Cloud Computing at the Edge of Emerging Markets

Cloud computing has changed the way the world does business. By having data storage and shared system resources distributed in multiple data centers, organizations and their end users are given immense capabilities. Businesses can scale in a way that is both affordable and powerful, with global access to applications and resources from private, public, hybrid, and multi-cloud infrastructure.

Increasingly, the cloud computing revolution is having a profound effect on emerging markets. It has helped to level the playing field, providing new opportunities for a tech-savvy entrepreneurial class that is eager to join the digital revolution. Edge computing, which effectively extends the cloud to any data source – no matter where it is located, or what device is used – is an important part of this story.

In emerging markets, which are often far from many major technology hubs, having meaningful access to the cloud from the network edge represents a significant opportunity. To achieve this, data centers are being established that can process data closer to where it originates, allowing both local and international companies to provide cost-effective solutions with lower latency.

This opportunity presents its own opportunities and challenges. Improved response time and bandwidth and security optimization must be realized with an understanding that the integration of edge technologies requires a high level of expertise. In emerging markets, this includes local knowledge. Managing a large number of heterogeneous devices, while ensuring data security and privacy, requires a detailed understanding of performance metrics within a specific area. In this way, the most cost-effective, efficient, and relevant applications can leverage the cloud’s capabilities, and deliver optimal service to the edge.

With this in mind, to optimize cloud services, and to ensure the highest quality is delivered to edge devices – whether as software as a service (#SaaS), platform as a service (#PaaS), or as part of the Internet of Things (IoT) – migration and implementation practices should be approached with well-informed due diligence that’s specific to the market. Is only a minor change required, or partial or complete engineering? How can a cloud migration be successful so that systems maintain or gain features, are affordable, and all while enhancing accessibility and scalability?

At times, the best approach is to go with a cloud-native application within a #DevOps software development methodology. By deploying as #microservices, and running on a containerized platform, DevOps is an efficient means for automating and standardizing processes. It works across cloud environments, and can deliver resilient and agile services to the edge of the network.

Living at the Edge with the IoT

The burgeoning number of devices connected to the internet has increased the growth in the #IoT. One of the great advantages of delivering cloud-based services to the IoT isn’t only that it advances capabilities, it is also that the IoT becomes a very important source of meaningful data.

The cloud effectively has unlimited storage capacity, with a wealth of structured and unstructured data available for analysis. Specific to emerging markets, the IoT provides an important opportunity to access and understand previously untapped information.

Predictive analytics can effectively analyze and transform data gathered from IoT devices – no matter where they are. This is transformative for emerging markets, which can benefit enormously from an increased level of visibility into historical information, and a dynamic approach, in which system behaviour can be predicted, and corrective action taken.

Given that the IoT is relatively new to emerging markets, having the right middleware can also be a game-changer. Well-designed middleware can ensure connectivity and communication with third-party systems, as well as with a wide range of sensors on the edge – even those that were not originally designed to work together. In emerging markets, the components of an IoT ecosystem can then benefit from localized data centers, thus reducing latency and delivering unseen-before competitive advantage.

There are already global platforms in place to help customers in emerging markets, such as Azure IoT hub, that are easy to customize with added features, and which can also be adopted out-of-the box. As well, embedded systems can allow for integration with smart devices, developing new functions on the device side, all while being supported by the cloud.

And what does cloud-based access to the edge look like? Data from connected devices can be visualized with IoT dashboards in the form of tables and graphs, and can also use #VR and #AR in real time. With this visibility, businesses active in emerging markets, benefitting from distributed data centers, can monitor and even control devices and processes.

The opportunity exists for a wide range of industries, given that applications can be written or modified to address sector-specific requirements. In emerging markets, for example, physical infrastructure is often in rough shape. Now, it’s possible for the IoT to make transportation safer, electrical grids more reliable, and healthcare more efficient – to name but three examples – and all in a cost-effective manner.

To conclude, emerging markets are growing at a rapid pace. Having dynamic access to cloud-based solutions at the edge, as is the case elsewhere in the world, is becoming a necessity. More people are conducting daily financial and social interactions on mobile devices. The IoT is expanding with industry specific solutions, with innovative companies jostling for advantage. In this context, it’s critical that software be smart and up-to-date, that data access is fast and scalable, and that the edge of the network responds dynamically to an ever-changing threat environment. The possibilities are endless – and in emerging markets, we’re only just beginning.?

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