The cloud compute model is being transformed as vast new sources of data are being captured from the analog world. This requires deploying the right kind of efficient compute solutions along the compute continuum from cloud to edge to endpoint.
Here, speed is key. A third of respondents said the increased speed of insight gained from reduced latency was the primary benefit of moving compute from the cloud to edge servers and gateways. And that speed is what distributed compute, enabled by heterogeneous processing, will deliver.
In the survey, this notion of distributed computing is seen as a gateway to a more sustainable world. When isolated by job role, one in five C-suite respondents thought the primary benefit of moving from cloud to edge was a reduced carbon footprint, an opinion shared by only 6% of hardware and software developers.
Fortunately, specialized compute solutions are delivering 30% and 40% performance improvements generation after generation in the infrastructure, which helps reduce the carbon footprint of computing across the computing spectrum.
Mohamed Awad, SVP and General Manager, Infrastructure Line of Business
The edge is coming into its own.
A growing number of customers are beginning to understand the opportunities created by moving computing assets closer to sensors and end devices. A year ago, respondents to the forecast said cost savings achieved through digital infrastructure investments would have a greater impact than insights it would help them obtain into their operations. This year, insights loom far larger with over 1/3 selecting speed of insight as the most important driver of the edge.
Retailers are looking at ways of analyzing camera data to better understand consumer preferences. Logistics companies are launching pilots to capture data from ships and rail cars to see if it can help them reduce fuel consumption or repair costs. When you consider the vast amount of data involved in some of these applications and the speed in which decisions need to be made, performing inference and other tasks as close as possible to the end user becomes more compelling.
However, the road to edge nirvana isn’t straightforward. To ensure compatibility and accelerate adoption, we need robust frameworks and standards initiatives like Project Cassini. Security is also a major concern: the edge will dramatically expand the surface area for attacks. Similarly, 5G infrastructure will be needed to link these new edge assets to consumers. But this year’s results show that the momentum is going in the right direction and growing rapidly.
And while there’s always increasing pressure to shrink development cycles, the complexity of today’s emerging technologies can affect these cycles. Of those surveyed working in IoT, fewer than 1 in 10 software developers see achieving the right level of processing power as a challenge.
