Edge computing: Holding the key to a digital transformation

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Edge computing: Holding the key to a digital transformation

Edge computing: Holding the key to a digital transformation

Subheading text
Edge Computing is transforming the way data is handled and delivered from millions of devices globally.
    • Author:
    • Author name
      Quantumrun Foresight
    • February 19, 2022

    The traditional computing paradigm is not well suited to transporting ever-increasing rivers of data. Edge computing differs from the current norm in that most computing occurs in devices distributed across the network. Businesses are responding to data challenges such as latency issues, bandwidth limitations, and unpredictable network disruptions by using edge computing architecture.

    Edge computing context

    Edge computing is a distributed information technology system in which user data is processed as close to the network's edge as feasible. In traditional business computing, data is created at a client endpoint, and sent over a WAN, such as the internet, into the corporate LAN, where it is stored and processed by an enterprise application. The results of this setup are then transmitted to the client endpoint. 

    However, the number of devices connected to the internet, as well as the volume of data generated by those devices and used by businesses, is expanding much too rapidly for traditional data center infrastructures to maintain. The prospect of transferring vast volumes of data in situations that are frequently time- or disruption-sensitive, places enormous strain on the global internet, which is often subject to disruption and congestion.

    IT architects have shifted their focus from the central data center to the logical edge of the infrastructure, thereby relocating storage and computing resources from the data center to the point where data is created. Edge computing has gained traction because it provides an efficient answer to developing network challenges connected with transferring massive amounts of data that today's businesses produce and consume.

    Disruptive impact 

    Up to 50 billion internet devices may be amassing large amounts of data by 2030, according to research from Strategy Analytics. As virtual reality and extended reality become more popular, more operations may be transferred to headsets. And with the proliferation of IoT applications and increased reliance on remote control, techniques for addressing the challenge of effective and fast computing need to be introduced. 

    Since this amount of data transmitted to and from the cloud is massive, activities that need rapid and real-time data may suffer because of latency difficulties. Edge computing provides a solution for data to be processed locally with only relevant data transferred back to the cloud for communication to be handled and processed in a timely manner. This restructuring decreases bandwidth requirements significantly and may save organizations money.

    Edge computing is predicted to progress in the future by utilizing data supplied by artificial intelligence and machine learning to assist in making decisions that benefit both enterprises and their consumers. One of the most significant opportunities for edge computing is the growing use of 5G services, which will offer considerably quicker connectivity and communication than current systems. When combined with 5G services, edge computing may potentially revolutionize the world of communication and control.

    Applications for edge computing

    Potential applications for edge computing may include:

    • Addressing infrastructure challenges such as network congestion, bandwidth restrictions, and excess latency.
    • Providing or enhancing device functionality when an Internet connection is unstable or slow due to a location's environmental aspects.
    • Retaining data within the bounds of prevailing data sovereignty laws, such as the European Union's GDPR, which defines how data should be exposed, processed, and stored.
    • Providing an extra opportunity to implement and ensure data security (any data crossing the network back to the cloud or data center can be secured through encryption, and the edge deployment itself can be strengthened against malicious activities.)

    Question to comment on

    Considering that fewer IT experts may want to build or move sophisticated network models to places with little network infrastructure, could the growth of edge computing conceivably increase structural inequality, particularly as it relates to the accessibility of AI and IoT devices?

    Insight references

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