FEATURE : EDGE COMPUTING
With more and more people working from home as a result of the pandemic , business leaders have been faced with Edge complexities as the scale of Edge Computing use has increased . Dave Russell , Vice President of Enterprise Strategy at
Veeam , and Rick Vanover , Senior Director of Product Strategy at Veeam , discuss how Edge
Computing will play a prominent role within the technology sector and how enterprises can best optimise
Edge-enabled systems .
When COVID-19 arrived in early 2020 , enterprises ’ first priority was to patch together a communications and information-sharing infrastructure that could sustain operations until work could return to normal . More than a year later , returns are on hold and enterprises are rethinking their visions of ‘ normal ’. They ’ re reimagining their workplaces and their business practices – embracing more flexible models that take advantage of the benefits of Edge technologies .
Edge Computing is defined loosely as a model that brings computational , data storage and connectivity resources closer to the locations where they ’ re needed , saving bandwidth and accelerating response times . Edge technologies power millions of IoT applications in industrial , retail , healthcare and Smart Cities environments , and prior to 2020 , analysts expected an additional bump from Virtual Reality and 5G in the coming years .
It ’ s not just workers connecting on Zoom occupying this new Edge . Video editors working from home are transmitting huge files , schools are engaging thousands of students in online classes and physicians are conducting remote health visits where high-res images are posted and circulated . Investing in Edge solutions that process data locally and enable more seamless connections avoids having to slog through increasingly overburdened public networks .
The result : a boom in Edge-related hardware , software and applications . Analysts are predicting a major growth spurt at the Edge , rocketing up 30 % a year to US $ 44.0 billion by 2030 .
As enterprises accelerate investments in Digital Transformation projects , Edge technologies will open up new opportunities to succeed in the marketplace . Here are a few areas where they ’ ll play prominent roles .
Customer service
Customers , of course , can be demanding . They want choices , information , intuitive purchasing options , respect for their privacy and , at times , a little coddling . Businesses can respond better in transactional situations if they can have information and insights available in the moment . This plays right to the strengths of Edge applications .
Retailers , for instance , can use Edge devices with web caching functions to replicate online customer experiences in the physical world . They can capture customer information , apply insights from shopping patterns , process connections in real time and be ready to better serve the customer at key points of the buying journey .
Then the pandemic hit and the need for Edge technologies suddenly accelerated . As millions of workers shifted out of enterprise hubs into more remote locations , they put a strain on networks , creating increased latency and a greater need for computer power , capacity and storage closer to the new network edge .
Outside the store , changeable digital displays can broadcast pop-up sales to attract customers inside . As customers enter , the network connects to their personal devices and accesses their purchase history . Customers can then request customised coupons or connect to personalised shopper assistance . Inside the store , strategically positioned kiosks and screens
An Edge Computing breakup : Out with the old and in with the new
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