In today's world, where the demand for high-speed, low-latency computing is growing by the day, data centres have become the backbone of modern digital infrastructure. However, with the rise of the Internet of Things (IoT), cloud computing, and streaming services, traditional centralised data centres are struggling to keep up with the demand for faster and more responsive applications. This is where edge data centres come in.
What Is An Edge Data Centre?
An edge data centre is a smaller, more compact, and less powerful version of a core data centre and is situated closer to end-users. This close proximity means these facilities can deliver lower latency data processing than core data centres. In turn, this provides a better customer experience by enabling a wide range of next-generation applications.
Edge Data Centre Key Features & Benefits
The benefits of edge data centres are wide ranging:
- Latency: As technology trends continue to grow, including the IoT, cloud, and streaming services, latency is a concern for data centre managers. Edge computing can provide high-performance and cost-effective ways to supply customers with the content and functionality they require - data doesn’t need to travel as far, and this facilitates lower latency.
- Bandwidth: Edge data centres process data locally, reducing the volume of traffic flowing to and from central servers. This results in greater bandwidth across the user's broader network, improving overall network performance.
- Operating Cost: By reducing the volume of traffic flowing to and from central servers, edge data facilities reduce the cost of transmission.
- Security: When it comes to storing sensitive data, security is a priority for businesses. Edge data centres enhance security by reducing the amount of sensitive data transmitted and stored in any individual location.
Why Do We Need Edge Data Centres?
Edge data centres have become an increasingly important component of the internet infrastructure, especially as more applications require low latency and high bandwidth connectivity. While the public cloud still dominates, hyperscalers like Google, Amazon, and Microsoft are investing heavily in edge computing as the demand for real-time processing and analysis of data increases. With this demand, edge data centres are becoming a crucial area of investment for businesses that want to leverage the power of emerging technologies like IoT and 5G.
- 5G: 5G is the latest generation of mobile network technology, offering faster data transfer rates, lower latency, and the ability to connect a greater number of devices simultaneously. With 5G, the demand for high-speed connectivity and low latency will increase. Edge data centres play a critical role here - they can be used to process and store large amounts of data in real-time.
- IoT (Internet of Things): The IoT industry relies on large amounts of data generated by connected devices, such as sensors and wearables. Edge data centres can be used to collect, process and analyse this data closer to the source, reducing latency and improving real-time decision-making.
With the edge more accessible than ever before, businesses that can harness its power will be well-positioned for growth and success in the future.
Discover Glide's Data Centre Solutions
Glide are committed to providing long-term value to businesses by meeting the increasing demand for low-latency, high-performance and cost-effective processing. And with this, we recognise the growing importance of edge data centres.
In March 2022, Glide connected its dark fibre ring with Proximity Data Centres Limited’s Birmingham edge colocation data centre, enabling thousands of businesses across the West Midlands to have reliable access to low latency, highly responsive hosted applications and services. This connection means that Proximity Birmingham (Edge 8) customers now have an increasing choice of dark fibre routes available to them at the facility and straightforward access to carriers and service providers serving the West Midlands region and nationwide with dark fibre and managed lit services.
With a decentralised approach, Glide's network speed puts customers right next door, no matter where they are located. Find out more about our data centre solutions.
