What is Edge Computing?

Over the last decade there has been a push to "move to the cloud" taking advantage of a powerful and centralized infrastructure provided by the likes of Amazon, Microsoft, and others. However new advances in processing and storage capacity are now allowing for a move in the opposite direction, away from the cloud and back to the "edge" locally where information is actually created and used. 

As a concept I've found most people get the idea, but like many other early stage technologies, it became clear that actually defining Edge Computing through practical examples and use cases was a more difficult question that, at least for myself, needed a more organized answer, so I started with first trying to answer the "why?" question.

The technical feasibility and the benefits of Edge Computing are realized in two main ways:

1. Putting computing power close to where the data is being created - Distributed computing and storage closer to where the information is coming from reduces latency, increases real time access, and reduces storage accessibility bandwidth costs.
2. Using the ever increasing connectivity speed available through networks and wireless (like 5G) - Developing applications that are centered around edge computing can process info from an edge device (like a laptop, cell phone, or IOT device), and then only transmitting the relevant data back to the cloud. In addition, the combined computing power of all these individual edge devices can be combined. For organizations where real time information is important, data can be processed and stored faster than ever.

Applications in the Public Sector

With an establishment of the benefits, and the associated technology now available to make it possible, I gathered some use case ideas that I think illustrate how this could work in the public sector. In addition to the more commonly discussed applications of edge computing in VR and Autonomous Vehicles, there is a tremendous opportunity specifically in the Public Sector to utilize Edge Computing ranging from smart cities and public safety to IOTs and building automation systems.

Consider a few examples:

• Public Safety - First responders fighting fires gathering real time data and being able to more quickly access decision information about movement of resources and emergency events.
• Building Automation - Large real estate operators being able to collect usage data from smart meters transmitting compressed packages with only the relevant information needed to make cost saving energy consumption adjustments in real time.
• Power and Utility Smart Grids - Large utilities with real time analytics from energy production and transmission at the source to reduce energy waste and avoid outages.
• Healthcare - Capturing patient data during critical health emergency room visits (like MRI Scans) and making them immediately available with associated real time analysis and analytics, improving healthcare and reducing wait times.

Where to start with Edge Computing?

When public sector leaders consider how to get started, think about where the opportunities are to reduce the costs associated with bandwidth usage and where lightning fast processing and quicker access to data will have the biggest impact. Not unlike other areas of emerging technology, its best to start with a pilot to demonstrate the benefits and test out the use cases. Gathering information from these early pilots can inform the blueprint for how to best take advantage of the power that in many cases is already there on the edge… just waiting to be harnessed.