Insight | Pg 16 Insight | Pg 18 TCS: The New CIO Factory? Five Fundamentals For Effective Security Design

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Enterprise 5G FuellingFuelling NNewew PossibilitiesPossibilities The upsurge of 5G networks paves the way for intriguing enterprise services and broader ecosystem innovation. But are businesses ready to maximize the opportunity?

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Restricted only by imagination

ndia is a mobile country. Two of the top three mobile operators in the world are Indian. In the 90s, IT—no matter how much we pat ourselves on the back as an IT superpower on the strength of our manpower—threatened Ito accelerate the economic divide in India, a country already with a wide gap between poor and rich. The advent of mobile single-handedly reversed that trend. It is probably the only technology in recent times that can be called a true leveler. But no technology becomes a leveler by itself. Any new innova- tion in technology, when applied thoughtlessly, can, at best, result in incremental changes—by making things a little better, faster or more convenient. It happens broadly in two ways. One, someone—it could be a commercial business or policy makers—understands its hidden potential and thinks of what can be done using it. Or there is a situation that forces us to do something radically different in a short time—necessity, as we call it. We do not have to go far to find examples of both. We have seen Reliance Jio’s strong data-centered strategy which democratized data and made a lot of things possible. This is an example of the first. For the second, we do not have to look too far off. We all know what COVID-19 did to reinvent ourselves as Even today, the digital beings. And I am not talking of businesses but of all of us, discussion around 5G, as individuals. Yet, even today, the discussion around 5G, even though they are even though they are laden liberally with terms like disruption and revolution, are about laden liberally with applying it to the current processes and making incremental changes. 5G is not about speed. It is about new applications. terms like disruption We have seen education, work, banking, health all becoming virtual. and revolution, are And fast. More digitization of our lives means more demand for experience about applying it to the (speed), anytime anywhere connectivity (reach) and newer and newer current processes and capability (innovation). All that translates to huge business opportunities for almost all making incremental industries. Jio itself has started playing on applications, pushing changes telecom to the backend and preferring, instead, to become a multi- services aggregator. Shyamanuja Das Also, 5G is not the only technology that is driving change. We have Industry 4.0. We have a shift to the edge. We have electric vehicles and fleet owners increasingly turning to that. All these are not isolated from each other. Just imagine if the remote patient health monitoring could effectively speak to hospitals, to ambulances on road, to the bed management system, to oxygen cylinder movements, just as an example. How many deaths could have been prevented? There are applications in all areas. But the demand for 5G will be incremental if the applications thought about would be incremental. Any business that can think of a new scenario, then application and finally technology can make the positive disruption a reality. 5G, why any new technology, is hence, about dream, about imagina- tion.

JUNE 2021 | itnext | 1 JUNE 2021 Volume 12 | Issue 03 Content

cover story | Page 06

Enterprise 5G FuellingFuelling NNewew PossibilitiesPossibilities 5G networks pave the way for intriguing enterprise services, business models, and broader ecosystem innovation. But are businesses ready to maximize the opportunity?

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EDITORIAL Editorial Director: Shyamanuja Das Assistant Manager - Content: Dipanjan Mitra

Insight | Page 18-19 DESIGN Five Fundamentals Sr. Art Directors: Anil VK, Shokeen Saifi Associate Art Director: Shri Hari Tiwari For Effective Security Sr. Visualiser: Baiju NV Design sales & marketing Executive Director - B2B Tech: Sachin Nandkishor Mhashilkar (+91 99203 48755) Associate Publisher & Director - Community: | Insight Page 20-21 Mahantesh Godi (+91 98804 36623) Supply Chain Is Dead, Associate Director - Enterprise Technology: Vandana Chauhan (+91 99589 84581) Long Live The Head - Community Engagement: New Supply Chain Vivek Pandey (+91 9871498703) Head - Community - NEXT100 & CIOs: Ecosystems Megha Bhardwaj Community Manager - B2B Tech: Renuka Deopa Senior Manager - Community Development: | Insight Page 24-25 Neelam Adhangale Using AI To Keep Up Regional Sales Managers With Data Protection South: BN Raghavendra (+91 98453 81683) And BFSI Compliance West: Shankar Adaviyar (+91 9323998881) Laws Ad Co-ordination/Scheduling: Kishan Singh Production & Logistics Insight | Page 30-33 Manager - Operations: Rakesh Upadhyay Asst. Manager - Logistics: Vijay Menon Are India’s New IT Executive - Logistics: Nilesh Shiravadekar Laws A Step Logistics: MP Singh & Mohd. Ansari Naveen Kumar In The Right Head - Digital & Event Operations: Direction? Office Address 9.9 Group Pvt. Ltd. Insight | Page 37-38 (Formerly known as Nine Dot Nine Mediaworx Pvt. Ltd.) How Technology Is 121, Patparganj, Mayur Vihar, Phase - I Reshaping The Near Mandir Masjid, Delhi-110091 Published, Printed and Owned by 9.9 Group Pvt. Ltd. Construction (Formerly known as Nine Dot Nine Mediaworx Pvt. Ltd.) Published and printed on their behalf by Landscape In India Vikas Gupta. Published at 121, Patparganj, Mayur Vihar, Phase - I, Near Mandir Masjid, Delhi-110091, India. Printed at Tara Art Printers Pvt Ltd., A-46-47, Sector-5, NOIDA (U.P.) 201301.

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enterPrise 5g Fuelling new Possibilities The upsurge of 5G networks paves the way for intriguing enterprise services and broader ecosystem innovation. But are businesses ready to maximize the opportunity?

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JUNE 2021 | itnext | 3 Extra Curricular Trekking teaches us to see the larger picture and ignore trivial matters

I am also passionate about forts and admire the architectural marvels our ancestors had achieved long back, especially with no modern building tools and advance technology in place. Pune is surrounded by ‘n’ number of forts, built on top of mountains, giving a glimpse of the past. When I relocated to Pune in 2006, it was a perfect opportunity for me to fulfil my passion, i.e. going on long journeys across mountains into the forts. It all started with gatecrashing my roommates’ office and going on a night trekking trip to Raigad Fort. Since then, there was no turning back and till now have done 20+ trekking trips in and around Pune. The latest had been in December 2020 to Torna Fort. The elevation was 1,403 metres (4,603 ft) above sea level, making it the highest hill fort in the district. I love the trail, smell of the grass, views along the way and the sense of fulfillment at the top Up, Up & Away of the hill onto the forts. Trekking offers me the freedom to choose a path which results in discovery of new terrains and reasserts the fact NEXT100 2019 Winner Nirmal Kumar, that we are traversing into nature and must be Senior Technical Program Manager, cautious of our freedom. Even though trekking makes us free, it reminds us that we must be Saksoft, shares his immense passion for responsible for others too when they are trekking trekking and how it helps in life… with us. Trekking is a life changing experience not only “Life is not the amount of breaths you take, it’s the moments that take because it is exciting but also as it reminds us your breath away” – Hitch how small a place we occupy in this world, when we are amidst the imposing elements of nature, rekking literally means ‘going on a long journey, typically at nature’s mercy. This helps us see a larger on foot’. picture as we realize that we should not worry too My father was a Central government employee and had much over trivial matters and develop a healthier a transferable job across India. So, I started enjoying new approach towards life. places, new people and eventually, travelling and exploring Tnew places became my hobby. As told to Dipanjan Mitra, Team ITNEXT

Nirmal Kumar Snapshot

Nirmal Kumar is Senior Technical Vodafone, Amdocs and Infosys. He Program Manager at Saksoft. He has completed his Executive Program been a NEXT100 winner in 2019. in Business Management from IIM- Kumar was previously associated Calcutta and BTech in Electrical & with Tech Mahindra, Redknee, Electronics from IIT-Madras.

4 | itnext | JUNE 2021 EXTRACURRICULAR

Photography is much more than capturing memories

which was elongated and full of anxious waiting. Our first family camera - a film roll Nikon - is what exposed me to photography. Grappling with the controls and exercising all possible caution, it made me understand the importance of composition. Since I have seen that transition from film roll cameras to digital cameras, it is important to mention that film rolls made you think multiple times before releasing the shutter. The cost of a misplaced composition or incorrect focus was not only losing one film, but the opportunity itself. It took months before we got to see the pictures, we clicked depending on how often we clicked. Everything that I clicked till the time I graduated was with that film roll Nikon and I still treasure it - although I don’t use it any longer. It was way later (around 2007) when I was exposed to a digital camera and that’s the point which started my photography journey. Playing around with camera controls, reading about the different configurations, and understanding the optics behind it became my hobby. I got interested in high-speed photography early on and devoted my time to it for a long time. High-speed Capturing photography is basically taking pictures of some phenomena which happen at a very fast pace, for instance a splash made by a drop when it falls into Unlimited Beauties a water body. Besides high speed, I tried my hands on macro, portrait and smoke photography and was often treated as the official photographer NEXT100 2019 Winner Rohit Khanna, at home. AGM - Digital Solutions, Hero MotoCorp, Composing a shot gives me that sense of concentration when everything else becomes shares his immense passion for irrelevant. It gives me a chance to capture things photography… which cannot be seen otherwise with this much detail. For a lot of people, photographs are a “I didn’t choose photography, photography chose me” – Gerardo Suter means to capture memories. For me, they are much more than that. was probably 10 or 11 when I was exposed to the idea of When I am not clicking pictures, I like to spend a personal camera. Prior to that, a camera for me was an time reading non-fiction books or listening to instrument only to be owned by photography studios. Unlike podcasts on economics and public policy. today when the smartphone has enabled everyone with a camera, Ithe 90s were different including the lifecycle of clicking a picture As told to Dipanjan Mitra, Team ITNEXT Rohit Khanna Snapshot

Rohit Khanna is AGM - Digital Systems. He completed his MBA in Solutions at Hero MotoCorp. He has Information Management & Finance been a NEXT100 winner in 2019. from MDI and Bachelors in IT from Khanna was earlier associated College of Technology, G.B.P.U.A&T, with Agro Tech Foods and Perot Pantnagar.

