The most efficient approach to process data in digital business is to bring computing power closer to the object or person generating it. The need for localised processing power is addressed by edge computing systems. Leaders in IT infrastructure and operations (I&O) who are in control of these solutions should be aware of the associated business value and risks.
A new edge solution developed has a scalable and flexible solution for managing hardware nodes and the edge applications that operate on them. It was built on a foundation of innovative open technologies and created by edge and OT experts to deal with the unique aspects of edge management. During the development phase of the product, the edge software company claims to have worked with a number of key partners and potential customers to ensure the solution satisfies the market opportunity.
The challenge of maintaining these edge infrastructures becomes more crucial as the number of industrial IoT devices and the data produced develops at a rapid rate. Edge scale, intermittent connectivity, device/sensor connections, legacy platforms, and resource constraints can cause problems for traditional cloud or IT-based management solutions.
According to the edge software company, the problem is multi-dimensional in scope and includes both the provisioning and management of the edge nodes and also the application workloads deployed on the nodes. While other key issues include dealing with aged and heterogeneous infrastructure (legacy equipment, brownfield nodes, and devices), and the fact that the OT lifecycle is often measured in decades, not years.
The controller, which can be hosted on-premise or in the cloud, is used to administer the edge systems. Users benefit from platform independence for both managed nodes and the cloud environment in which the controller is deployed. Designed to meet the specific needs of edge systems, it provides light-touch provisioning and complete lifecycle management for both edge nodes and their applications. It currently enables the deployment and management of containerised applications at the edge, and it will support native binary apps in the future.
Edge systems are managed from a centralised controller that can be hosted either on-premise or in the cloud. Platform independence for both the managed nodes and the cloud environment on which the controller is deployed ensures flexibility and choice for users. The real question here is, how will edge computing add value to help companies keep pace with emerging technologies and digital transformation?
Industry 4.0 and digital transformation is certainly driving the revolution at the edge. A recent report stated that by 2025, 75% of the data will be created and processed at the edge outside of the data centre and in the cloud. This is a massive growth from just 10% in 2018 — a huge turnaround in processing data outside the data centres and cloud and moving it to the edge.
Edge computing can assist companies with tasks that aren’t able to achieve in the cloud software. When it comes to low latency, connectivity, security or privacy, and transmitted data volume challenges, there are some apparent benefits, and neither companies nor consumers want to deal with the consequences of interrupted services.
In our new, somewhat distant, connected world, distributed cloud and edge architectures will increase data processing speed, reduce time lag, enable technologies and support the exponential growth of IoT and Autonomous Things such as mobile robots or self-driving vehicles.
The opportunities for edge computing to enhance operations and services are vast. Consequently, it is currently at the forefront of IT decision making and fast becoming a growing market.
