Edge computing is used to push applications, data and services away from centralised nodes to the logical extremes of a network. It also enables analytics and knowledge generation to occur at the source of the data.

Edge computing covers a wide range of technologies such as wireless sensor networks, distributed data storage, augmented reality and more.

Research from IDC predicts that cloud, mobile and IoT service providers will both own and operate 30 percent of IT assets in edge locations and micro data centres. Already we are seeing signs of this becoming likely as various companies have begun deploying micro data centre solutions for edge computing.

Micro data centres are described as a self-contained, secure computing environment with the inclusion of all necessary storage, processing and networking required for customer applications.

Based on the rise in deployments between both edge computing and micro data centres, CBR lists the edge computing applications that are best suited for micro data centres.

Read more: Schneider Electric targets IoT and edge apps with micro data centre
Schneider Electric Micro DC Xpress

Recently introduced, Schneider Electric’s Micro Data Centre Xpress is a line of connected products that make it faster, easier and more cost effective to build and deploy micro data centres at the network edge.

It is particularly useful for edge and IoT applications that require speed, reliability and security. This also utilises Schneider Electric’s DCIM software suite, StuxureWare for data centres.

This provides high-strength designs and special packaging enable IT equipment to be pre-installed by the customer, partner or integrator before shipment.

Edge computing has different sets of resources spread between compute, storage and networking solutions that are deployed in the data centre for an effective and efficient method of storing data and meeting business needs.

Vapor Edge for Telecom

Vapor IO also recently delivered Vapor Edge, an end-to-end platform for edge computing following and increase in demand from customers looking to build out edge capacity.

Vapor Edge provides hyper-local data and compute for the majority of centralised data centres that are unable to deliver modern applications such as IoT, virtual and augmented reality. The company made it clear that these data centres will not work effectively because compute, storage and network capacity need to be near the application or device.

Therefore, Vapor Edge was designed to transfer cloud capabilities to the edge of the network, speeding up interactions, removing latency and reducing the load of network and compute back to the data centre.

It is built to offer an intelligence platform for modern data centre workloads and offers a selection of hardware designs such as Vapor Chamber, Vapor OpenDCRE, Vapor CORE and Vapor Compass for remote operation and workload management.

EdgeConneX Edge Data Centre

EdgeConneX offers purpose-built micro data centres located to provide Tier 2 and 3 facilities to deliver low latency to local market consumers.

The benefits include core network infrastructure, which is simplified and expensive infrastructure build-outs are avoided.

It partners with network and cable operators to ensure that data is delivered a good speed, which is ideal for users that require a high speed performance rate.

This is based on the usual decision of data centre providers to deploy edge computing, which also includes location optimisation and security, but most importantly is the need for speed.

The company has built a network of 25 data centres in secondary markets; this includes many that are operated as unmanned facilities.

Schneider Electric EcoStruxure

Again, Schneider Electric’s EcoStruxure platform offers enhancements in IoT, mobility, sensing, cloud, analytics and cybersecurity technologies to deliver data centre innovation across all areas of its platform.

This platform enables a system of connect, collect, analyse and take action to gather data from every level from sensor to the cloud, whilst also converting it into meaningful analytics.

This opens all enabled architecture and platforms, connecting the company’s stack from connected products, edge control, applications, analytics and services.

As edge computing includes a wide selection of variations, it can be deployed across several locations, one being the micro data centre.

Nutanix Enterprise Cloud Platform

Nutanix delivers its Enterprise Cloud Platform as a solution to provide simplicity and incremental scalability to micro data centres.

The platform simplifies data centre infrastructure with the inclusion of integrated server, storage, networking and virtualisation resources, which together form a turnkey hyper converged solution that will run any application at any scale.

As edge computing makes its way to becoming the core of the data centre, it is equally as important to have the correct scalability transferred.

This is what makes it easier for edge computing to transfer all data in the data centre away from any centralised points to the logical extremes of network.