- Email: [email protected]
Infrastructure and open platforms—the backbone for the global information society
Computer Standards & Interfaces 20 Ž1998. 165–168
Infrastructure and open platforms—the backbone for the global information society Volker Jung
)
Siemens, Wittelsbacherplatz 2, D-80333 Munich, Germany
Keywords: Global Information Society; Global information infrastructure; Internet; ISDN; UMTS; ATM; GSM; Standardization
1. Introduction We are facing the 21st century which will bring new applications and offer business opportunities we cannot even dream of today. We are at the dawn of the information age and changes are ahead of us which will significantly affect our way of living, learning, working and doing business. It will create new jobs, speed up many processes and offer services of both a practical and recreational nature. Video on demand, home shopping, tele-teaching and learning, tele-working and electronic commerce are just a few headings which characterize the technical side of the Information Society: New ideas and visions are evolving every day. Such new applications are made possible through substantial technological advances in areas such as: bandwidth for communication; computer processing speed; storage capacity, both on memory chips as well as in other media; algorithms, in particular in data compression; displays; with, at the same time, costs for such technologies steadily decreasing.
)
Tel.: q49-89-636-33900; Fax: q49-89-636-33908; E-mail: [email protected]
As a world leader in communications and electronics, Siemens has significantly contributed to these advances and we and others are keen to shape the Information Society.
2. Essential elements to bring about the Information Society However, the availability of most advanced technology at low costs is not sufficient to bring about the Information Society. Additional factors are required. Ž1. The availability of information tools and services presents new opportunities to society, but without easy, affordable access to such services for everybody, society will be split into those with and those without access to the services. Hence, full exploitation of the benefits will not be possible for everyone, and the Global Information Society will not evolve as desired. Therefore, an infrastructure is required which provides access for everybody: to tools, applications and services, at fair and reasonable costs. This infrastructure can no longer be built on a national or regional basis alone; global interoperability of networks is indispensable: a global information infrastructure is needed.
0920-5489r98r$ - see front matter q 1998 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved. PII: S 0 9 2 0 - 5 4 8 9 Ž 9 8 . 0 0 0 5 3 - 1
166
V. Jung r Computer Standards & Interfaces 20 (1998) 165–168
Ž2. The opportunities offered by the Information Society can also be seen as potential threats, in particular to those individuals and societies who are lagging behind. It is tempting for those to react by building new barriers, but ultimately this will further increase the gap. Therefore, fair competition is needed at a global level; and we consider the successful conclusion of the Information Technology Agreement ŽITA. w1x to be a positive step in the right direction. Ž3. The evolution of the information infrastructure will be driven primarily by private investors w2x. But investors demand stable, reliable boundary conditions within which market growth can be expected. Therefore, rather than creating new obstacles, a regulatory framework is needed, which will unleash market forces, not only in the field of telecommunications. Much progress has already been made, but we observe with concern that new hurdles are arising. This is particularly the case in the domain of security: The widespread use of electronic media is still significantly affected by a lack of trust and confidence of both private and business users. They are reluctant to exploit the most advanced technology as too many potential threats still exist. Accountability for electronic transactions, protection of privacy and confidentiality are needed to foster trust. In principle, the technology is available to achieve this, but regulatory frameworks, motivated by considerations of national security, exist in many countries and result in restrictions on use andror export of secure products. While we recognize the need for nations to protect their security, we urge governments to establish security policies, particularly regarding strong encryption, in a way which does not have an adverse effect on the promotion of the Global Information Society.
