Red Sea Internet Cable Damage Sparks Call to Build Cable-Free Connectivity

A news is going viral on social media of recent damage to critical undersea fiber optic cables in the Red Sea near Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, that  is said to have caused significant internet disruptions across Asia, the Middle East, and parts of Africa. The damaged cables, SEA-ME-WE 4 (SMW4) and IMEWE, carry approximately 17% of the global internet traffic between Asia, Europe, and Africa. Repairing undersea cables is a complex and time-consuming process that can take weeks or even months due to technical challenges and geopolitical tensions in the region. 

This incident notes a potential weakness in the digital infrastructure as a whole. Despite everything the internet offers, it relies on extremely delicate underwater cables that can be accidentally or intentionally destroyed. This damage has slowed internet speeds and interrupted cloud services such as Microsoft Azure to users in India, Pakistan, the UAE, and other neighbouring countries.

Why does internet infrastructure matter locally and globally?

The significance of internet infrastructure is that it is the structure that enables individuals and gadgets worldwide to interact and transmit data easily and swiftly. It comprises not only the physical components such as cables, routers and servers but also software that enables communication and data transfer.

On the local level, a well-developed internet infrastructure allows students, businesses, and governments to communicate and work efficiently daily. It promotes online education, banking, health, and entertainment, which make life easier and more effective.

It has led to international business, social media, and the ability to access information anywhere, as it links various countries and continents worldwide. The world would lose access to parts without good infrastructure, and most of the services we are used to would be hampered or halted.

Internet infrastructure is the roads and bridges upon which information should move. These may be damaged or weak, thus causing stagnation or breakage of the data flow. A robust, trustworthy, and secure internet infrastructure is essential in any place or in most places around the globe to ensure that the flow of information flows without any problem and that people can be connected at any time and from any point.

This insight can be used to understand why any disruption, such as the recent destruction of undersea cables in the Red Sea, has millions of users in trouble and why more sturdier and resistant systems must be developed. 

Why should Budding Computer Engineers Care?

Students of computer engineering have the duty to imagine and develop internet systems that are resilient, decentralised and less dependent on vulnerable physical infrastructure such as undersea cables, as future creators of technology.

This dependence on physical cables causes digitally constraining chokepoints that affect millions of users in the event of destruction. This appeals to developing other options that enable the internet to keep running even when cables fail.

What Can Be Done?

1. Create Decentralised Networks: Devices can be connected to one another by mesh networking that does not require central servers or cables to connect devices. This can keep local networks alive when big connections are not working.
2. Advanced Satellite Internet: Low Earth orbit (LEO) satellite networks are increasing to provide global internet access without using physical cables. Students can also optimize satellite data routing and ground station integration.
3. Develop Strong Protocols: Internet protocols that can automatically reroute traffic efficiently during a network outage must be designed to reduce service interruptions.
4. Deploy Edge Computing: The closer the computation to users, the less data will rely on remote servers, which improves performance and resilience.
5. Innovate Emergency Backup Systems: Systems that can alternate among the various internet paths and technologies during failures might save the connection in times of crisis.

A Real Life Task and a Thrilling Prospect

The recent cable damage in the Red Sea is a real-time wake-up call showing the need for innovative, reliable, and scalable internet infrastructure. The devices and systems invented by future computer engineers may change how the internet operates- making it safer, easier and stronger.

Tech weaknesses in the real world also mean that the leaders in Indian technology of tomorrow, and in particular computer engineering students, must be the first to present a solution that will make the global internet less fragile- solutions that will not rely on subsea cables but will become the backbone to a truly connected Bharat and the world.

It is time to transform challenges into breakthroughs. As future CE experts, it’s the duty of CS/CE aspirants to think beyond the prescribed parameters and initiate the revolution of the century. 

Note: Students who have the potential to transform the digital world must choose the right college where they can learn the right skills. Take GCSET and open doors to the top B.Tech universities in the country.