Comment: SMEs can thrive at the edge

We live in an era of hyperconnectivity, where the value of data can be hard to define. Today, devices constantly interact with each other, creating huge amounts of data that is often left unanalysed. Potentially useful data, therefore, is often left ignored. Organisations need to use appropriate methods to find and draw maximum value from their data.

With the rapid growth of IoT in recent years, the devices at the physical edge of computing networks (i.e., smartphones, sensors, routers) are producing data at an accelerated rate. The vast majority of that data, however, is left unused. According to a recent report from Wakefield Research, 80 per cent of data leaders say data at their company is left unused. Making use of data can help businesses of all sizes, so those that are leaving such a rich resource untapped will feel like they have missed a trick. Edge computing presents an opportunity to tap into this resource by allowing organisations to make use of their most valuable data.

What is edge computing?

With edge computing, data can be collected from the very edge of a computing network. This means that SMEs can avoid the latency caused by transferring data to a centralized cloud platform because they are positioned physically close to endpoint devices. The end result is that data produced by these devices can be ingested, analysed, and acted upon at its source. It doesn’t need to be transferred anywhere and it doesn’t need to be analysed externally. The major benefit of this is that only the most valuable data needs to be sent back to a centralised data centre, and the rest can be ignored.

It's predicted that edge computing will grow to $60bn by 2030, with most of the growth coming from enterprise investment. Of course, heavy investment from enterprises suggests that they make up the largest percentage of organisations capitalising on edge computing. However, there’s also a window of opportunity for small to mid-size companies to reap the rewards of computing at the edge.

Edge computing for SMEs

Part of the draw of edge computing is its speed. There’s no need to transfer the data to be analysed elsewhere, such as a centralised cloud. The process, therefore, hugely negates the increased latency caused by transferring data from endpoints and a central hub. Speed is key in a world where decisions need to be made almost instantaneously, so latency must be avoided at all costs. This is especially true for SMEs if they want to compete with larger entities who possess computing power of a much larger scale and scope. Edge presents an opportunity to level the playing field by operating at speed.

Edge computing’s reliability can also be hugely advantageous to SMEs. If a computing infrastructure relies entirely on a central point, businesses face a huge risk as soon as it is compromised. As an alternative, computing at the edge means that even if a single point within the network fails, the rest of the endpoint devices can continue to function at full capacity. Because outages are so common and have the capacity to present a mission-critical incident to SMEs, computing at the edge grants SMEs the ability to keep collecting important data without relying on a single and potentially fallible source.

Setting up edge

First of all, businesses must aim to start as they mean to go on. To ensure success, each spoke of the wheel must be both secure in its own right but also contribute to the strength of the system as a whole. For the wheel to turn, the spokes need to be set up right from the outset.

Part of preparing for computing at the edge is about deciding how much data you want your IoT devices to be collecting. The more intelligent an IoT device is, the better it can present data in a format that is easy to understand. However, increased intelligence equals higher costs, so businesses will have to measure how intelligent they want their IoT devices to be in line with their budget.

Another key step toward success in the planning stage is taking the time to properly consider exactly where you are going to position your devices. Edge computing networks should be designed to capture data in the most efficient way possible. Therefore, in order to prevent swarms of data from moving across the network in a chaotic way, businesses will want to group devices together in manageable zones.

There are certainly hurdles along the way for SMEs computing at the edge. Ultimately, edge computing is here to stay, and all signs point to its continuing growth. Our advice to SMEs is to get ahead of the trend and not only just consider the uses of edge computing, but tap into its potential by implementing it in the right way from the outset.

Mark Boost, CEO and co-founder of Civo