Data is critical for most modern-day businesses, supporting essential operations and processes and offering valuable insights. Most companies are flooded with tons of data, much of which is collected from IoT devices and sensors operating in real-time. Traditionally, data is processed via a centralized data center. However, with the exponential growth of data, using a centralized data center results in latency issues, bandwidth limitations and unforeseen network disruptions. The solution to these data challenges is edge computing.

So, what is edge computing?

As the name suggests, edge computing is an IT system where data is processed at the ‘edge’ of the network, as close as possible to the point where it was created. Since data doesn’t have to pass through a network to a centralized data center or cloud to be processed, latency is greatly reduced. Gartner predicts that by 2025, 75% of enterprise-generated data will be created and processed at the edge.

Edge computing can be used in a wide of services, products, and applications. This includes self-driving cars, security system monitoring, safety monitoring of oil rigs, medical monitoring devices, smart utility grid analysis, video conferencing and IoT devices.

Benefits of edge computing

• ·  Cost savings – Cloud resources and bandwidth are finite and cost lots of money. Edge computing helps cut costs by minimizing server resources and bandwidth use. With every office and home getting equipped with smart toasters, thermostats, printers and cameras, Statista forecasts that there will be over 75 billion IoT devices in use by 2025. Moving computation to the edge will make it easier to support all these devices
• ·  Enhanced speed – In terms of performance, edge computing delivers much faster response times. Since data is processed closer to the point where it is created, latency is reduced and devices can respond much faster
• ·  Improved security – Data that has to be processed via a centralized data center is highly vulnerable. A single attack could disrupt the entire operations of a company. Edge computing minimizes such risks
• ·  Better data management – A good edge computing network can sift through tons of data and only transmit that which contains valuable insights
• ·  Scalability – Edge computing systems are easier to scale with the increasing use of IoT devices

Conclusion

Edge computing is revolutionizing the way data is processed, handled and delivered from numerous devices around the globe. Tech One IT stays ahead of innovative technologies – our IT Solutions team can help create processes using such technologies, and our Technology Apprenticeship Program (TAP) offers the opportunity for technologists to gather experience within innovative technologies like these.

Interested in implementing edge computing? Get in touch with us today. 

Looking to get experience in innovative technologies? Join our technology apprenticeship program (TAP) today.