JUNE 2021 | itnext | 5 cover story

Enterprise 5G FuellingFuelling NNewew PossibilitiesPossibilities 5G networks pave the way for intriguing enterprise services, business models, and broader ecosystem innovation. But are businesses ready to maximize the opportunity?

By Jatinder Singh

6 | itnext | JUNE 2021 cover story

he next generation of mission time between sending and receiving infor- wireless technology, 5G, mation. For mainstream adoption of autonomous is expected to open a cars, remote delivery of critical healthcare, and all- future of new and exciting inclusive adoption of the Internet of Things (IoT), possibilities for enter- the industry needs exceptional quality bandwidth prises. With a speed that and low latency. can reach up to 10Gbps, The success of mission-critical applications theoretically, 5G can be such as connected cars depends on reliable and 100 times faster than its unblemished connectivity that supports real-time predecessor, 4G LTE, and holds great potential to communications and various sensors that help anchor enterprise digital transformation. TIf 4G-Long Term Evolution (LTE) revolution- ized the business ecosystem by enabling high- speed data services on mobile, the 5G wireless technology was designed for unlocking real-time decision-making and revolutionizing the customer experience. Looking back, 4G has aided internet users in making on-the-go crystal clear video calls, stream high-quality data, and exchange information promptly. Still, the wireless standard could not evolve as a trusted alternative to a dedicated wireline pipe. For example, even in a remote work environment, most employees rely on fixed-line links to attend critical video conferencing calls or transfer extensive data. However, the widespread rollouts of the next generation networks could remarkably transform how enterprises connect and deliver services. The unparalleled network speeds and enhanced bandwidth will enable business users “5G will enable cloud more efficiently, improve enterprise to do superior quality HD or 3D calls without performance and pave the way for a new better-connected lags. From augmented reality to artificial intel- world. For instance, the low latency and exceptional bandwidth ligence-based data-driven applications, 5G will accelerate a new wave of cutting-edge innovations, properties of 5G will significantly transform augmented and empowering businesses with much-needed speed, virtual reality use cases and raise the bar for immersive and power, and capacity to exchange reliable and real- engaging customer experiences. It will enable enterprises to time information. conduct high-quality product and services virtual tours for their customers, especially those at remote locations where Transforming enterprise physical reach may be an issue.” ecosystems Pertisth Mankotia One of the most significant advantages that 5G CIO, Sheela Foam offers is an extremely low latency rate, the trans-

JUNE 2021 | itnext | 7 cover story

“If 4G-Long Term Evolution (LTE) revolutionized the business ecosystem by enabling high- speed data services on mobile, the 5G wireless technology was designed for real- time decision-making and revolutionizing the customer experience.”

them operate with precision. Even a split of net- “Currently, 15% of enterprises are investing in 5G, work instability or unexpected network lag can with an additional 54% planning to invest in the cause fatal road accidents. By leveraging 5G tech- next one to three years. By the end of 2022, levels nology, applications can run at a trailblazing speed of 5G investment will be on par with IoT,” the sur- on a network with an extremely low latency rate, vey projects. as low as one millisecond (1ms). Let’s look at how 5G could enable some sectors According to a survey titled, Maximizing the 5G to redefine themselves. opportunity for enterprise, conducted by EY, vari- Transport and logistics: 5G deployments ous industries are currently at the different trajec- are likely to disrupt the transport sector. While it tory of their 5G investment curves. The survey is too early to predict all the possible use cases, reveals that while the journey toward 5G may be in some emerging trends indicate the upsurge of the earlier stages, 5G adoption levels are expected connected and autonomous vehicles and real-time to grow considerably in the next couple of years. visibility and control over transportation systems.

Priority application scenarios for 5G-based IoT (% of respondents currently investing or planning to invest in 5G)

Supply chain management and orchestration 40%

Critical infrastructure monitoring and control 38%

Systems and process optimization 38%

Customer insights and feedback 38%

Predictive or real-time operations 36%

Virtual and augmented reality (wearables) 35%

Private campus networks (e.g., office, building, factory) 35%

Personalized products and services 34%

30 32 34 36 38 40

Source: Maximizing the 5G opportunity for enterprise, EY

8 | itnext | JUNE 2021 cover story

The ubiquitous 5G networks in metros and cities will enable public transport inspectors to get real-time intelligence to plan traffic move- ments, track emergency vehicles and anticipate transport capacity. For example, during a medical emergency, every single minute is critical in securing a patient’s life. Hence, the inbuilt 5G-enabled intelligent traffic management systems can ensure that the emer- gency vehicle finds congestion-free routes to reach the hospital in time. And if the ambulance is 5G-enabled, doctors would monitor the patient’s condition remotely through sensors and provide necessary guidance for efficient pre-hospital care. A survey from Moor Insights and Strategy reveals that for 90% of logistics and shipping providers, lack of supply chain visibility is one of the biggest challenges impacting their operational efficiency. “Leveraging 5G capabilities, we worked with the local town to For logistics companies, 5G will drive significant install censors, take real-time data as the rain is falling, detect productivities as it will enable them to monitor, track and check inventories consistently, minimiz- and prepare for flood response and make sure that people ing the chances of revenue leakage. understand hey there is a large concern. All of that is fed In the future, the 5G technology can be benefi- through IoT-based sensors.” cial to bring the concept of smart highways into reality to minimize deadly road accidents and con- Jay Upchurch gestion. The built-in smart sensors of connected Executive Vice President & CIO, SAS India vehicles would communicate and exchange data for giving timely warnings in case of any road insta- bilities, accidents, or traffic congestion, helping them reach the desired destination efficiently. for home delivery during lockdowns, with a mini- Countries like China, Finland, and Hong Kong mal human touch, by leveraging autonomous- have already developed prototypes in this direc- delivery robots. The concept is not altogether new! tion and testing the waters before implementing It has already been tested and implemented in them at a broader scale. countries, such as the US, Sweden, and China. Retail: For the retail sector, 5G can provide For instance, in Stockholm, Sweden, Euro- trusted connectivity for enterprises to support pean telecommunications operator, Tele2, leverag- peak-time traffic, keep a check on demand and ing 5G and IoT, recently collaborated with a food supply through intelligent analytics, delivering real- delivery partner to pilot Doora, a delivery droid to time shopping experiences to consumers through transport food delivery services across Stockholm AR/VR, and track the goods and services for effi- during the pandemic. cient delivery mechanisms. Similarly, retailers across the globe are lever- While 4G-driven applications enabled enter- aging AR/VR tools to strengthen their sales and prises and their employees to stay connected over providing an exceptional customer experience. the internet during the pandemic, they could not For instance, a couple of years back, German- create compelling use cases to help retailers man- based luxury car manufacturer, Audi, introduced age the surge in demand for home delivery. a 360-degree Virtual Reality solution that lets For example, since more and more people were consumers get a realistic view of their chosen car homebound and following social distancing mea- on their digital device. Customers can customize sures during the pandemic, the shipment volume the car and change its color, accessories, using proliferated. As a result, retailers had faced enor- hundreds of possible configurations to shortlist mous stress to deliver the essentials on time using the same. human resources. “5G will enable cloud more efficiently, improve Imagine, had there been a widespread 5G net- enterprise performance and pave the way for a work available in India, retail enterprises would new better-connected world. For instance, the low have been able to manage the surge in demand latency and exceptional bandwidth properties of

JUNE 2021 | itnext | 9 cover story

cal reach may be an issue,” says Pertisth Mankotia, CIO, Sheela Foam. However, to achieve that consistently, firms in this sector need ultra-fast connectivity to improve productivity levels further and leverage the full potential of advanced technologies such as edge computing, cloud, AI, and machine learning. With 5G, such immersive experiences will get much better, attract new customers, and improve enterprises’ revenues. Healthcare and public safety: With the proper implementation strategies, 5G can be a big boon for enterprises operating in the health- care and public safety domain. For example, 5G could enable city-based overloaded hospitals to deploy efficient remote patient monitoring capabilities and delivering quality healthcare “Latency has been a significant deterrent in the way of building through telemedicine. a truly autonomous enterprise. There are many autonomous The current inequality between people with quality broadband and those where it is still not use cases across industries that are ready from a technology available makes it difficult for healthcare profes- standpoint but need ultrafast connectivity to succeed.” sionals to create effective remote patient care mechanisms. To achieve with 5G, telecom service Rajesh Aggarwal providers, such as Bharti Airtel, Vodafone-Idea, Head of IT at Aamor Inox BSNL, and Jio will need to deploy the necessary infrastructure, signal repeaters, cells, and antennas. According to PwC, remote care is just one area in which 5G can enable cost savings and bet- 5G will significantly transform augmented and vir- ter health outcomes. It says that 5G will improve tual reality use cases and raise the bar for immer- efficiency and productivity in hospitals through sive and engaging customer experiences. It will advances such as 5G-enabled tracking of medical enable enterprises to conduct high-quality prod- devices and patient beds and AI to 5G sensor data uct and services virtual tours for their customers, to trigger actions automatically and accelerate especially those at remote locations where physi- patient handovers.

