Recently, I switched internet service provider and overhauled my home network setup.
New network controller. Different topology. Rethinking segmentation and security.
It felt “modern.” Cutting edge, even.
And yet — while reading Where Wizards Stay Up Late by Katie Hafner and Matthew Lyon — I was reminded of something humbling:
Most of what makes my network function today was conceived in the 1960s and 70s.
Packet switching. TCP/IP. Distributed resilience.
The foundations laid by ARPA and the pioneers behind ARPANET are still carrying our traffic, our data, our businesses.
We’ve added layers of abstraction, security, and convenience.
But the architectural principles? Still going strong.
It’s a powerful reminder: real progress isn’t always about constant reinvention.
Sometimes it’s about building something so fundamentally sound that it survives decades of change.
As internal auditors working in IT and digital environments, that’s worth reflecting on.
What foundations are we helping to build today that will still matter in 30 years?
#technology #cybersecurity #internalaudit #digitaltransformation #historyoftechnology #networking #ITgovernance