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Edge, Fog, or Cloud? What Do I Need For an Edge Computing Solution

by Kris Schulze • Oct 11, 2023

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It’s estimated that the typical person makes on average 35,000 decisions every day. The vast majority of these are reflexive and automatic. The rest are more substantial and require a degree of thoughtful deliberation.

For today’s IT leader, there’s no shortage of decisions to make – especially when it comes to choosing the right Edge Computing solution. SC//Insights delivers a series of educational resources designed to help IT decision-makers make smarter, more informed decisions.

IT teams now have an abundance of choices when it comes to building and managing their infrastructure. Whether you need the agility of the cloud or the real-time capabilities found in edge computing or perhaps a little bit of both, it’s important to understand the nuances of each model and be able to align them with your organization's strategic goals.

But before diving in, it’s instructive to take a step back. If you’re not already familiar with edge computing, What is Edge Computing? offers a natural starting point. In this primer, we cover the basics – from breaking down the key benefits of moving applications and systems closer to where data is being generated and defining the core components of a modern edge computing infrastructure to exploring some of the most compelling use cases where edge computing is being applied today.

Of course, edge computing is but one of several options. What's the Difference Between Edge Computing and Cloud Computing? compares and contrasts these two models, highlighting the various factors that should be considered when making this foundational infrastructure decision. For instance, cloud computing offers vast scalability options and can accommodate sudden spikes in demand. Edge computing, on the other hand, might be limited by the capabilities of the local hardware but can offer greater flexibility in distributed environments. With data breaches becoming a growing concern, the decision between edge and cloud also hinges on security considerations. While cloud providers often boast robust security measures, edge computing can reduce your risk profile by keeping sensitive data localized.

Between the cloud and the edge, there’s also a third option that might be appropriate for certain use cases. Edge Computing vs. Fog Computing vs. Cloud Computing explains how fog computing has emerged to provide a bridge between local data processing and centralized cloud services, offering a balanced solution tailored for specific use cases. By operating as an intermediary layer between edge devices and the cloud, fog computing can aggregate data from multiple edge devices for preliminary processing before sending it to the cloud or it can disseminate the cloud's computational power closer to the edge.

To determine if your organization is ready for edge computing, complete our Edge Computing Self-Assessment tool.

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