Promising B2B 5G IoT use cases

Industry 4.0, including autonomous systems in factories (e.g., robots, AGVs, computer vision, and automated or virtual reality tools (VR) for manufacturing) Smart cities, with applications such as HD cameras to monitor public safety and traffic man- agement Advanced sensors for environmental monitoring Smart energy, such as smart grid control Border security Connected offices, including sensor-based building management Video surveillance inside and outside buildings Smart security, including the provision of emergency services Connected health, such as mobile medical monitoring Smart retail (e.g., payments)

Source: The 5G era, New horizons for advanced electronics and industrial companies, McKinsey

10 | itnext | JUNE 2021 cover story

5G-powered applications projected impact to global GDP by 2030

6% Financial-services applications (USD 85 bn) 10% Industrial manufacturing 40% (USD 134 bn) Healthcare (USD 530 bn)

19% Consumer and media Total impact: applications USD 1.3 tn (USD 254 bn)

25% Smart utilities Source: The global economic (USD 330 bn) impact of 5G, PwC

By leveraging 5G network slicing, single network connections of 5G can be divided into multiple unique virtual links that help network providers prioritize specific users or devices regarding data connectivity. “We have a couple of excellent customer stories around the use of IoT, and mainstream process- ing. One of the great stories out there is around our town here where we are based. We do flood plain management. We get much rain here, and because of the terrain and the surfaces here, it leads to flooding. And that is a safety issue, a pub- lic safety issue. And so we worked with the local town to install censors, take real-time data as the rain falls, detect and prepare for flood response and make sure that people understand that there is a large concern. All of that is fed through IoT- “For 5G to fully realize its potential, we need substantial based sensors. The sensors are dependent on the cellular networks that are out there. So you can infrastructure investments. I am not sure if we have been able imagine the capability of 5G and the throughput, to leverage 4G fully yet. Even today, we are not getting the and I will say the breadth of data that we can con- bandwidth that is needed to run the business. The technology sume through these connections. It is fascinating,” says Jay Upchurch, Executive Vice President & CIO, [5G] looks great for all theoretical purposes, but on a practical SAS India. note, we [India] are not ready from an infrastructure standpoint. Revolutionizing manufacturing: The There is no technology or application readiness in our country.” industrial sector is being touted as the biggest beneficiary of the fifth generation of wireless Ajitsingh Nawale communications rollouts. Most manufacturing Head of IT at Mahindra CIE Automotive industries are now gearing toward smart factories

JUNE 2021 | itnext | 11 cover story

warehouse and assembly line, enabling real-time control for manufacturers to adjust the process in motion. In addition, 5G will help businesses exploit the massive amount of data collected from opera- tions faster to be utilized for predictive mainte- nance and monitoring and augmented reality. “Latency has been a significant deterrent in the way of building a truly autonomous enterprise. There are many autonomous use cases across industries that are ready from a technology stand- point but need ultrafast connectivity to succeed,” says Rajesh Aggarwal, Head of IT, Aamor Inox, a leading manufacturer, and exporter of Stainless Steel Bright Bars in India. Rajesh further elucidates that the ultra-low latency provided by 5G can help overcome the obstacles faced by enterprises in deploying “With more and more people are using remote connectivity to mission-critical applications. “In the manufacturing reach each other, the high-speed fifth-generation network is a sector, 5G will empower enterprises to implement Industry 4.0 technologies effectively. Additionally, blessing for everyone. However, its success will be dependent it will enable them [businesses] to gather timely upon the accelerated infrastructure development and compelling valuable data insights so that they can monitor business models. Because even though we are using 4G today, equipment in real-time for increased production, compliance, and safety,” he adds. many gaps [such as poor infrastructure] are still prohibiting us Large organizations, such as Airbus, Ford, from leveraging the full potential of this technology. Enterprises, Whirlpool, and Worcester Bosch are some early telcos, and government need to collaborate to make 5G adopters or testers of enterprise 5G networks. Worcester Bosch is one of the first organizations successful in India.” to launch 5G enabled smart factory. The factors comprise advanced sensors for preventive main- Milind Khamkar tenance and generate real-time analysis using AI- Group CIO at Super-Max based analytics to anticipate any potential failures. According to a KPMG report, titled Unlocking the benefits of 5G for enterprise customers, in the manufacturing sector, the pervasive 4G thinking and automating processes for better production typically creates a linear process where materials and meeting dynamic demand-supply scenarios. are ordered, machines are preset and managed Currently, manufacturers depend upon fixed-line by people maintained by lifetime without any wear networks to meet such requirements. and tear. But, unfortunately, this creates a high In the post-pandemic scenario, as businesses potential for costly breakdowns and waste and a continue to acclimatize to the new ways of process that cannot quickly respond to changes in working, 5G holds immense potential to enable demand. And deploying 5G into this kind of envi- remote workers to improve performance by con- ronment can support a business transformation necting and collaborating with their stakeholders enabling dynamic, self-regulating, and self-adjust- in real-time. ing processes that translate into agility, speed, and Not only it equips the remote workforce with higher productivity. faster data processing capability to be more pro- Eventually, these benefits get passed onto the ductive, but it also enables them to match the per- end customer in the form of customization, qual- formance of standard office employees. ity, and speed of delivery. “The linear process According to a Capgemini report, 5G in the becomes circular and significant value is created,” Manufacturing Industry, in the near future, the the KPMG report adds. industry will witness several other changes such as In addition to the above, 5G is also expected to enhanced IoT that will accelerate the communica- create tremendous new opportunities for sectors, tion between all the connected devices across the such as agriculture, media and entertainment, spectrum of a factory, from the shop floor to the and financial services. Automation of agricultural

12 | itnext | JUNE 2021 cover story

systems will enable enterprises operating in this we [India] are not ready from an infrastructure domain to collect real-time data, counsel farm- standpoint. There is no technology or application ers to increase productivity. In financial services, readiness in our country,” says Ajitsingh Nawale, the technology will allow enterprises to execute Head of IT at Mahindra CIE Automotive. complex processes such as Video KYC for obtain- Among enterprises, there are also concerns ing credit at ease. In addition, 5G will enable them that to sustain 5G and align it with legacy infra- to provide unique customer experiences such as structure, massive investments might be needed, video and introducing new innovative mobile apps yet considering the country’s present state of that support AR and VR experiences. infrastructure, they might not get the desired out- comes or productivity gains. Also, since there are no sufficient 5G use cases Driving innovations in India yet, there could be several complexities 5G will cause a massive boom in the use of sen- at the backend algorithms that might need CIO sors around us, generating a humongous amount attention. For example, while an algorithm takes x of data to make connected farms, smart cities, number of seconds in the current ecosystem, in and intelligent buildings a reality. Through its a 5G environment, it might take x number of nano- ubiquitous coverage, the 5G technology enhances seconds. This is a complex scenario for some enterprises’ time-sensitive automation capabilities CIOs who feel that they are unsure if they can run by powering millions of IoT-connected devices, those applications for consumers on the fly and helping them work with their stakeholders and what kind of business benefits it will deliver to users proactively. the end-user? Another area where 5G can be instrumental in pushing more and more compute and capability to the edge. In IoT-enabled devices, if networks can- not handle data transmission, it’s a lost cause for business. So, it is critical to get the data as soon as possible from the source device so that AI sys- tems can do the analysis and send it to designated people or machines to take action. Over the next, eight to ten years, widely acces- sible 5G networks are likely to shape the experi- ences of businesses and consumers and provide significant digital momentum to all industries. According to PwC, 5G-driven applications in healthcare, smart utilities, consumer and media, industrial manufacturing, and financial services together are expected to add a massive USD 1.3 tn to global GDP by 2030.

Key challenges “5G can simplify the complexities of diverse working Despite all the benefits and several countries ecosystems. Because of the COVID crisis that we are going rolling out 5G technology, India still lags in infra- structure readiness for the next technological through, there are various modalities of working today. For breakthrough. While the government has indicated a distributed workforce environment to succeed, one needs that the spectrum auctions will happen soon, the the availability of robust high-speed bandwidth [like of 5G] country faces a plethora of concerns: lack of use cases/business models, availability of network across all locations so that employees can seamlessly connect equipment, and immature device ecosystem. to multiple organizational ecosystems securely and work “There is no doubt that 5G technology stands becomes business-as-usual.” out as a real game-changer, but I am not sure if we have been able to leverage 4G fully yet. Even today, Nirvan Biswas we are not getting the bandwidth that is needed to CTO, National Bulk Handling Corporation & Infinity run the business. The technology [5G] looks great Fincorp (NBHC) for all theoretical purposes, but on a practical note,

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ment need to collaborate to make 5G successful in India,” he elucidates. 5G’s projected economic impact by Rajesh Aggarwal advises that enterprises should country by 2030 (USD 2019 values) avoid implementing 5G technology at pan India 500 but instead focus on pilot rollouts where there is a high density in 5G. “To gauge the productivity lev- 484 els 5G can bring for you; enterprises need to test it 400 out in terms of application and transaction. There could be several complexities in the backend using legacy systems.” High-speed connectivity also comes with 300 new security-related threats. With 5G networks expected to be the mainstay for critical IT applica- tions, such as IoT and AI in the future, telecom 200 220 service providers are expected to improve the ancillary services for robust and secure enter- prise connectivity. 100

76 65 54 42 30 20 What’s ahead? 0 In the years ahead, 5G transformation will United States China Japan Germany help businesses reinvent themselves, improve United Kingdom India South Korea Australia their productivity levels and help unlock new rev- enue streams. Source: The global economic impact of 5G, PwC “5G can simplify the complexities of diverse working ecosystems. Because of the COVID cri- sis that we are going through, there are various modalities of working today. For a distributed Agrees Milind Khamkar, Group CIO at Super- workforce environment to succeed, one needs Max, “With more and more people are using the availability of robust high-speed bandwidth remote connectivity to reach each other; the [like of 5G] across all locations so that employees high-speed fifth-generation network is a blessing can seamlessly connect to multiple organizational for everyone. However, its success will be depen- ecosystems securely and work becomes business- dent upon how the overall infrastructure gets as-usual,” says Nirvan Biswas, CTO, National Bulk developed. Because even though we are using 4G Handling Corporation & Infinity Fincorp (NBHC). today, many gaps [such as poor infrastructure] are The telecom industry association, GSMA, antici- still prohibiting us from leveraging the full potential pates that by 2025, 5G networks are likely to cover of this technology. Enterprises, telcos, and govern- one-third of the world’s population. “Each industry has its own specific set of 5G-based IoT use cases in mind, while their attitudes to 5G suppliers and supporting ecosystems also vary substantially. Despite these differences, the crisis brought about “One of the most by the COVID-19 global pandemic is placing a new significant advantages emphasis on industry resilience and innovation, now and in the future. 5G can play a vital role in that 5G offers is an achieving this, but only if 5G providers become more vertical-specific in their interactions with extremely low latency enterprises,” notes EY report. In India, 5G’s contribution to economic rate, the transmission growth may be very minimal for the next few time between years. Still, this timeframe will be critical for governments and telecom companies to build sending and receiving essential infrastructure and allocate the necessary spectrum for developing robust and industry-wide information.” 5G use cases.

