Remote Communication Platforms

Why does WhatsApp show “typing…” instantly — even if your friend is on the other side of the world? It’s not magic. It’s WebSockets + a global messaging backbone powered by Redis. Here’s what actually happens when your friend starts typing: 1 Local trigger → The moment they press a key, WhatsApp fires a tiny “typing” event (not the text). 2 Persistent WebSocket → That event goes to the nearest WhatsApp edge server. 3 Redis Pub/Sub fan-out → Server A (your friend’s server) publishes the event into a Redis channel keyed to your ID. Redis instantly notifies whichever server (Server B) is holding your WebSocket connection. 4 Push to you → Server B sends the event down your WebSocket → your phone renders “typing…” in under 200ms. Now scale that up: 2B+ users 100B+ messages daily Billions of ephemeral events (typing, online, delivered, read) flowing through Redis clusters every second. ⚡ The genius? These packets are tiny, transient, and optimized. Even on 2G, WhatsApp delivers a real-time experience. ✨ Lesson: Real-time systems aren’t built with “faster servers.” They’re built with smarter event pipelines.

Not to age myself, but when I first started working in communications, there was a hard line between internal and external communications. This was a time before every colleague had a laptop and before cell phones were in every pocket. I think it’s safe to say that today’s pace of information exchange is vastly different.    Now, instead of a firm line, I often think internal and external communications are becoming one – with employees as one of your most important audiences to engage. As fellow communicators look to find this balance between internal and external communications, I wanted to share a few tips that have helped me throughout my career.  🧩 Integration: Make sure internal and external channels are represented, keeping a cohesive message between the two. 💪 Consistency: Maintain a steady cadence in pulsing out communications so audiences know what to expect and when.  🔨 Utility: Find new ways to expand existing tools to solve other communications goals – work smarter, not harder. 🤝 Engagement: Keep even the small elements engaging. For example, here at Thermo Fisher Scientific, we started sharing a colleague highlight reel at the start of our quarterly global town hall meeting. Colleagues feel great about seeing themselves AND we improved the buffering problem of having thousands of colleagues join an event at the same time. 🎨 Creativity: Don’t lose sight of creativity as you find the right blend of engaging and informing your audience.  What tips do you have for balancing internal and external communications? Do you think these are still separate strategies? 

Jack Dorsey, Founder of Twitter and current CEO of Block just launched a messaging app that runs without internet, SIM cards, or even user accounts 🤯 It’s called Bitchat - and it might just rewire how we think about communication. Built on a decentralized, serverless architecture, Bitchat lets users send encrypted messages peer-to-peer via Bluetooth mesh - no cloud, no cell service, no tracking. Coded with help from Goose, Block’s open-source AI “vibe coding” assistant. Here’s what it does: ✅ End-to-end encrypted messaging ✅ No servers, no metadata ✅ No phone numbers or logins ✅ Bluetooth Low Energy mesh (up to 300m range) ✅ Built on a new open-source protocol called Vibe Why it matters: In an era of centralised infrastructure and digital vulnerability, tools like this offer a radical alternative - ideal for blackouts, censorship zones, or off-grid communication. 🧠 Jack’s vision? "Resilient, private communication that doesn't depend on centralised infrastructure." Currently in closed beta via iOS TestFlight (10,000 testers – already full) Not security-audited yet, so use with caution. Still very early… but if it works, it could unlock a whole new category of communication tech. Definitely one to watch! 👀 #decentralization #startups #technews

Message Brokers play a pivotal role in modern distributed systems, acting as the nervous system that enables seamless communication between disparate components. Whether you're building microservices, handling real-time data streams, or managing complex enterprise integrations, choosing the right message broker can make or break your architecture. Let's dive into the top contenders and their superpowers: 1. NATS: The Speed Demon    • Superpower: Ultra-low latency (sub-millisecond)    • Best for: Microservices, IoT, real-time systems demanding lightning-fast communication    • Key feature: Simple pub-sub model with 'subjects' for efficient message routing 2. IBM MQ: The Enterprise Guardian    • Superpower: Rock-solid reliability and security    • Best for: Mission-critical applications in finance, healthcare, and other regulated industries    • Key feature: Transactional message delivery ensuring no message is ever lost 3. Apache Kafka: The Big Data Backbone    • Superpower: Massive scalability and data retention    • Best for: Real-time analytics, log aggregation, event sourcing at scale    • Key feature: Distributed commit log architecture allowing for time-travel and replay of events 4. ActiveMQ: The Integration Swiss Army Knife    • Superpower: Versatility and protocol support    • Best for: Complex enterprise environments with diverse technology stacks    • Key feature: Out-of-the-box support for multiple messaging patterns and protocols 5. RabbitMQ: The Routing Maestro    • Superpower: Flexible message routing    • Best for: Scenarios requiring complex message distribution logic    • Key feature: Advanced routing capabilities (direct, topic, headers, fanout) When architecting your system, consider mixing these brokers. I've seen powerful setups using Kafka for high-throughput data streams feeding into RabbitMQ for fine-grained distribution to various services. The choice of message broker can significantly impact your system's performance, scalability, and reliability. What's your go-to broker, and why? Have you faced any challenges or discovered any tricks while implementing these in your projects?

