Prepare a report on EDGE (architecture, communication, need & its application)

If I asked five different people what “edge computing” is, I’d most certainly get five different
answers. Confusingly, they’d probably all be right.

Edge computing is a strategic architecture that’s growing in popularity, but its different permutations
and its myriad use cases make it difficult to pin down.

Is edge computing about mobile? or IoT? or smart environments? Is it cloud? or on-prem? or on-
device? Is it about computing? or networking? or 5G? Does it apply to robots in a factory? or
monitors in an operating room? or driverless cars?

Edge computing is all of these things and more.

In this article, I’ll walk you through the essential concepts of edge computing and what you need in
order to successfully build your own edge architecture. But (spoiler alert!) harnessing the benefits of
edge computing pretty much comes down to one thing: data – where and how you process it, and
how you flow it to and from the edge.

First, let’s define edge computing.

What Is Edge Computing?

Wikipedia describes edge computing as:

Edge computing is a distributed computing paradigm that brings computation and data storage
closer to the sources of data. This is expected to improve response times and save bandwidth. The
term refers to an architecture rather than a specific technology.

Edge computing all about storing and processing data closer to the users and applications that
consume it. In the end, it reduces latency and insulates against internet outages. Edge computing
architectures promise to power innovations like

▪ Connected homes

▪ Autonomous vehicles

▪ Robotic surgery

▪ Advanced real-time gaming

Edge computing is an alternative architecture to cloud computing for applications that require high-
speed and high availability. This is because apps that rely solely on the cloud for storing and
processing data become dependent on internet connectivity – and therefore subject to its inherent
unreliability. When the internet slows or becomes unavailable, the entire application slows or fails in
turn.

Edge computing gets around internet dependencies by locating data as close as possible to where it
is produced and consumed, which speeds up applications and improves their availability.

A Real-World Example of Edge Computing

Let’s look at a concrete example.

Imagine an oil drilling platform in the middle of the North Sea. Operators collect data from sensors all
over the platform as part of a daily routine, measuring things like pressure, temperature, wave
height, and other factors that affect operating capacity. This kind of data comes fast, changes often
and requires a real-time response.

Suppose that the oil platform data is stored and processed in a cloud data center. The platform
operators would have to send their data over the internet – and in the North Sea that means via
satellite which is slow and expensive – just to evaluate their measurements.

Now, imagine that a sensor on a critical component of the platform begins to detect signs of likely
failure, a potential break down that could lead to a dangerous turn of events. It takes too much time
to collect data points on the component, send them to the cloud for processing, and then wait for a
recommended course of action. And if the connection slows – or falters for even a bit? Critical time is
lost. By the time the platform operators receive a response from the cloud, it could be too late.

Where seconds count and when the difference between uptime and downtime determines safety or
disaster – depending on an unreliable internet connection isn’t an option.

Enter edge computing. It’s a simple solution: eliminate the risks of a disaster by putting a data center
on the oil drilling platform itself. When you move the processing of critical data to the place where it
happens, you solve the problems of latency and downtime. Instead of sending data to the cloud, it’s
processed in an edge data center – no more waiting on a slow connection for critical analysis.

With an edge data center, when measurements or readings need immediate attention, they are
detected instantly, and operators can respond in real time. Operations are more efficient and safety
risks are significantly reduced. And when connectivity permits, only aggregated data needs to be sent
to the cloud for long-term storage, saving on bandwidth costs.

This is the power and promise of edge computing.

Visualizing an Edge Computing Architecture

Edge computing moves data processing and storage closer to applications and client devices by
leveraging tiered, edge data centers – along with embedded data storage directly on devices where
appropriate.

This tiered approach insulates applications from central and regional data center outages. Each tier
leverages increasingly local connectivity – which is more reliable – and synchronizes data within and
across tiers as connectivity permits. Edge computing is how you power always-fast, always-on
applications.

In the diagram above, the top layer represents cloud data centers, comprised of a central data center
and interconnected regional data centers. The cloud data centers still serve a crucial role in an edge
computing architecture because they’re the final repository of information. However, cloud data
centers aren’t relied upon for local applications.

The next layer down is the edge layer. The edge could be an oil platform, as in our earlier example,
but it could just as easily be a cruise liner, airplane, restaurant, retail shop or mobile medical clinic.
The edge layer contains edge data centers and Internet of Things (IoT) gateways. These run on a local
area network, which could be fiber, wireless, 5G or older networks such as 4G and earlier.
Within the edge layer, you see individual devices, smart phones, tablets and laptops carried by users,
as well as IoT devices that all communicate with the edge data center. There is also communication
between devices via a private area network such as RF or Bluetooth.