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TCS: The New CIO Factory? As businesses need CIOs with natural flair for business thinking, global IT services firms could be great hunting grounds. Tata Group has already started, and they do not have to look out

By Shyamanuja Das

couple of months back, Center Head at Tata Consultancy Ser- services companies, all he was dealing Vinod Bhat joined as the vices (TCS) for the last 28 years, based with was technology, ensuring that CIO of Tata SIA Airlines out of Noida. it gets designed and delivered in the (Vistara). Before taking Bhat had never handled an best possible manner for the com- over as CIO of Vistara, enterprise IT role before. At TCS, he pany’s clients. BhatA was the Global Business Head - was in a business role, responsible In other words, Bhat was doing Consumer Packaged Goods (CPG) for for business and delivery. However, technology but thinking business— the UK, Ireland and Europe & Delivery being in one of the world’s largest IT something that is expected from each

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CIO today, as businesses turn increas- ingly digital. Most Indian CIOs come from a technology background and grow by not just doing technology but thinking technology. While there is a sensitiza- tion of late that CIOs need to think business—almost every senior CIO repeat that when advising to younger professionals—it is still not quite there. While there are honorable exceptions, most CIOs think they need to solve business problems through technology. Implicit in their thinking is that the ‘problem’ would be defined for them by someone else. It is not that they do not under- stand business. Many of today’s CIOs can explain the nuances of their busi- ness very well. But many of them still expect others to define the problem. That is clearly not adequate when organizations are eager to proactively use technology—which explains the That is clearly not adequate when popularity of the phrase ‘use case’. Even ‘excellent’ problem solving is not organizations are eager to proactively enough. They have to think how best they can create business value by use technology—which explains the applying technology, even if there is popularity of the phrase ‘use case’. no visible and defined problem. That is when CIOs need to think business Even ‘excellent’ problem solving is first and proactively. Business executives with solid not enough understanding of technology—as opposed to the reverse, which has been the case so far—hence are now CIO, Sanjay Sinha, joined from TCS ‘on open innovation platform, within TCS. good potential CIOs. deputation’. That time, that was prob- There have been other CIOs in the India is home to the world-class IT ably an exception. past who have come from technology services industry with plenty of senior But four years back, when the services industry. Viraj Deshpande, executives who satisfy the criterion – group appointed Aarthi Subramanian CIO of Reliance Industries’ petrochem- business executives who have a thor- as the Chief Digital Officer of Tata ical business has spent considerable ough understanding of technology. Sons, reporting directly to Group time in IT industry – in Accenture and Vinod Bhat, the new CIO of Vistara, Chairman, N Chandrasekaran, him- TCS itself. is just one such example, surely not self a TCS veteran, it was probably a A few CIOs in the past, like Viral the only one. conscious decision. In her role, Subra- Gandhi of Piramal, have also worked It seems Tata Group has con- manian is responsible for driving digi- for long in IT industry, specifically TCS sciously been following this path tization in Tata Group companies. in his case. for some time—looking for CIOs for More followed. A year later, in 2018, But today, there is a clear business group companies in its IT services Jayanta Banerjee, took over as the case and the recent hiring of TCS behemoth—Tata Consultancy Group CIO of Tata Steel. Banerjee is a employees by Tata Group companies Services. long time TCS veteran. as CIOs cannot just be looked like co- In the recent years, many CIOs of Again, in 2019, Tata Power hired its incidence. Tata Group companies have come Chief Digital and Information Officer, So, are other companies out there from TCS. Hasit Kaji, from TCS. Kaji, at that time, to hire a new age ‘business-thinking’ As many as nine years back, Voltas was heading Digital Impact Square, an CIO, listening?

JUNE 2021 | itnext | 17 INSIGHT

Five Fundamentals For Effective Security Design Creating an effective security design as traditional security solutions and strategies don’t work

By Rajesh Maurya

s organizations continue the perimeter, allowing new attack solutions to urgent business needs, to accelerate their digi- vectors to present opportunities for others are often over-trusted and tal innovation initiatives cyber criminals. fly under the radar. Given the rate with an effective security Many organizations have accumu- of innovation, there is rarely enough design, new network lated a wide variety of isolated security time to make them part of a cohesive edgesA are also introduced to their tools designed to monitor a specific or comprehensive security strategy. security infrastructure – from data function or protect one segment of Nearly 80% of organizations are center, LAN, SASE and more. The net- the network in isolation. Some of introducing innovations faster than work continues to expand and splinter these new environments are essential their ability to secure them against

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cyberattacks. When security is Deployed security solutions sible without introducing slowdowns deployed so rapidly, the aftermath is a 2 also need to have access to or human error. complex network with limited visibility common datasets across all and control. network edges, endpoints, and clouds, Because change is the only enriched with real-time global and 5 constant in today’s digital Creating an Effective Security community threat intelligence shared world, a security framework Design from every area of the organization. needs to be dynamic, meaning that Cyber criminals are always search- This common intelligence framework it must be designed to scale up and ing for new ways to bypass security enables holistic analysis of the state of out as the network it is securing controls, infiltrate networks, and security and performance, identifies evolves and adapts. This requires achieve their objectives. Their attacks emerging threats, and enables unified deep integration between security have grown in sophistication, aim- response across the organization. and the network components and ing to attack different network edges functions so organizations can contin- simultaneously to obscure their attack An integrated security frame- ually innovate and expand networking methods and identify the most easily 3 work needs to support and and operations ecosystems without a exploited link in the security chain. enable advanced data analy- lag in protections. Distributed networks that rely on tra- sis, combined with the ability to auto- ditionally isolated point products can’t matically create new protections A Fabric-based Security see or defend against these threats. across the full attack cycle when those Strategy Relies on Integration The clear challenge is that the discon- analytics detect previously unknown For organizations to have an effective nected and isolated security tools put threats. This system should also be security design in today’s increasingly in place to secure rapidly expanding able to function autonomously within complex and ever-evolving network, and multiplying network edges don’t simpler environments and be linked security needs to be effective in work together. This disconnection creates security and performance gaps that make it impossible to see An integrated security framework needs and respond with speed and effective- ness to sophisticated and distributed to support and enable advanced data attack sequences. analysis, combined with the ability to Five Fundamentals for automatically create new protections across Effective Security Design the full attack cycle when those analytics The approach to network security needs to evolve. Here are five funda- detect previously unknown threats mental principles and practices that every organization needs to consider to get in front of and stay ahead of to extended detection and response providing broad visibility and con- their current security challenges: (XDR), security information and event trol. Reducing complexity is the first management (SIEM), and security step in achieving that. Only then can A unified security framework orchestration, automation, and advanced analytics, threat correlation, 1 is essential to establish and response (SOAR) solutions for increas- dynamic adaptability, and integrated maintain control over every ingly advanced network operations threat response be possible. Those edge. It must be able to span the dis- center (NOC) and security operations functions, combined with the ability to tributed and evolving network to center (SOC) environments. be deployed broadly, deep integration detect threats, correlate data, and and convergence between security seamlessly enforce policy. This isn’t This security framework tools and between security and the about selecting a single vendor, rather 4 needs to be able to rapidly network, and dynamic automation about choosing the right vendors. Pri- launch a coordinated threat augmented by AI, are the hallmarks ority needs to be given to those ven- response across the entire ecosystem of any security system capable of dors that leverage application the moment a threat is detected. This defending today’s dynamic networks programming interfaces (APIs) and breaks the attack sequence before its and connected ecosystems. common standards to support objectives can be realized. Leveraging interoperability—especially those that machine learning (ML) and artificial allow policy decisions to be made out- intelligence (AI) tied to dynamically The author is Regional Vice President, side of their solution. generated playbooks makes this pos- India & SAARC, Fortinet

JUNE 2021 | itnext | 19 INSIGHT

Supply Chain Is Dead, Long Live The New Supply Chain Ecosystems With accelerated speed of digital transformation, in next few years, the supply chain as we know, will become obsolete and will be replaced by a smoothly running, self-regulating utility that optimally manages end-to-end workflows and requires very little human intervention

By Pradeep Agarwal

upply chain is probably the customers. Every business decision the right technology in place survived delicate aspect when we talk has to be based on supply chain and to tell the tale. With accelerated speed about businesses. These legacy technologies do not provide the of digital transformation, in next few supply chains could be end-to-end transparency. The absence years, the supply chain as we know, will inward in terms of utilities, of data can wreak havoc on busi- become obsolete and will be replaced Sraw materials, etc and could be out- nesses, and we all have seen that over by a smoothly running, self-regulating ward in terms of ready materials to the the last year. Businesses which had utility that optimally manages end-to-

