At present, edge computing is more of a prospect than a mature market -- more of a concept than a product. To maximize application potential and user experience, technology innovation leaders need to plan distributed computing solutions along with a continuum from the core to the edge.
The Stats speak for themselves
- By 2022, more than 50% of enterprise-generated data will be created and processed outside the data center or cloud.
- By 2020, 80% of asset-intensive industry CIOs will be responsible for operational technology (OT) data and will embrace IT/OT integration as a strategic imperative.
โThe edge" is a theoretical space where a data center resource may be accessed in the minimum amount of time. The Edge refers to the place where the IoT connects the cloud and the physical world. The Edge is not just faster; it processes data in real-time. Edge computing allows data produced by the internet of things (IoT) devices to be processed closer to where it is created instead of sending it across long routes to data centers or clouds.
In the past, data centers were owned and operated by the IT department, protected by a strong firewall. Today a lot of computational requirements are driven by operational or workplace needs and can no longer be managed by the central data center alone, but require fast and flexible solutions that connect the core with the edge. IT decisions become business decisions that need to address the customersโ challenges and how companies use IT to improve their outcomes to add value to their business and their customers. But thatโs not the only benefit. The following are a few more reasons to consider Edge Computing for IoT data storage-
- With some of the most sensitive data collected at the edge, traditional security measures cannot always protect this data. Your security needs to prevent physical access to the network through IoT devices and safeguard the data collected and processed at the edge. Edge Computing ensures that there is no disconnect during real-time processing of information, keeping usersโand in some cases, patientsโsafe.
- Information Technology (IT) and Operational Technology (OT) need to work better together
Itโs time. In the past, the IT department and the operational team may not have had much interaction and were working independently of each other with different goals. The first promise of value is that HPE Edgeline converges OT such as data acquisition systems, control systems, and industrial networks already in place at the edge with traditional IT systems. The benefit of this convergence results in less space, less energy, lower operating expenses, and overall higher performance in a converged edge system.
- Companies are looking for new ways to minimize costly interruptions and process breakdowns caused by equipment failures and maintenance activities by harnessing the real-time data from IoT devices and operational data at the data centers. Organizations in all sectors and industries want to move from disruptive, reactive maintenance to a more proactive, future-ready approach such asdigital predictive maintenance.
- Edge computing can lower costs by reducing the number of times your organization has to copy large amounts of data from one system to another and then have to process and analyze it. Storing data and downloading it can be expensive and the more data that is transferred means having to pay higher bandwidth costs.
How you can leverage the Intelligent Edge for your enterprise
The Intelligent Edge is an exciting place that offers great business opportunities. No matter if you are just getting started or if you are already in the middle of your digital transformation, learn how we can help you harness the edge for the business and accelerate your business outcomes with services from HPE Pointnext.
Edging forward - The edge is where the action is
The edge is everywhere that is not the data center nor the cloudโa factory floor, an oil rig, or an airportโpractically anywhere. The things residing at the edgeโcars, drills, cameras, personal devices, and moreโare sources of rapidly growing big data. The ability to analyze this data rapidly and efficiently, and then take action on the data, enables you to optimize operations, redefine employee experiences, improve customer satisfaction, and create differentiated business models. For those edge environments, HPE Edgeline delivers on two promises of value: Converged operational technology (OT) with informational technology (IT), and delivering enterprise-class IT at the edge.
Future-minded CIOs should consider edge computing whenever they have an opportunity to improve a function, product, or service with real-time data analysis. As always, CIOs who are interested in adopting new technology, like edge computing, could save themselves plenty of time, effort, and frustration by observing what other companies in their industry are doing with it and ask themselves, โDoes this make sense for us?โ
Audrey Cox
WW OEM Communications & Brand Awareness
Hewlett Packard Enterprise
