Q&A: Lars Koelendorf talks edge technologies
Aruba recently launched a book based on research which reveals finding on how edge will revolutionise customer and employee experiences, create more dynamic, responsive, and personalised business models, and even catalyse the growth of entirely new industries.
We have a brief chat with Lars Koelendorf, Sales Enablement Director EMEA, Aruba.
Could you describe a typical day in your job?
I’m part of the flexible working generation. I work everywhere using mobile technologies – it doesn’t matter if I’m at a hotel in South Africa, or in my home in Northern Europe.
How would you describe edge technologies it and why does it matter?
The world is no longer about building networks with connected servers, then figuring out how to connect people to these servers. Nowadays, it’s all about connecting users and IoT, and ensuring they are given a good user experience, and then using the network the find the data they need. At HPE Aruba, we are part of changing this status quo in regards to networks.
What are some of the noticeable changes you have seen going on in the African region?
Africa is going through a change. Everybody in Africa wants to be connected, and wireless technology is a cost-effective way of connecting a lot of people throughout the continent.
What challenges have you faced in the past and how have you overcome these?
In the past, I wasn’t able to work remotely with such ease. There has been a complete change in working style, that accommodates for my pace of work. I have long working hours, and without new technologies, I would still be bound to a desk for most of the day. Now I can work flexibly, securely and efficiently, from my hotel to my flight.
Edge computing is becoming a big part of the everyday conversation. What are the noticeable changes you have seen in terms of mobility and devices?
Throughout my career, I’ve witnessed vast changes in regards to mobility and devices. A few years ago I was hosting a seminar with a group of university IT Managers, to discuss the switch to wireless and the lack of wired connectors amongst new devices. Our last discussion of the day was around building networks of the future, and I invited a 15-year-old intern on stage to talk about her experience with mobile devices.
She told the room that she’d never used a wire to connect to the internet. This was a complete eye-opener to everyone in the room, and really brought to life the new generation who we need to keep in mind when building future networks. She represented the generation that we need to cater for, and whilst we knew things were changing, her speech served as a reminder of the pace of change.
