Edge Computing is a new stage in the evolution of cloud computing. It consists of shifting remote data storage and processing from distant servers to the edge of the network. Thus, the data no longer systematically passes through the “cloud,” but is processed locally, close to the people or machines that produce and/or consume it.
Already there are somewhere between 30 billion (Gartner) and 80 billion (IDATE) connected objects, and they will only increase. The emergence of Edge Computing is closely linked to the deployment of 5G, providing ten times faster mobile Internet with a latency of around a millisecond as well as more bandwidth. It also brings with it a host of other benefits, including latency reduction for services requiring real-time processing, such as autonomous vehicles, security of sensitive data (in particular in healthcare and industry) and increased compliance with regulatory requirements thanks to the processing, storage and suppression of personal data as close to the source as possible.
Orange Business recently joined forces with Dell Technologies and Ekinops to offer a universal customer premise equipment (uCPE) solution to accelerate edge network transformation. Enterprises can install VNFs remotely to a uCPE deployed at any site. A single box can run multiple network functions, such as routers, SD-WAN, firewalls and WAN optimization, allowing customers to provision new sites and services much more quickly. The solution will also help enterprises move toward Edge Computing, with use cases such as video, AI and IoT running locally on the uCPE. Carrying out data processing at the edge will help improve application performance and assure data privacy.
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