Edge VS cloud computing – Which one better suits your needs?
Cloud technology is used by all of the world’s biggest corporations. It’s also part of many people’s everyday lives, and its popularity makes sense. It can deliver a myriad of different services, and all its users require is access to the internet and access to the necessary software.
Too easy, right?
Well, despite its popularity, the cloud has several limitations. It can be costly and inefficient while also posing a significant risk to people’s privacy.
The good news is there’s a computing option that improves massively on some of the cloud’s most significant shortcomings.
This computing option is known as Edge computing.
Edge computing is different from cloud computing, where data is collected and processed through a centralized cloud data center. In Edge computing, data is processed close to the source where it’s generated initially. In most instances, this data processing can even take place on an Edge-enabled device.
The issue with cloud computing is that it’s struggling to deal with the rise in data generated by billions of IoT (internet of things) devices. This is a relatively new problem that the cloud isn’t as good at dealing with as the Edge.
When data doesn’t need to be sent to the cloud (as with Edge computing), latency is massively improved. On top of this, because Edge computing doesn’t require an internet connection, it’s immune to low-bandwidth issues and internet interruptions.
These are two functions that allow IoT devices to easily integrate into people’s homes, such as Face Recognition on smart locks, and baby monitors. The fact that the Edge doesn’t require an internet connection also means that these Edge-enabled smart locks won’t lock you out of your home or business in a bad storm, which is always a plus.
Another advantage of keeping data local is that it costs less. This is because AI demands significant computing power, and cloud computing gets very expensive. Bypassing the cloud gives Edge devices a cost advantage over devices that rely on cloud computing.
I’ve heard that one worry of being at the Edge is batteries running out of power. Admittedly, this could be pretty inconvenient. Imagine your batteries running out on a garage door that uses computer vision to recognize the number plate on your car. Not good.
The thing is, most of our essential devices have low battery warnings. Think of your phone, your laptop, or even your smoke alarms. Actually, don’t think about them too much. What an annoying sound!? My point is Edge devices are similarly equipped with a low-battery warning system so that you’re never caught out.
If you think all of this sounds good and you’d love to learn more, here are some other tech authors to tell the rest of the story…
Location, Location, Location
Today’s IoT devices can gather, store, and process more data than ever before! This opens up opportunities for companies to relocate processing functions closer to where data is generated and optimize their networks.
But to do this, organizations need to break free of some limitations that traditional cloud-based networks impose.
The article below talks about why you might want to choose Edge computing over cloud computing.
It covers the speed, security, scalability, versatility, and reliability benefits of Edge computing and makes a compelling case for why more and more companies have Edge computing on their radar.
What would make you choose Edge computing over Cloud computing?
Edge AI unleashes the potential of big data
Let’s talk about Edge AI (artificial intelligence) for a second.
Edge AI is the combination of Edge computing and AI. In a nutshell, it’s AI that can make use of all the benefits of Edge computing.
In addition to comparing the Edge to the cloud, this article explains Edge AI and discusses its importance and applications.
Ultimately, it makes the case that pushing the frontiers of AI to the network’s edge fully unleashes the potential of big data.
Edge AI – Driving Next-Gen AI Applications
Teamwork makes the dream work
So far, we’ve explored how the Edge and the cloud are different, but this doesn’t necessarily mean that you should swap one for the other entirely.
The following article discusses the advantages of Edge computing. Importantly, it points out that the cloud is necessary for countless instances despite the benefits that Edge computing holds.
For example, while the IoT devices that companies use stand to benefit from Edge computing, a company will likely still require a reliable cloud backend for centralized storage.
Why not reap the benefits of both Edge computing and cloud computing while still cutting down on your overall cloud costs?
What Is Edge Computing? Components, Examples, and Best Practices
Some extra resources
What on Earth is the IoT?
If you want to understand the broad category of IoT better, the article below has your back.
TinyML delivers at the Edge
To learn more about TinyML, including the success of TinyML on Edge devices, check out the following article.
Understanding TinyML And Its Applications
Popular computer vision applications
To find out about loads of incredible computer vision applications ranging from agriculture to healthcare, read this article. It only covers 87 of them!
87 Most Popular Computer Vision Applications in 2022
Xailient’s newest article
Today we published a new blog post titled Face Recognition and Privacy. Is there cause for concern?
In this post, we discuss how Face Recognition can help people and society, but privacy is a major concern.
Thanks for reading,
See you next week!