The Rise of Edge Computing and Its Impact on Private Cloud Solutions
As efficiency, security, and ease in data processing become priorities for businesses, organizations are turning to edge computing. Running a cloud at the edge offers powerful benefits for enterprises, from low latency to security to agility.
What Is Edge Computing?
Edge computing is a strategy where processing occurs on or near the physical site of a data source. Rather than relying on centralized cloud servers, edge computing brings storage and computing power closer to a network's “edge.” This decentralized approach means data doesn't need to be sent to a remote data center for processing.
Before edge computing, these edge points generated large amounts of data that most organizations wouldn't use. Mobile computing and the Internet of Things (IoT) allow companies to gain data insights in near real time. With an edge-to-cloud environment, data can flow seamlessly between all data centers, clouds, and edges for functionality across all environments and work locations.
The Advantages of Edge Cloud Computing
Edge cloud computing offers several benefits to organizations, including:
Low latency: Latency, or the time it takes for data processing, can be a significant challenge in many applications, especially when real-time data is necessary. Edge computing doesn't require data to travel across a network, so the response time for connected devices can be much faster.
Improved security: When data is generated at the edge, it's stored in the same location. This local storage makes it easier for enterprises to abide by governance and privacy standards for improved compliance. It also simplifies security protocols because the data is less susceptible to breaches. In turn, organizations reduce their risk.
Greater scalability: Edge computing offers the benefit of a decentralized cloud, and this distributed architecture makes it easier to scale edge resources according to a location's needs.
More agility: The fast processing time of edge computing means your organization can respond to requests rapidly and keep up with market opportunities when they arise. The speed and efficiency you gain with edge-to-cloud technology also accelerate the time to market for new products, helping you stand out among competitors.
What Is the Future of Edge Cloud Computing?
As more businesses rely on processing large amounts of data to run, they need better ways to manage it. Edge computing is the solution to inefficiencies in data processing that many companies face, especially those that require data insights in real time.
By 2025, 75% of enterprise-created data will be generated and processed outside a centralized cloud or data center. Edge computing has many beneficial features, and more organizations are discovering how it can strengthen their cloud usage. In addition to IoT, edge computing is also driving approaches to technology like 5G, XR, robotics, and more.
Using k0s to Run Kubernetes at the Edge
At Mirantis, we understand that edge computing plays a major role in the future of the cloud, and our solutions for Kubernetes function beautifully at the edge. k0s is our certified, scalable Kubernetes distribution. We've designed k0s to eliminate the complexities of installing and running a Kubernetes distribution with clusters distributed in a single binary.
Enjoy flexibility with all of the core components of enterprise-grade Kubernetes. k0s works with any Kubernetes extension and offers configurations for alternative container runtimes. Experience top-grade security with Transport Layer Security (TLS) encrypted cluster management and control-plane isolation for limiting the surface of attack.
k0s is an ideal solution for edge computing because it's relatively lightweight and runs on ARM architecture. Plus, worker nodes on k0s run behind the firewall in local area networks, adding more security for IoT deployments and edge computing.
Since ARM architecture is commonly used in electronic devices like embedded systems and smartphones, k0s is suitable for a range of technology, including Raspberry Pi. Notably, ARM architecture performs tasks quickly with minimal energy usage, which is a core use case for edge computing. This technology compatibility opens the door for many other leading technologies at the edge, like robotics and XR.
Contact the Private Cloud Experts at Mirantis
Mirantis creates cloud solutions that drive enterprises forward. With Kubernetes solutions like k0s, Mirantis OpenStack for Kubernetes, and Mirantis Kubernetes Engine, we give organizations the ease and efficiency they need in cloud computing and containerization. Our technologies support edge computing to carry your business into the future of data processing.
Contact us today to learn more about our solutions, or get started with your Kubernetes journey today.
