In this artical, we will learn about Edge Computing and also take a look at its advantages and disadvantages compared to cloud computing. In one of our recent Learn Technology, we have covered the concept of Content Delivery Network. It is an important cloud concept, that brings the most accessed content close to the user, for faster access and better user experiences.
The origins of Edge Networking lie in the Content Delivery Network concept. Instead of data getting closer to the user or application, in edge computing, the computing comes closer. Edge Computing, when it boils down to its core concept, is the decentralization of computing, by placing the workloads and processing capabilities as close to where the data is being created and where actions are being taken.
So, let's think about that for a little bit. Where does all this data come from? The data is created, really by human beings, as we interact with our world, in the environments that we operate, in the places where we do work. It can also come from the device itself, being produced as a byproduct of our use of that equipment. The Mobile phone revolution had a huge impact, as essentially, it put high computing units right in the pocket of the user. It is estimated that there are about 15 billion edge devices in the marketplace today and that it will grow to about 55 billion by 2022, and to 150 billion by 2025. By now, you would have realized that edge computing is not anything new, and it is not going to replace cloud computing. By incorporating edge computing with centralized cloud computing, which is sometimes called as fog computing, companies can maximize the advantages of both approaches while minimizing their limitations.
In the future, we will have to decide which type of computation should be done on edge and not in the Cloud. For this, we should have a clear understanding of the advantages and disadvantages of Edge Computing. First lets us look at the advantages, In the Cloud, the data is stored and processed in a central location, whereas edge computing is done very near to the source. With billions of devices coming online, in this data-rich world, enabled by IoT, 5G, and wearables, Cloud Computing alone won't be able to handle the load. Moreover, with Remote working becoming the norm in 2020, there will be a lot of strain on the network bandwidth Edge Computing is the only practical solution to tackle this problem. For mission-critical applications, where time is of the essence, like in factories, network latency is a very critical issue Even for consumers level stuff, like game streaming, video conferences, and remote operations, latency is very critical. Using Cloud Computing in such applications is very foolish, as the added latency will affect the business or user experiences.
Edge computing eliminates latency, and therefore reducing latency related failures in such applications. As more people are working remotely there is an increase in data being accessed remotely. This has increased the incidence of cyber crimes and opens up the possibility of leaking of confidential company data With edge computing, data is filtered and processed locally, rather than sending it to a data center, before sent to the company's network core via the Cloud.
Now, shall we look at some disadvantages? Even though earlier, we mentioned that there is a security advantage to edge networking, there are also some cybersecurity concerns that are common with edge computing too. One such concern is the possibility of an attack during the data collection process. If compromised a, the hacker can manipulate the device to modify the collected data. Thus, Edge-powered devices are required to physically shield the data stored by them. Another disadvantage is the Maintenance and Investment cost. Implementing an edge infrastructure can be costly and complex due to the need for additional equipment and resources. Furthermore, edge networks require higher maintenance costs than a centralized infrastructure.
As edge computing can only process and analyze partial sets of information, companies may end up losing lots of valuable information Thus organizations must decide what type of information they are willing to lose. So to summarize, edge computing is going to grow very rapidly. It will have as much of an impact, or even more, on the enterprise world as smartphones did for the world of consumer computing. That is all, folks.
The origins of Edge Networking lie in the Content Delivery Network concept. Instead of data getting closer to the user or application, in edge computing, the computing comes closer. Edge Computing, when it boils down to its core concept, is the decentralization of computing, by placing the workloads and processing capabilities as close to where the data is being created and where actions are being taken.
So, let's think about that for a little bit. Where does all this data come from? The data is created, really by human beings, as we interact with our world, in the environments that we operate, in the places where we do work. It can also come from the device itself, being produced as a byproduct of our use of that equipment. The Mobile phone revolution had a huge impact, as essentially, it put high computing units right in the pocket of the user. It is estimated that there are about 15 billion edge devices in the marketplace today and that it will grow to about 55 billion by 2022, and to 150 billion by 2025. By now, you would have realized that edge computing is not anything new, and it is not going to replace cloud computing. By incorporating edge computing with centralized cloud computing, which is sometimes called as fog computing, companies can maximize the advantages of both approaches while minimizing their limitations.
In the future, we will have to decide which type of computation should be done on edge and not in the Cloud. For this, we should have a clear understanding of the advantages and disadvantages of Edge Computing. First lets us look at the advantages, In the Cloud, the data is stored and processed in a central location, whereas edge computing is done very near to the source. With billions of devices coming online, in this data-rich world, enabled by IoT, 5G, and wearables, Cloud Computing alone won't be able to handle the load. Moreover, with Remote working becoming the norm in 2020, there will be a lot of strain on the network bandwidth Edge Computing is the only practical solution to tackle this problem. For mission-critical applications, where time is of the essence, like in factories, network latency is a very critical issue Even for consumers level stuff, like game streaming, video conferences, and remote operations, latency is very critical. Using Cloud Computing in such applications is very foolish, as the added latency will affect the business or user experiences.
Edge computing eliminates latency, and therefore reducing latency related failures in such applications. As more people are working remotely there is an increase in data being accessed remotely. This has increased the incidence of cyber crimes and opens up the possibility of leaking of confidential company data With edge computing, data is filtered and processed locally, rather than sending it to a data center, before sent to the company's network core via the Cloud.
Now, shall we look at some disadvantages? Even though earlier, we mentioned that there is a security advantage to edge networking, there are also some cybersecurity concerns that are common with edge computing too. One such concern is the possibility of an attack during the data collection process. If compromised a, the hacker can manipulate the device to modify the collected data. Thus, Edge-powered devices are required to physically shield the data stored by them. Another disadvantage is the Maintenance and Investment cost. Implementing an edge infrastructure can be costly and complex due to the need for additional equipment and resources. Furthermore, edge networks require higher maintenance costs than a centralized infrastructure.
As edge computing can only process and analyze partial sets of information, companies may end up losing lots of valuable information Thus organizations must decide what type of information they are willing to lose. So to summarize, edge computing is going to grow very rapidly. It will have as much of an impact, or even more, on the enterprise world as smartphones did for the world of consumer computing. That is all, folks.
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