Doug Bonderud

Managing IT is an Olympian task. From looming deadlines to emerging threats, it's no wonder that more IT pros than ever are stressed out over performance and expectations. Effectively meeting the increasingly complex demands of executives and stakeholders with a minuscule budget and limited resources is, in itself, a Herculean feat of physical and mental prowess. With Rio 2016 just around the corner, maybe it's time for another look at the role of IT pros. What does technology at the Olympics look like this time around? And how do tech experts stack up against top athletes when it comes to work ethic and stamina?

Data transfer has come a long way. From 110-baud modems from the late 1950s to 56-kbps technology used at the turn of the century — and finally more familiar broadband and Wi-Fi — one thing is clear: Speed is an obsession. And while Wi-Fi has enjoyed significant adoption even as telecom companies fight for top spot in the mobile device market, there's still a drive to find newer, faster ways to move data and increase connectivity.

The Super Bowl is over and hockey playoffs are still weeks away, but many Americans will still get their interim fix during March Madness. The prelims went underway on March 15th, and a huge cross-section of the American workforce faces a challenge: making sure they don't miss a single foul shot, even during business hours.

"The IT Crowd" (Image Credit: Channel 4 Television Corporation)

When transitioning to a new solution, do IT vendors elicit a mix of anticipation and fear? That makes sense. You're eager to see the new service hard at work, but simultaneously concerned it won't live up to promised hype or deliver on promises made by the supplier.

Technology infrastructure has an expiration date. The problem? It's not stamped on the side of the carton. Or available online. The life cycle of any server, networking device or associated hardware is determined by a combination of local and market factors: What's the competition doing? How quickly is your business growing? Will C-suite executives approve any new spend?

The IPv6 protocol has consistently made it into top-10 and tech-prediction lists for years now but, as noted by Wired, IPv4 addresses are finally drying up.