Edge computing is a distributed computing model where computing is conducted close to the geographical location of the data collection and analysis center, overusing a centralized server or Cloud. The improved infrastructure uses sensors to gather data, while the edge servers safely process data on-site in real-time. Edge computing can provide a direct on-ramp to a business’ cloud platform of choice and assists in achieving flexibility to facilitate a seamless IT infrastructure.
THE TOP 5 KEY EDGE ENABLERS:
- 5G – Speed and low latency – By 2025, we will witness 1.2 billion 5G connections covering 34% of the global population.Highly reliable low-latency is the new currency of the networking universe, underpinning new capabilities in many previously impossible industries. With 5G, we’ll see a whole new range of applications enabled by the low-latency of 5G and the proliferation of edge computing, transforming the art of the possible.
Moreover, Private 5G Network will fuel Edge computing and push enterprises to the Edge. Forrester sees immediate value in private 5G — a network dedicated to a specific business or locale like a warehouse, shipyard, or factory.
- Need for near real – time response – Response time or speed of response is an absolute necessity for the AI/ML-powered solution, especially if deployed in a remote location or the user is on the move. If there is even a millisecond of delay in the algorithms of a remote patient monitoring system at hospitals, it could cost someone their life. Companies that render data-driven services cannot afford to lag in speed as it can have severe consequences to the brand reputation and customer’s quality of experience. As more and more data is being transmitted and generated, data traffic jams aren’t too far away. Edge computing provides the ability to boost network performance by diminishing latency. Since the IoT edge computing devices are situated locally with edge data centers to process information, the information does not have to travel as far as cloud computing.
- Industrialization of IoT sensors – The industrial Internet of Things or IIoT sensors provides a more significant business advantage such as greater productivity and efficiency and cost reduction for data collection, analysis, and exchange.
- Privacy oriented technology – New privacy-oriented technologies include techniques and hardware that enable data to be processed without exposing all the problematic aspects. Data is encrypted during storage and transmission. However, privacy-preserving tech is bound to safeguard data even in the computing stage, making it more reliable for other lines of the organization and its partners, especially when required to be processed on Edge.
- Robotics – Robotics can be configured to act following signals and updates by the Edge. This has been seen in life-saving surgical procedures where agility and precision are of utmost importance. Both Edge and Cloud are of utmost importance to control the robot’s moves and executions through stored data while ensuring no lag between movements.
DISTRIBUTED CLOUD
One of the three origins of distributed Cloud is edge computing, making it highly relevant for prospects. CIOs can use distributed cloud models to target location-dependent cloud use cases required in the future.Cloud services are “distributed” from public cloud providers to specific and various geographical locations. Operations that are physically closer to the ones who need such capabilities facilitate a low-latency computation. This also enables a consistent control plane to monitor the cloud infrastructure from the public to private Cloud while extending across the two environments. Collectively, they can deliver substantial improvements in performance because of the elimination of latency problems while reducing the chances of having global network-based outages or an inefficient control plane.
CONCLUSION
Today, everything is getting “smart” / “intelligent” because of technology. From home appliances and automobiles to industrial equipment, substantial products and services are employing the aid of AI to interpret commands, analyze data, recognize patterns, and make decisions for us. Most of the processing that powers today’s intelligent products is handled remotely (in the Cloud or a data center), where there’s enough computing power to run the required algorithms.
As edge computing continues to expand, it will continue to pave the path for various new and valuable services, applications, and use cases.
Now, edge AI can optimize these examples even further, thus helping companies gain new ways of thinking about past business processes and create powerful innovations to transform their business. In doing so, edge AI can help companies gain a new and sustainable competitive advantage; let’s call it a competitive edge.
Edge, combined with 5G’s higher bandwidth and Distributed Cloud’s low-latency computation, is the future that was imagined less than a decade ago and is within our reach, now more than ever. What is impressive about this technology is how several technological leaps and bounds are more significant than we could imagine. To think about it, edge computing is just like science fiction materializing, only that the experience is full of greater possibilities and expansion. Not only will your business be facing a new generation of success, using the Edge will help you run your organization more efficiently, create more incredible innovations at a fast-paced process faster and derive better value from affiliations.
–Gaurav Aggarwal, Vice President & Global Lead Everything on Azure Solution Strategy & GTM at Avanade
