5 Future Trends for Reducing Latency in 2024

Reducing latency is a top priority for organizations. 

High latency disrupts the user experience and weakens security – which is why more organizations are turning to cutting-edge technology like 5G and edge computing to achieve ultra-low latency. 

In this post, we explore the future trends of latency and how businesses are working to reduce it.

What Is Latency?

Latency is the delay or time it takes for a data packet to travel from one point to another on a network. It’s essentially the gap between sending a request and receiving a response. 

This delay can be influenced by several factors, including:

• The distance the data must travel
• The type of network infrastructure
• Any processing or routing the data undergoes along the way

The lower the latency, the faster the communication, which is essential for applications that require real-time or near-instantaneous responses – think video conferencing, online gaming, financial transactions, or autonomous vehicle operations.

Why Is Low Latency Important?

High latency significantly impacts user experience as well as the effectiveness of security measures. 

When systems lag during critical processes, like authentication or transaction verification, organizations create vulnerabilities that attackers can exploit. 

By prioritizing low latency, you boost performance, protect assets, and maintain customer trust.

Downsides of High Latency:

Here are the downsides of having high latency:

• Frustration: Users feel frustrated when they have to wait for pages to load, apps to respond, or videos to buffer. This can lead them to abandon services or products altogether. 
• Reduced User Engagement: High latency causes users to disengage, leading them to leave slow-loading websites or apps.
• Negative Brand Perception: Poor performance can damage a brand’s reputation and decrease customer trust.
• Lost Revenue: Businesses experience lost sales and decreased revenue due to high latency.

Industries Affected by Latency:

Here are the industries that are most affected by latency:

• E-commerce: Slow website loading times can drive potential customers away and result in lost sales.
• Gaming: High latency disrupts gameplay and frustrates gamers, impacting their overall experience.
• Video Conferencing: Laggy video calls interfere with effective communication and reduce productivity.
• Finance: Delayed trade processing can lead to significant financial losses and missed opportunities.
• Healthcare: In telemedicine, high latency can delay crucial diagnoses and treatments.
• IoT: In IoT-enabled manufacturing, latency disrupts real-time monitoring and control of production processes.
• Autonomous Vehicles: Low latency plays a critical role in the safety and efficiency of autonomous vehicle operations.

5 Trends in Network Performance Optimization and Security for 2024

Many industries depend on responsive, data-intensive services, which makes reducing latency and enhancing privacy a key concern. 

Here’s how the latest trends in network architecture and cybersecurity are driving these changes:

#1. Zero Trust and Distributed Architectures

Cyber threats today can come from anywhere in the network. This makes the zero trust model, which constantly verifies every user and device at each access point, a cornerstone of network security. 

By pairing zero trust with distributed network architectures, organizations process data locally—closer to its origin. This helps them to lower network congestion and deliver fast, responsive services essential for privacy-sensitive, real-time applications in fields like finance, healthcare, and IoT. 

Zero trust ensures secure data flow without sacrificing speed or accessibility. Distributed architectures enhance this approach by decentralizing data processing and minimizing delays caused by routing through central servers.

Benefits of Zero Trust:

• Continuous Verification: This process ensures that every access request receives validation in real-time, which is essential for maintaining security in ultra-low latency, high-speed environments.
• Least Privilege Access: The principle of least privilege restricts permissions to only what is necessary, limiting security risks and reducing network congestion.
• Micro-Segmentation: This strategy divides networks into smaller, manageable zones, which further reduces risks and improves control over data flow.

#2. Real-Time Threat Detection Response

Artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning allow organizations to instantly and automatically analyze network traffic to identify unusual or suspicious behavior. Threat detection response reduces network congestion and ensures the ultra-low latency that’s critical for smooth operations. 

By constantly monitoring traffic patterns and flagging anomalies, these technologies keep organizations prepared for incidents, especially in high-stakes industries like:

• Online gaming
• Financial trading
• Telemedicine

This approach also fosters trust with users who expect seamless access to services.

Benefits of Real-Time Threat Detection:

• Reduced Response Time: Automated tools quickly detect and counter threats.
• Minimized Downtime: Fast responses help maintain service continuity.
• Enhanced Customer Trust: Visible security facilitates confidence in digital transactions.

#3. Expansion of 5G and Beyond

The rollout of 5G enables organizations to meet the ultra-low latency demands of real-time applications. 

These networks deliver faster data transfer speeds and support more devices simultaneously. Looking ahead, technologies like 6G promise to further optimize latency and security.

However, 5G also presents challenges, such as the need for:

• New infrastructure
• Compatibility issues
• Potential coverage gaps 

Yet, despite these obstacles, 5G significantly enhances network performance and security, enabling low-latency connectivity.

Benefits of 5G:

• Lower Latency: This is critical for real-time applications like gaming and telemedicine.
• Increased Bandwidth: It reduces network congestion by accommodating more devices.
• Improved Security: Enhanced encryption and authentication mechanisms offer better protection.

#4. Edge Computing

Edge computing is essential for applications that require instant data processing and ultra-low latency. 

By handling data at or near its source instead of sending it to centralized servers, edge computing dramatically reduces latency. Edge computing also alleviates network congestion by minimizing the amount of data traveling across the network. 

This localized processing not only boosts speed but also enhances security, as sensitive information can be analyzed directly on the device or within the local network, reducing the risk of exposure to potential threats.

Benefits of Edge Computing:

• Faster Data Processing: Keeps data close to its origin, significantly reducing delays.
• Enhanced Security: Local processing lowers the risk of exposure during data transfers.
• Resource Optimization: Eases congestion on core networks by decreasing data loads.

#5. AI-Powered Security

AI is transforming cybersecurity by enabling automated, real-time threat detection and adaptive responses that ensure ultra-low latency for critical applications. It processes data faster than traditional methods, and can adapt to new threats, providing strong protection while minimizing latency.

AI systems can quickly identify unusual network activity, allowing security teams to respond to potential breaches immediately. This approach not only enhances network security but also ensures real-time applications run smoothly, reducing network congestion.

Benefits of AI-Powered Cybersecurity:

• Real-Time Detection: Quickly identifies threats in complex network environments.
• Automated Response: Reduces the need for manual intervention, ensuring ultra-low latency.
• Predictive Analytics: Anticipates and mitigates potential future risks, supporting real-time applications.

Maximize Network Security with Check Point’s SASE

Staying protected against evolving threats requires next-level security. With Check Point’s SASE, you can easily deploy, manage, and scale a high-performance, secure network that’s built for ultra-low latency and optimized for real-time applications. 

Check Point’s SASE solution provides fast, secure access to both cloud and on-prem environments, backed by zero trust principles, advanced threat prevention, and AI-powered security. 
Book a free demo today to find out more.