The future of Cloud: Edge Computing holds the key to total digital transformation

The IDC forecasts the global edge computing market to reach $250 billion by 2024; a compounded annual growth of 12.5%. No wonder the industry is talking about Edge Computing. Edge Computing is a “new revolutionary technology” that can change organizations wanting to break free from previous limitations of traditional cloud-based networks. The next 12-18 months will prove to be the natural inflection for edge computing.

As much as 91% of our data today is created and processed in centralized data centers. Cloud computing will continue to contribute to businesses regarding cost optimization, agility, resiliency, and innovation catalyst. But in the future, the “Internet of Behaviors (IoB)” will power the next level of growth with endless new possibilities to re-imagine the products & services, user experiences, and operational excellence. IoB is one of the most sought-after and spoken-about strategic technology trends of 2021.

As per Gartner, the IoB has ethical and societal implications, depending on the goals and outcomes of individual uses. It is also concerned with utilizing data to change behaviors. For instance, with increased technologies that quickly gather dust, information can influence behaviors from feedback loops during times such as COVID-19 monitoring. IoT, IIoT, AI, ML, Digital Twin, and Edge Computing are at the core of the IoB. As per Gartner's research, about 75% of all data will require analysis and action at the Edge by 2022.

What is Edge Computing?

It is a distributed computing model where computing is conducted close to the geographical location of the data collection and analysis center, overusing a centralized server or Cloud. The improved infrastructure uses sensors to gather data, while the edge servers safely process data on-site in real-time. By miniaturizing the processing and storage tech, the network architecture landscape has experienced a massive shift in the right direction, where businesses can worry less about data security.

Why is Edge Computing relevant now?

Edge Computing is essential now because it is an upgrade for global businesses to improve their operational efficiency, boost their performance, and ensure data safety. It will also facilitate the automation of all core business processes and bring about the always-on feature. Edge Computing holds the key to achieving total digital transformation.

Key Edge enablers

1. 5G – Speed and low latency

By 2025, we will witness 1.2 billion 5G connections covering 34% of the global population. Highly reliable low latency is the new currency of the networking universe, underpinning new capabilities in many previously impossible industries. With 5G, we’ll see a whole new range of applications enabled by the low-latency of 5G; the proliferation of edge computing, transforming the art of the possible.

2. Need for near real-time response

Response time or speed of response is an absolute necessity for the AI/ML-powered solution, especially if deployed in a remote location or the user is on the move. If there is even a millisecond of delay in the algorithms of a remote patient monitoring system at hospitals, it could cost someone their life. Edge computing provides the ability to boost network performance by diminishing latency. Since the IoT edge computing devices are situated locally with edge data centers to process information, the information does not have to travel as far as cloud computing.

3. Containers

Containers technology like Docker and Kubernetes allows companies to run prepackaged software containers more quickly, reliably, and efficiently. Armed with these technologies, companies can set up and scale Micro Clouds wherever and however they want.

4. Service and Data mesh

Service and Data mesh facilitate a channel to release and query data or services distributed through datastores and containers across the Edge, making it a critical enabler. It also allows bulk queries for the entire population within the Edge over each device, bringing greater ease.

5. Software-Defined Networking (SDN)

Software-defined networking enables the configuration of the overlay networks by users, making it simpler to customize routing and bandwidth to determine a way to connect edge devices and the Cloud.

6. Digital Twin

The digital twin is a crucial enabler responsible for organizing physical-to-digital and cloud-to-edge. It lets domain experts (not just software engineers) configure their applications to observe, think and act according to the Edge.

7. Maturity and adoption of IIoT for OT and IT convergence

The maturity of IIoT platforms and Edge AI pave the way for IT-OT convergence, thereby offering an innovation advantage to the business.

8. Industrialisation of IoT Sensors

The industrial Internet of Things or IIoT sensors provides a more significant business advantage such as greater productivity and efficiency and cost reduction for data collection, analysis, and exchange.