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end workflows and requires very little human intervention. With the right technology in palace, business leaders can capture, analyze, integrate, easily access, and interpret high quality, real-time data. This data further fuels process automation, pre- dictive analytics, artificial intelligence, and robotics. We are working with some leading companies like Apollo Tyres, Unile- ver, etc, that are already exploring the possibilities. We have witnessed many of our customers using robot- ics or artificial intelligence to digitize and automate labor-intensive, repeti- tive tasks and processes, such as purchasing, invoicing, accounts pay- able, and parts of customer service. Predictive analytics is helping them improve demand forecasting and Another key concept that is coming up thus reducing or better managing volatility, increasing asset utilization, is the “digital control tower” - a virtual and providing customer convenience decision center that provides real-time, at optimized cost. Sensor data on machines are helping manufactur- end-to-end visibility into global supply ers to better estimate any probable chains. A typical “tower” is actually a break down, so that the downtime is minimized. Blockchains are beginning physical room staffed... to revolutionize the way supply chains are monitored and secured. The blitz- krieg speed and accuracy with which The same concept is also being will be needed who can analyze and COVID -19 vaccines are being supplied used by manufacturers. Any manufac- validate the data, and are comfortable and administered is the most striking turer depending upon the scale, typi- using digital tools, algorithms, and demonstration of how the union of cally moves hundreds and thousands forecasting. Additionally, specialists technology and supply chain can of parts and components per day and will be required for designing technol- work wonders. these control towers flag potential ogy driven agile supply chains that Another key concept that is com- supply issues as they arise, calculate can remain sturdy in highly dynamic ing up is the “digital control tower” - a the effects of the problem, and either strategy and can cater to require- virtual decision center that provides automatically corrects the issue using ments and priorities of businesses. real-time, end-to-end visibility into predetermined actions or flags it for People will also be needed at the global supply chains. A typical “tower” the escalation team. intersection of operations and tech- is actually a physical room staffed nology. These skill sets are not avail- with a team of data analysts working Reskilling implications able today, so the companies need to full-time, 24/7, monitoring a wall of What do these trends mean? It is start investing in hiring new people or high-definition screens. Visual alerts amply clear that the machines are reskill/upskill its existing workforce. warn of inventory shortfalls or pro- replacing the supply chain and are The end of the traditional supply cess bottlenecks before they happen, doing a better job. It is only obvious chain is just right around the corner so that teams on the front line can that in the not-so-distant future, auto- and we need to update our skills to course correct quickly before potential mated processes, data governance, come out a winner while operating problems become actual ones. Real- advanced analytics, sensors, robotics, the new supply chain. time data, unquestioned accuracy, artificial intelligence, and a continual relentless customer focus, process learning loop will minimize the need excellence, and analytical leadership for humans. There will be demand for The author is Senior Director - ERP Cloud, underlie the control tower operations. very niche skill sets in humans. People Oracle India

JUNE 2021 | itnext | 21 INSIGHT

The ‘Not So Fine’ Print Behind Competitive Pricing Of Enterprise Communications Platforms When it comes to pricing an audio or video call between two individuals, almost every platform can offer a similar, competitive rate card on the surface, but bill a radically different cost for the same call

By Pankaj Gupta

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t is a well-established fact that the total duration of the video pants on a call are using standard businesses are increasingly look- call. Using the same example of 3 definition, as long as the partici- ing for enterprise communications participants over a 2-minute video pant’s cumulative video resolution solutions to ensure business con- call, the resulting charges would remains more than 921,600 pixels, tinuity, create distinct consumer be 3 (participants) x (3-1) x 2(min- it is automatically considered an Iexperiences, and enable multilateral utes) x tariff. So, even if both plat- HD+ call. In another case, even if collaborations. As most mid and large- forms offer the same tariff, the there are merely two people on the size companies look at implementing former is half the total cost of the call, but one of them is sharing her communications platforms according latter, who are using “subscribed screen (screen sharing mandatorily to their specific needs, often budget minutes” as their pricing metric. needs HD+), the entire call will be becomes the deciding factor between And this example is only based on charged as HD+. This is a big and the plethora of options available a 3-party call. Imagine if it is a larger deliberate gap in their marketing today. However, the pricing of most group call, the cost will be exponen- communication to convince CTOs CPaaS or Communications APIs ser- tially higher! to subscribe to a seemingly low- vice providers is not as simple, trans- Screen sharing: Be it online team cost plan, which may eventually parent, and comparable as it is for, meetings, a video conference, or charge HD+ price while offering an say, telecom providers (think how easy a client presentation, we cannot SD experience. It is advisable to it is to choose among the top 3-4 tele- imagine a collaborative digital world choose a provider that does charge com service providers based on their without screen sharing. Often, to anything extra for HD+ experience. tariff plans). Thus, CTOs and IT heads make the pricing competitive, plat- This allows clients to easily offer an need to scratch beneath the surface forms talk about key metrics such HD+ experience to their stakehold- to compare the pricing of shortlisted as the number of participants, call ers without having to bother about service providers to avoid any shock- minutes, and recording minutes the nitty-gritty of individual and ers at the time of billing. only. However, the fine print is that cumulative resolutions. The key takeaway from the above is that when it comes to pricing an Platforms talk about key metrics such as the audio or video call between two indi- number of participants, subscribed minutes, viduals, almost every platform can offer a similar, competitive rate card and the call resolution only. However, the on the surface, but bill a radically different cost for the same call. The fine print is that many of them count every game starts changing when busi- screen share as one additional stream... nesses scale up and need technology to support deeper, more efficient, and seamless collaboration. The Here are some filters that many of them count every screen complex tariff formulae carved out they can use: share as one additional (up and of microscopic terms and conditions Video Call Room Size: The first down) stream of communication, could lead to billing disasters for busi- and foremost consideration is the which is treated as an additional nesses. The thumb rule here is to opt room size for any video call. While participant. This increases the net for a platform that is upfront about some platforms charge based on cost of every session significantly. the fine prints and uses a simple bill- the number of participants and Thus, it is important to consider ing formula based on the tariff and the number of minutes that they using a platform that does not number of users. There should not are part of the call, i.e., for a 2 min charge clients for screen sharing to be any additional or hidden charges video call among 3 participants, the make video calls more productive for screen sharing, added resolution, calculation will be 3(participants) x at an optimal cost. etc. since these are bread and butter 2(minutes) x tariff; others charge Cumulative Resolution: As busi- for everyone who works in an online based on other parameters like nesses look to create ‘life-like’ digital environment and cannot be charged “per subscribed minutes”. Using experiences, high-definition multi- as a luxury. The formula also helps “subscribed minutes” as a metric lateral video calls are not a luxury businesses project their IT expenses makes the billing more complicated but a need of the hour. While some and streamline their budgets with as “subscribed minutes” are calcu- platforms explicitly state the price higher certainty and without undue lated as N(participants) x (N-1) x for HD and HD+ calls, they attach surprises. Duration, where N is the number a unique meaning to these labels. of participants and Duration is For instance, even if all the partici- The author is CEO & Founder, EnableX.io

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Using AI To Keep Up With Data Protection And BFSI Compliance Laws The use of AI-powered tools will ensure BFSI firms can stem security risks in real-time and safeguard both their modern and traditional applications, as well as reduce friction in legitimate customer interactions

By Mohan Veloo

he widespread digitalization With the global shift to digital banking, several banks have begun to of economies has attracted economies, banking, financial services, close their physical locations. How- increasing levels of cyber- and insurance (BFSI) industries in the ever, in India larger banks are simpli- threats, accompanied by Asia Pacific region (APAC) are seeing fying their branches and partnering breakneck legislation. Can AI disruption and digitalization pres- with ‘new gen neo banks' to provide Thelp BFSIs keep pace? sures. With the move toward digital a unified customer experience for

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their products and services. According cloud or in on-premises data centers. to a study, the India Digital Banking Poorly Poorly developed applications pres- Market is expected to grow at a CAGR ent vulnerabilities for exploitation by of more than 22% between 2019 and developed attackers to gain access to sensitive 2024, owing to increasing technologi- data and the corporate network. This cal advancements, increasing internet applications can lead to costly business disrup- penetration, and a growing number tions, damaged brand reputation and of smartphone users in India. The neo present potentially government fines. bank model is expected to raise USD vulnerabilities 394 billion by 2026, according to PWC. Using AI capabilities to fight The number of neo banks in India is for exploitation cyberthreats growing significantly, we have seen As online transactions continue to over USD 90 million funded last year. by attackers grow, it will become increasingly be By 2025, APAC is projected to see difficult to monitor and guard against 100 new financial institutions fueled to gain access malicious traffic. The shortage in by liberalization in several markets. trained cybersecurity professionals According to a report by IDC and to sensitive globally only exacerbates this situa- Backbase, 63% of consumers were tion. The use of AI tools not only helps willing to switch to neo banks over data and the BFSI companies make better deci- the next five years. With new digital sions, but also enables them to secure opportunities come new digital risks, corporate their apps more effectively without as systems must meet increasingly adding layers of security checks that stringent data security and compli- network can degrade user experience. ance regulations being introduced by AI-enabled solutions can accurately governments around the world. determine in real-time whether an a popular target for cybercriminals application request is from a fraudu- The BFSI security conundrum and the volume of malicious attacks lent source. Such tools can swiftly miti- Security, anti-money laundering and will only intensify as digitalization and gate potential fraud risks and, at the compliance mandates in the region transaction volumes increase. same time, allow legitimate customer come with tight deadlines and signifi- requests to proceed seamlessly. The cant penalties for non-compliance. Apps at the center of BFSI use of AI-powered tools will ensure These requirements include imple- cybersecurity BFSI firms can stem security risks in menting security measures to mitigate The increasing importance of applica- real-time and safeguard both their the risk of malware infections; ensur- tions is adding to an already-complex modern and traditional applications, ing updates are applied in a timely landscape that BFSI must navigate. as well as reduce friction in legitimate fashion; and enhancing user authenti- Fundamentally, in a digital world, customer interactions. cation for critical systems. applications are the front of customer This is a brave new world for banks, Such regulations are deemed experience and, for many consumers, financial services organizations, and necessary as digitalization exposes their only interaction point with insurers. The rules have changed, organizations to more risks, includ- such firms. and the competitive landscape is ing online identity theft and data Our research indicates that 74% far broader than it has ever been. breaches. Governments are also of organizations viewed applications At the same time, the growth of the responding to citizen’s own concerns as essential to business, while 26% digital banking space offers ambitious about security and data privacy. High- of respondents felt that applications players in this sector a tremendous profile breaches in the news and played a key role in driving competi- opportunity to grow. popular shows like Netflix’s ‘Social tive advantage and supporting their To build scale, outpace their Dilemma’ have added to this increas- business. In addition, business-critical new competitors and thrive, tradi- ing awareness and concerns. applications increasingly run in the tional BFSI players must embrace new Further complicating matters is the cloud, which 60% of BFSI respondents technologies like AI, sharpen their apparent disconnect between con- described as the most strategically security posture and plan for a future sumer expectations and their behav- important technology for the next two that delivers extraordinary digital ior. Unsurprisingly, security is one of to three years. experiences. the biggest challenges that businesses Security should therefore be top surveyed faced in their DX efforts. In of mind regardless of where these The author is Vice President - Global fact, the financial services industry is applications are hosted, be it in the Solutions Engineering, F5

