The growing technology industry creates an ever-increasing demand for IT professionals and endless business opportunities. But did you know that the increasing world of technology also poses issues that businesses must tackle head-on? Unfortunately, these significant business tech challenges in 2024 can make or break any company.
Are you starting a new IT business or have an idea for a startup? Are you afraid of the bumpy road ahead? Continue reading to discover what obstacles your business might face and get tips on adequately preparing yourself and getting on a path to your company’s growth.
1. IPv4 exhaustion
A serious issue that often hinders business development is IPv4 exhaustion. Why is it a problem? Due to the exponential growth of Internet networks and Internet of Things (IoT) devices, companies cannot freely get the resources they need to scale operations and ensure the continuity of their services.
Regional Internet Registries (RIRs) no longer distribute IPv4 blocks to any company or organization that needs them. Moreover, they impose strict policies for allocating recovered resources – the IPv4 addresses RIRs manage to reclaim from companies that no longer use or need them.
To receive the IP blocks necessary for business operations, companies must familiarize themselves with different requirements and undergo complicated processes.
2. Transition to IPv6
The latest Internet Protocol version—IPv6—was developed to address the IPv4 scarcity issue. This version offers significantly more IP addresses—340 trillion trillion trillion unique combinations, to be exact—which is almost impossible to compare to the 4.3 billion addresses that are available in the IPv4 pool. However, full-scale IPv6 adoption is slow.
Due to technical limitations and substantial implementation costs, companies are hesitant to transition. For example, many companies still own equipment that is incompatible with IPv6. Also, hardware and infrastructure upgrades may cost a lot of money, and companies might need more money for the changes.
3. Cybersecurity Development
The growing number of cyberattacks has pushed companies to protect their networks better and adapt to the rising threats. Unfortunately, cyberattacks are becoming increasingly sophisticated, making them more challenging to detect. Therefore, network operators must constantly update the infrastructure while continuously monitoring the internet traffic to spot threats on time.
Cybersecurity issues are especially relevant to the growing remote work culture. In today’s world, companies might have many employees who work from home and must access sensitive information daily. Therefore, companies must ensure secure access for each employee to safeguard the data.
Last but not least, network administrators must remember to regularly update remote work equipment to keep up with the latest security trends, such as privileged access management.
4. Data Protection
Did you know that your smartwatch and electric vehicle are internet-connected devices that can be hacked? Unfortunately, the upsurge of IoT devices in our homes and offices creates more opportunities for hackers to breach your virtual space and steal sensitive data.
To perform successful breaches, hackers often attempt to exploit vulnerabilities within different devices. For example, many people use easy-to-remember passwords to access their personal or work accounts. However, hackers can easily guess simple combinations and access sensitive business information without much effort.
Conclusion
When the internet was being developed, few could have predicted that the digital age would bring us IPv4 exhaustion and data security issues. In 2024, companies must think of new ways to use their IP resources sparingly while continuing to grow and secure their networks.