A Brief Introduction to Edge Computing
If your business is somehow related to technologies and innovations, you have probably heard of edge computing. In this blog post, we are going to give the answers to the following three questions: What is it? What benefits does it offer? What are the use cases?
If your business is a software development company or one that relies heavily on technology and innovation, you have likely stumbled upon the concept of edge computing. This article will give you an introduction to what edge computing is, the benefits they offer and their use cases.
Edge Computing
Edge computing could be described as an approach to IT network architecture that includes decentralization of computational processing by carrying them out close to the data source or in other words the “edge” of the network. Data is not sent to the cloud or a single data processing unit but rather sent to one of multiple network nodes that are close to the device generating the data. For instance, this could be one of Walmart’s biggest retail outlets.
The idea originated in the 1990s just around the time content delivery networks (CDNs) were introduced. A CDN could be described as a network of nodes that stores cached data and distributed through servers that are located closest to the end-user. Multi-access edge computing enhances the benefits of CDNs by providing nodes with computational or processing capabilities. Thus, eliminating the need to use cloud computing.
The Advantages of Edge Computing
Speed
The data is processed by the closest computation resources, this could be a server, storage or even software, the data is processed sans latency resulting in improved network bandwidth.
Enhanced Security
Dangerous software is detected and quarantined at the source which eliminates the risk of the entire network being infected.
Increased Efficiency
Reduced latency and enhanced bandwidth allow for superior real-time data processing, optimized resource usage & greater overall network efficiency.
Greater Control
Low-latency processing allows real-time processing as well as real-time monitoring of physical infrastructure through sensors or devices.
Use Cases for Edge Computing
Logistics Sector
Edge computing could facilitate reliable data collection for efficient fleet management. Inter-vehicle communication could be implemented through senors & internet of things (IoT) rather than processing data in a centralized location. IoT edge computing solutions facilitate real-time data transfer that helps transport & goods transfers to be monitored.
Industrial Sector
Edge computing can empower IoT solutions with high-speed connectivity for real-time predictive data processing and maintenance. This, for instance, can help an enterprise detect an impending production line failure and save a fortune by acting proactively. Edge computing facilitates real-time monitoring and reporting.
Retail
The retail industry has a whole host of opportunities with edge computing in the supply chain. Sensors and real-time processing can help retailers control the storage, transportation, & supply chain management. Data collection can help provide a better service to customers & help the marketing team.
Smart Homes
Smart homes could be equipped with voice assistants with faster response times than the current leading retail voice assistants. Real-time data processing in edge computing can facilitate this through mobile edge computing.
In conclusion, edge computing improves networks by enhancing bandwidth and reducing response times. The aforementioned are just a few applications, there are myriad applications in the corporate world for real-time data processing and this is precisely what edge computing provides.
