As an application deployment model, edge computing is gaining rapid popularity. In essence, it hosts the application (or at least part of it) close to the systems it is meant for. This proximity—keeping computation at the “edge”—reduces resource consumption and the time to make decisions.
Understandably, businesses across various sectors have embraced edge computing to enjoy these benefits. From medical firms with IoT devices to companies in manufacturing and Netflix with its micro data centers, this deployment model can prove beneficial for many industries.
According to McKinsey’s 2024 report on technology trends, edge computing is enjoying swift adoption and also enabling other emerging technologies. Around 48 percent of respondents reported either fully scaled or ongoing adoption of cloud and edge computing.
Below are practical pointers to help businesses garner sustainability advantages when experimenting with this powerful technology.
Align Deployment With Network Traffic
One of the primary benefits of edge computing is its tangible improvements in latency and data-transfer costs. Businesses can maximize these by deploying resources based on the network traffic, considering high-traffic locations separately from others.
For example, more organizations have started exploring new approaches for distributing workloads, such as hyper-scale remote and regional data centers. In 2023, these investments equaled $54 billion in equity.
The objective is to maintain proximity with the sources or consumption areas of data. Likewise, businesses can utilize this deployment model to channel traffic to efficient nodes of the edge. It can improve the user experience since they won’t have to experience delays in response or doubt its reliability.
While planning deployment, firms must remain alert to the changing regulations on data sovereignty and security. Edge computing has inherent advantages in avoiding data breaches as there is no need to transmit it over as long distances as before. Even so, ensuring that data encryption, access controls, and other security measures are up to date will further mitigate risks.
Explore Outsourcing and Third-Party Partnerships
Outsourced managed IT can be lucrative when implementing edge computing. For one, it frees you of the stress of day-to-day management and offers quick access to support. You can access the third-party provider’s specialized skill sets without having to fork up the sum for an in-house team.
According to Cyber Protect LLC, ramping up protection against cybersecurity threats has become crucial in the face of constant technological changes. Working with a trusted provider for cloud solutions and compliance support can mitigate these risks for your organization.
Additionally, you can devote your energies to leveraging edge computing and its implications for your business. It is ideal for organizations whose core competency does not involve technology, making tech-infrastructure management cumbersome and painstaking.
Commit to Agility and Decentralization
Driving sustainability through edge computing may require a paradigm shift in organizations accustomed to centralized decision-making. Bringing in more agility and empowering teams to make decisions independently is essential to enjoy the merits of this approach.
Implementing edge computing will permit local teams to access essential data for making crucial decisions. Usually, this data is real-time. Allowing team members to act on these inputs and take strategic calls will help foster commitment and productivity.
Moreover, edge computing demands agility that can only come through expedited decision-making. Deloitte notes that edge computing and AI unite to generate insights that can improve customer value. Based on this data, teams must be willing to conduct prototyping and iterations. It requires a connected, concerted effort across the organization, with multi-functional teams operating in sync.
Making Data Centers More Efficient
A predicted setback to the sustainability advantage of edge computing is the excessive energy consumption of data centers. According to Goldman Sachs Research, the power demand of data centers is likely to increase by 50 percent by 2027. It may rise 165 percent by 2030.
Edge computing and AI require access to data centers, which derive their power from sources often linked to fossil fuels. The former usually uses smaller centers that connect to larger ones. Monitoring the power consumption carefully keeps companies updated about the optimality of their operations.
Companies like Google, when attempting to hyper-scale, now actively partner with renewable energy providers that can power grids more sustainably. Responsible organizations also examine related aspects, such as data center cooling to minimize energy waste and optimal arrangements to limit airflow problems.
Edge computing applications are now ubiquitous: self-driving cars, automated operations in factories, healthcare monitoring devices that patients can wear… More sectors appreciate the benefits of this technology, from reduced bandwidth needs to faster processing speeds. New applications are emerging every year, from smart homes to cloud gaming and even asset monitoring for oil and gas companies.
Taking computing to the edge can help businesses make their operations more sustainable while improving customer experiences. It is a win-win.