3. Infrastructure and open platforms Access for everybody to services and information, at reasonable prices, is a pre-requisite for the Information Society. Global advanced networks are needed to provide this access. But building such global networks is an evolutionary process. Today, the global telephone network reaches more than 1.2 billion subscribers. It is obvious that this, the largest
system of its kind in the world, was only made possible through balanced technical agreements, standards and ŽITU. recommendations, between those responsible for building it. For several years, another global network has been evolving: the Internet, a computer network with a breath-taking annual growth rate, leading to more than 200 million subscribers in the year 2000. Access to the Internet is available via many different technologies. The future will see a diversity of networks and of network operators, interconnected in a ‘network of networks’. Competition will foster the evolution of services which will be delivered to subscribers under a single number at any location around the globe. What are the requirements for this ‘network of networks’, the infrastructure for the Global Information Society? I see the following in particular: It must provide open access to individuals and organizations in the same way as the global telephone network does today; it must further competition among local, regional or global operators; it must offer open interfaces to provide fair and equal conditions for service providers; it must provide high quality, reliability, security and privacy; it must assure interoperability among different networks; it must further competition among suppliers through open essential interfaces; it must allow for innovation and further evolution. The economical implementation of such a system can only be achieved on the basis of existing networks which may be an analogue telephone network, an ISDN, a mobile communication network, Internet or a TV distribution network. Complex technical issues are related with the creation of this ‘network of networks’. Such a network will evolve on the basis of today’s communication networks which have to be adequately interlinked to offer the above mentioned new applications to its users. In this process, the ATM broadband technology w3x will surely play an important role, as it supports today’s conventional services as well as future broadband services. This technology is therefore also well suitable for supporting any interoperability requirements of networks and its services.
V. Jung r Computer Standards & Interfaces 20 (1998) 165–168
A diversity of access networks will bring services to the subscriber over several transmission media: conventional copper wires; coaxial cables; optical fibres Such access networks need to be complemented by broadband mobile communication. An efficient radio component is needed for which several proposals are currently being discussed, such as UMTS— Universal Mobile Telecommunications Services—in Europe w4x. In addition to the network infrastructure, platforms are required which provide access to the infrastructure: network appliances in the private and professional domain, with interfaces in hard- and software, and computing platforms with APIs Žapplication programming interfaces.. Only the full openness of such platforms provides a sound basis for economic component offers and, hence, allows applications to exploit the infrastructure and offer innovative services to the end users. The infrastructure and the platforms together are the backbone of the Information Society, the nerve system through which all information flows. They are the basis on which applications can be built. But it is important that the related essential interfaces and services are sufficiently stable to give confidence to investors and users. And this can be only achieved through standardization.
4. The role of standardization The multitude of integrated technologies, the size of the network, the complexity of services offered, the variety of operators and suppliers and the evolutionary nature of its implementation lead to a huge complexity of the system. This can only be mastered if all essential interfaces in the infrastructure and the platforms are stable enough to allow components to be added. And reasonable stability can only be achieved if all relevant players agree on standards for such interfaces. As standardization is indispensable for building an infrastructure, it is the concern of those who build, operate and use this infrastructure as they bear the related economic risks; and it is a means for the stakeholders to share the risk. Hence, standardization
167
is a market oriented undertaking. And as in the market itself, there is free competition of ideas in standardization which only finds its limits where market forces are distorted and competitive advantages are sought in an unfair way. In other words: standardization of essential interfaces is a matter of market self-regulation which does not, apart from existing competition law, need regulative intervention. Standardization means building consensus on technical aspects. And depending on the community within which a consensus is built, we distinguish various forms: formal standardization where consensus building involves the general public; industry standardization where consensus is established within an industry association, a consortiumrforum or a professional organization; de facto standardization which is established through pure market recognition. Whichever form is needed in a particular case depends on the degree of consensus required. If infrastructure aspects are involved, formal standardization may be more appropriate as it allows users to participate in the process. However, the above classification also provides for a step by step approach with increasing levels of consensus, such that an industry standard, e.g. from a consortium, is