🔊 Understanding SIP Voice Call Flow - A Visual Deep Dive  Ever wondered what happens behind the scenes when you make a VoIP call?  I've created an animated simulation that breaks down the complete SIP  (Session Initiation Protocol) signaling process! 📞  🎯 Key Highlights:  Phase 1: Registration 📋  ✅ SIP phones register with the network infrastructure  ✅ Proxy server coordinates with registrar for user authentication  Phase 2: Call Setup 🚀  ✅ User A dials → triggers INVITE message  ✅ Location server resolves called party  ✅ 180 Ringing → User B gets ring alert  ✅ User B answers → 200 OK response  ✅ ACK completes the 3-way handshake  Phase 3: Media Exchange 🎙️  ✅ RTP streams established for voice data  ✅ Bidirectional conversation through media gateway  ✅ Real-time voice packet transmission  Phase 4: Call Termination 📴  ✅ User hangup triggers BYE message  ✅ Network confirms termination with 200 OK  💡 Technical Components :  • SIP Proxy Server (routing hub)  • Registrar (user database)  • Location Server (directory service)  • Media Gateway (voice processing)  • DNS Server (name resolution)  The beauty of SIP lies in its simplicity - text-based messages that  orchestrate complex voice communications across global networks! 🌐 Join my Free 5G/6G Learning Free whatsapp Channel : https://lnkd.in/gerTY-kr ♻️ Repost this to help your network get started ➕ Follow Nitin Gupta for more  #VoIP #SIP #NetworkEngineering #Telecommunications #VoiceOverIP  #TechEducation #NetworkProtocols #ITInfrastructure

The Salt Typhoon Espionage Campaign: A Wake-Up Call for the Telecommunications Industry The more we uncover about the Salt Typhoon cyberespionage campaign, the more alarming it becomes. A ninth U.S. telecommunications company has now been confirmed as a victim of this sweeping Chinese operation, which granted Beijing officials access to private text messages and phone calls of countless Americans. This should serve as a wake-up call for the urgent need to prioritize cybersecurity in the telecommunications sector. Robust defenses and proactive measures must become the standard. Here's what you can do for now: 1️⃣ Use End-to-End Encrypted Messaging Apps: Opt for apps like Signal that prioritize encryption. When selecting an end-to-end encrypted messaging app, evaluate whether the app collects and stores metadata to ensure your privacy is fully protected. 2️⃣ Secure Password Management: Use strong, unique passwords and rely on trusted password managers to store your credentials securely. 3️⃣ Avoid Unsecured VPNs: Be cautious with free or commercial VPNs which usually have questionable security policies that make them 'free'. Research providers thoroughly before trusting them with your data. 4️⃣ Regular Software Updates: Keeping device operating systems up-to-date is essential for patching vulnerabilities and maintaining robust security. At AdvisorDefense, we specialize in helping organizations fortify their cybersecurity strategies. From consulting on secure communications solutions to implementing advanced threat detection systems, our expertise ensures that your organization stays one step ahead of evolving threats. How is your organization preparing for the next wave of cyber threats? #Cybersecurity #Telecommunications #AdvisorDefense #SaltTyphoon #DataPrivacy #SecureCommunications https://lnkd.in/emX8kkJX

"Building Scalable, Real-Time Chat to Improve Customer Experience with Kafka, GraphQL and WebSockets at Uber" Uber replaced the legacy architecture built using the WAMP protocol with a new solution that takes advantage of #GraphQL subscriptions. The main drivers for creating a new architecture were challenges around reliability, scalability, observability/debugibility, as well as technical debt impeding the team’s ability to maintain the existing solution. The new architecture consists of the front-end UI used by agents and a few back-end #microservices connected via real-time #websockets. Chat Channel Manager, Contact Service, and Router are involved in accepting contacts and assigning those to available agents. Agent State Service is responsible for traffic agent’s active contact sessions. Services use #ApacheKafka to publish events/notifications, supporting synchronization between routing and agent state tracking. More details about the architecture in Uber's engineering blog: https://lnkd.in/eqGQn-3j

