Virtualization Case

Let's connect .....

Here is a very simple question. Can you survive a single day without Facebook, Gmail, or Skype? Can you imagine a day without your mobile phone? I guess the answer is definitely NO. There would be something missing, if such a day ever arrives! It is apparent...virtual communication has become an indispensable part of our lives.

Since ages we have been using the telephone, one of the earliest forms of virtual communication. Thanks to Graham Bell, today every single person owns a mobile phone or a landline phone. It allows us to connect with our loved ones irrespective of their location. Today, the very fact of losing my mobile frightens me! Indeed, telephone is one of the most remarkable inventions by the human race.

Few other modes of virtual communication are emails, instant messages and video conferencing. Emails have become the most effective form of business communication. They fall under the category of asynchronous computer mediated communication (CMC). Your manager does not have to walk over to you, in order to communicate his or her message. Email is the most convenient means to do so. Also, it is the best way in which clients can convey their requirements. A written form of communication lets one easily refer back in case of doubts, where as if something is conveyed verbally, there is a chance to forget and it could be difficult to recall the same. Hence, e-mails work as great recorded proofs. Emails gained popularity during the 90's when the concept of video conferencing was not very popular.

Presently, video conferencing is in vogue. Video conferencing falls under the category of synchronous computer mediated communication. A clear cut example for this is Skype. Skype works on the voice over internet protocol and allows connecting using voice, video and internet messaging. Launched in 2004, Skype has 663 million users as of September 2011. The very fact of being able to see your loved ones, sitting miles apart, has contributed to its success. Since the day I have arrived in Pittsburgh, I make it a point to connect to Skype every day, just to get a glimpse of my parents. It feels so good to see them and they also get a sense of relief when they see me. For once, I don't feel that I am sitting far away from them. It was my mother's birthday the other day. Using Skype, I was able to watch her while she cut her birthday cake. That was an awesome feeling!

Virtual communication has become the norm for many organizations today. The concept of virtual teams, where in teams spread across different geographical locations, connect virtually and work together on a task, has gained immense popularity. Today, several companies conduct conferences using video conferencing. I was part of one such organization, Infosys Limited, before I joined the MISM course at CMU. Half of our