finally submitted for formal standardization. We strongly recommend that this approach be used more often. While it is important to recognize that standardization cannot establish consensus where none exists, the GSM example shows that it can be very successful if a prior consensus exists among market players. We currently observe a trend away from formal to industry standardization. This has many different motivations. It significantly affects the future of the formal standardization organizations. But if the rules of fair competition are truly monitored, this trend will not be disadvantageous to the market players, and, instead, will allow for faster development of standards. Not all aspects of the information infrastructure and related platforms need to be standardized. Also, standards should not state product specifics. A continent-wide railway system in Europe could only be built because the railway companies Žwith a few exceptions. agreed on really essential characteristics
168
V. Jung r Computer Standards & Interfaces 20 (1998) 165–168
like the gauge, while other aspects such as the shape and design of coaches were left open. Where longerterm stability is needed to build a complex system in an evolutionary way, standards are essential; they are also needed to help create a mass market by giving consumers sufficient confidence; and they are needed where a public interest exists, e.g. to protect the rights of minorities. Rapid technology evolution leads to shorter product life cycles. If standards development cannot keep pace, it will lose its value. Therefore, in particular the formal standardization organizations must streamline their operations and speed up their processes. A targeted, innovative and forceful re-engineering process is required, in which market actors have to play an active and leading role, and I can state that Siemens actively participates in it. Just as we find a multitude of technical solutions in networking, there is today a wide range of organizations providing specifications. And just as the cooperation of different networks is needed to provide a global information infrastructure, a cooperation network is needed among all the organizations delivering specifications, rather than competition among them. We note the difficulties in bringing together different standardization organizations with
different cultures, different objectives and different people. But their cooperation is needed to timely develop the standards which are essential to build the global information infrastructure. And only on the basis of this standardized global infrastructure will new applications evolve, which may or may not themselves be standardized, and bring about the Information Society in a way which is global, fair and open to everybody.
References w1x Ministerial declaration on trade in information technology products Singapore, World Trade Organization ŽWTO., 13 December 1996, http:rrwww.wto.orgrwtornewrinftech. htm. w2x Europe and the global information society Recommendations to the European Council Brussels, 26 May 1994, CD-84-94290-EN-C. w3x R. Handel, M.N. Huber, S. Schroder, ATM Networks—Con¨ ¨ cepts, Protocols, Applications, 3rd edn., Addison-Wesley, Harlow, 1988. w4x D. Weiler, M. Yabusaki, P. Chaudhury, G. Klas, H. Schmidts, Developing Standards for the Third Generation Mobile Systems: Updates, New Approaches and Progress, The First International Asia Pacific 3rd Generation Mobile Systems ’98 Conference, Singapore, 11–13 February 1998.
Infrastructure and open platforms—the backbone for the global information society Volker Jung
)
Siemens, Wittelsbacherplatz 2, D-80333 Munich, Germany
Keywords: Global Information Society; Global information infrastructure; Internet; ISDN; UMTS; ATM; GSM; Standardization
1. Introduction We are facing the 21st century which will bring new applications and offer business opportunities we cannot even dream of today. We are at the dawn of the information age and changes are ahead of us which will significantly affect our way of living, learning, working and doing business. It will create new jobs, speed up many processes and offer services of both a practical and recreational nature. Video on demand, home shopping, tele-teaching and learning, tele-working and electronic commerce are just a few headings which characterize the technical side of the Information Society: New ideas and visions are evolving every day. Such new applications are made possible through substantial technological advances in areas such as: bandwidth for communication; computer processing speed; storage capacity, both on memory chips as well as in other media; algorithms, in particular in data compression; displays; with, at the same time, costs for such technologies steadily decreasing.
)
Tel.: q49-89-636-33900; Fax: q49-89-636-33908; E-mail: [email protected]
As a world leader in communications and electronics, Siemens has significantly contributed to these advances and we and others are keen to shape the Information Society.
2. Essential elements to bring about the Information Society However, the availability of most advanced technology at low costs is not sufficient to bring about the Information Society. Additional factors are required. Ž1. The availability of information tools and services presents new opportunities to society, but without easy, affordable access to such services for everybody, society will be split into those with and those without access to the services. Hence, full exploitation of the benefits will not be possible for everyone, and the Global Information Society will not evolve as desired. Therefore, an infrastructure is required which provides access for everybody: to tools, applications and services, at fair and reasonable costs. This infrastructure can no longer be built on a national or regional basis alone; global interoperability of networks is indispensable: a global information infrastructure is needed.
