< PreviousSuccessfully implementing Edge solutions For some time, industry analysts have predicted significant growth in edge computing. Data transmission and processing requirements are driving the creation of edge infrastructures that extend and support centralised structures with computing power at the edge of the network. Popular content and applications are cached closer to less densely networked markets, improving performance and experience. Carsten Ludwig Market Manager Reichle & De-Massari According to Global Market Insights, the Edge Data Centre market exceeded USD 5.5 billion in 2019 and is set to grow at a CAGR of 23% between 2020 and 2026. Afcom's ‘2020 State of the Data Center’ report highlighted growth in private cloud adoption, increases in rack density and extensive edge deployments. More and more cloud vendors are introducing edge servers in significant quantities. According to research firm IDC, the number of new operational processes deployed on edge infrastructure will grow from under 20% today to more than 90% in 2024. Covid-19 has also been driving the use of edge-based technologies and applications, from cloud applications used for home working and education to increased viewing of streaming content. The rise of the edge and related convergence of IT and operational technology mean a number of changes to network infrastructure. edge solutions www.networkseuropemagazine.com 40edge solutions www.networkseuropemagazine.com 41Reducing data traffic from application end users to the central data centre (cloud, on-premises or colocated) will foster the deployment of edge solutions. This will help to avoid overwhelming data streams across entire countries, which could lead to poor application performance in the case of limited network capacity. Deployment of edge network infrastructure introduces several challenges: access to power, data connectivity with relevant bandwidth and a secure location to avoid unmanaged access. High density and port capacity High density is essential. The edge trend is leading to a paradigm shift in the way networks are designed, provided and monitored. There can be no bottlenecks between the edge and the centralised data centre. Inherent limitations of wireless solution mean that fibre and high-density architectures are required to successfully cable and connect billions of sensors whilst enabling extremely high, uninterrupted, low-latency symmetrical bandwidth. A dense fibre backhaul network and (Ultra-High Density) edge data centres will improve 5G quality and user experience outside large urban areas. Centralised RAN (C-RAN)-based solutions, with multi-operator capability, will overcome 5G speed bottlenecks in buildings and built environments, and optimise management and allocation of centralised computational baseband resources. For edge networks, which move content such as HDTV programmes closer to the end-user, high density of more than 100 ports per rack unit is essential. After all, these systems may have to support several consecutive generations of hardware and bandwidth standards. Traditional 72 ports per unit UHD solutions won’t do the job. Current high-density fibre solutions for data centres generally offer up to 72 LC duplex ports per rack unit. However, this can introduce management difficulties. Zero U rack solutions can be implemented to utilise space for edge application intelligence to the greatest possible extent. All support functions serving AIM/DCIM applications should be implemented within an edge solution at the edge of the 19in area. Finally, all distribution architecture elements in a ‘normal’ data centre can best be implemented in a smart form, covering access to the outside network, orchestrating carrier capacities, and distributing these to installed assets per application. edge solutions 42Security According to Edge research in Afcom's ‘2020 State of the Data Center’ 58% of respondents had concerns regarding company data security, 52% about TCO and 42% about network reliability. The distributed nature of edge facilities introduces security concerns. Data might be handled by a variety of devices that might not be as secure as a centralised or cloud-based network. Understanding the risks related to edge devices and making sure systems can be secured is vital. Management The rise of edge computing is introducing increased demand for scalability and centralised management. However, traditional approaches to monitoring as used in data centres or cloud applications don’t work for the edge. Uncompromising remote monitoring and automated infrastructure management can help guarantee interruption- free operation. Forward-looking solutions offer more than accurate documentation of the ports and cables and the real- time detection of faults and tampering. They have to be able to be used for the management of access control, working instructions, MAC plans, software, resources, assets and service levels. Danger prevention, predictive maintenance and cost control are also all desirable features. Cable management is key. Double-check measurements, make sure terminations are top quality, test wherever necessary, label and colour-code, watch out for cramped conduits and make absolutely sure no cables or bundles rest upon others. Bad cable management can result in signal interference and crosstalk, damage and failure, resulting in data transmission errors, performance issues and downtime. Operation Management systems should be introduced, which deliver a seamless 24/7 performance status for each location. As these locations are distributed in line with the nature of the new network architecture, the performance management should not only focus on standard applications such as power, cooling and access reports. All aspects of data connectivity also need to be covered. Solutions that monitor data flow (such as TAP modules) are mandatory. In addition, having a complete overview of connections to devices and distribution panels is a must. Together, all KPIs will deliver a complete picture of how these distributed DC net elements perform. In the event of failure, they will help find the root cause and support immediate recovery