Why is edge computing becoming more popular? Distance is the enemy of timely data processing. While core and cloud architectures offer plenty of power, they can't make up for the latency created by physical distance. Edge computing solves this problem by placing a server in a location between the cloud data center and the user. What's more, data is exploding at the edge and is pervasive across industries and solutions. This explosion of data requires technology closer to the data for processing and analysis. The reduction of latency enables companies to offer never-before-seen applications to users, some of which, as you'll see, can be lifesaving.
It stands to reason that industry heavyweights like Dell Technologies embrace the need for computing at the edge. In a recent interview with CRNTV, Kyle Dufresne, General Manager and SVP at Dell Technologies OEM Solutions division, extolled edge computing's importance.
Edge Computing Solves Problems Cloud Computing Can't
In the interview, Dufresne refers to the "Amazon effect" or the wave of corporations offering ever-robust retail services online. Have you ever noticed how retailers can now provide product delivery within one day or even the same day? It's a feat of local warehousing and local (aka edge) processing that makes this possible.
Otherwise, you and I must put up with the longer and broader delivery windows of the past. Instead of taking two weeks, our packages often arrive at our doorstep within a day or two. Other industries have taken notice and are now looking into how edge processing can improve their operations.
Computing at the Edge Benefits More Than Just Retail
According to Dufresne, edge computing also "allows companies to make better business decisions." Even though many firms hold the bulk of their processing power at their core or in cloud data centers, others move it outward. Defense, Telecom, Oil and Gas, Industrial Automation, and Healthcare are just some industries capitalizing on the edge trend. However, as edge computing expands, it presents a challenge.
The Importance of Finding a Systems Integration Partner
"We can't do it all ourselves," Dufresne goes on to say. Due to its widespread nature, edge technology not only requires the hardware in the field but the right expertise. It takes the care and know-how of mobile technicians to configure and maintain a widely distributed network. For this resource, Dell leans on its partnerships. Currently, 25% of Dell Technologies OEM Solutions' revenue comes through channel partners. Dufresne's goal is to grow it to 50% within two years.
UNICOM is an Ideal OEM Integration Partner
In the same CRNTV interview, Mr. Dufresne was joined by Rusty Cone, General Manager and Dell Technologies Partner of the Year, UNICOM Engineering. From his perspective, having Dell Technologies' global, seamless, and reliable platform on which to build edge solutions is vital. According to Cone, Dell provides them with the core infrastructure needed for "the data analytics, the display, and the immediate decision-making that is required at that edge."
And as mentioned, the decision-making power the edge provides is not only about dollars and cents but also, in some cases, health and welfare. For example, according to Cone, edge servers are interfacing with the latest testing, diagnostic, and patient treatment equipment in the healthcare market. Without the power of edge servers, home health devices and services would have difficulty communicating with hospitals and doctors.
The challenge is that just as no two patients are alike, the needs of any two hospitals (or other clients) aren't the same. That's where partners like UNICOM Engineering shine the brightest by bringing essential customization to every network and server.
The Edge Brings Computing Closer
Most IT leaders would agree, as the need for mobile access to their applications grows, so must the network and computing power that supports it. And while the best servers and the ideal configuration are essential, so is the network of human expertise used to support it. It's not enough to have a robust network. Skilled personnel is needed to design, build, and maintain it.
As a valued partner to Dell Technologies, UNICOM Engineering stands ready to build the most potent edge networks needed for companies to support their users. Are you ready to make the move to edge computing? For more information on how they can help your organization "find its edge," contact UNICOM Engineering today!