Businesses are starting to see the value of doing work at the edge where the data is being generated and where it needs to be processed, and the edge is finding a vital niche, says information and communications technology services company iOCO divisional manager Craig Allen.

The ever-growing amount of data and connected devices are pushing the need for greater storage, computing and network capacities closer to the endpoints. Not only does edge computing allow for lower latencies when it comes to the transmission of data, it creates the foundation for faster, more cost-effective operations.

“Edge computing promises enhanced efficiencies, lower latency, improved security, increased uptime and decreased costs. A number of industries have started investing in solutions to help them achieve those benefits, with some being further along than others,” he notes.

“Manufacturing, for example, is looking at different ways to use edge computing for automation, fabrication and maintenance. Industrial Internet of Things (IoT) has added millions of connected devices in manufacturing plants and other such industries to gather data on production lines, equipment performance and finished products.

“However, all the data doesn't need to be handled in centralised servers and, in some cases, moving data to the centralised servers, whether in the cloud or on premises, could be prohibitively expensive or impossible because of a facility's remote location.

“In such cases, edge computing brings needed processing power to where it's required, and those edge devices can be programmed to either transfer aggregate data back to central systems and/or initiate required actions at the endpoint,” Allen says.

Similar use cases are being discovered in farming, healthcare and smart cities, among other sectors, where edge computing is making inroads. Further, while South Africa is still at a very early stage of adoption, local business stand to gain more than their counterparts in developed economies, he adds.

Further, while edge computing has not become as prevalent as predicted despite the exponential growth of data and connected devices, organisations are finding ways to incorporate the edge into their larger technology ecosystems, thereby creating a hybrid model that looks set to become another important link in ever-growing multi-cloud environments.

“We are seeing edge computing follow the traditional technology adoption curve. The potential benefits for South African businesses are obvious, but there are still a number of factors hindering implementation.

“Agriculture, for example, is one of the industries that stands to benefit the most, but local farmers have not invested nearly as much in technologies like IoT and edge computing as those in Europe, partly because of the perceived costs, and partly because of a reluctance among farmers to learn about new technologies,” he says.

However, as more industries start implementing edge solutions, the value proposition will become clearer and adoption will accelerate, he adds.

While it will take some time for edge computing to reach mass adoption, by the time it becomes pervasive, it will no longer be considered a separate way to process data. Local companies will have to take the risk in implementing edge solutions to help drive this trend. However, as their businesses start reaping the benefits, others will follow, Allen notes.

“Eventually, the edge will become another tool that will allow companies to do business better and faster. The edge will join with the cloud and other on-premise solutions to enable the greater computing ecosystem that will drive the businesses of the future,” he says.