Advantage and Disadvantage of Edge Computing


Edge computing, or computing on local servers and devices "on the edge" of the network rather than in remote cloud data centers, is rapidly establishing itself as a leading option for supporting the sheer amount and complexity of network technologies at the local level, particularly Internet of Things (IoT) devices.

Companies are also moving away from cloud-based solutions and toward edge-based solutions. The reason for this is cloud computing's fundamental cost, storage, and bandwidth requirements.

Advantages of Edge Computing

Following are some of the advantages of using Edge Computing −

Response Time and Latency

A company's every millisecond is critical to its success. Downtime or latency might cost them thousands of dollars. Edge computing can reduce latency and hence boost network speed. In addition, processing data closer to the source of information, considerably lowers the distance it must travel.

The ultimate result is a latency measured in microseconds rather than milliseconds. As a result, the overall service's speed, quality, and responsiveness have improved.

High Security and Less Risk

The data stored in the cloud has a high risk of being hacked. This can be avoided since edge computing only sends the appropriate data to the cloud. In addition, edge computing does not always necessitate the use of a network connection. Therefore, even if hackers gain access to the cloud, not all users' information is at risk.

However, this does not guarantee that edge computing is risk-free. Nevertheless, when compared to the cloud, this provides a possibly reduced risk profile.

Lesser Transmission Costs

In addition to the possibility of simplifying cloud security approaches, edge computing can also result in significant cost reductions due to lower bandwidth. Because so much data is now processed and stored in localized servers and devices, there is no need for most data to go to data centers. As a result, edge computing requires less bandwidth at the data center level.

Data centers can save bandwidth capacity and prevent costly improvements to existing cloud storage features by storing fewer data in the cloud and processing more locally.

Scalability and Versatility

Data must be transmitted to a centralized data center in a cloud computing system. Modifying or expanding this data center can be pricey at times. On the other hand, the edge may be utilized to scale your own IoT network without having to worry about storage. Furthermore, IoT devices can be placed here with just one implantation.

Disadvantages of Edge Computing

Following are some of the disadvantages of using Edge Computing −

Security

Although edge computing improves security by reducing the quantity of data that has to be protected in data centers, it also raises security concerns at each localized point of the edge network. In addition, some data is more vulnerable to breaches because not every edge device has the same built-in authentication and security capabilities.

Infrastructure costs

Networking technology is always a huge investment, whether you invest in large multinational clouds or scattered edge devices for your computing needs. While investing in a more robust edge network saves money on data center bandwidth, the strategy comes with its own set of costs to launch and manage edge devices.

Edge devices may require more hardware and software for optimal performance and local storage needs, and costs can quickly escalate when they're spread across multiple local geographies.

Data Loss

It can be tedious to sift through all of the data in a cloud data center, but the data's central storage gives you the peace of mind that it will be there when you need it. While edge computing processes save space and money for storage, critical data could be misconstrued and destroyed by an edge device by accident.

Conclusion

Edge computing has its pros and cons, but most IT experts agree that it isn't going away anytime soon, especially with the expected expansion of 5G access. Edge computing and how it's used are changing rapidly as more number of users are accessing data using various types of gadgets.

Updated on: 07-Sep-2021

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