Alan DeKok, a former physicist, is now a full-time developer of open-source software. It’s not the first time he’s done something like this — purify water and secure the internet. He began his entrepreneurial journey on a farm just outside Ottawa, cultivating strawberries and raspberries. It was this same curiosity that drove him to pursue a master’s degree in physics at Carleton University. Today, he’s probably best known for having created FreeRADIUS, an open source software package that authenticates millions of internet users around the globe.
DeKok’s technical genius initially came to light through his development of a water-purification system for the Sudbury Neutrino Observatory. This secure facility lies hundreds of feet below the Earth’s surface within a working nickel mine. It makes an extremely rigid standard for water quality, tolerating one atom of impurity per cubic meter. His participation in this Levy project reinforced the importance of careful scientific technique. Years later, these skills proved invaluable in his software development career.
Early Life and Education
The formative experiences that growing up on a farm provided DeKok are undeniable. He had other dreams at the time. Even with this agricultural background, he didn’t expect to become completely enthralled by the technology.
“Sitting on a tractor in the heat is not particularly interesting,” – Alan DeKok
This feeling helped catalyze his move to focus on 8-bit computers as opposed to tending to fields. After graduating from high school, DeKok moved to Ottawa, Ontario, to study physics at Carleton University. He’s convinced that the techniques he learned during this period made him stand out in the tech industry.
“When I was eventually working in the industry, the techniques that came naturally to me, coming out of physics, didn’t seem to be taught as well to the people I knew in engineering,” – Alan DeKok
His academic pursuits and bubble of natural wonder would help spark a career that eventually changed the lives of millions.
Career Development
In 1996, DeKok started his professional career as a software developer at Gandalf. The company specialized in equipment facilitating ISDN, the former high-speed technology standard before broadband technology swept ISDN aside. This experience gave him crucial insights into how to transmit data over telephone lines.
In this essay, DeKok threads the needle between several powerful voices in technology. In the middle of all this, he started FreeRADIUS as a side project. What began as a fun, side project soon consumed the rest of his life. He figures the world’s internet users to be at least 50 percent of the total population. To do that, they depend on systems authenticated by his software.
“I’d say at least half of the people in the world get on the internet by being authenticated through my software,” – Alan DeKok
In 2008 he founded NetworkRADIUS, now called InkBridge Networks. The company has grown to employ experts in Canada, France, and the United Kingdom, all dedicated to supporting FreeRADIUS and its user base.
Innovations and Future Plans
DeKok’s work goes beyond software development. It involves a deep-seated commitment to bolstering internet security. His work on CryptoCard brought hardware devices for two-factor authentication into the mix, providing an extra layer of protection to online interactions.
DeKok remains optimistic about FreeRADIUS’s future. He does hope to move into new markets, though, and expand his product line. Along the way, he’ll continue to enhance the software that’s become vital for any internet-based authentication.
“People ask me, ‘What’s next for RADIUS?’ I don’t see it dying.” – Alan DeKok
He calls for a flexible approach to technology development, citing examples where relatively minor improvements can lead to dramatic increases in total performance.
“You shouldn’t underestimate that ratchet effect of tiny little fixes that add up over time,” – Alan DeKok
He feels preparation and willingness to take a leap of faith into something new is the key to success no matter what field you’re in.
“I really believe that it’s preparing yourself for luck, being open to it, and having the skills to capitalize on it,” – Alan DeKok
