Edge computing

Edge computing is a specialized type of computer networking. It is commonly used as a way to manage data flow and server connections in large networks, such as the security camera network of a large city. In many cases, these networks can scale to thousands of connections, which can cause strain on servers.

Unlike traditional network structures, the input devices on a network utilizing edge computing do not connect to the central server or internet. Instead, each device is connected to a central hub, commonly called a gateway. The gateway connects to the network or internet and controls the flow of data to or from the input devices. This greatly reduces the number of connections between the input devices and the servers or internet.

Edge computing reduces the hardware demands on the input devices of the network. When this form of computing is properly utilized, each device does not need to be capable of connecting to an outside network. It simply needs to be capable of transmitting data toward the central hub. Some security experts argue that utilizing central computing makes a network more secure, because technicians only have one connection point to protect. Others argue that it makes a network more vulnerable, because breaching a single connection point grants potential hackers access to the network.

Background

Edge computing traces its lineage back to the beginnings of decentralized computing in the 1990s. Agile applications, which first premiered in the late 1990s, were designed so that some of the application's processing needs could be met by remote solvers. This framework was developed so that less powerful and dynamic mobile devices could run more complex, resource-intensive applications.

In the following decade, tech giants continued to develop this idea. They began to expand their services to include both storage and computing on remote servers. The pervasiveness of the internet allowed computers all over the world to access these services. Some of the first services to utilize this style of computing were peer-to-peer networks. These decentralized networks allowed users to share files with one another without the use of a central server. Soon afterward, Amazon premiered its Elastic Compute Cloud. This service allowed users to rent virtual computers in order to run demanding applications, with the processing conducted by Amazon's equipment at a remote location.

The Internet of Things (IoT) called for future advances in cloud computing software. The IoT refers to the large number of everyday devices that are connected to the internet. It includes smartphones, tablets, and computers. However, it also includes many other devices that are able to send and receive computer data. Smart mirrors, televisions, security cameras, high-end refrigerators, fitness bracelets, and many other electronic devices are all part of the IoT. The IoT helped popularize cloud computing, as these devices were often limited in power and versatility. It also helped drive cloud storage, in which one machine uses a remote machine to store data. Both corporations and consumers wanted to access the data collected by the IoT without having direct access to the devices themselves.

Overview

Edge computing is a specialized type of computer networking. It involves a large network of microdata centers. These small data hubs receive and store data from numerous local input devices. They send the data to other devices, gradually moving the data towards a single central hub. In many large networks, the edge devices are the objects and sensors actively collecting the data. The edge network then moves the data toward a central point.

In many cases, the edge devices have a limited functionality. However, they are able to both receive data and pass that data to devices with greater processing power and network conductivity. Those devices are able to send the data to its next location, which is often, but not always, a type of cloud storage. In other circumstances, it may be sent to a corporate facility, a private cloud, or a data-processing facility.

Edge computing is most useful when a facility requires many of its devices to be connected to the IoT. It may need constant data input from these devices, or may find such statistics useful in running an efficient factory, assembly plant, workplace, or other type of facility. In these circumstances, it would be both resource-intensive and expensive for every smart device to have a direct connection to the internet. Such a large internet-connected network would also be more work for a dedicated support staff to maintain. However, it is a competitively simple matter to provide each device with the ability to pass data to another device. With enough properly placed connections, each device should be able to pass information into a central data hub. Once that is accomplished, only the central hub needs to be able to connect to the internet. This central hub is sometimes called a gateway.

The use of edge computing, and particularly the use of a gateway, has a controversial impact on network security. Some security analysts argue that since there is only one true network connection to protect, a network utilizing edge computing should be more secure than one utilizing a traditional network structure. However, others argue that utilizing a gateway makes a network less secure overall. They argue that criminals and hackers have only one connection to breach before they gain access to the entirety of the data transmitted to and from the network.

Edge computing also puts less strain on the central servers of a large network. Some forms of the IoT, such as the security camera networks of large cities, can involve thousands of connection points that must be managed by a network. In many cases, the server responsible for managing the data gathered by such a network is unable to manage thousands of connections at once. In these scenarios, it is more efficient to use edge computing.

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