0920-5489r98r$ - see front matter q 1998 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved. PII: S 0 9 2 0 - 5 4 8 9 Ž 9 8 . 0 0 0 5 3 - 1
166
V. Jung r Computer Standards & Interfaces 20 (1998) 165–168
Ž2. The opportunities offered by the Information Society can also be seen as potential threats, in particular to those individuals and societies who are lagging behind. It is tempting for those to react by building new barriers, but ultimately this will further increase the gap. Therefore, fair competition is needed at a global level; and we consider the successful conclusion of the Information Technology Agreement ŽITA. w1x to be a positive step in the right direction. Ž3. The evolution of the information infrastructure will be driven primarily by private investors w2x. But investors demand stable, reliable boundary conditions within which market growth can be expected. Therefore, rather than creating new obstacles, a regulatory framework is needed, which will unleash market forces, not only in the field of telecommunications. Much progress has already been made, but we observe with concern that new hurdles are arising. This is particularly the case in the domain of security: The widespread use of electronic media is still significantly affected by a lack of trust and confidence of both private and business users. They are reluctant to exploit the most advanced technology as too many potential threats still exist. Accountability for electronic transactions, protection of privacy and confidentiality are needed to foster trust. In principle, the technology is available to achieve this, but regulatory frameworks, motivated by considerations of national security, exist in many countries and result in restrictions on use andror export of secure products. While we recognize the need for nations to protect their security, we urge governments to establish security policies, particularly regarding strong encryption, in a way which does not have an adverse effect on the promotion of the Global Information Society.
3. Infrastructure and open platforms Access for everybody to services and information, at reasonable prices, is a pre-requisite for the Information Society. Global advanced networks are needed to provide this access. But building such global networks is an evolutionary process. Today, the global telephone network reaches more than 1.2 billion subscribers. It is obvious that this, the largest
system of its kind in the world, was only made possible through balanced technical agreements, standards and ŽITU. recommendations, between those responsible for building it. For several years, another global network has been evolving: the Internet, a computer network with a breath-taking annual growth rate, leading to more than 200 million subscribers in the year 2000. Access to the Internet is available via many different technologies. The future will see a diversity of networks and of network operators, interconnected in a ‘network of networks’. Competition will foster the evolution of services which will be delivered to subscribers under a single number at any location around the globe. What are the requirements for this ‘network of networks’, the infrastructure for the Global Information Society? I see the following in particular: It must provide open access to individuals and organizations in the same way as the global telephone network does today; it must further competition among local, regional or global operators; it must offer open interfaces to provide fair and equal conditions for service providers; it must provide high quality, reliability, security and privacy; it must assure interoperability among different networks; it must further competition among suppliers through open essential interfaces; it must allow for innovation and further evolution. The economical implementation of such a system can only be achieved on the basis of existing networks which may be an analogue telephone network, an ISDN, a mobile communication network, Internet or a TV distribution network. Complex technical issues are related with the creation of this ‘network of networks’. Such a network will evolve on the basis of today’s communication networks which have to be adequately interlinked to offer the above mentioned new applications to its users. In this process, the ATM broadband technology w3x will surely play an important role, as it supports today’s conventional services as well as future broadband services. This technology is therefore also well suitable for supporting any interoperability requirements of networks and its services.
V. Jung r Computer Standards & Interfaces 20 (1998) 165–168
A diversity of access networks will bring services to the subscriber over several transmission media: conventional copper wires; coaxial cables; optical fibres Such access networks need to be complemented by broadband mobile communication. An efficient radio component is needed for which several proposals are currently being discussed, such as UMTS— Universal Mobile Telecommunications Services—in Europe w4x. In addition to the network infrastructure, platforms are required which provide access to the infrastructure: network appliances in the private and professional domain, with interfaces in hard- and software, and computing platforms with APIs Žapplication programming interfaces.. Only the full openness of such platforms provides a sound basis for economic component offers and, hence, allows applications to exploit the infrastructure and offer innovative services to the end users. The infrastructure and the platforms together are the backbone of the Information Society, the nerve system through which all information flows. They are the basis on which applications can be built. But it is important that the related essential interfaces and services are sufficiently stable to give confidence to investors and users. And this can be only achieved through standardization.
