Internet of Things (IoT) infrastructure is one possible way to build edge computing environments.
The Internet of Things (IoT) and edge computing are among the hottest buzzwords today. While IoT and edge computing don't necessarily go hand in hand, combining them is a common strategy to extract the maximum value from both technologies.
The Internet of Things (IoT) refers to a network of any non-traditional devices connected to the internet in some way. Here, "non-traditional devices" refers to devices such as sensors, medical devices, and smart home systems, rather than traditional devices such as PCs and servers.
The history of the Internet of Things (IoT) dates back decades. However, it has only in the last few years—or perhaps the last decade—that it has finally matured and proven itself ready for large-scale real-world use.
Edge computing is a computing architecture where data and processing occur as close as possible to the end user. It contrasts with traditional cloud computing architectures, which centralize data and processing in cloud data centers.
The key idea behind edge computing is that when workloads are hosted closer to users, network latency and reliability are reduced, resulting in a better end-user experience.
The Relevance of the Internet of Things and Edge Computing
You don't need IoT devices to build an edge computing architecture. You can host edge applications on any type of infrastructure, provided that the infrastructure is closer to the end user than a central data center.
Therefore, traditional servers deployed in retail stores can process payments much faster than remote data centers, which is an example of edge architecture. Even PCs that handle data storage or processing can be considered a form of edge architecture, where such data storage or processing would otherwise occur in the cloud.
You also don't need an edge architecture to use the Internet of Things (IoT). You can deploy IoT devices and manage them from a traditional data center located at the center of the network.
Edge IoT devices
In conclusion, IoT devices are an excellent way to build the infrastructure needed for edge computing environments.
In other words, organizations can build edge architectures by deploying IoT devices and using them to handle data storage or processing.
This approach is particularly advantageous when IoT devices collect large amounts of data and wait for the data to be transmitted to, processed, and sent back to data centers, which can take a considerable amount of time to achieve performance goals. Running workloads directly on IoT devices can also reduce security risks by minimizing the amount of data transmitted over the network.
A major challenge in using IoT devices as the foundation of edge architecture is that IoT devices are not always capable of handling heavy data storage and processing. If your devices are lightweight sensors with minimal storage and CPU capacity, they may not meet your workload performance requirements.
in conclusion
The relationship between the Internet of Things (IoT) and the edge boils down to this: IoT infrastructure is one possible way to build edge computing environments. There is a growing industry consensus that the IoT is one of many use cases for edge computing.
