rely on physical data centers or colocation facilities to support their IT Infrastructure, cloud hosting has become more popular as it is easier to manage and scale. IT Infrastructure can be managed by the company itself or it can be outsourced to another company that has consulting expertise to develop robust infrastructures for an organization.[6] With advances in online outreach availability, it has become easier for end users to access technology. As a result, IT infrastructures have become more complex and therefore, it is harder for managers to oversee the end to end operations. In order to mitigate this issue, strong IT Infrastructures require employees with varying skill sets. The fields of IT management and IT service management rely on IT infrastructure, and the ITIL framework was developed as a set of best practices with regard to IT infrastructure. The ITIL framework assists companies with the ability to be responsive to technological market demands. Technology can often be thought of as an innovative product which can incur high production costs. However, the ITIL framework helps address these issues and allows the company to be more cost effective which helps IT managers to keep the IT Infrastructure functioning.[7]
The primary components of an IT Infrastructure are the physical systems such as hardware, storage, any kind of routers/switches and the building itself but also networks and software .[9] In addition to these components, there is the need for “IT Infrastructure Security”. Security keeps the network and its devices safe in order to maintain the integrity within the overall infrastructure of the organization.[10]
Specifically, the first three layers are directly involved with IT Infrastructure. The physical layer serves as the fundamental layer for hardware. The second and third layers (Data Link and Network), are essential for communication to and from hardware devices. Without this, networking is not possible. Therefore, in a sense, the internet itself would not be possible.[11] It's important to emphasize that fiber optics play a crucial role in a network infrastructure. Fiber optics[12] serve as the primary means for connecting network equipment and establishing connections between buildings.
Different types of technological tasks may require a tailored approach to the infrastructure. These can be achieved through a traditional, cloud or hyper converged IT Infrastructure.[13]
There are many functioning parts that go into the health of an IT infrastructure. In order to contribute positively to the organization, employees can acquire abilities to benefit the company. These include key technical abilities such as cloud, network, and data administration skills and soft abilities such as collaboration and communication skills.[14][15]
As data storage and management becomes more digitized, IT Infrastructure is moving towards the cloud. Infrastructure-as-a-service (IaaS) provides the ability to host on a server and is a platform for cloud computing.[16]
^techopedia.com: IT Infrastructure Quote: "...IT infrastructure refers to the composite hardware, software, network resources and services required for the existence, operation and management of an enterprise IT environment...", backup
^gartner.com: IT Infrastructure Quote: "...IT infrastructure is the system of hardware, software, facilities and service components that support the delivery of business systems and IT-enabled processes...", backup
The history of the Net originated in the initiatives of researchers and designers to construct and adjoin local area network. The Web Method Collection, the set of rules utilized to connect in between networks and gadgets on the Internet, developed from r & d in the United States and involved worldwide partnership, especially with researchers in the United Kingdom and France. Computer science was an emerging technique in the late 1950s that started to consider time-sharing in between computer system users, and later on, the opportunity of achieving this over vast location networks. J. C. R. Licklider established the concept of an universal network at the Data processing Techniques Workplace (IPTO) of the USA Department of Defense (DoD) Advanced Research Projects Firm (ARPA). Separately, Paul Baran at the RAND Firm suggested a distributed network based on data in message obstructs in the early 1960s, and Donald Davies envisaged packet changing in 1965 at the National Physical Laboratory (NPL), proposing a national industrial data network in the UK. ARPA granted agreements in 1969 for the development of the ARPANET project, directed by Robert Taylor and taken care of by Lawrence Roberts. ARPANET embraced the package switching modern technology proposed by Davies and Baran. The network of User interface Message Processors (Rogues) was developed by a team at Bolt, Beranek, and Newman, with the layout and requirements led by Bob Kahn. The host-to-host procedure was specified by a team of graduate students at UCLA, led by Steve Crocker, along with Jon Postel and others. The ARPANET expanded rapidly across the United States with connections to the United Kingdom and Norway. A number of early packet-switched networks emerged in the 1970s which investigated and gave information networking. Louis Pouzin and Hubert Zimmermann pioneered a simplified end-to-end strategy to internetworking at the IRIA. Peter Kirstein put internetworking right into technique at College University London in 1973. Bob Metcalfe created the theory behind Ethernet and the PARC Universal Package. ARPA initiatives and the International Network Working Group developed and fine-tuned ideas for internetworking, in which multiple different networks could be signed up with into a network of networks. Vint Cerf, currently at Stanford College, and Bob Kahn, now at DARPA, published their study on internetworking in 1974. Via the Net Experiment Note collection and later RFCs this developed into the Transmission Control Procedure (TCP) and Web Protocol (IP), two methods of the Net procedure suite. The design included ideas pioneered in the French CYCLADES task routed by Louis Pouzin. The development of package changing networks was underpinned by mathematical work in the 1970s by Leonard Kleinrock at UCLA. In the late 1970s, national and global public information networks emerged based on the X. 25 method, designed by Rémi Després and others. In the USA, the National Scientific Research Structure (NSF) financed nationwide supercomputing facilities at several universities in the USA, and gave interconnectivity in 1986 with the NSFNET project, therefore developing network accessibility to these supercomputer sites for research and scholastic organizations in the United States.International connections to NSFNET, the development of design such as the Domain Name System, and the adoption of TCP/IP on existing networks in the USA and around the globe noted the beginnings of the Internet. Industrial Internet service providers (ISPs) arised in 1989 in the United States and Australia. Restricted personal links to parts of the Internet by officially commercial entities arised in several American cities by late 1989 and 1990. The optical backbone of the NSFNET was deactivated in 1995, eliminating the last restrictions on the use of the Internet to lug commercial website traffic, as website traffic transitioned to optical networks managed by Sprint, MCI and AT&T in the United States. Study at CERN in Switzerland by the British computer system researcher Tim Berners-Lee in 1989–-- 90 resulted in the Net, connecting hypertext records into an information system, easily accessible from any kind of node on the network. The remarkable growth of the ability of the Net, enabled by the development of wave division multiplexing (WDM) and the rollout of fiber optic wires in the mid-1990s, had an advanced impact on society, business, and innovation. This made possible the rise of near-instant communication by electronic mail, immediate messaging, voice over Internet Method (VoIP) telephone calls, video chat, and the World Wide Web with its conversation online forums, blogs, social networking services, and online purchasing sites. Raising quantities of information are transmitted at greater and higher speeds over fiber-optic networks operating at 1 Gbit/s, 10 Gbit/s, and 800 Gbit/s by 2019. The Net's requisition of the global interaction landscape was rapid in historical terms: it just connected 1% of the info streaming through two-way telecommunications networks in the year 1993, 51% by 2000, and greater than 97% of the telecommunicated details by 2007. The Net remains to grow, driven by ever higher quantities of on-line information, commerce, enjoyment, and social networking services. Nevertheless, the future of the global network may be shaped by regional differences.
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Frequently Asked Questions
What is cloud computing in IT services?
Cloud computing allows you to store, manage, and access data and applications over the internet rather than local servers. It’s scalable, cost-effective, and ideal for remote work, backup solutions, and collaboration tools like Microsoft 365 and Google Workspace
What is the difference between in-house IT and outsourced IT?
In-house IT is handled by internal staff, while outsourced IT involves hiring a third-party company. Outsourcing often reduces costs, provides 24/7 support, and gives you access to broader expertise without managing a full-time team.
Look for experience, response times, security measures, client reviews, and service flexibility. A good provider will understand your industry, offer proactive support, and scale services with your business growth.