Edge Computing: Rapid, private, and secure processing.

• Author: Barbour, Tracy
• Position: TELECOM & TECH

Cloud computing has a silver lining, of sorts, at its edge. Edge computing is an alternative to transferring data to a distributed cloud, which has limitations on bandwidth (transmission capacity) and latency (transmission delay). As networked devices become more numerous and powerful, edge computing is steadily growing in usage. By 2025, 75 percent of enterprise data will be processed at the edge, compared to only 10 percent today, according to technology research firm Gartner, Inc.

Edge computing is related to another somewhat recent technology, the Internet of Things (loT), according to Kenrick Mock, a professor of computer science and dean of the UAA College of Engineering. "The central premise behind loT is to have everyday objects and sensors connected to the internet," he says. "Under the vision of loT your watch, thermostat, garage door, oven, refrigerator, and even your coffee mug could all connect, communicate, and compute via the Internet. In edge computing, there is the same vision of many interconnected computing devices, but the distinction is where the computation occurs. If you think of large, powerful, remote servers as being in the center' of the cloud that makes up the Internet, then the edge' of the Internet are devices on the periphery, such as your phone, laptop, thermostat, watch, or sensor."

The edge is not a specific location; it's about facilitating the distribution of services to where people need them. Regardless of the device, the edge is located near the user. "Edge computing puts that processing, the brains, or content as close to the users as possible," says Victor Esposito, vice president of engineering and architecture at GCI. "It's as close to an instantaneous response or transaction as you can get."

Since edge computing brings processing capabilities nearer to the user, it eliminates the trip to the cloud data center That significantly reduces latency, the amount of time it takes for data to pass from one point to another.

Edge computing allows for quicker and more comprehensive data analysis and improved customer experiences. Decreasing transaction time is especially important in an isolated place like Alaska, where communication throughout the state and the rest of the world involves unavoidable transmission delays to the Lower 48. "For us, bringing content into Alaska and getting it closer to our customers is important to giving people that traditional urban experience," Esposito says.

Common Applications

Edge computing has been around long enough to be employed in an array of products and services. Some common examples are smart devices that run code locally instead of in the cloud; medical monitoring...