4 reasons you need an edge strategy now
As data demand reaches critical mass, businesses of all sizes are rethinking their data and compute strategies.
The proliferation of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and the Internet of Things (IoT) in our daily lives is driving a profound change in the way computing workloads are deployed. Add to that 5G and the dramatic rise in mobile device usage, and it’s easy to see why many organizations are shifting their compute and data to the geographical edge of their enterprises where they can deploy as close as possible to end users and devices.
Infrastructure today was designed to handle hundreds of gigabytes (GB), not terabytes (TB), as is expected in the near future. Couple that with the renewed focus by companies to improve customer experience and protect their respective brand reputations, and it’s clear that the threats and opportunities of the “data avalanche” are real.
Here are the top four reasons your organization needs an edge strategy now:
1. AI and IoT everywhere
The world of AI and IoT has arrived, and with it, a deluge of mobile devices to command all that connectivity. By 2022, Gartner predicts more than 50% of enterprise-generated data will be created and processed outside the data center or cloud.
While we don’t yet see IoT in everything we do, it’s seeping into our daily lives. Whether we’re using smart devices to watch remotely as packages are delivered to our doorsteps, manage the temperature in our homes or monitor our personal health and fitness, we’re still just in the nascency of an epic digital transformation. IoT will deliver services never before imagined in areas of agriculture, smart cities, autonomous vehicles, and so much more.
2. Advances in gaming graphics and video streaming
In a recent survey, 92% of respondents cited video content delivery as the top driver of edge computing. With virtual reality and gaming advances on the rise and an imminent increase from 4K resolution video to a much higher 8K, it’s apparent we’ll have capacity issues. By processing game data closer to players (rather than sending it to distant data centers), providers can optimize video workflows, reduce transit costs and deliver a higher-quality, low-latency stream to viewers.
3. The emergence of 5G
Mobile carriers are fully invested in 5G, which brings one hundred times the capacity of 4G to our mobile devices. With higher speed, low latency, and the ability to connect a lot more devices at once, the amount of traffic at the edge will be exponentially higher than the current infrastructure can support. Enterprises will need to make swift and measured decisions regarding which data will be processed and where.
4. Cost considerations
There is a significant cost to moving thousands of terabytes of data over long distances. By processing data closer to end users, enterprises can reduce bandwidth usage and costs while ensuring that applications can be accessed efficiently and securely at remote locations. Successful movement to the edge requires smart, prompt decisions about which data needs to be processed at the edge, which data can be dropped, and which data should be sent back to the core data center for analytics, archive, and storage.
Today’s decisions will drive future success
With reports that over 80% of traditional data center deployments will be shuttered by 2025 and their workloads moved closer to the edge, businesses need to make plans now about where to process their data, where the edge comes into play, and any potential need for fog computing.
Smart decisions made today can impact your business for years to come. But don’t go it alone. Seek qualified partners to help you create a working strategy—sooner rather than later.
