What is Edge Computing?
Edge computing is a decentralized computing model that focuses on carrying out data processing and artificial intelligence (AI) capabilities as close as possible to end devices and users, rather than relying solely on centralized cloud. The idea behind edge computing is that many devices we use daily, such as mobile phones, sensors, IoT devices, security cameras, among others, can process data and execute applications directly on their own hardware, without having to send everything to the cloud and wait for a response. This can have several advantages, such as lower latency, greater privacy and security, greater energy efficiency, and a better user experience.
The future of edge computing
In the future, it is expected that Edge Computing will continue to evolve and play an increasingly important role in network infrastructure and digital transformation of companies. We detail some of the key trends expected to define the future of Edge Computing:
- Greater adoption of 5G. 5G technology is designed to provide greater bandwidth, speed, and low latency, making it a key technology to enable Edge Computing. It is expected that adoption of 5G technology will accelerate in the coming years, allowing for a greater number of Edge Computing applications and services in areas such as virtual reality, augmented reality, and autonomous vehicles.
- Rise of Artificial Intelligence at the Edge. As more data is processed and analyzed at the Edge, it is expected that artificial intelligence (AI) will play an increasingly important role in decision-making. AI at the Edge will enable greater real-time analysis capabilities, which will improve decision-making and enable greater automation in industrial environments.
- Greater collaboration among service providers. As companies increasingly adopt Edge Computing, it is expected that new models of collaboration among service providers will emerge. This translates into collaborations between cloud providers, connectivity providers, and edge infrastructure providers. These collaborations will enable companies to better leverage Edge technology and accelerate its adoption.
- Greater focus on security. As the amount of data processed and analyzed at the Edge increases, security is expected to become an increasingly important concern. Companies will need to ensure that their Edge systems are protected against security threats and implement advanced security measures, such as end-to-end encryption and device authentication.
- Greater convergence between Edge Computing and the Cloud. In the future, Edge and the Cloud are expected to become increasingly convergent. Companies, like BERRADE, will be able to use Edge to process and analyze data in real-time, while the Cloud will consolidate for long-term data storage and management. This convergence will enable companies to leverage the benefits of both technologies and create more comprehensive and scalable solutions.
Utilities of Edge Computing
- Improved processing speed. One of the main advantages is improved processing speed. By processing data close to where it is generated, latency is reduced, allowing for a faster response to user requests.
- Greater energy efficiency. Edge Computing can also improve energy efficiency, as it reduces the amount of energy needed to send data to a centralized cloud. This can be especially useful in applications that require constant data processing, such as the Internet of Things (IoT) industry.
- Greater privacy and security. By processing and storing data at the Edge, privacy and security risks are reduced. Sensitive data does not have to be sent to a centralized cloud, reducing the risk of interception or theft.
- Cost reduction. By processing and storing data at the Edge, the need for cloud bandwidth and storage is reduced, which can help reduce costs compared to centralized approaches.
- Flexibility and scalability. Also offers flexibility and scalability, as processing and storage capacity can be added or removed at the Edge as needed. This can be especially useful for applications and services that experience fluctuations in demand.
Edge Computing for Remote Telecommunications Sites
Edge Computing is a distributed computing paradigm that enables bringing enterprise applications closer to the location where data is generated and where actions need to be performed. The goal is to accelerate processes and access to information in order to provide much faster, reliable, and efficient services.
For telecommunications organizations that have solutions in unmanned remote sites and require a quick response, one of the characteristics of Edge Computing is its ability to bring processed information closer to the actual source of the data, allowing for fast and secure processing as close as possible to the transmitting user or the source of this data.
BERRADE incorporates Galooli’s Platform into its telecommunications integrations, a product that transforms the data from its operations into actionable information. Through Galooli Analytics, live cloud data and historical data collected from its facilities are used to create a narrative that identifies and highlights trends and anomalies, and then summarizes the results in periodic reports. These reports can be refined to further optimize performance, energy usage, and site efficiency.
Previously, we had a set of disorganized remote data from various assets, and optimizing operations relied on guesswork. It was not possible to detect trends and potential issues over time, and alarms (if any) were only triggered after a failure and/or on-site.
Galooli Analytics, data collection and real-time monitoring for each site are structured in a simple visual interface. Optimizations are based on KPI data and advanced modeling, trends and anomalies in the collected data are identified and highlighted, and predictive alerts prevent unexpected downtime and malfunction. “Galooli Analytics is where predictive alerts for maintenance issues and abnormal activity on-site begin: this is the product that makes your data work for you”.