By LOUIS AU

NO one knows for certain what the world will be like in 10 years' time. We know for sure, though, that humans and businesses will be more dependent on technology than ever before. We know that change will be more rapid because of the accelerated pace of technology innovation.

How will technology or usage evolve?

One can conjecture that in the future, machine knowledge will exceed human knowledge, but the proliferation of automation and 'smart agents' will not usurp our control over technology.

Virtual worlds will sprout new forms of commerce and interaction. In the future, devices will be emotion-controlled and able to sense and react to their environment. Applications will be smart and 'self-learning', able to adopt the decision drivers and risk profiles of the users and then extend their capability.

Organisations and people will want choice, and technology will be able to support this demand. Technology will likely evolve in the following directions:

Today, applications pull information on demand. In the future, information will be pushed to applications triggering action.

Today, virtualisation supports resource isolation. In the future, networking resources will be available anytime, anywhere.

Today, individual access rights map directly to applications. In the future, privacy will be protected as the network follows the user.

Today, personal computers, laptops and PDAs feature conventional interfaces. In the future, the user will interact with computers in natural, human terms through a variety of sensory modalities.

One of the biggest changes we can expect is living in a 'flat' seamless world - a world where physical geography will be irrelevant in many contexts and the ubiquitous global Ethernet-powered network defines our environment. In 2018, the network will follow the user and serve up instant information anytime and anywhere, so that user experiences will be rich.

Developments in the network and the Ethernet-powered office will bring tremendous benefits and opportunities, but as the walls of traditional networks disappear, organisations will find it difficult to maintain the integrity and safekeeping of their proprietary data. Security and privacy concerns will become critical as personal and business information becomes more transparent.

The question businesses need to ask is: 'What can we do today to adapt to the relentless pace of change and how can any organisation adapt to thrive in the new environment where the network follows the user and security is unpredictable?'

The answer lies in 'future-proofing' your network.

Consider the following strategy:

Invest in a flexible network foundation to support the ongoing data explosion and maximise green power distribution.

Move away from closed, proprietary environments. Choose a network infrastructure that is based on open standards. This will drive ubiquity of such standards forward and ensure that your network does not fall behind the relentless pace of change. Open standards will also ensure interoperability with other vendors' products.

Develop a flexible and layered security solution. Network security can never be solved with a single product, solution or patch approach. The magnitude and complexity of today's network threats demand an integrated, multi-layered approach to security that starts at the very foundation of the network infrastructure.

Build intelligent networks to maximise internal and external data feeds for pushing and pulling relevant information.

Ensure processes occur without human intervention or onerous management.

Open, industry standards play a critical role in the pervasive blend of connected technologies in the ubiquitous global Ethernet-connected environment. Beware of proprietary solutions that lock you into rigid operating models and limit your options for networking connectivity.

It is never too early to plan and get prepared for the inevitable and dramatic changes that lie ahead. Since your business is not in networking, it will be strategic to partner with a networking vendor who can help you lay the foundation of a future-proof network for 2018.

The writer is vice-president and general manager for Asia-Pacific & Japan, HP ProCurve Networking

This story was first published in The Business Times on 25 August 2008.