FINAL WORD
Diversification and redundancy of South Africa ’ s Internet connectivity
South Africa ’ s dependence on undersea Internet cables demands a robust and forward-thinking strategy and embracing redundancy , diversification , innovative technologies is the way forward says Paul Colmer at Wireless Access Providers Association .
In an era driven by digital connectivity , the recent events involving the unprecedented damage to three of South Africa ’ s major west coast undersea Internet cables have thrust the country into a precarious position .
The disruption of critical undersea cables , Western African Cable System , WACS , South Atlantic 3 , SAT-3 , and now African Coast to Europe , ACE , has highlighted the vulnerability of the country ’ s Internet infrastructure and exposed potential risks that could have far-reaching consequences .
This is compounded by the fact that the only vessel capable of repairing these cables is currently situated 8,800 kilometres away , on Africa ’ s east coast , which means the soonest repair timeframe is mid-September – assuming favourable weather conditions .
As we navigate the intricate web of international connectivity , it is therefore imperative to address the challenges that threaten to disrupt our digital lifelines .
The sudden downtime of WACS and SAT-3 has sent shockwaves through the technology landscape . While SAT-3 carries a modest 800 gigabits per second , Gbps of traffic , WACS carries a colossal 14.5 Terabits per second , Tbps , and the fragility of these cables ’ redundancy systems has become apparent . The incident underscores the critical importance of diversification and redundancy within our connectivity architecture .
74 INTELLIGENTCIO AFRICA www . intelligentcio . com