JUNE 2021 | itnext | 25 INSIGHT

Air India Data Breach Exposes India's Cybersecurity Deficiencies India is swiftly becoming one of the favorite hunting spots for cybercriminals. It's time the country takes concrete measures to secure the personal data of its citizens

By Jatinder Singh

he country's national carrier, The attack was part of well-coordi- impacted several international airlines, Air India, recently disclosed nated hack series on the passenger such as Singapore Airlines, Lufthansa, an infringement on its pas- service system servers of Société Malaysian Airlines, and Finnair. The senger service system that Internationale de Télécommunications level of data breach impact varied compromised the personal Aéronautiques (SITA). This global ICT from one airline to another. Tdata – including date of birth, contact solution provider delivers services particulars, passport, and credit card to 90% of the worldwide aviation Data breach response plan details – of 45 lakh passengers. industry. The data security incident While the Geneva-based solution pro-

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vider had informed about this incident In the post-covid era, hackers are to all its customers in February 2021, expected to get even more innovative. for a bizarre reason, Air India did not With the number of unsecured end- feel the urgency to advise its custom- points increasing, coupled with enter- ers on taking necessary precautions prises focusing on integrating their such as changing account passwords. processes with new-age technologies, Once again, the incident has networks are becoming more suscep- revealed India's delayed approach to tible and need significant investment responding to a cybersecurity urgency and research efforts. and prevalent deficiencies in its IT Companies must governance model. It may not be The urgency of strong data possible to control all network intru- provide a roadmap protection law sion incidents, impacting even those In the current digital age, modern organizations that deploy robust once the breach security threats are becoming com- security solutions and tools. However, is discovered and plex. While organizations need to companies must provide a roadmap invest significantly in their research once the breach is discovered and help minimize the and technology capabilities to miti- help minimize the damage incurred. gate such breaches, the Indian gov- Setting up a robust incident response damage incurred. ernment also needs to expedite the plan is critical. It should be in place to Setting up a robust process to introduce strong data examine the violation, find reasons for security laws. Like European Union's the security breach, urgent steps to incident response GDPR law, Indian data protection laws limit the damage, and efforts needed plan is critical. It also need to classify privacy as a fun- to beef up the security. damental right. In this case, most of the impacted should be in place The absence of a proper legislative airline carriers globally immediately framework makes it difficult informed their travelers about the data to examine it for Indian citizens to get clarity breach and the recommended action around their rights in case of any steps when the incident came to light. covered 524 organizations globally, violation of their privacy. The country Air India surprisingly took almost three India reported the second most cyber- that aims to become the IT super- months to notify its customers whose attacks after Japan in the Asia Pacific power has been waiting for express data was compromised. region in 2020. With almost a 10% legislation, data protection bill, that One may argue that the national increase, the financial impact of these deals with data protection. carrier was ascertaining the level and breaches was about INR 140 million. For instance, if we had the robust scope of the data security attack and More than the financial loss, such data protection bill, a national car- wanted to know the full details of trav- violations can make a severe dent in rier like Air India would have been elers whose data was compromised. business reputation, and influence bound to notify its flyers about the But in any cybersecurity breach, timely customer trust. data breach incident in a specific time- action can help activate a successful In Nov 2020, online grocer, Bigbas- frame. In most advanced countries, incident response mechanism, some- ket, came to know about a major data companies are required to undertake thing which Air India could not do. breach on its network when it found necessary actions within 72 hours of leaked data of its two crore customers becoming aware of the data breach Growing incidents a colossal was up for sale for INR 30 lakh on the incident. Any inefficiency may result in concern Dark Web. In May 2020, Bangalore- significant fines. Ever since the COVID-19 pandemic based learning platform, Unacademy's The Personal Data Protection Bill, began, there has been a steep rise in corporate data, the details of its 20 proposed in 2017, needs urgent the cases related to data breaches in million user accounts, was hacked and implementation with solid parameters India. In an era where companies are being sold on the Dark Web for about to define user privacy. In the digital growing their digital footprints and INR 1.5 lakh. economy, data is the goldmine that remote-working has become a new Pizza restaurant chain, Domino’s gives companies an edge to build great norm, endpoint abuse has increased Pizza, became the latest victim of an products and services. If the same multiple times among enterprises of enormous data breach, compromising data continues to be compromised all sizes. the credit card details, name, mobile for malicious and exploitive purposes, According to IBM Security's annual numbers, and location history of its consumers' trust in the new shining Cost of Data Breach report, which 180 million customers. digital economy will get weakened.

JUNE 2021 | itnext | 27 INSIGHT

Microsoft Sets Windows 10 Expiry Date. Are Enterprises Ready For An Upgrade? The US tech behemoth takes a radical leap by announcing a significant upgrade to Windows 10 this month. But it may not be easy for businesses to jump to it straight away

By Jatinder Singh

icrosoft has recently agement, lower cost of ownership, during the 'Build' developer confer- launched Windows compelling remote work administra- ence, held earlier this year. "Soon, we 11, which has a more tion features, and enhanced security. will share one of the most significant intuitive user interface, Satya Nadella, the CEO of Microsoft, updates to Windows of the past Mbetter enterprise man- first shared the idea of the new OS decade to unlock greater economic 28 | itnext | JUNE 2021 INSIGHT

opportunity for developers and cre- strategy, and sharp change manage- sigh of relief, hoping that they would ators. I've been self-hosting it over the ment tactics. These are not always not need to take extensive migration past several months, and I'm incred- possible in small business setups, efforts every few years. ibly excited about the next generation which are not equipped enough to The Silicon Valley giant stuck to of Windows OS," he proclaimed. carry out the migration or pay hefty its strategy for over five years. Still, it The US tech giant has already dis- consulting fees to technology part- seemed to have changed gears after closed its intentions of not continuing ners to manage their devices and shift witnessing the pandemic-forced digital with Windows 10. Its Windows lifecycle to the new Windows environment. transformation acceleration and a fact sheet states that the company Expecting them to invest that kind of massive surge in PC demand during will end all support for Windows 10 money on Windows upgrade at a time the pandemic. The reasons for a sig- (Windows 10 Home, Pro, Pro for Work- when most of them are trying to sta- nificant roll-out soon after the impact stations, and Pro Education) by 14 bilize after facing business disruption of pandemic subsides worldwide can October 2025. and dealing with the consequences of be attributed to the unprecedented There is no doubt that Windows the pandemic. remote-workforce activation and mas- upgrade could be a gamechanger The biggest challenge that comes sive uptake of cloud, which also gave for the world's second most valued in any upgrade is the possibility of Microsoft a 33% jump in its profits to company and drive more significant data loss due to migration process touch USD 15.5 billion for the Decem- revenues for Microsoft in the years to discrepancies. While enterprises can ber 2020 quarter. come. But the critical question is: are enterprises ready to adapt to the new OS environment and willing to initiate In the ever-growing complex an extensive mass migration exercise? ecosystem that continues to grow Migration is a significant challenge for enterprises at an astounding pace, many Since the 1990s, enterprises have been compelled to migrate to new businesses often scramble to and upgraded Windows environments every three to six years. The enter- architect a speedy migration prise-wide migration is not easy and can pose serious business continuity threats such as compatibility issues reduce this risk by having a solid data- The relevance of Windows OS has with any mission-critical enterprise backup partner onboard, implement- become more than ever for workforce app or lack of adequate drivers in ing an organization-wide data-backup productivity in the age of fast-track legacy hardware. strategy entails effective communica- technology adoption. And historically, In the past, many public and pri- tion and training efforts. Businesses Microsoft's PC sales ramp up when- vate sector companies have faced should inform all users to secure their ever the company announces a new significant challenges while jumping critical data in local backup folders to Windows upgrade. to a new Windows environment and avoid any work-performance issues. While businesses still have time upgrading their line-of-business appli- until 2025 to upgrade their systems cations. It is not just in terms of cost A possible shift from as-a- to the new Microsoft environment, but also because of the enormous service model many global companies might feel efforts to re-train talent and make The new edition of Windows conflicts tempted to elevate themselves early users aware of the usage/features of with Microsoft's erstwhile declaration as a result of this breakthrough inno- the new platform. In the ever-growing of Windows 10, launched in 2015, vation. That will leave many young complex ecosystem that continues as its last operating system. At that companies facing a dilemma to find to grow at an astounding pace, many time, Microsoft wanted to take an the right processes to overcome the businesses often scramble to archi- as-a-service route for Windows by upgrade issues. tect and validate a speedy and cost- providing continuous updates and Nevertheless, it is advisable to avoid effective migration. bi-annual feature enhancements like any rush-implementation efforts of For many small enterprises, short the Android and iOS platforms to add the new Windows ecosystem since of time and technical resources to new features, functionalities and bring any hassled approach can negatively test and deploy the new environment, overall innovations. affect the user experience if they are any porting plan needs labor-inten- As a result, many enterprises and not ready to adapt or are not produc- sive efforts, a robust implementation IT managers at that time felt a huge tion-ready.