4. The role of standardization The multitude of integrated technologies, the size of the network, the complexity of services offered, the variety of operators and suppliers and the evolutionary nature of its implementation lead to a huge complexity of the system. This can only be mastered if all essential interfaces in the infrastructure and the platforms are stable enough to allow components to be added. And reasonable stability can only be achieved if all relevant players agree on standards for such interfaces. As standardization is indispensable for building an infrastructure, it is the concern of those who build, operate and use this infrastructure as they bear the related economic risks; and it is a means for the stakeholders to share the risk. Hence, standardization
167
is a market oriented undertaking. And as in the market itself, there is free competition of ideas in standardization which only finds its limits where market forces are distorted and competitive advantages are sought in an unfair way. In other words: standardization of essential interfaces is a matter of market self-regulation which does not, apart from existing competition law, need regulative intervention. Standardization means building consensus on technical aspects. And depending on the community within which a consensus is built, we distinguish various forms: formal standardization where consensus building involves the general public; industry standardization where consensus is established within an industry association, a consortiumrforum or a professional organization; de facto standardization which is established through pure market recognition. Whichever form is needed in a particular case depends on the degree of consensus required. If infrastructure aspects are involved, formal standardization may be more appropriate as it allows users to participate in the process. However, the above classification also provides for a step by step approach with increasing levels of consensus, such that an industry standard, e.g. from a consortium, is finally submitted for formal standardization. We strongly recommend that this approach be used more often. While it is important to recognize that standardization cannot establish consensus where none exists, the GSM example shows that it can be very successful if a prior consensus exists among market players. We currently observe a trend away from formal to industry standardization. This has many different motivations. It significantly affects the future of the formal standardization organizations. But if the rules of fair competition are truly monitored, this trend will not be disadvantageous to the market players, and, instead, will allow for faster development of standards. Not all aspects of the information infrastructure and related platforms need to be standardized. Also, standards should not state product specifics. A continent-wide railway system in Europe could only be built because the railway companies Žwith a few exceptions. agreed on really essential characteristics
168
V. Jung r Computer Standards & Interfaces 20 (1998) 165–168
like the gauge, while other aspects such as the shape and design of coaches were left open. Where longerterm stability is needed to build a complex system in an evolutionary way, standards are essential; they are also needed to help create a mass market by giving consumers sufficient confidence; and they are needed where a public interest exists, e.g. to protect the rights of minorities. Rapid technology evolution leads to shorter product life cycles. If standards development cannot keep pace, it will lose its value. Therefore, in particular the formal standardization organizations must streamline their operations and speed up their processes. A targeted, innovative and forceful re-engineering process is required, in which market actors have to play an active and leading role, and I can state that Siemens actively participates in it. Just as we find a multitude of technical solutions in networking, there is today a wide range of organizations providing specifications. And just as the cooperation of different networks is needed to provide a global information infrastructure, a cooperation network is needed among all the organizations delivering specifications, rather than competition among them. We note the difficulties in bringing together different standardization organizations with
different cultures, different objectives and different people. But their cooperation is needed to timely develop the standards which are essential to build the global information infrastructure. And only on the basis of this standardized global infrastructure will new applications evolve, which may or may not themselves be standardized, and bring about the Information Society in a way which is global, fair and open to everybody.
References w1x Ministerial declaration on trade in information technology products Singapore, World Trade Organization ŽWTO., 13 December 1996, http:rrwww.wto.orgrwtornewrinftech. htm. w2x Europe and the global information society Recommendations to the European Council Brussels, 26 May 1994, CD-84-94290-EN-C. w3x R. Handel, M.N. Huber, S. Schroder, ATM Networks—Con¨ ¨ cepts, Protocols, Applications, 3rd edn., Addison-Wesley, Harlow, 1988. w4x D. Weiler, M. Yabusaki, P. Chaudhury, G. Klas, H. Schmidts, Developing Standards for the Third Generation Mobile Systems: Updates, New Approaches and Progress, The First International Asia Pacific 3rd Generation Mobile Systems ’98 Conference, Singapore, 11–13 February 1998.