action. Preconfigured solutions Preconfigured cabinets are ideal for edge data centres. Cabinets pre-fitted with connectivity infrastructure, power distribution, cable management and raceway, cooling, fire suppression and rack monitoring functionality - all based on the client’s specific IT needs - enable organisations to deploy services rapidly, using a single physical infrastructure platform. This incorporates multiple services, without having to consider interoperability, working with multiple vendors and managing concurrent installation works, often in sensitive environments. Space-optimised solutions per function, seamless adaptation of capacity and connectivity and online status management will be key for a successful implementation of edge computing in a new data centre network topology. n The rise of edge computing is introducing increased demand for scalability and centralised management. edge solutions 43edge to core to cloud 44 www.networkseuropemagazine.com Stephane Cardot Director Pre-Sales EMEA Quantum Edge to core to cloud: striking the right data storage balance The accelerating evolution of cloud computing over recent years, combined with spiralling data volumes, has quickly led to the advent of edge computing. This has become a fast-growing market segment that MarketsandMarkets predicted would grow from $2.8 billion in 2019 to $9 billion by 2024.edge to core to cloud 45 www.networkseuropemagazine.com A new report from Million Insights has taken this a step further, estimating that the market will be worth $43.4 billion globally in 2027. By offering organisations a way to compute at or near the source of data, edge computing provides the benefits of the cloud but with a local angle. As well as reducing latency and enhancing security, it also offers significant cost savings over the bandwidth costs associated with the cloud. With the proliferation of IoT devices, sensors and robots spanning industries like autonomous vehicles, manufacturing and healthcare, edge computing is creating vast amounts of unstructured data that, at some point in its lifecycle, needs to be centralised at the core or moved to the cloud. This is presenting organisations with some complex data management challenges that must be overcome if they want to use their data in the most efficient way possible. But, thanks to technological advancements, there are several best practices businesses can follow to ensure they strike the right balance when it comes to storing and managing the data they create. Dealing with data As the volume of data being collected at the edge has continued to grow, organisations’ storage requirements and edge to core to cloud www.networkseuropemagazine.com 46 priorities have shifted. For example, because these edge sites are now so active, ensuring that the infrastructure is running in a secure environment has taken on newfound importance. Today’s businesses must invest in their ability to secure edge data against ransomware and other cyber attacks. This is driving increased security around the management of data, along with replication capabilities in the core data centre. Businesses also need to take a smarter approach to data storage to ensure cost-efficiency. With so much data being created, storing the right data in the right way – whether that’s active storage or long-term archiving – is essential to reducing costs when dealing with large data volumes. These challenges are supplemented by the growing need to apply AI and machine learning capabilities to the raw data as it’s collected at an exponential rate. The need to analyse and learn from this data has never been greater, accelerating the push to centralise unstructured edge data to wherever this compute power resides. This is particularly true in verticals such as manufacturing, automotive and autonomous vehicles – which alone generates unparalleled amounts of sensor, satellite and geospatial data. By centralising data in the core and the cloud, businesses can extract more value from their data and ensure that key information is shared across their different offices and teams located around the world. Instead of having multiple offices tied together across a complex and expensive infrastructure, data can be made accessible through one central location. As well as increasing efficiencies, this boosts security by consolidating data in one data centre at one point in time. It can then be replicated across additional data centres if required. So, how can organisations go about putting this approach into action? Businesses need to take a smarter approach to data storage to ensure cost-efficiency. edge to core to cloud www.networkseuropemagazine.com 47 Rethinking data storage The first consideration for organisations is whether data will be kept on-premise in the core or moved to the cloud. This will depend on business requirements. If data goes directly to the cloud, the organisation will get the scalability and cost-efficiency benefits that come with it. However, there will also be constraints in terms of performance and SLAs. As such, we’re seeing many organisations adopt a hybrid approach that delivers the best of both worlds. Businesses can capitalise on the flexibility of the cloud, while also enjoying the increased security and performance of on-premise for certain types of data. This then connects to the replication mechanism – technology that understands what type of data is being worked on and where it needs to go. Tools that understand whether data needs to be replicated to the cloud or to the core site can help organisations centralise their data in a more effective way across multiple sites, placing data in the proper storage location to ensure cost-efficiency. Of course, security must always be in the front of our minds. When data is transferred from the edge to the core and the cloud, organisations need a secure connection and protocol to protect against potential attacks. They should also ensure that data is encrypted during transit, providing peace of mind that it won’t fall into the wrong hands. Finally, take the time to understand how different processes and storage methods impact the organisation’s SLAs. The