EXPERT OPINION
Edge data centres under stress : How to keep networks up and running in the ‘ hybrid ’ working age
Edge Computing is an area of technology that has experienced rapid growth since the pandemic . Alan Stewart-Brown , VP
EMEA , Opengear , discusses how Edge Computing is capable of transforming the data centre landscape . he traditional data centre has been a mainstay of
T computing and connectivity networks for decades , with most processing transactions being carried out in a centralised core . Although core networks are essentially the backbone of any network , mobility , technological advancements and user demands have increased the need to add Edge elements to the core . Gradual but growing adoption of new generation data-rich applications and IoT technologies have increased the demand for deployment of IT infrastructure closer to the end-user .
The move to remote working that we ’ ve seen since the pandemic began has , in turn , helped boost the move to the Edge . Edge Computing is a distributed , open IT architecture that features decentralised processing power . Instead of transferring data to a data centre , IoT ( Internet of Things ) devices transfer it to a local connection point . The data is processed by a local computer , or server , at this edge location .
Nearer to the source
The advantages of this model are that since the Edge is specifically designed to be located closer to the user , it can provide much faster services and minimises latency by enabling real-time processing of large quantities of data that then communicates across a much shorter distance . At these Edge compute sites , the most commonly found devices are network switches , routers , security appliances , storage and local compute devices . Unlike origin or cloud servers , which are usually located far from the
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