While this depiction shows a single edge data center for simplicity, there could be n number of
additional edge data centers to facilitate computing across a business ecosystem. For example, you
might power POS systems for a chain of retail stores using edge data centers in each city where
stores are concentrated.

Edge Computing and Databases

All edge computing architectures have an important requirement: using the right kind of database. If
you’re building an edge architecture, you need to use a database that:

▪ Runs in all layers

▪ Distributes its data footprint across all layers

▪ Synchronizes data changes instantly across all layers

In essence, you need to create a synchronous fabric of data processing that spans the entire
architecture: from the cloud through the edge to the device. Let’s take a closer look at our
architecture diagram from earlier:

In this version of the edge computing architecture, I’ve added red database icons to emphasize
where data is stored and processed.

In the cloud layer, you see a database server installed in the central data center, as well as the
interconnected data centers across cloud regions.

Then in the edge layer, a database server is installed in the edge data center.

Finally, a database is embedded directly to select edge mobile and IoT devices, allowing them to
keep processing, even in the event of total network failure.

But edge computing is much more than simply installing a database at every level. The
databases must be able to work together in tandem as a cohesive whole, replicating and
synchronizing data captured at the edge across the rest of the environment to guarantee that data is
always available and never lost or corrupted.

As such, in the diagram you also see data being synchronized:

▪ Between cloud and edge database servers

▪ Between embedded databases on devices and database servers at the edge or in the
cloud

▪ Between the embedded databases on devices and things, using private area
networks

By spreading data processing across every layer of your architecture, you achieve greater speed,
resilience, security and bandwidth efficiency.
If the internet connection to the cloud data center slows or stops, applications process data in the
edge data centers instead, completely unaffected and highly responsive. And if the cloud data
center and edge data center become unavailable, apps with embedded databases continue to run as
intended – and in real time – by processing and syncing data directly on and between devices. And if
the catastrophic happens and all network layers become unavailable, edge devices with embedded
data processing serve as their own micro data centers, running in isolation with 100% availability and
real-time responsiveness until connectivity is restored.

Another big benefit of the edge computing model is robust support for data privacy and security.
These considerations are critical for applications that handle sensitive data, such as in healthcare or
finance. A key value point for edge computing is that sensitive data never has to leave the edge.

With an edge computing architecture, users and devices always have speedy access to data, even in
the event of internet latency or outage. And your database plays a pivotal role in making it all
happen.

How to Build Your Own Edge Computing Architecture

So how do build your own edge computing architecture?

You need to consider two things: infrastructure and data processing. Both of these are in-depth
topics, but I’ll briefly touch on each.

Edge Computing Infrastructure

In the early days of edge computing, architects had to build it all from scratch.

They had to create their own extended infrastructure beyond the cloud, and they had to consider
where that infrastructure would live: on premises? in a private cloud? co-located? containerized?
They had to consider the implications of a custom-built infrastructure’s co-existence with public
clouds.

If they built an edge data center in one location, how could they connect it to the cloud for
centralized storage, and extend it to other locations as needed? And how could they ensure
standardization and consistency of architectural components between locations, as well as
redundancy and high availability? These sorts of questions made establishing an edge computing
infrastructure a complex undertaking in its infancy.

Thankfully, that complexity is fading.

Many major cloud service providers now offer edge computing services. For example, AWS has rolled
out a comprehensive set of services that facilitate edge computing for a variety of use cases. They
essentially extend their cloud infrastructure to the edge and allow data centers to be set up locally in
specific cities, on premises and/or within 5G networks.

Services like these, from AWS and other cloud service providers, bring more options, flexibility and
simplicity for edge computing initiatives. In turn, these services allow your organization to start
quickly by leveraging on-demand infrastructure and to evolve efficiently by maintaining a
standardized, repeatable environment.

Data Processing at the Edge

As I stated earlier, you can’t expect to install any old database for edge computing and achieve
success. It’s important to choose a database with the right capabilities and features.
In a distributed architecture that spans from the cloud to the edge, you must facilitate data
processing throughout every layer of your ecosystem. All layers need to share a real-time
understanding of the data, and any layer should be able to run in isolation in the event of loss of
connectivity.

This means you need a database that natively distributes its storage and workload across the various
tiers of an edge architecture. Your database must also have the ability to instantly replicate and
synchronize data across database instances, whether they’re in the cloud or in an edge data center.

In addition, your database needs to be embeddable. Data storage should be integrated directly to
the edge device in order to facilitate data processing when completely offline. As such, the
embedded database must be able to operate without any central cloud control point, and it must
automatically synchronize with the rest of your data ecosystem when connectivity returns.

