Edge computing is essential for preparing for 5G, IoT and AI

The shape and scope of our digital environment is forever evolving. As we discover new more powerful technologies in our central hardware, cloud applications, and distributed devices, the calculation shifts as to where data should be processed.

Internet of Things (IoT) deployments have already revolutionised the way we view our networks and the way we collect and analyse data. With a recent Business Insider Intelligence report predicting there will be more than 55 billion IoT devices deployed globally by 2025, this is up from only 9 billion as recent as 2017. 

At the same time, we’re seeing the incredible synergy of AI automation being used to derive exponentially faster and more valuable datasets from IoT datasets. This rapidly increases the time to insight from IoT data, and enables organisations to move at rapid speed in using these insights to optimise operations and launch new products.

We know, for example, that AI has become indispensable in supply chain management for tracking and lifecycle management. With the most advanced forms of AI in machine learning being applied to every facet of supply chain management, these advanced applications are able to process gargantuan amounts of data and learn in real-time to improve and fine-tune their analysis.

As if all of these technologies weren’t revolutionary enough, we know have 5G entering the equation to create another exponential driver of insights and capability. 5G of course enables far greater speed and volume through the network, which means the considerations on exactly where to place AI and machine learning capabilities needs to be renegotiated.

Edge computing in these scenarios is promising to be even more consequential than the cloud was last decade. As 5G networks are rolled out globally over the next couple of years, these will combine with more cost-effective IoT sensors and advanced forms of AI to require far higher levels of compute power in edge environments. With increased bandwidth and lower latency, AI and IoT will power a new era of digital transformation and disruption.

While 5G technologies will be adopted at differing levels over the next couple of years, we are already seeing the technology industry focusing their efforts on creating the edge computing capabilities for AI-driven IoT. This is a future where devices and networks will make real-time intelligent decisions on our behalf to create a new world of insights we can’t imagine.

But bringing this all together isn’t a piecemeal or phased approach. It requires the next generation of data governance and data management platforms for managing these previously unheard of datasets and insights. As the fundamental way we view networks, compute and data is changing at rapid speed, our starting point should be creating a Data Fabric for ensuring these technologies work for us, and not the other way around.

About the author:

As the Senior Vice President of NetApp Across APAC and Japan, my team and I partner with organisations to help them modernize IT and deliver a seamless hybrid multicloud experience through their own Data Fabric. If you’d like to discuss how your business can begin creating the Data Fabric that will enable you to reduce data complexity while preparing for the next generation of innovative technology, please feel free to contact me at [email protected].