cheapest storage option might take the longest to retrieve data from, so there must be a balance between cost efficiency and the ability to access the right data when it’s needed. Ultimately, it’s becoming clear that the rise of edge computing is forcing organisations to reconsider how and where they process, store and manage all the unstructured data being generated. Although there are challenges, centralising data can enable businesses to get the most out of their data in today’s world of ever-increasing data volumes. n Centralising data can enable businesses to get the most out of their data in today's world of ever- increasing data volumesTop factors businesses consider when building a network building 48 Ultimately it's up to business leaders to establish what the network's purpose is and allocate the right components or resources. Establishing an IT network can be a daunting task and requires a number of considerations to ensure it performs sufficiently under high volume and is easily accessible by employees across the business. In addition to this, the COVID-19 pandemic has had an unprecedented impact on the way that companies across the world operate. Whilst many businesses are planning to start moving employees back into an office environment, others are considering a hybrid workplace. These factors will have a significant influence on network demands and the considerations that businesses need to make to prepare for this long-term transition. While each business has its own network needs or requirements, the essentials remain the same: security, usability and scalability. Security With the imminent introduction of hybrid working, cyber hackers are on the hunt for network vulnerabilities and opportunities to exploit valuable data, which not only puts employees' own privacy at risk but could result in company security breaches too. Businesses are now faced with increasing risks of cybercriminals breaching the network, tracking internet traffic and potentially collecting confidential data. They also need to consider the personal devices that employees may be using at home. These will often lack the same level of security tools built into corporate devices, such as antivirus software, customised firewalls or automatic online backup tools. When building a network, companies need to test the IT infrastructure and security against various threats. Otherwise, all the investment involved in creating the network could be threatened by cyber attacks. Business leaders can also invest in preventative measures such as firewalls, antivirus software and VPNs to create multiple layers of defence to minimise the risk of attacks or data breaches. Each network security layer implements policies and controls, designed to protect the confidentiality and accessibility of an organisation's computer network and data. In today’s digitised world, it is fundamental that IT networks meet the needs of their business in order to maximise efficiency and productivity. These needs will vary depending on the size of the organisation. For instance, a small business may need to connect its sample of employees together, allowing them to share and exchange information. On the other hand, large corporation’s networks could also include data centres and employees overseas. www.networkseuropemagazine.comnesses need to uilding a network network building 49 Usability Usability refers to the ease of use in which employees can access the network and continue working as productively and efficiently as possible. It is important for companies to understand how their team uses the network and the functionalities required to maximise usability. They can also look to implement user-friendly criteria such as memorable host- naming schemes or easy-to-use configuration methods. Usability also relates to the need for remote access, which is vital when working from home during government lockdowns. This means that businesses need to ensure that the network selected is agile and flexible to grant employees network access wherever they are working. Once the network has been established, a network training programme can be developed to ensure employees understand the new policies that have been put into place. This training is fundamental in the success of a business network, as employees can get on the same page, reducing security risks and building a solid foundation for efficiency. Employees at every level of the organisation should receive network training to ensure they have the skills required to continue working as normal and maximise the benefits that can be derived from the IT network. Scalability Businesses are growing at a rapid rate and it’s important for their operations to be able to scale at the same time. Network scalability is about how easily a company can upscale or downscale its network infrastructure. This will involve adding or removing bandwidth or processing capacity to its systems to keep up with the company’s needs and growth. More recently, some businesses may have scaled back infrastructure during Covid-19 as the demand declined during these unprecedented times. This helped many organisations to reduce IT costs and to ensure current business operations could run as smoothly as possible. Having network flexibility is highly valuable for businesses and the ability to scale to meet requirements ensures stability, flexibility and cost- effectiveness. IT resources also need maintenance, upgrades or updates on a regular basis and understanding when a network needs to be scaled will help plan for these investments ahead of time. Overall, it’s critical for business leaders to understand the initial goals of the IT network in the first instance and consider these three components when building the infrastructure. A secure, user-friendly and scalable network can bolster an organisation’s operations, bringing improved productivity and opportunities to grow in today’s digital marketplace. It will also equip teams to realise the huge benefits that hybrid and flexible working will offer to drive better success in the long term. n Alan Hayward Sales & Marketing Manager SEH Technology www.networkseuropemagazine.comNext >