Resilience starts with the network and infrastructure
Sofico, Eurofiber, and Win are joining forces in Wallonia to promote resilience. Each brings its own expertise to the table. The proposal can be targeted or comprehensive, in the form of a solution that includes training.
Global tensions, fragile supply chains, increasing cyberattacks… The issue of resilience has never been so sensitive. What was once considered a simple area of growth is increasingly becoming part of the security architecture. “Network and infrastructure are no longer just resources to achieve an end, but a strategic lever for resilience, security of supply, and the capacity for action of any organization,” says Frank Chenot, Director, Sofico.
The combination of fiber optics and edge computing significantly enhances network resilience by bringing data processing closer to the source, reducing latency, and providing more robust connectivity that is less vulnerable to interference. This is the path being followed in Wallonia by Sofico, Eurofiber, and Win. The installation of fiber optics in Wallonia’s 257 business parks—covering a total distance of 1,494 km—will be completed in a few months.
More secure connection
“Fiber optics are crucial for strengthening the resilience of edge computing systems by ensuring fast, stable, and secure backbone connectivity between peripheral sites and central data centers,” continues Krys Warreyn, Commercial Director, Eurofiber.
While edge computing processes data locally to reduce latency and enable real-time decisions, fiber optics provide the high bandwidth needed to efficiently transfer less urgent data to the central cloud for long-term storage or global analysis.
“The connection is more secure,” adds Krys Warreyn. “Fiber optic cables are less susceptible to electromagnetic interference than traditional copper cables, ensuring a more reliable and uninterrupted connection for —a key factor in the overall resilience of the network.”
Fiber, the backbone
Similarly, fiber optic networks can be easily upgraded to accommodate future increases in data demand, ensuring the sustainability of edge computing infrastructure. Finally, it is more difficult to intercept signals in a fiber optic cable, which contributes to the security of data transmitted between the edge and the core of the network.
As for resilience in the context of edge computing, this refers to the system’s ability to withstand and quickly recover from disruptions—hardware failures or even cyberattacks—while maintaining availability and performance.
Fiber optics improve this resilience by reducing bottlenecks. “Fiber is the essential communications backbone that enables edge sites to operate efficiently and resiliently, complementing central data centers,” continues Frank Chenot.
According to the matryoshka principle
While the discourse on resilience resonates, particularly since NIS2, there is still a huge amount of work to be done, the three partners acknowledge. SMEs, and even more so micro-enterprises, often lack the resources to strengthen their security systems. We also see that medium-sized local authorities are often victims of their technical debt. At the same time, upskilling employees is essential…
This presents an opportunity to approach the market as a trio. To share the tasks. Or to offer a comprehensive solution. “We can offer our expertise according to the principle of matryoshka dolls, Russian nesting dolls,” explains Frank Chenot. Before even addressing the infrastructure itself, we assess the risks together. We then assess the potential starting from the fiber, the edge. The approach can be comprehensive, including applications. And, ultimately, we offer a comprehensive solution, from A to Z, not forgetting training, particularly via the Digital Agency.”
