Schneider Electric held its “Life at the Edge” Conference in Singapore last September, bringing together about 50 members of the press from all over the globe. In the event, Schneider Electric introduced the “Edge Computing” solution and how the platform can transform the technological landscape of today.
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What is edge computing?
Edge computing “is an IT deployment designed to put applications and data as close as possible to the users or “things” that need them.” In simpler terms, it brings in data centers physically closer to its user base or to its point of origin.
As traditional IT is shifting towards a more digital approach in infrastructure and operations, edge computing provides a way to move to digitization. Schneider Electric has recognized that there are three key industries that are fast emerging through digital transformation: commercial (retail, healthcare, finance, and education), industrial (oil & gas, mining, automotive, and manufacturing) and telco (cell towers and base stations).
Dave Johnson, Executive Vice President of the Secure Power Division at Schneider Electric, notes that does recognize that edge computing could be an emerging IT trend in the next 10 years, there are challenges that need to be addressed. As edge computing data centers aren’t structured the same as traditional data centers, risks include matters such as poor resiliency, lack of remote monitoring and management, lack of standardization and integration and lastly, the large number of sites with limited IT staff.
To combat the challenges, Schneider Electric designed a combination of solutions, namely integrated systems, cloud-based architecture, and an ecosystem of partners.
Integrated systems
Instead of having separate security, power, cooling, and enclosure systems, Schneider Electric aims to provide microdata centers, row data centers, or modular all-in-one data centers to simplify deployment and management, increasing resiliency.
Cloud-based architecture
Cloud-based management architectures would provide remote visibility and data-driven insights for edge environments. Collecting and analyzing massive amounts of data, remote monitoring, and managing sites, scaling management systems, and utilizing analytics to achieve a batter performance can all be done with Schneider Electric’s cloud-based architecture called the EcoStruxure IT.
Ecosystem of partners
A network of hardware and software partners is required to fully deliver and complete the edge computing solution. A web of physical infrastructure vendors, IT equipment manufacturers, systems, and managed service providers are all needed to provide a seamless service for a customer.
Through the Life at the Edge event, the company also released two new guides for IT and data center professionals, managed service providers (MSPs), and value-added resellers (VARs). With its solutions, Schneider Electric is well-positioned to enable the digital transformation to edge computing with its papers, design support, and tools to support the industry.
