FIGURE 3: A cable company distribution node.
As the data center is to the cloud,
edge computing is to the fog. While
there is not a consistent definition
of edge computing, it is generally
agreed that the processing of data for
devices or systems occurs somewhere
closer to the area of need than
a traditional data center. This
computing may take place in the
actual device, a system aggregation
point, or in the fog, where the fog
is really a localized cloud supported
by localized or “edge” data centers.
Some people define an edge
data center as one that must meet
a number of criteria, such as serving
a minimum percentage of the local
market and meeting a specified
performance level; others view
an edge data center as just a data
center with an intended purpose,
26 I ICT TODAY
much like a colocation or enterprise
data center. For how this may play
out, one simply needs to look at the
longer-term historical trend within
ICT, beginning with the first room-
sized computers where the location
of data and processing oscillated
between localized and “at a distance”
infrastructure, occasionally stopping
at mid points where aggregation
nodes and consolidation points
are created.
Regardless of the actual
definition, edge data centers will be
required, either as new construction
or possibly created from smaller
existing enterprise or colocation
data centers. With edge computing
and the trend to make objects smaller
and closer, another potential exists in
moving requisite processing for some
applications even closer to
the device. Figure 3 shows
a distribution node for a cable
television provider located at
a signaled intersection that passes
through approximately 90,000
vehicles3 per day. With the growth
of intelligent transportation systems
for traffic management and road
safety, structures such as this may
provide a functional site.
FINDING A PATH FORWARD
For data centers, finding a path
forward in the midst of ongoing
change can seem daunting.
However, over the last eight years,
a number of industry standards
were developed to address ongoing
change. While some elements
of the data center, such as power