Gordon McKay Professor of the Practice of Computer Science, James Waldo, sits down with the Harvard Gazette to outline that although we have seen tremendous technological advances, the transition to remote work in wake of the Coronavirus pandemic will stress test the internet to limits we have not seen before.
Indeed, the internet has grown in sophistication at unprecedented speed. With platforms like Zoom and Canvas, remote employment and schooling are being implemented at a large-scale in Universities and companies across the globe. Nevertheless, the saturated influx of traffic on the internet will test it in ways it has not been previously pushed. Many networks are not equipped with the proper tools to handle potential bandwidth crashes, and engineers will be facing the task of fixing problems in real-time. James Waldo, Gordon McKay Professor of the Practice of Computer Science, offers insights on what to expect in the coming weeks.