INTELLIGENT BRANDS // Cloud
Edge computing will come
of age in 2019
/////////////////////////////
storage options, while the imminent arrival
of 5G will also drive technology further to the
edge,” he said.
Having recognised the need for a new type
of architecture to enhance the traditional
cloud, edge computing will address the
connectivity of billions of devices across
widespread locations. Mahncke says that
it will create much needed support as
digitisation continues to develop and grow,
producing more applications and services.
Christian Mahncke, Enterprise Business
Development at Routed
C
hristian Mahncke, Enterprise Business
Development at Routed, Africa’s only
vendor neutral cloud infrastructure
provider, says that disruption will continue
to dominate the technology landscape as
2019 approaches. Supporting Gartner’s
predictions, Mahncke says that computing
will extend well beyond centralised facilities
to the ‘edge’ of the network where data can
be stored, processed and displayed.
“This will bring an ‘empowered edge’ trend
well into 2019 and will expand computing
power indefinitely,” said Mahncke. “Edge
computing has been on the cusp of breaking
technology and next year will see it gain
wider traction and awareness.”
Mahnucke added that by utilising the
growing cloud phenomenon, edge
computing will leverage cloud architecture to
enable better delivery and capabilities.
“Working together with Artificial Intelligence
(AI), edge computing will provide more
66
INTELLIGENTCIO
“Benefits expected include cost reduction,
improved responsiveness and efficiencies,
greater capacities and increased speed,”
he said. “Overall, this new distributed
computing model holds promise in terms
of improving the current network but will
also encourage broader use and interest
in devices with computer and storage
capabilities at the edge.”
He says that this is particularly relevant
across Africa as the barriers to entry are
lower and a breeding ground for disruptors
to challenge the old guard. The innovation
in this sector has been boosted by the arrival
of Internet giants such as Amazon Web
Services, Microsoft Azure and Google Cloud.
“The arrival of these key vendors will
encourage more cross connecting from
the enterprise sector, which acknowledges
the assurance now provided from cloud
providers,” said Cruise.
“This improvement in risk and security has
started to positively impact the financial
services sector too. We will also see an
increase in multi-cloud strategies, which
will result in a general increase in cloud
acceptance and adoption.”
Supporting the burgeoning Internet of
Things (IoT) trend, edge computing will
improve IoT deployments as it brings the
devices closer to the edge. Traditionally marred by a highly regulated
industry demanding strict IT security and
privacy controls, the financial services sector
is becoming increasingly more open to
cloud strategies and running applications in
the cloud.
“Network connectivity needs to be considered
as much as the devices themselves; only then
will effective communications be achieved,”
added Mahncke. Internationally, several banks and insurance
companies are leveraging the cloud and
considering ways to utilise the platform for
other processing requirements.
Meanwhile, Routed CEO Andrew Cruise says
that, thanks to the cloud and a growing
base of market disruptors, innovation and
technology are becoming more critical to the
survival of today’s financial institutions. “It is logical for the next adoption curve to
include the financial service sector,” added
Cruise. “They need to become more agile
and responsive to the mark.”
“Traditionally, this sector has been slow in
its cloud adoption and the use of deployed
infrastructure,” said Cruise. “We are seeing
a move in the right direction as financial
institutions start moving beyond the initial
concerns of risk and security in the cloud.”
With just over a year until 2020, cloud
adoption needs to increase and continue to
evolve. According to Cruise that technology
will, by that time, become more mission-
critical and will have started to drive not
only customer engagement but operational
efficiency too. n
www.intelligentcio.com