JUNE 2021 | itnext | 29 INSIGHT

Are India's New IT Laws A Step In The Right Direction? The government can make the regulations more secure and user-friendly by adopting a multi-stakeholder consultative approach

By Jatinder Singh

30 | itnext | JUNE 2021 INSIGHT

ndia's new Intermediary Guide- safety. However, given the pandemic, concerns as the government had lines and Digital Media Ethics Code the three-month timeline granted is given them the deadline of 25th May under IT rules has created many significantly less and needs further 2021 to comply with the norms. Yet, wrangles between the top digital deliberation," says Kanishk Gaur, none of the social media giants took platforms and the Indian govern- Founder, India Future Foundation. the government notifications seriously Iment. In a surprising and unprec- Gaur explains that all messaging initially to raise their apprehensions. edented move, Facebook-owned platforms like iMessage, WhatsApp, or WhatsApp recently sued the Indian Signal use leading end-to-end encryp- Need for more accountability government over the new internet tion protocols. Therefore, finding the The new IT rules are a step forward laws, arguing that the new regulations, right set of solutions requires careful in India's attempt to make social and which also give Indian authorities the deliberation and rigorous auditing. digital media platforms more account- right to trace individual messages, is "These protocols use rigorously able for the content shared on their an attempt to breach the privacy of audited algorithms for reliable channels and put necessary checks its users. exchange of keys. If we have to track to curb technology abuse. The regula- By far the most popular social chan- the first originator of the message, tions mandate social media and digital nel in India, WhatsApp's recent move which the guideline talks about, we'll giants with more than 50 lakh users — is sidesplitting and reflects the com- have to mark every message with a such as WhatsApp, Facebook, Twitter, pany's arbitrarily and differential-stan- "stamp" as none of these platforms and YouTube — to adopt significant dard treatment. In January this year, have a way of knowing which message compliance and grievance redressal WhatsApp had introduced separate privacy and data sharing policies for Europe and India. As part of its policy, Facebook mandated its Indian users WhatsApp's recent move is sidesplitting to share their data with Facebook and reflects the company's arbitrarily and other associated platforms while relaxing this new diktat for its users in and differential-standard treatment. Europe, citing stringent General Data In January this year, WhatsApp had Protection Regulation (GDPR). Allegedly, WhatsApp has been introduced separate privacy and data sending repetitive push notifications to trick users into taking their consent sharing policies for Europe and India for its updated privacy policy. And now, when the Indian government is trying to fill the regulatory vacuum and may become problematic. Experts mechanisms and be more responsive take stringent measures to protect its generally believe that this may under- to user complaints. national interests, Facebook is project- mine the security and privacy guaran- For almost two decades, it appears ing itself as a privacy activist. teed by the underlying algorithms. The that there has been a lack of political "WhatsApp argues against the current issue needs more extensive will to implement strong Indian Cyber government's new guidelines on the deliberation and understanding as Laws. Now the IT rules 2021 represent pretext of servicing its users’ privacy currently, no proposed cryptographic a different paradigm entirely. They interest. However, questionably, it solution has tested full proof from a have given immense power to the also tries to make blatant misuse of cybersecurity lens. At the same time, central government. These rules stand its dominant position by enforcing a the government is saying that you for strengthening the cyber sover- policy on its users which they don't come up with solutions but move eignty of India. approve of," says Deepak Kumar, forward in our direction. The govern- "Service providers have had hon- Founder Analyst at B&M Nxt. ment certainly has a legitimate inter- eymoon under the Indian cyberlaw However, a section of industry est in seeking this information, but for over a decade. They have been experts feels that WhatsApp has not this may require a longer and more given kid-glove treatment, making done anything surprising and may collaborative effort to ensure users on them believe that they are special and need more time and deliberations to platforms like iMessage, Signal, and always given preferential treatment. develop suitable solutions to adhere WhatsApp do not feel insecure, espe- There were no proactive compliances to the new IT laws. cially in a very precarious cybersecu- earlier. It looks like this has resulted "These guidelines are a good step rity landscape," he adds. in some of the digital service provid- and must be welcomed, especially Interestingly, the digital platforms ers to have some form of illusion that from the lens of women and child had over three months to raise their they [service providers] are special

JUNE 2021 | itnext | 31 INSIGHT

argue that it cannot tweak its technol- truth. "The government is not look- Top Social Media ogy to prevent its misuse. Because ing at any such direction. "If you look Intermediaries of certain exclusive features, they will at the IT rules 2021, there are only continue to hide the identity of cyber- certain limited circumstances in which in India criminals. This argument is legally not the government can ask about the Platform Users (in permissible to a service provider. If information about the originator of crores) they persist with such arguments, the message," Duggal states. governments can put them in the Only in specific limited settings, WhatsApp 53 same category of co-accused or co- this information can be sought by the YouTube 45 conspirator should it [government] government. And the data can only be find a valid reason that their platform passed by the digital media platform Facebook 41 has been used to execute nefarious provider once the order is passed by Instagram 21 activities," elucidates Duggal. competent jurisdiction or by statu- In some circles, a perception-based tory authority under Section 69 of the Twitter 1.8 narrative is getting widespread atten- Indian IT Act. tion, according to which these new The section allows the central and therefore above the law," says laws attempt to create a police state government to block an intermedi- Pavan Duggal, India's leading cyber and a censorship-based government. ary's public access "in the interest law expert. Industry experts discard this theory, of sovereignty and integrity of India, The government has made clear and this conjecture is far from the defense of India, state security, cordial that non-adherence to the new IT guidelines will revoke the intermediary status of digital players, as per Section 79 of the Indian IT Act. Duggal further elucidates that this [new IT laws] is a step in the right direction. Now, the govern- ment should focus on the speedy implementation of the Personal Data Protection Bill in India. "The message is clear: If any service provider fails to adhere to the new IT guidelines, they will invite deeper legal trouble for themselves," Duggal adds.

Right to the privacy debate WhatsApp's argument against the latest IT guidelines is that the new laws violate the right to privacy under Indian law. They [WhatsApp] add that, to comply with it and ensure trace- ability features to identify originators of messages, they [WhatsApp] need to discontinue their end-to-end encryp- tion feature. It would also need them to gather data exchanged between its subscribers regularly and require enormous resources. But is it a valid dispute? Such laws But is it a valid dispute? Such laws are primarily essential to effectively are primarily essential to effectively deal with detection, investigation, and prosecution of cybercrimes and cyber- deal with detection, investigation, security breaches. and prosecution of cybercrimes and "There is no legal foundation in that argument. No service provider can cybersecurity breaches

32 | itnext | JUNE 2021 INSIGHT

New Rules that Intermediaries Need to Comply With

Due diligence to be followed by intermediaries: In ing the details of complaints received and action case due diligence is not followed by the intermedi- taken on the complaints. ary, safe harbor provisions will not apply to them. • Platforms providing services primarily in the Grievance redressal mechanism: Intermediaries, nature of messaging shall enable identification including social media intermediaries, should estab- of the first originator of the information that is lish a grievance redressal mechanism for receiving required only for prevention, detection, investiga- and resolving complaints from the users or victims. tion, prosecution, or punishment of an offense The Grievance Officer shall acknowledge the com- related to sovereignty and integrity of India, the plaint within twenty-four hours and resolve it within security of the State, friendly relations with for- fifteen days from its receipt. eign States, or public order or of incitement to an Ensuring Online Safety and Dignity of Users: offence relating to the above or in relation with Intermediaries shall remove or disable access rape, sexually explicit material or child sexual within 24 hours of receipt of complaints of sexually abuse material punishable with imprisonment for explicit material, images or content. Such a com- a term of not less than five years. plaint can be filed either by the individual or by any • Significant social media intermediary shall have a other person on his/her behalf. physical contact address in India published on its Additional compliance requirements for signifi- website or mobile app, or both. cant social media intermediaries (those with over • Voluntary User Verification Mechanism: Users 50 lakh users): The rules require the significant who wish to verify their accounts voluntarily shall social media intermediaries to follow certain addi- be provided an appropriate mechanism to verify tional due diligence: their accounts and supplied with the demonstra- • Appoint a Chief Compliance Officer, Nodal ble and visible mark of verification. Contact Person (for 24*7 coordination with law • Users must be provided an adequate and reason- enforcement agencies), Resident Grievance Offi- able opportunity to dispute the action taken by cer. These people should be residents of India. intermediaries. • Publish a monthly compliance report mention- Source: Ministry of Electronics & IT

relations with foreign states or public rolled out guidelines around trace- developments and keen to roll out order or for preventing incitement ability requirements for efficient law legislation to access encrypted mes- to the commission of any cognizable enforcement. Australia, for instance, sages to maintain law and order in offense relating to above." had introduced its encryption law their respective countries. "The government has done well by under the Telecommunications and However, it is also a valid argument issuing the intermediary guidelines Other Legislation Amendment (Assis- that making traceability compulsory and put the necessary checks in place tance and Access), better known as requires herculean efforts from ser- to safeguard these tools, becoming TOLA, in 2018. As a result, various vice providers. They [service provid- lawless playgrounds for criminals. industry estimates suggest that Aus- ers] will have to invest significantly There are adequate procedural safe- tralia's law enforcement bodies have in building capabilities to store and guards. However, the government become several times more effective secure users data from hackers and must maintain the balance by estab- in solving robbery and drug-related cyber-criminals. lishing a multi-stakeholder mechanism cases by leveraging encryption-break- With the country looking to approve (panel) to keep a watch on any poten- ing technologies. its Data Protection Bill soon, engaging tial breach and recommend neces- The US has also come up with the with all stakeholders, getting critical sary corrective measures or punitive lawful access to encrypted Data Act learnings from the global markets actions to the concerned government Bill in 2020 to strengthen its national where such laws have already been authorities," adds Deepak Kumar from security and prevent the misuse of implemented, and including technical B&M Nxt. encryption technology by malicious experts in the core committee to ana- actors. In addition, countries such as lyze different timelines and technol- The final say the UK, Canada, New Zealand, and ogy readiness can pave the way for a India is not the only nation that has Japan are also keenly following the robust data protection regime.

