Edge Computing and IoT
Edge computing and IoT – Bringing data intelligence closer to devices and the edge of the network
When most business think about the impact of the Internet of Things (IoT) they think about collecting more data and improving efficiency of the organization.
But the biggest impact of IoT is likely to be on the rest of the technology infrastructure and the changing shape of networks in the future.
IoT sensors create vast amounts of data. Early projects looked to massively increase network speeds and capacity so that all this data could go back to a central data center.
Intelligence at the edge
But the reality is that the scale of data created is so enormous that it is not practical to send it all back to a central server for storage and processing. Even if it was possible, it would slow down response times at the edge of the network, where the sensors are located.
Instead, it makes more sense to move the intelligence out of the data center to where the data is being created and collected.
Improving office life
IoT can radically improve office life by removing routine tasks and automating maintenance schedules. But most of today’s systems don’t require huge amounts of data to be sent back to central systems. Workflow will be faster and more efficient when printers, scanners, copiers and fax machines work all the time. Intelligent IoT means devices can warn before something goes wrong, not when it goes wrong.
Removing the burden of operational IT from the data center frees up systems and staff so they can take a longer-term, analytical and strategic view of systems.
New networks need new types of hardware
This will not only change the shape of the typical business network but will also change the types of hardware the network needs. Servers will be smaller, more robust and easier to keep up and running than systems in a climate-controlled data center.
This sort of structure solves three major IoT challenges simultaneously.
1. Cutting the bottleneck
Firstly, it means that putting in a network of IoT devices or sensors will not create an instant bandwidth bottleneck.
2. Saving and focusing of resources
Secondly, it doesn’t waste resources by sending essentially useless data across the network. Office control systems, for example, do not need to know the exact temperature of every sensor. They need to know if set limits are exceeded and then need to adjust heating or cooling systems accordingly. Central systems do not need real-time data on every piece of office equipment, they need to know if something is behaving outside normal operating parameters and needs attention.
3. Improving security
Thirdly, keeping data at the edge of the network can help reduce the security risks associated with IoT systems. By limiting communication between the edge and central systems, it should be easier to spot anomalous activity which might be evidence of an attempted cyber-attack.
Putting intelligence at the edge should also make it cheaper to get IoT projects up and running quickly.
Of course, there will still be a role for the central analysis of data, whether in a data center or in the cloud. But this process will be much faster and easier using information which has already undergone some processing where it was created.
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