Landlords around the world are investing in their offices to make them "smart." This trend is affecting businesses and making a significant impact on IT systems. Smart devices like temperature sensors, humidity sensors, occupancy sensors, etc., are being packed into every office, and the mass data these sensors collect is being sent to data centers for processing and storage. But let's dive into an emerging shift in computing – "edge computing." It's all about making our smart gadgets even smarter. We'll break down what it is, how it works, and why it's shaking up the tech world, especially when it teams up with IT systems.
How Edge Computing Works: Think of a self-driving car. It needs to make quick decisions to avoid obstacles on the road. With edge computing, the car's decisions are managed directly by the computers within the car itself, instead of relying on data centers for guidance. In the case of your typical office, a self-driving car could be a smart temperature sensor in the CEO’s corner office, and the computers that manage it are stored in your IT closet.
Why Is This Happening? For multiple reasons:
Quick Fixes: Edge computing helps devices solve problems faster. For instance, a smart fridge can tell you it's out of milk without bothering the big computer in the cloud.
Less Waiting, More Doing: Our gadgets don't need to wait for distant computers to tell them what to do. Things happen faster and more smoothly.
Cloud Gets Some Rest: The large cloud computers get a break because our smart gadgets handle minor tasks themselves. It saves time and energy.
Let’s Review Some Interesting Applications:
Smart Offices: Your smart thermostat and lights work better together with edge computing. They respond faster and can even work when the internet is slow.
Healthcare Helpers: In hospitals, devices that check on patients can alert doctors when something's off. They don't need to wait for a faraway data center to provide instructions.
Shops with a Twist: Stores use edge computing to quickly understand customer preferences. Shopping becomes more interesting and efficient.
What’s the Risk? With the decentralization of processing comes concerns about security, device management, and software updates. However, innovative encryption, blockchain technology, and cloud-based device management platforms are addressing these challenges, ensuring the security of edge environments.
That said, your best bet is to always have well-informed IT professionals at your side, and this is where a partner like Plenum can help. As the digital landscape evolves, the synergy between edge computing and IT systems will become more pronounced. The explosion of smart devices heightens the demand for localized intelligence. Talk to one of our experts today to discover how we can help.