JUNE 2021 | itnext | 33 INSIGHT

Real And Unreal AI Nowadays most of the projects and AI systems have started to create a Real AI, but due to various reasons, they end into Unreal AI system

By Kanu Butani

34 | itnext | JUNE 2021 INSIGHT

n this world, that is going from real to Artificial Intelligence, people are becoming relevant to the new concepts of AI and AR, where we see so many techies, technology Iexperts, and technology companies and partners talking about AI and its usefulness in the day-to-day life of a person. Everyone is striving to look into how a manual task can be con- verted into an automated one, and we can be self-reliant on the technology and see how AI, ML, and its concepts turn into its applied form. In such a scenario where in today’s busiest IT industry where no one has time to look into the nitty grittiest of the pro- cesses, thus in that purview the main crux of the automation is left behind and only the first layer of AI is worked upon. There are such instances and many other reasons due to which we come across the two AIs called “Real It is this photograph that is a real AI” and “Unreal AI”. In this article, we artificial intelligence of a camera will see how these AIs turn into Real and Unreal and what are the factors system that has made that real responsible for that. moment so nicely captured in itself AI in ancient age What a wonderful season and a great time to go through the AI and AR con- not required or it was so unreal that to play a role of an intelligent system. cepts. The rain is created by GOD. The no AI was itself there. Hence what all Since the start of this world, we all are rain is one of the biggest AI that the we can see, or we have, it is a Real trying to create whatever machines nature has made. Don’t you feel so? AI. There are many examples, few of are to make the manual work into The water from the earth evaporates which are listed herewith. automation. It’s not a new concept. and the clouds formed due to that When we see a photograph, it Even during the time of stone age, to fall back in the form of rain. What a is a memory worth living. It is this rub two stones together to generate beautiful concept, predicting AI in a photograph that is a real artificial the fire was also a type of AI to auto- real sense and essence. I would like to intelligence of a camera system that mate fire from the stones. divide AI into two categories, based on has made that real moment so nicely While I was in The Netherlands, how real it looks: captured in itself that when we see it, I had visited “Zaans Museum” in 1. Real AI we reach that place and can remem- Amsterdam. There I saw how the 2. Unreal AI ber the entire scene. This is what we windmills actually worked and with the Real AI: When an artificial intel- can call as a Real AI system. Another power of wind, the wood was cut, and ligence system can be related to a example is the clock, the oldest AI the saw was generated. thing that is real, it can be termed as system that is so real that gives us ‘Real AI’. correct time with its magical system Unreal AI Unreal AI: When an AI system can- going inside it. These all things are so innovative not be related to a thing that is real, When we go through the older and yet so simply solves an issue and or it looks unreal in its broader sense, times and think about any AI at that makes this world understand what then it can be termed as ‘Unreal AI’. time, we get lot of examples that AI actually is. We always think that AI comes to us that give us the glance of is new and wonder what AI will do to Real AI AI and AR. our lives, but AI when we think is exist- The Real AI still exists but Unreal AI AI is an extension in the world of ing, since we have come on this earth has vanished because that was either computers and a part of computers and we need something whatever we

JUNE 2021 | itnext | 35 INSIGHT

The Real AI and the Unreal AI go together when a project begins, and the owner of that project needs to check if they are going more towards creating a Real or Unreal AI invent has been AI so far, we are then due to various reasons, they end into ending for loop”, we have created an good to go and accept the Real AI. Unreal AI system. Some of the issues uncontrolled system, but just imagine This would really help humankind in can be as follows: is it useful, it’s not. Or if we want to some way or the other. The one thing 1. The unclear problem create a robot for destruction only, that we are afraid of is that Robots 2. No issue but just to create how much destruction we will need and AI will destroy the world or will 3. AI hype or AI can do, and in first place, why we rule the humans, and this is what I 4. Big Bang approach need any AI for destruction. call as Unreal AI, since that is never 5. Threat of AI going to happen. The computers or 6. Treating AI as a normal solution Conclusion any machine whatsoever will always Earlier we were dealing problems The Real AI and the Unreal AI go be a machine and it is far away from of simple things and tried to convert together when a project begins, and the reach of human intelligence. them to analog like clock or so on… the owner of that project needs to Why? Because humans have gone but now we are trying to convert them check if he/she is going more towards through generations over generations into digital. Hence, we arrive to two creating a Real AI or Unreal AI. It to develop such a brain and its func- instances of AI that are: Analog AI and depends on his/her decisions and tions and such a wonderful nervous Digital AI. Be it any AI, it must be com- his/her experience, which decides system. If you go through the “Evolu- mitted to work as a perfect servant about this. If the Unreal AI is created, tion Theory of Man”, you will come to and not the master. the project will go accordingly and know that how humans have evolved The Controlled AI and Non-con- finally fail. There will be no advantage and how much old a human is. So, trolled AI are the two variants that we to anyone. Thus, before beginning for a machine to come to the human always come along, based on the ser- with the project, during the assess- brain understanding will also require vant and master. The AI must always ment phase, this aspect is to be so many generations of AI to come up be controlled and most of them are, reviewed and checked and if we have to that speed and to overtake human and they are RealAI systems, because complete confidence on the project brain. The pixels that our eye has is, we can control them, understand and we know that we will create a 560 px, that clarity we have and in them and rely on them. Whereas the Real AI system that will be of help today’s world we have 30 px camera uncontrolled is just a hype mostly if to many people, doing the manual and we feel happy with the clarity of we do or create some uncontrolled it work into automation, then we can it. Just imagine the human body intel- would be useless, and hence also the proceed further. Even a small pro- ligence creating the AI system requires unreal AI. Thus, it is only to show off cess that we convert into automation, a fair understanding of the problem in the hyped manner or to create a would be then extremely helpful for and the steps necessary to take to sci-fi movie to create a story interest- the organization. make it a Real AI system. Nowadays ing thereof. But that doesn’t mean we most of the projects and AI systems can’t create an uncontrolled AI system, The author is a Software professional, have started to create a Real AI, but we can for example, if we run a “never based in Mumbai

36 | itnext | JUNE 2021 INSIGHT

How Technology Is Reshaping The Construction Landscape In India Technology is empowering contractors with access to real- time information anytime, anywhere from any device

By Ashok Wani

he global construction This recovery cycle also comes prises (EC&O) are trying to unwind spectrum is undergoing with an extraordinary pressure on the pressure by embracing advanced an extensive transforma- construction players due to com- construction management technology. tion. Though 2020 instilled petitive bids and lack of skilled labor, uncertainty all over the compelling developers to run projects Technology & Construction Tworld, businesses have started to understaffed with tighter deadlines. Technology is a proven enabler of recover again, paving the way for bet- As a proactive approach, Engineering, growth in the construction industry. ter opportunities in the pipeline. Construction & Infrastructure enter- It's helping infra players improve their

JUNE 2021 | itnext | 37 INSIGHT existing operations and legacy prac- everything from supply chain to proj- Human Resources tices. Some of these technological ect management. Contractors who were reluctant to trends, like digitization, cloud-based use construction software to manage software solutions, drones, etc., are Impact of Technology on their labor resources often struggled widely adopted due to their ability to Construction Functions with overpayments and time theft improve collaboration between site Infrastructure and construction tech- issues. On the other hand, deploying teams, office staff, contractors, and nology has positively impacted many a construction ERP solution is helping project owners. functions for on-premises and off- project managers monitor productivity Also, they can experience advance- premises operations of a project: hours to ensure no cost buildups are ments related to productivity, informa- endured on labor resources. tion sharing, and sustainability while Accounting & Reporting driving secure data capture practices. In times of recession, most contrac- Productivity However, many construction com- tors lost grip on cash flow due to Technology is empowering contrac- panies and contractors are not able old-school legacy practices and out- tors with access to real-time infor- to or not willing to upgrade their dated systems. However, the advent mation anytime, anywhere from any operational practices. A report shared of advanced construction accounting device. This has significantly disrupted by McKinsey & Company showed a tools has simplified operational pro- and improved the tedious chain of drop in productivity during the last cesses, providing real-time checks on command and related information 20 years for the construction sector. data and reporting. churn. With 93% of contractors using On the other hand, the manufactur- ing industry has sustained to leverage technology for their business benefits On the other hand, deploying a through enhanced productivity. construction ERP solution is helping project The Role of Construction Technology in the Last Decade managers monitor productivity hours to The global construction industry wit- ensure no cost buildups are endured on nessed growth from USD 7,200 billion in 2010 to USD 11,217.4 billion in labor resources 2019 and then taking a drop to USD 10,566.8 billion in 2020 due to the pandemic. Presently, the construction Budgeting & Planning smartphones, project owners and industry is one of the fastest-growing The modern-day project management managers could easily keep in tandem sectors across the globe. The need for software allows contractors to take with them regarding existing and advanced infrastructure development full command over all financial data upcoming project progress. has opened the way for many oppor- and expenses. The entire function tunities. While the industry grew over of budgeting and planning becomes Walking Towards the Future the past decade, it also witnessed much easier with these tools. From The construction companies have considerable downtime due to some allocating the budget to measuring a strong inclination towards legacy unexpected highs and lows. the backup resources, these solutions practices and are more likely to stick Whether it is the current pan- allow project managers to ensure with the traditional techniques that demic, the global recession, demand smooth progress. are more guesswork than data-driven. crisis, inflation and more, the con- However, the reality is that the new- struction industry has had a huge Project Management age technology enables contractors impact on GDP, causing loss of busi- Project management solutions to gauge the financial impacts in real- ness, jobs, and overall position of like ERP systems, BIM or Virtual time while working on sustainable pro- the construction industry in the past Design systems, workflow automation ductivity. Hence, we can expect more decade. However, the active efforts tools, etc., have empowered contrac- hyper-automation software making its of the construction companies and tors to benefit from an improved way to the infrastructure sector, help- technology were major contributors and more intuitive experience work- ing them recover, regrow and revolu- that helped the recovery. The large- ing toward project management tionize the industry even more. scale adoption of advanced construc- goals. These tools have helped the tion project management software industry with time tracking, com- technology helped construction firms municating, documenting, and field The author is Head - Technology & drive productivity while streamlining productivity management. Innovation at Highbar Technocrat

38 | itnext | JUNE 2021 Double Two times Sc p the revelation

My favorite song

Pudhu Vellai Mazhai from Roja

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Karthick Raja CISM Review Manual Head - IT, Baxter Pharmaceuticals Q My favorite getaway My favorite activity during COVID 2nd wave Kodaikanal

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Narendra Modi

An emerging tech which will transform the Indian healthcare system My favorite sport AI-ML Cricket

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