Why Edge-to-Edge Intelligence is the Next Chapter in Readiness

Imagine a military tactical operations center: walls lined with screens monitoring current situations and ongoing operations, staffed with specially trained personnel analyzing information, producing intelligence and advising as best they can. They may be limited in how much analysis they can do in a short amount of time; they may not know how old the incoming information may be.

Every operation, tactical, logistical or otherwise, has blind spots. But that’s changing.

The number of Internet-of-Things-connected devices is expected to exceed more than 30 billion by next year, according to IHS Markit. In the military, sensors can be found on a service member’s uniform, their weapon or their vehicle; in the cockpit of an F-35 or the wings of cargo aircraft; on the ground, in the water, in the air and in space.

The immense amount of data these sensors alone will generate, and the computing power they will require, will significantly strain networks. But with the right technologies, it can also be an unprecedented opportunity.

In defense, IoT information will mobilize and streamline countless critical, widely dispersed functions, so its processing can’t be limited by speed, bandwidth, latency, connectivity or cybersecurity risks. For operations where every second counts, the Department of Defense needs a dynamic, modern communications infrastructure capable of harnessing the power of the intelligence at the edge.

In a traditional network architecture, a device sends information to a remote center for processing—increasingly, that location is in the cloud. Data transfer can come with bandwidth, latency and speed limitations, especially for remote missions in harsh environments.

This has become an obsolete way to operate.

Shifting data and intelligence to a gateway at the network’s edge removes physical-distance challenges as computations happen locally. That opens a myriad of possibilities for implementing artificial intelligence and machine learning, with data analytics carried out on the device. Reduced congestion and improved network performance eliminate wait time for results to travel back; real-time insights spur immediate action.  

When paired with technologies like 5G speed and software-defined networking, which allows users to define where data gets processed, edge computing can put high-performance computing at troops’ fingertips. Such capability can give our forces unprecedented situational awareness, operational efficiency and agility to move rapidly and adapt in real time in fluid conditions.

Consider the power of 5G supporting AI and data analytics at the edge: In the theater, and in cyberspace, real-time intelligence can help systems and teams learn from past attacks, identify patterns and better equip troops with proactive measures.

Less data traveling through the network also means less cybersecurity risk. Besides device passwords and security updates, the inherent endpoint access risk can be further reduced with network-level, built-in identity authentication and access management. Furthermore, it reduces reliance on outdated network infrastructure that unnecessarily exposes DoD users to cybersecurity risks.

Edge computing disperses storage and processing, allowing for multifold improved security as sensitive data remains close to the user. If a network is down due to limited connectivity, power outage or an attack, a warfighter still can access critical information. If a device is compromised, it can be sealed off from the rest of the infrastructure. The debate over the cyber risks of storing certain sensitive data in the cloud becomes a moot point.

Overall, edge computing offers instant actionable insights, enhanced security and optimized network utilization. While it isn’t an entirely new concept, it is a driving force shaping AT&T’s infrastructure—the kind of secure, 5G-accelerated, software-defined and virtualized platform that is fundamental for the distributed computing needs of today’s worldwide missions.

“The agility of cloud computing is great—but it simply isn’t enough,” Gartner’s Thomas Bittman wrote in 2017. “As people need to interact with their digitally assisted realities in real-time, waiting on a data center miles (or many miles) away isn’t going to work.”

By expanding the computing power to the network periphery, we enable our customers to harness transformational, edge-to-edge technological firepower. It gives the DoD a distinct advantage: secure and reliable access to real-time intelligence when and where it is needed. This enables better operational integration, flexibility and awareness—so those risking their lives to protect ours are prepared for what’s coming next.