Letter from the Editor
As we enter the final stretch of 2022, it’s good to stop for a moment and assess where we are. Take our collective temperature, if you will. This shouldn’t necessarily be anything new, as for the last two years we’ve had to take our temperature to leave the house, enter schools, offices, and a whole host of other places. But it’s good to know when we are well, and when we’re not – in order to make the necessary adjustments. So, how are we doing?
The results are a bit mixed. Quite literally, our global temperature is rising. According to NASA, 19 of the hottest years on record have occurred since 2000. Given that we’re now closing out 2022, it certainly doesn't appear we're headed in the right direction. This is further supported by the UN Environment Programme statement in late October, there is “no credible pathway” to prevent temperatures from rising above pre-industrial limits, despite the promises made at the 2015 Paris Climate Conference. We are past the time for incremental changes—and instead are at a global, environmental tipping point.
Tempers are running hot too. We’re in a period of extreme polarization, politically and culturally around the world. This has created a cascading effect leading to civil unrest, cyberattacks, riots, mass murder, and war. The Russia-Ukraine war alone has brought us to the brink of both nuclear war and World War III. Coupled with persistent COVID outbreaks and a proliferation of new variants, economies, supply chains, and entire industries have been derailed. Government intervention – first easing then tightening – has put us in or near a global-economic recession, with an estimated 120,000 jobs being lost so far this year. All just in time for the holidays.
But it’s not all bad news. With the aid of technology, we’ve been able to fight the pandemic and, for the most part, the world has gone back to some resemblance of normal. Pervasive and ubiquitous connectivity has empowered and connected us in new ways. Whether that’s on or in our bodies, in our homes, in the Metaverse, at home or work, or enabling global connectivity and commerce. In addition, adoption of technologies that were once hypothetical, such a AI and blockchain, are now being implemented in a growing number of real-world scenarios unlocking new efficiencies, alleviating bottlenecks, improving security, and providing a tangible competitive advantage. But the opportunity hasn’t been equal for all.
Those whom read Pipeline are truly at the helm. They making the decisions today that affect us tomorrow, individually and globally. They change the course of our future as a globally-connected society. And, the old adage still rings true: with great power comes great responsibility. Those of you who are reading this now have the power to change the world. You have the power to bring the world back to a better place, individually, organizationally, and collectively – and the time to act is now. We can no longer wait for governments, institutions, or regulatory bodies to tell us what to do, when, or how to do it. You can champion inclusion and sustainability today. You can adopt emerging technologies to create efficiencies that save jobs, now. You can improve your network, data, and cyber security strategy every day. And, these are some of the reasons that make this issue of Pipeline so very important.
In this issue of Pipeline, we explore a variety of topics related to the top IT and telecom trends for 2022. BT Global illustrates how they are helping organizations accelerate their sustainability strategies, while Alex Kozlov shares how AI is enhancing inclusion and expanding the virtual workforce. Telstra talks about connecting continents with the subsea data highway and CNT explores the silent supply chain revolution. Incorta demonstrates how to accelerate enterprise analytics and Pipeline's Dr. Mark Cummings discusses how organizations can prepare for the demands of the Metaverse. Sage Management reveals how a real-world application of blockchain can transform telecom, and Synchronoss shares how service providers can own the connected home with cloud and 5G. Bluebird Network spotlights the essentials for organization-wide cybersecurity and Aryaka reveals how managed networking and security can cut costs without jeopardizing growth. All this plus the latest enterprise and communications technology news and more.
We hope you enjoy this and every issue of Pipeline.
Scott St. John
Managing Editor
Pipeline
