We're gonna run out of internet guys

[Dodger]

http://tech.yahoo.com/blogs/null/90339

thoughts?

[OoooF4LiFe]

They'll find a way to keep it going. Globally, the internet is the biggest technological achievement in relaying information to consumers. Ever. It's really all speculation anyway. Just the same as how future markets and speculation effects gas prices. People are trying to predict a curve, that could go in either direction.

Now if AT&T is making this all up, or is just trying to slander 'Broadband" is irrelevant. If and when this ever becomes a problem, whatever the cost, however shtty it gets... One form or another, it will continue to exist.

[Hunnter]

Yeah, the backbones really need an upgrade.

BUT, it is more to do with the fact that there is very little IPv4 IPs remaining, and when it hits 0, all hell will break loose... (in fact, not even 0)
IPv6 systems don't seem to be ready yet from what people have been saying.
NAT was only going to last so long, but now it is beginning to show age.

AT&T always seem to be complaining about bandwidth issues, it is probably just their crappy network setup in-house.
2 years? No. 5? Possible signs of slowdown, but no "running out of bandwidth", especially not on the global scale.
The backbones barely see 60%> most of the time last time i checked the graphs, unless there is some global spam / DDoS botnet attack going on (i remember when the US nameservers got DDoS'd to hell)
But yeah, US needs a newer backbone.
Europe already has one in the form of CERNs LHC network (when that comes out of use)
I know Japan either has or is getting a newer one, similar speeds to CERNs network, but different hardware design i think. NOt sure about other areas.

[BurgerKueen]

From what I understand, that's only for AT&T customers in the case that they don't make any investments. But since they are and will be, I don't understand why they're creating some sort of doomsday alert. Is there something I'm missing?:confused:

[BlackHood]

If this were accurate it would signal the end of e-commerce, which is a multi billion dollar industry. It would put an end to our global business transactions, and set the economy back 20 years.

It would be huge. They would write more than three paragraphs. This is pointless scaremongering!

[fcon]

Watch the new episode of South Park to see what will happen when the internet collapses!

But with that much investment going into it a solution will be found

[Sarge51]

Too many people rely on the Internet. If there is knowledge of it possibly failing out on us, they'll come up with a solution before then. In any case, 2 Years isn't much time at all. You'd think we'd have more of a warning than that.

[Mr. Crow]

How could the internet "run out?" As long as more servers are made by people and companies all over the world, doesn't that just add space to the internet? Maybe I'm just ignorant, but I thought the internet was an intangible idea, the connection of large and small servers all over the world. Graphical interfaces might decieve people that the internet is tangible, but it's all just ones and zeros hosted on connected servers.

[Sarge51]

Yeah, I've always thought as the internet to be a giant pipeline that'll just send data to and from servers, not an actual system.

[Hunnter]

How could the internet "run out?" As long as more servers are made by people and companies all over the world, doesn't that just add space to the internet? Maybe I'm just ignorant, but I thought the internet was an intangible idea, the connection of large and small servers all over the world. Graphical interfaces might decieve people that the internet is tangible, but it's all just ones and zeros hosted on connected servers.

Yeah, but those connections between them are becoming filled.
The pipes are close to being 100% used.
Until all those pipes get a massive size increase, well, yeah, say hello to 56k again. (well, maybe not that far, but there will end up being some limits imposed with speed, until the networks are updated)
There are some efforts like i said above, not sure what is happening in the Americas though, i know there is that Abilene network, but i don't think that is for public use either, nor is it really a significant leap in bandwidth capacity.

The "storage capacity" of the internet is pretty much never going to run out until every resource on Earth is used to create magnetic discs, which for the sake of arguement will be never because:
1) We will blow ourselves up by that time
2) We will have captured Apophis on 2029, giving us a pretty limitless supply of metals
3) Magnetic discs? Pshh, screw that stuff, solid-state / holographic / quantum memory
I'm totally behind doing 2 & 3, 2 especially, but 1 isn't so far-fetched either...

[CharlieH]

Dude, i read that a couple of times, and i still can't figure out what you said.

What the hell is Apophis?

Also, i'm completely ignoring this until we get an article from an internet traffic carrying company. AT&T is a provider. They know shit.

[Tempest]

.. :ahe: Internet bandwidth is not a natural, non-renewable resource. You literally cannot run out. This is the dumbest thing I've heard.

[opn4bzns]

.. :ahe: Internet bandwidth is not a natural, non-renewable resource. You literally cannot run out. This is the dumbest thing I've heard.

The thread's title is misleading. It's more like (to use that horrible old metaphor) the series of tubes have become clogged and we need bigger tubes.

[CharlieH]

EDIT: What Opn4Bzns said, and he worded it more understandably than me.

[Hunnter]

What the hell is Apophis?

Also, i'm completely ignoring this until we get an article from an internet traffic carrying company. AT&T is a provider. They know shit.

Apophis is a big-ass asteriod that is dated to fly-by Earth in 2029, then may potentially swing back around in 2036 for a possible collision.
There is still a high chance it could have some major effect on Earth in 2029 even then, its going to be closer than some geo-stationary dishes, thats reaaaally close, too close.
Oh there is a wiki article on it http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/99942_Apophis
If we captured that, it would be awesome.
It could be used for the future spaceport that Russia is planning just now too.
edit
Big my ass, damn article i read lied, it's tiny!

And i also agree with the lart part.
From graphs on several internet monitoring sites, the bandwidth seems alright for now.
2 years, hell no, 5-10 is more realistic with all these smaller devices and HD on-demand services coming out.
And by that time, i'm almost certain the major areas will have been upgraded to some extent.

[BlackHood]

You also have to take into account the fact that compression algorithms and encoding systems are making file sizes smaller anyway, so as the bandwidth capacity grows, and the files shrink, its nearly impossible for us to run out.

[Sarge51]

I still think they would increase the 'pipe' size before we became close to a internet rush hour. Too many people rely on the internet, it's probably relied on more than air.