Furthermore, synchronization must be bi-directional and controllable in order to provide a secure

and optimal flow of data throughout your edge architecture. For example, in a smart factory
scenario, high velocity data captured from an assembly line can be processed and analyzed at the
edge, but – for network bandwidth efficiency – only aggregated data is synchronized to the cloud for
ultimate storage.

When planning out your own edge computing initiatives, you should only consider a database that
meets all of the above data processing requirements.

Build Boldly on the Edge

An edge computing architecture guarantees low latency and resilience to internet issues. By
processing data closer to where it happens, edge computing makes applications faster and more
reliable as a result.

This straightforward approach will power a new class of modern applications and future innovations.
The key to achieving success with edge computing architectures is in leveraging an edge-ready
database.

Learn more about edge computing and edge services in this IDC report: “Performance Accountability
& Edge Decision Making with Couchbase.” The report covers the emerging edge services landscape
and highlights Couchbase latency benchmark test results on edge service zones from AWS and
Verizon, don’t miss it!

Defining edge computing architecture can be challenging. Because edge computing is an increasingly
popular style of architecture that supports multiple use cases, articulating a single, comprehensive
definition can be difficult. In fact, you’ll likely receive a different definition depending on who you
ask.

Elements of edge computing are wide-ranging and can include mobile devices, IoT, smart
environments, the cloud, and on-premise infrastructures. Edge computing can also apply to
driverless cars, robotics, manufacturing, and more.

This article will outline a “big-picture” snapshot of edge computing, discuss its fundamental
properties, and then examine a few potential uses.

All About Edge Computing

Edge computing brings data and computational power closer to the sources of the produced data to
provide savings on bandwidth and response times. It has no single topology but refers to the
architecture as a whole.

Because edge computing relies on the cloud to store and process data close to the applications and
users that consume it, a high-speed internet connection is necessary for reliability. With data
situated near its consumed location, faster applications with greater availability are possible.

Edge Computing Advantages

By keeping data near the edge of the network, edge computing provides advantages that include:

• Enhanced bandwidth and availability

• Improved response times

• Faster data analysis in addition to the higher availability we’ve discussed.

• Reduced latency

• Safer data processing through distributed processing and storage.

With IoT devices and edge servers, companies can scale efficiently and cost-effectively without
investing in private data centers that require maintenance.

To accomplish this kind of scaling, edge devices collect and store data before sending it to specific
servers, utilizing data visualization and analytics, caching and buffering, data filtering, and real-time
data processing. Consequently, expansion can be as easy as partnering with a local edge data center
and testing new markets. New infrastructure is not required—only edge devices for setup. If the
market is not optimal, uninstallation is simple.

Edge Computing Applications

With edge computing architectures, a world of applications emerges.

• Using analytic algorithms, edge devices can monitor equipment

functionality and help manufacturers adjust and respond in real-time,
reducing defects and improving efficiency.
• An edge center supports operations in remote locations (such as oil
and gas) where real-time analytics can be leveraged to monitor
systems and machines.
• In healthcare, edge devices that monitor patients help reduce the
amount of data sent through the network to avoid server overloads.
• Edge computing reduces lag for online gaming, allowing for larger
multiplayer servers with fast performance.
• Cars with edge devices can collect data from sensors and respond in
real-time to events on the road —an essential and necessary feature
for autonomous vehicles.
Interconnectivity With Edge Computing Architecture
Edge computing moves processing power closer to the client with edge
data centers and embedded data storage directly on devices. As a result,
applications are shielded from data center outages.
Edge computing can be viewed as a layered approach, with the top layer
comprised of data centers, including central and interconnected regional
data centers. The edge layer is one level deeper and is composed of smart
cars, oil platforms, retail shops, medical clinics, and the list goes on. Edge
devices comprise this layer and include IoT devices, smartphones, sensors,
and other internet-connected devices. The edge layer runs on a local
network powered by wireless, 5G, fiber, or older legacy hardware.
Inside the edge layers, there are individual devices, smartphones, laptops,
and other IoT devices that are all capable of communicating with the edge
data center.
A key feature in this architecture is that databases are embedded within
edge devices and allow continuous processing if a large-scale cloud
database server fails. Individual devices synchronize captured data across
the environment—between cloud and edge databases and between
embedded databases on devices—ensuring it is always available.
As major cloud service providers increasingly offer edge computing
services where data centers can be established in specific cities, on-
premises, or in 5G networks, edge computing initiatives have discovered
increased flexibility and simpler implementation.

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