What is edge computing?

Edge computing can help accelerate digital transformation by placing computing resources at the network edge and revolutionizing the way data is processed. With edge computing, businesses can expand their offerings by pushing beyond the limitations of yesterday's networks to provide faster and higher-quality digital experiences.

Edge computing allows for data processing to happen at a network's edge and closer to the data's source. It's a shift from data traveling to a server possibly across the country—and instead, keeps the processing near the source. With edge computing, information is captured by the edge computing infrastructure and returned to end users in near-real time.

With remote work becoming more common, the pressure to automate, streamline and speed up connectivity has never been higher. At the same time, increased Internet of Things (IoT) devices put pressure on public clouds, increasing the ever-complex management overhead to effectively secure and optimize operations.

And that’s where edge computing comes in and can offer value to companies.

While it can be said that edge computing is the evolution of cloud computing, it's not a replacement. Cloud and edge computing are complementary, rather than competitive or mutually exclusive.

Cloud computing is the delivery of data over the internet—centralizing servers, storage and intelligence on a mass scale. The most notable benefits of this are cost savings, increased ability to collaborate remotely, secure file sharing and more efficient operations. Thanks to the cloud, mobile applications, smart technology and IoT devices were made possible. Their functionality, however, is limited by bandwidth demands.

Enter edge computing, which takes what cloud computing started and levels it up by improving the performance and efficiency of delivering data. Whether that data is on a mobile device, augmented reality (AR)-powered gaming, a smart home speaker or IoT industrial machinery, processing data at the network's edge reduces latency.

In the mobile market's push for 5G networks, edge computing can be helpful. Compared to 4G, 5G can process data multiple times faster with minimal latency. This allows any edge computing applications to benefit from extremely low-latency—improving performance and minimizing wait time.

Edge computing will likely see opportunities for application in a broad range of areas. Consider the medical community where 5G and mobile edge computing (MEC) can help enable life-saving applications using AI in hospitals. Innovative applications, such as video diagnostics and surgical robotics, are helping to transform patient care, allowing data to more accurately direct and augment physician diagnoses.

The world today is hyper-connected due to the proliferation of devices powered by the internet. Everything from security systems to home appliances and inventory trackers use the internet to function. Edge computing was also developed to meet the huge demand for IoT devices.

Interconnectivity is key. Think about a smart home: If all your devices are connected to the internet, you can control and connect all your life's elements to make day-to-day living more streamlined.

Industry and manufacturing businesses are already seeing the benefits of IoT devices. But with edge computing, they can potentially achieve much more. The interconnectivity means faster building and more accurate inventory management, and should translate into profit.

Industrial applications—any device or machinery used during the building or manufacturing products—are drivers for edge computing. Predictive maintenance for manufacturing machinery requires near-real-time accuracy. With a growing number of commoditized products today, delivering data faster should be a key differentiator.