Technology Reseller - v24

01732 759725 EDGE COMPUTING 44 infrastructure. Doing so will also reduce the deployment burden for the service provider. Edge computing enables a service provider to develop a solution where all the customer has to do is plug in an edge device and forget about it. Another reason for partners to explore edge computing is that it can provide customers with peace of mind in relation to security and data privacy. Because traditional cloud computing is more centralised, it can be vulnerable to attacks and power outages. Edge devices process data locally, giving customers the reassurance that sensitive data won’t leave their premises. Only metadata goes to the cloud for reporting purposes. In a recent YSoft survey, 56% of SMEs said they would prefer Edge computing for cloud-based print management 1 . New opportunities It should be noted that edge computing will not replace data centres. With 93% of SMEs using a cloud-based application, there are many applications that can happily operate in the cloud without the need for real-time processing. However, for critical print tasks, edge computing can keep a business humming no matter what their internet connection is like or how much bandwidth they have. As companies embark on edge computing, new opportunities will be created for partners by businesses that need service provider partners to introduce, support, maintain, monitor and secure cloud applications and their edge devices. [1] Cloud Print Management, A Survey of SMB Decision Makers, Y Soft, September 2019. Edge computing relieves pressure on the network by processing data that doesn’t need to be sent to the centre at the periphery. This enables partners to offer their customers a better experience, which, in turn, can boost the performance and reliability of a customer’s application and service. Edge computing comes into its own where small amounts of data are produced from many devices that can be processed and analysed locally. The Internet of Things, for example, is often used with an Edge computing approach. Conversely, a more regular central storage approach might be better for devices where time isn’t a factor and where it is important to bring data from many sources into one place, such as for big data projects. For SMEs, cloud and edge computing can be useful in reducing the cost and time spent on day-to-day business operations. In a printing context, routine data processing for printing can be done locally on an ‘edge’ device on the customer’s premises. This approach allows partners to offer customers a simpler printing experience as the edge device can be managed in the cloud and doesn’t need to be maintained by the customer. Key drivers for SMEs in cloud & edge computing When addressing SMEs, it’s important for resellers to focus on the customer’s core business function and to minimise complexity and resource allocation on back office functions. Wherever possible, they should remove the IT burden from SMEs and implement a solution that doesn’t require the customer to maintain Over the years, the technology sector has evolved and grown at an exponential rate, with new platforms and features being created every single day. Once in a while, however, a new idea creates a fundamental paradigm shift that changes everything. Cloud computing falls into this category. Cloud’s ability to deliver on-demand computing services over the internet means anyone can access their data wherever and whenever they want. Today, you would be hard pressed to find a business that doesn’t rely on the cloud for at least some of its day to day operations. Now, even the Cloud is moving into a new era, which is where edge computing comes in. The combination of cloud-based printing and edge devices on a business’s network enables partners to offer customers cloud-based printing, even in areas where the internet is poor or unreliable; and, by moving data processing to the edge, a business is able to move faster, more effectively, less expensively and, most importantly, more securely, so that partners can offer them better services. Cloud and Edge. What exactly is it? Taking a cloud approach still means having a data centre (or sometimes several data centres) at the core. That is where all the data is processed, stored and shared between devices. This hub and spoke approach has been highly effective, but as organisations increase data volumes, the network that transfers data requires ever more (costly) bandwidth. Ondrej Kracijek, Chief Technology Strategist at Y Soft, explains how cloud/edge computing for printing is creating new opportunities for partners Printing at the edge Cloud and edge n 98% of UK SMBs use public cloud applications n 44% of UK SMBs have a cloud-first preference; 14% will only use cloud applications n 67% list security as a top concern; 59% cite it as top concern for cloud-based print management n 31% use edge computing n 46% prefer cloud print management services used with an edge device in place (source: Cloud Print Management, A Survey of SMB Decision Makers , Y Soft, September 2019) Ondrej Kracijek