The debate over working from home versus returning to the office seems to be calming down, with the consensus being that it largely depends on the industry, sector, or customer needs. Organizations are now indeed embracing a triangulation of digital workplaces, physical workplaces, and workspaces, showcasing a blend of remote, in-office, and hybrid models. This integration is aimed at optimizing productivity, collaboration, and employee satisfaction. Here's how each component is expected to evolve: 1. Digital Workplace: This area includes the tools, platforms, and technologies that enable work to be done from anywhere. The digital workplace is poised to become more advanced, integrating AI and machine learning to automate routine tasks, enhance communication, and offer a personalized employee experience. Technologies like virtual and augmented reality could further enhance remote collaboration by creating immersive environments. 2. Physical Workplace: The significance of physical office spaces is being reconsidered but remains essential for nurturing company culture, facilitating collaboration, and accommodating work that benefits from face-to-face interaction. The design of these spaces is evolving towards more flexibility, incorporating hot-desking, open collaborative areas, and social interaction spaces. Factors like health, well-being, and sustainability are increasingly influencing physical workplace design. 3. Workspace: Workspaces are environments that stimulate energy, enthusiasm, and creativity through their ambiance. This concept expands the notion of potential work locations beyond the home or office to include coworking spaces, cafes, libraries, or even parks—essentially, any place that supports productive work. There's a growing appreciation for the importance of work-life balance and the role diverse workspaces can play in achieving it. Advancements in technology will facilitate seamless work from these varied locations, ensuring easy access to necessary resources and connectivity. The future is likely to see organizations adopting a more adaptable approach to work, granting employees the autonomy to select the most suitable work environment for their tasks. Employers will strive to create a cohesive experience across digital, physical, and various workspaces, ensuring that employees have the environments and tools they need to be productive, engaged, and content. This strategy will necessitate careful integration of technology, space design, and policies that encourage flexibility while fostering a robust sense of community and organizational identity.

Building Scalable Systems: Sync vs Async Communication 🔥 Software engineering requires making smart choices about communication. Here’s what it really comes down to: Sync Communication (HTTP, gRPC) ↳ For tasks where you need immediate responses, like real-time APIs or critical data validation. ↳ Simple but creates dependencies. One service waits for another, which can slow things down if there’s a hiccup. Async Communication (RabbitMQ, Kafka) ↳ Best for high-volume, non-urgent tasks like logging, analytics, and notifications. ↳ Decouples services so they can work independently. If one service is down, the others keep going without interruption. So, when should you use each? Sync fits for low-latency needs; async works for scaling and resilience. Want a system that scales? → Separate urgent tasks from background processes. → Use message brokers to handle high traffic without blocking other services. → Monitor queue health and response times to keep things running smoothly. Sync is precise. Async is flexible. Getting the balance right? That’s where scalable systems start. ______________________________ 📷 Visualizing Software Engineering, AI and ML concepts through easy-to-understand Sketᵉch. I'm Nina, software engineer & project manager. Sketᵉch now has a LinkedIn Page. Join me! ❤️ #async #kafka #devops #technology

RabbitMQ vs. Kafka vs. ActiveMQ: Which Messaging Broker is Right for You? In today’s fast-paced, data-driven world, messaging brokers play a pivotal role in ensuring seamless communication between services. Let’s break down three popular options—RabbitMQ, Apache Kafka, and ActiveMQ—to help you choose the best fit for your architecture. 🐇 RabbitMQ: The Lightweight and Versatile Choice Best for: Task queues, real-time messaging, and microservices communication. Strengths: Built on the AMQP protocol, enabling reliable message delivery. Supports message acknowledgment, flexible routing, and prioritization. Easy setup and integration across multiple languages. Typical Use Case: Asynchronous workflows like email notifications or order processing. 📊 Apache Kafka: The Real-Time Data Streamer Best for: High-throughput event streaming, big data pipelines, and log aggregation. Strengths: Distributed and partitioned for scalability and fault-tolerance. Optimized for event-driven architectures and real-time analytics. Includes stream processing capabilities via Kafka Streams and KSQL. Typical Use Case: Streaming IoT data or powering real-time financial dashboards. 🔗 ActiveMQ: The Enterprise-Ready Solution Best for: Protocol-heavy enterprise systems and legacy integrations. Strengths: Supports a variety of messaging protocols (AMQP, MQTT, JMS). Rich support for traditional patterns like point-to-point and publish/subscribe. Reliable and proven in enterprise environments. Typical Use Case: Integrating legacy systems with modern apps or cross-protocol communication. Choosing the Right Tool FeatureRabbitMQKafkaActiveMQThroughputMediumHighMediumScalabilityModerateExcellentModerateLatencyLowMediumMediumUse Case FocusTask queues, messagingEvent streaming, analyticsEnterprise integrationFinal Thoughts 🔹 Choose RabbitMQ for lightweight messaging and quick integrations. 🔹 Pick Kafka for large-scale, real-time event-driven systems. 🔹 Go with ActiveMQ for robust, enterprise-level messaging needs. Each of these brokers has its strengths, and the right choice depends on your specific scalability, latency, and integration requirements. Which one are you using