You’ve heard of it, edge computing and IoT platforms, of course. But you might not be hearing the whole truth about their capabilities.

We know edge computing is all the rage. It’s a whole new mode of compute and data processing threatening the future of cloud computing. Capable of getting low latency networks to further-out devices and locations, edge computing is paving the way for an even more connected future for many industries.

Rural industries & drone data collection

Agriculture can now boast added efficiencies when it comes to geological surveying and performing environmental analyses on-site. Not only does this mean lower latency and on-the-spot insights, it means less weight on the central server.

This also goes for other complex and/or rural industries like underground mining and clean technology. Edge computing allows devices like automated vehicles, air quality monitors, wind turbines, and solar farms to calculate and analyze incoming data quickly without being constantly connected to the central servers or a cloud-based IoT platform- saving immeasurable operational resources.

Emergency response and disaster situations

With integrational edge computing, now the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and emergency response organizations like it are more reliable in their communications and emergency response vehicles (land AND sea).

They can collect data from edge computing drones to assess a disaster situation before sending in rescue teams, not to mention better communication with survivors and their families via AI and facial recognition. The machine vision of the drone will also improve, as greater loads can be streamed, faster. Disaster locations aren’t known for their still-up-and-running central clouds and networks — now they don’t have to be.

National defense and government insight

Beyond obvious use cases in planes, edge computing is inserting itself throughout the Department of Defense (DOD): monitoring and delivering greater insights, faster.

Troops on the ground now have access to low-latency intelligence and surveillance devices that can gather information on the fly whether or not they have network connection. Now, fewer lives will be in danger for international ground forces even during power outages and high-load operations.

High and low-level application

But it’s not all for higher up organizations — here are a few ways edge computing can (and will) affect daily life and your typical civilian through the IoT ecosystem.

Web app security and performance

The key to faster, more complex, and more efficient web app performance and security depends upon the capabilities of the infrastructure and if it can handle higher loads in more places. Moving processing to the edge will mean, for everyday people, faster devices with greater battery life that can handle more complex applications.

Video streaming

Video content (YouTube streaming, Netflix, live-action and RPG video games, etc.) make up HALF of all internet bandwidth used in the U.S., the biggest culprit being Netflix at 20%. As 4K becomes more available, the only way to keep up is for the key players (Netflix, Amazon, YouTube, Hulu) to manage their on-demand services at the edge– employing more data storage and ISP networks in more places.

It’s efficiency and revolution packaged up in a neat little self-reliant bundle of hardware and software. And all of it is made possible and easier through 5G. But like AT&T trying to ‘pass’ as 5G by calling it 5Ge (‘e’ standing for ‘evolution’), there are a lot of organizations trying to pass as ‘edge computing’ authorities. How?

The Imitators

Because edge computing is relatively new, and such a potentially widespread industry, being vague is benefitting organizations when they define ‘what edge means to them.’ AKA, there are many different types of edge or locations of ‘the edge,’ and most edge computing organizations and IoT cloud platforms are at only one of them, instead of at all of them.

For example, an edge computing SaaS or PaaS uses the phrase ‘edge computing’ but they only compute in the cloud. Or, only in the IoT device. Only on the edge of the cloud or wireless network (like in physical data centers or other computing hardware), or, like many telecommunication companies, only at a small data center at the base of a cell tower.

It’s artificial messaging, slung out under buzzwords like ‘true’ or ‘kinetic’ to compete when their computing capabilities are lackluster. ClearBlade, an edge computing software company enabling enterprises to rapidly engineer and run secure, real-time, scalable IoT applications, doesn’t just run on one of these definitions of ‘edge.’

And let’s not confuse embedded firmware with edge computing. Firmware has been around for decades and is hard coded for specific devices and low-level solutions. Edge computing is flexible, enabling entire applications to be deployed to multiple edges via a centralized location.

Everywhere, Every time

ClearBlade runs on all of them, everywhere. It runs in the cloud, on the edge of the cloud (like in data centers and hardware), at the edge (on an IoT gateway), and on-premise (on a server behind a corporate firewall).

ClearBlade is the only one that is all-edge, fully customizable, adaptable, and able to be integrated with existing and legacy systems without altering the architecture. No matter what technological, product, or industry changes may appear in the future, users of ClearBlade know that they won’t have to rework their whole platform– because ClearBlade will adapt with them. No matter what their protocol or business model is, ClearBlade has a platform to match it.

If they’re not all-edge, they’re not-edge.

Edge computing is at the beginning of its climb. Across all markets and industries, more and more applications of edge computing are evolving. As they arise, they present new challenges for IT departments, OT departments, and IoT leaders everywhere, as more data, greater speeds, and more complex insights become the new standard.

Stay ahead of the curve, by getting on the horizon with ClearBlade.