9. Multi-Access Edge Computing (MEC)

MES transforms the topology and the architecture of mobile networks from a pure communication network for voice and data to an application platform for services. MEC complements and enables the service environment that will characterize 5G.

10. Extended Reality (XR)

XR represents an immersive interface for work collaboration in a virtualized environment. With the help of edge computing, these experiences become even more detailed and interactive.

11. Heterogeneous hardware and Neuromorphic processors

Innovation for Heterogeneous hardware and ruggedized HCI / Edge devices is making Edge computing more pervasive as they process a greater volume of data quickly by using lesser power. Integrating this specialized hardware on Edge enables efficient computation within physical environments while accelerating the response rates. Hyperscalers, along with 5G and chip OEM, are innovating at speed to capture the market. Azure Percept is Microsoft’s latest edge computing platform, bringing the best hardware, software, and cloud services to the Edge.

12. Privacy-oriented technology

New privacy-oriented technologies include techniques and hardware that enable data to be processed without exposing all the problematic aspects. Data is encrypted during storage and transmission. However, privacy-preserving tech is bound to safeguard data even in the computing stage, making it more reliable for other lines of the organization and its partners, especially when required to be processed on Edge.

13. Robotics

Robotics can be configured to act following signals and updates by the Edge. This has been seen in life-saving surgical procedures where agility and precision are of utmost importance. Both Edge and Cloud are of utmost importance to control the robot’s moves and executions through stored data while ensuring no lag between movements.

How Edge Computing will drive Cloud Computing

From what we are witnessing so far, Edge Computing represents the future of a cloud technology extension by making it bulletproof. Discussed below are a few ways we may see this continuum manifest:

1. Extension of AI and IoT

A substantial amount of computing is already being carried out on Edge at manufacturing units, hospitals, and retail sectors, where the majority operate on the most sensitive data. It also powers the most critical systems that are required to function safely and reliably. Edge can facilitate the driving of decisions on these core functional systems. When there is the opportunity for AI and IoT to tap into these systems, there is a niche for the Edge, too.

2. Value creation by multi-partner/multi-company solutions

Understanding and assuming control of the Edge also gives you control of the closest point of data action. Utilizing this unique opportunity to relay differentiated services can help a business in great ventures with valuable partnerships that branch out.

3. Revolutionises new tech

Edge computing is the need of the hour to maximize the returns of the next-generation technologies, as the current scope needs to be broadened anyway. As time passes, so does the need for a better technological support system for data processing that is faster, smarter, and more efficient.

So, does Edge Computing replace Cloud Computing?

Today’s Cloud world is characterized by limited mega data centers in remote locations. Data is traversing from one device to the Cloud and back to execute a computation or data analysis. This data typically makes this round trip traveling at 50 to 100 milliseconds over today’s 4G networks. Data traveling over 5G at less than five milliseconds facilitates the edge cloud and the ability to create new services that it empowers.

Decentralizing traditional IT infrastructure is at the core of Edge Computing and complementary to centralized cloud computing. Edge Computing is an ally of the Cloud, which can work together to enable flexible solutions depending on each business’s data collection and analysis demands. They both have their applications. For instance, the Edge can be used better for real-time collection and analysis and a certain amount of workload. At the same time, the Cloud can facilitate a centralized hotspot for large-scale analytical operations. Used together, both can bring real-time and future-ready insights for ventures such as asset performance management and machine learning.

Today, everything is getting ‘smart’ and ‘intelligent’ because of technology. Most of the processing that powers today’s intelligent products is handled remotely (in the Cloud or a data center), where there’s enough computing power to run the required algorithms.

As Edge Computing continues to expand, it will continue to pave the path for various new and valuable services, applications, and use cases. Now, Edge AI can optimize these examples even further, thus helping companies gain new ways of thinking about past business processes and create powerful innovations to transform their business. In doing so, edge AI can help companies gain a new and sustainable competitive advantage; let’s call it a competitive edge.