Edge Cloud: A Closer Look at the IoT Edge Platform

Today there is a core cloud built up of more than 10,000 data centers dispersed around the globe. Over the next five years, as applications shift to the edge, thousands of scaled-down data centers will evolve out at the edge of the network to form the edge cloud. Edge computing enables data generated by 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. It allows data from IoT Devices to be monitored at the edge of the network before sending it to the data center or cloud.

Cloud computing is changing the telecoms environment, contributing reliability and reduce total costs and high service accessibility. Nowadays current cloud-based networks depend on centralized architecture. According to the Gartner report near about 10% of enterprise-generated data is created and processed outside a traditional centralized data center or cloud and by 2022 this figure will reach 50%.

Edge Cloud is a new IoT solution line that grips the edge platform to help businesses succeed in the connected device, in connected cars revolution.etc with an eye toward safety and scalability.

By conducting billions of endpoints online, Edge Cloud allows connected device initiatives to use in the presence of Internet access. Cloud abilities must be distributed across the network to form an edge cloud, which locates computing resources where the traffic is at the edge of the network. This allows network functions like Cloud RAN (Radio Access Network) which is centralized cloud computing-based architecture for radio access networks that supports 2G, 3G, 4G and future wireless communication standards, to run at the edge of the network.

In today’s networked world, data centers operate by huge operations such as Amazon, Google, Equinix, DRT.etc that are interconnected and stream data and applications over the network to the end users

There is an expanding category of content and applications, including streaming video to mobile devices, potentially-sensitive IoT apps that requires to be pushed deeper into the network and closer to the edge and to the user. The shift to the edge is required by a number of factors. Device potential is one of the reasons, but cost is also a part of the equation.

Looking forward a decade, there could be more data centers sending content and apps to users over shorter lengths of fiber and network hops. In Edge Cloud, location matters. Techniques such as Geo-analytics will be utilized to set Edge Cloud Data Centers hence called as edge nodes in close presence to clusters of end-users or devices that will take benefit from the higher performance and provide lower cost.

IoT Edge Cloud Pain points that are solving for customers:

Edge computing is faster, more secure and much stronger than processing data either in the cloud or in an entirely different space. In the meanwhile, this enormous data generation and increase in digital business projects will also come with a set of challenges, which the companies will have to approach in advance to provide consistent and secure services to its customers.

Here are few common challenges that edge computing can tackle:

Latency:

Edge computing can remove latency concern by relocating crucial data processing to the edge of the network as it works on the principle of a more distributed network, makes sure there is no disconnect in real-time information managing and gives a more definitive network.

Security:

In edge architecture any electrical failure would be limited to the edge computing device and the local applications on that device. Edge Cloud works with new or existing systems to optimize management and to mark and prevent power problems before they occur.

Real-time data:

Edge computing sites forward real-time data and alerts without any interference. The effective monitoring system can prevent and resolve concerns even before they arise.

Cost:

Edge computing reduces the capital investment and operating expenditures. The Edge cloud solutions combine with new or existing hardware and software and setup to scale so you can manage costs now and plan for future growth only as needed.

Governance:

Every company wants to assemble a culture of information technology as per industry standards, observing with data regulations. Edge Cloud solution will give out end-to-end services, meeting all such requirements.

Edge Computing Potential use cases:

We’re shifting toward a future where everything is connected, from hotel rooms to emergency vehicles to supply chains, to untangle daily tasks like switching on/off lights. With that it’s essential that automated and interconnected communications are prevented from hackers.

Autonomous vehicles

While driverless cars are not supposed to take over the highways anytime soon, the automotive industry has already endowed billions of dollars in developing the technology. In order to operate safely, these vehicles will need to collect and monitor huge amounts of data involving to their surroundings, directions, and weather conditions.

They will also need to feed data back to manufacturers to monitor usage and maintenance alerts as well as associate with local networks. With the help of Edge Computing Architecture it is possible for autonomous vehicles to collect, monitor, and measure data between vehicles and to broader networks in real time.

Smart cities

Urban areas are rapidly becoming huge information collecting centers, with sensors gathering data on utility usage, and key infrastructure every day. While that data enables city officials to answer to problems quicker than ever before, all of that information must be gathered, stored and monitored before it can be put to use.

Conventional cloud solutions are unable to give quick response times for the multitude of devices operating on the edges of the networks. Edge computing architecture makes it possible for devices managing uses and other public services to respond to changing conditions in real-time.

Industrial Manufacturing

By involving data storage and computing into industrial equipments, manufacturers can collect data that will enable a greater predictive maintenance and energy efficiency allowing them to minimize costs and energy utilization while maintaining better stability and productive uptime. Edge computing can also provide huge benefit to industries operating where bandwidth is low or non-existent. Offshore Oil rigs, in the ocean that has thousands of sensors producing huge amounts of data most of which could be insignificant; perhaps it is data that confirms systems are working properly.

Gathered data does not necessarily require to be sent over a network as soon as it’s generated so instead the local edge computing system observes the data and provides daily details to a central data center or cloud for long-term depository.

By only sending essential data over the network, the edge computing system minimizes the data crossing the network.

Financial sector

For high-volume finance firms dealing in offshore investment funds (international funds) and other markets, even a millisecond of lag in a trading algorithm computation can mean a substantial loss of money. By carrying out computing closer to the edge of the network assists in monitoring data in real-time – essential for data- driven conclusion making in the banking sector.

Healthcare

IoT devices are capable of delivering huge amounts of patient-generated health data; healthcare providers could potentially have access to essential data about their patients in real time rather than combining with slow and insufficient databases.

Edge computing could make a remarkable influence on the delivery of healthcare services to hard-to-reach rural areas. With the help of edge computing devices could collect, reserve and take that data in real time and even use their processing abilities to suggest treatments.

What industries can benefit from this?

The Edge Cloud solution and IoT Edge Connect is appropriate and useful to businesses of all sizes and across industries, including airlines, automotive, hospitality, restaurants, schools, gaming, financial services, retail, fleet management and more.

Edge Computing and Cloud Computing

Edge computing refers to data managing power at the edge of a network instead of holding that processing power in a cloud or a central data warehouse. There are various examples where it is beneficial to do so. For example, in industrial IoT applications such as power production, smart traffic lights or manufacturing the edge devices catch flowing data that can be used to protect a part from failing, reroute traffic, optimize production and prevent product faults.

Edge computing is generally called as ‘processing of data at the edge of a network’. This normally introduce to the processing of data at the user end instead of being processed in a local or virtual server.

Cloud computing works as a normal server and every process that happens are considered for within the server. Data management, crucial data response, managing data, etc. all happens within the cloud storage. Use of a remote server for management and repository of data and its processing just like a local in-house server is the main function of Cloud computing. All these data contain a service similar to a physical server and can be used to conduct all business activities.

The edge cloud will be a basic advantage for service providers to support new services and applications, opening new standing market opportunities. The IoT industry required to start building and executing edge infrastructure now to address these business opportunities and be ready for the next evolutionary steps of their networks, including 5G.