Edge computing
Encyclopedia
Edge computing provides application processing load balancing
capacity to corporate and other large-scale web servers. It is like an application cache, where the cache is in the Internet itself. Static web-sites being cached on mirror sites is not a new concept. Mirroring transactional and interactive systems are however a much more complex endeavor.
, grid computing, and other names implying non-centralized, nodeless availability.
To ensure acceptable performance of widely-dispersed distributed services, large organizations typically implement Edge computing by deploying Web server farm
s with clustering. Previously available only to very large corporate and government organizations, technology advancement and cost reduction for large-scale implementations have made the technology available to small and medium-sized business.
The target end-user is any Internet client making use of commercial Internet application services.
Edge computing imposes certain limitations on the choices of technology platforms, applications or services, all of which need to be specifically developed or configured for edge computing.
Edge computing has many advantages:
are related. Whereas Grid computing would be hardcoded into a specific application to distribute its complex and resource intensive computational needs across a global grid of cheap networked machines, Edge computing provides a generic template facility for any type of application to spread its execution across a dedicated grid of prepared expensive machines.
Load balancing (computing)
Load balancing is a computer networking methodology to distribute workload across multiple computers or a computer cluster, network links, central processing units, disk drives, or other resources, to achieve optimal resource utilization, maximize throughput, minimize response time, and avoid...
capacity to corporate and other large-scale web servers. It is like an application cache, where the cache is in the Internet itself. Static web-sites being cached on mirror sites is not a new concept. Mirroring transactional and interactive systems are however a much more complex endeavor.
Overview
As the name implies, Edge computing pushes applications, data and computing power (services) away from centralized points to the logical extremes of a network. Edge computing replicates fragments of information across distributed networks of web servers, which may be vast and include many networks. As a topological paradigm, Edge computing is also referred to as mesh computing, peer-to-peer computing, autonomic (self-healing) computingAutonomic Computing
Autonomic Computing refers to the self-managing characteristics of distributed computing resources, adapting to unpredictable changes whilst hiding intrinsic complexity to operators and users...
, grid computing, and other names implying non-centralized, nodeless availability.
To ensure acceptable performance of widely-dispersed distributed services, large organizations typically implement Edge computing by deploying Web server farm
Server farm
A server farm or server cluster is a collection of computer servers usually maintained by an enterprise to accomplish server needs far beyond the capability of one machine. Server farms often have backup servers, which can take over the function of primary servers in the event of a primary server...
s with clustering. Previously available only to very large corporate and government organizations, technology advancement and cost reduction for large-scale implementations have made the technology available to small and medium-sized business.
The target end-user is any Internet client making use of commercial Internet application services.
Edge computing imposes certain limitations on the choices of technology platforms, applications or services, all of which need to be specifically developed or configured for edge computing.
Edge computing has many advantages:
- Edge application services significantly decrease the data volume that must be moved, the consequent traffic, and the distance the data must go, thereby reducing transmission costs, shrinking latency, and improving quality of serviceQuality of serviceThe quality of service refers to several related aspects of telephony and computer networks that allow the transport of traffic with special requirements...
(QoS). - Edge computing eliminates, or at least de-emphasizes, the core computing environment, limiting or removing a major bottleneck and a potential point of failure.
- Security is also improved as encrypted data moves further in, toward the network core. As it approaches the enterprise, the data is checked as it passes through protected firewalls and other security points, where viruses, compromised data, and active hackers can be caught early on.
- Finally, the ability to "virtualize" (i.e., logically group CPU capabilities on an as-needed, real-time basis) extends scalabilityScalabilityIn electronics scalability is the ability of a system, network, or process, to handle growing amount of work in a graceful manner or its ability to be enlarged to accommodate that growth...
. The Edge computing market is generally based on a "charge for network services" model, and it could be argued that typical customers for Edge services are organizations desiring linear scale of business application performance to the growth of, e.g., a subscriber base.
Grid computing
Edge computing and Grid computingGrid computing
Grid computing is a term referring to the combination of computer resources from multiple administrative domains to reach a common goal. The grid can be thought of as a distributed system with non-interactive workloads that involve a large number of files...
are related. Whereas Grid computing would be hardcoded into a specific application to distribute its complex and resource intensive computational needs across a global grid of cheap networked machines, Edge computing provides a generic template facility for any type of application to spread its execution across a dedicated grid of prepared expensive machines.
External links
- Akamai
- Exinda - Edge Cache implementation press release
- GeoElastic - Adhoc Geo-Targeted Computing Alliance
- GeoStratus.com - Geo-Targeted Private Content Delivery Network Platform (pCDN)
Companies providing edge computing services
- Akamai TechnologiesAkamai TechnologiesAkamai Technologies, Inc. is an Internet content delivery network headquartered in Cambridge, Massachusetts, US.The company was founded in 1998 by then-MIT graduate student Daniel M. Lewin, and MIT Applied Mathematics professor Tom Leighton...
- EdgeCast NetworksEdgeCast NetworksEdgeCast Networks is a Los Angeles, CA, based content delivery network . The company was founded in 2006 and is funded by the venture arm of The Walt Disney Company, Steamboat Ventures. It has CDN reseller agreements with Deutsche Telekom, Global Crossing, Navisite, and The Planet...
- ExindaExindaExinda is a United States technology company that provides computer networking products and services. Headquartered in Andover, Massachusetts, Exinda delivers WAN optimization and network bandwidth management solutions to small and medium-sized enterprises....
- Limelight NetworksLimelight NetworksLimelight Networks is a content delivery network service provider. The company is based in Tempe, Arizona, U.S.A., with offices in San Francisco, Seattle, New York, London, Paris, Frankfurt, and Tokyo. The company operates a global fiber-optic network that helps content publishers avoid sending...
- Mirror Image InternetMirror Image InternetMirror Image Internet is a pure-play content delivery network that was founded in 1997. The company provides content delivery services for object caching, video on demand, live streaming, content storage. and an online video platform...