Page 10 - FCW, November/December 2020

EDGE COMPUTING
EDGE COMPUTING
Why edge computing is
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THE NEW
FRONTI ER
The key to better security, decision-making and productivity exists at the farthest edge of the IT network
THE PROLIFERATION OF internet- of-things sensors and an increasingly mobile workforce were dispersing government IT operations farther from the data center long before the coronavirus struck. But the pandemic has spotlighted agency employees’ increasing need for robust, secure capabilities in the field — or at home, as remote work continues — and decision-makers need fast access to data analytics in a wide variety of situations.
All those factors are driving interest in computing at the network edge.
Gartner defines edge computing as “solutions that facilitate data processing at or near the source of data generation.” In other words, the edge exists far beyond the data center and even the cloud, and it encompasses a collection of interconnected devices, such as sensors, video cameras and wearable technology.
The benefits of edge computing
The government collects more data than any other industry, and much of that data is now collected at the edge, according to IDC, which views edge computing as a high-growth area. Similarly, Gartner predicts that the amount of enterprise data that is processed at the edge will rise from 10% in 2018 to 75% by 2025.
A key benefit of edge computing is reduced latency. Because data has less distance to travel
for processing, analysis and insights can happen much faster, which speeds decision-making
and action. Reduced latency is essential in areas such as robotics and drone automation, autonomous vehicles, and augmented and virtual reality, according to a report by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC).
“Edge technologies make it feel like every device is a supercomputer,” the FCC report states. “Digital processes become lightning fast. Critical data is processed [at] the edge of the network, right on the device. Secondary systems and less urgent data are sent to the cloud and processed there.”
Edge computing facilitates more efficient
use of information and can help agencies limit the volume of data that they store, which saves money. Those potential savings are a draw at any time but especially as the country recovers from the pandemic-related recession.
In addition, when agencies process at the edge only the data they need, they can eliminate the rest rather than storing everything. As
a result, they need to hold onto and protect
a smaller amount of sensitive data, such as financial, medical and personally identifiable information. And because data is being processed at the source, it doesn’t have to travel across networks, which makes it less vulnerable to interception.
At the same time, however, edge computing can increase agencies’ attack surfaces by adding more endpoints. To boost security, agencies must ensure that they have a complete picture of their inventory of edge devices and a way to continuously monitor them.
The implications for
government missions
Edge computing has profound implications for a wide range of government missions, including those related to military operations, health care, disaster relief and agriculture. For example, edge computing is helping the Army better analyze data and prepare soldiers for modern warfare, and it’s enabling the Air Force to save almost $1 million a week in tanker refueling costs.
At the local government level, smart-
city initiatives rely heavily on IoT and edge computing for activities such as traffic
and energy management. Denver created
its Enterprise Data Management system
to support a more holistic approach to analyzing and acting on the city’s data.
“Built for integration and interoperability,
the IoT platform compiles real-time data
on transportation, environmental health, weather and freight,” according to the city’s website. “This drives smarter decision-making,
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Gluiki/Shutterstock/FCW Staff