Podcast | Traceroute - Episode 8: When the lights go out
Synopsis How do we make technology that lasts? In this episode, Grace Ewura-Esi and Shweta Saraf join Producer John Taylor as he talks with two cutting-edge technologists who are trying to extend the life of the hardware infrastructure around us. From a cell phone tower that can be installed on your roof (and repaired just as easily), to a clock that is built to last ten thousand years, we uncover the common threads that run through technology that’s built to last. Woven in this framework is the story of Sandra Rodriguez, who worked tirelessly to restore civilization—as well as hope itself—to the island of Puerto Rico with the help of the only piece of hardware infrastructure that withstood the powerful forces of Hurricane Maria in 2017. Let us know your thoughts below!New Podcast | Traceroute - Check it out!
The Podcast for digital pioneers Traceroute is a fascinating look into the inner workings of our digital world. Technical Storyteller, Grace Andrews, examines the real people, the social changes, and the hardware innovations that built and scaled the internet. Listen on:Apple| Spotify| RSS Community Posts: Episode 1: Interconnection Episode 2: Silicon Episode 3: Networks Episode 4: Wireless Episode 5: Open Source Episode 6: Sustainability Episode 7: ComputePodcast | Traceroute - Episode 3: Networks
Synopsis How did our society’s need to 'Netflix and chill' lead to a revolution in hardware networks? Eliminating the need to drive down to your local Blockbuster Video just to rent a movie took a miracle of hardware and convoluted networking…and a few motivated geniuses to figure it all out. In episode 3 of the Traceroute Podcast, Dave Temkin, Ingrid Burrington, Jack Waters, and Andrew Blum join us to discuss how the physical internet works. Detailing the hidden infrastructure involved in getting computers connected around the world, they shed some light on the fact that, contrary to what digital natives might think, your connection to the World Wide Web isn't 100% wireless. Let us know your thoughts below!Podcast | Traceroute - Episode 4: Wireless
Synopsis When the first car phones appeared in the 80s, most people wrote them off as a luxury for the ultra-rich. But once you cut the cable, you can’t go back. By the 90s, people were trying to join analog modems to the cellular network, so more people could connect to the internet. But it simply didn’t work. In episode 4 of the Traceroute podcast, we explore the realities that come with wireless opportunity. With a growth rate of 30+% a year, engineering advances need to scale to support demand. We know the future is bright, but how will we get there? Let us know your thoughts below!Podcast | Traceroute - Episode 5: Open Source
Synopsis As the world becomes more digital, the distance between software and hardware widens. Unspoken competition, gatekeeping, differences in perspective, these reasons and more push experts from the software and hardware spaces apart. So what is the key to furthering collaboration and innovation in technology development? In episode 6 of Traceroute, we look deeper into the digital space and how it intrinsically connects to physical hardware. Open-source advocates Jon Masters and Brian Fox share their insights on hardware and software proprietary rights, and how the road to renaissance lies in open source. Let us know your thoughts below!Podcast | Traceroute - Episode 6: Sustainability
Synopsis In episode 6 of Traceroute, we address arguably the most critical component of them all: sustainability. As demand for data rises, so too does our environmental impact, and in turn, the need to rapidly course correct to sustain rapid expansion without taking a toll on our planet. But it’s not just a matter of mitigating individual consumption—like streaming YouTube & Netflix–by recycling resources and using clean energy. The social and political ramifications of the internet are reshaping our society more rapidly than we can keep up with, demanding that we look at internet development with a sense of personal responsibility. Let us know your thoughts below!Podcast | Traceroute - Episode 7: Compute
Synopsis Hardware is the invisible skeleton of the Internet. Not only has it given us access to the world's base of knowledge, but with the cloud, a seemingly infinite storage space for files. Of course, the cloud is neither ethereal nor located in the air: it's a massive network of huge data centers. And running these facilities sustainably while innovating hardware to keep up with demand is one of the great technological challenges of our time. In the final episode of Traceroute, we take a closer look at hardware and why its advancement is crucial to the development of the internet. Joined by our guests Amir Michael, Rose Schooler, and Ken Patchett, we explore the synergy of software and hardware in data center services and its effects on the connected world. Let us know your thoughts below!Podcast | Traceroute - Episode 1: Interconnection
Synopsis October 4th, 1957. The Soviet Union launches Sputnik into orbit, and with it, a perilous escalation in the Cold War. The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency is formed with a mandate to keep our military and technological assets ahead of the Soviets. From his tiny office in a corner of the Pentagon, one engineer not only recognizes the need to rely on more powerful computers to win this conflict, but that these computers must somehow find a way to “talk” to one another. In the first episode of Traceroute, we look at how the need for interconnection shaped the fundamental building blocks of what would become the internet. From ARPANET to the Telecommunications Act of 1996, what started as a military exercise grew to reflect society’s basic need to feel and stay connected. And with that growth came an unprecedented need for hardware solutions that had never been thought of before. With insights from Jay Adelson, Sarah Weinberger, John Morris, and Peter Van Camp, we’ll look at the social, political, and technological forces that started the internet. Let us know your thoughts below!
