Asian companies are moving computing and storage away from the core data center and focusing on edge locations such as banks, retail stores or other branches. Vertiv’s regional survey reveals edge computing uptake to increase massively in three to five years.
Vertiv, formerly Emerson Network Power, expects more implementations of edge computing initiatives within the next three to five years in Asia as businesses in this region continue to gain more knowledge about the benefits of edge computing.
In an effort to determine the scope of understanding of edge computing among Asian firms and to gather insights into their needs, Vertiv recently conducted a regional survey that covered 200 respondents from among its customers and partners. The survey showed that companies in all industries in the Asian region are gearing up to adopt edge initiatives within the next three years.
Increasing adoption of edge
Nearly all respondents (97 percent) in the survey think that edge computing will be relevant in their business and IT strategy in the mid-to-long run (beyond three years). Majority of the respondents believe that the market is on the midpoint of adopting edge computing in their respective business operations.
Some edge computing projects have also begun in Asia Pacific. These include a modernization effort of a global automotive company headquartered in Malaysia; maintaining a communication network for a fitness studio in Australia; and a network future-proofing project of a telecommunications operator in New Zealand.
Managing director for Vertiv Australia and New Zealand Robert Linsdell said, “By enabling organizations to put their computing resources on the edge, we’re keeping remote sites up and running regardless of core sites conditions.”
Linsdell also cited real-time delivery of services, continuous availability, better storage, and faster data analytics among the benefits of placing computing at edge locations.
Unfamiliar with the edge
The survey also revealed that 30 percent of respondents are not fully aware of what edge computing is. Thirty-eight percent of respondents also said that they have no plans yet to deploy edge initiatives in the next one to three years.
Among the top factors listed in the survey that could prevent businesses to embrace edge computing include budget (55 percent of respondents), system compatibility (52 percent), and security issues (43 percent). Also, only a third of all respondents said they have micro data centers, which are key components in deploying edge computing, use them for edge initiatives.
“In Asia, edge computing may still be a vague concept to the market and we need to educate the market with its relevance in the next few years and how it can revolutionize business operations,” shared Daniel Sim, director, Vertiv channel business, Asia.
Vertiv solutions in edge computing
Vertiv believes key infrastructures in edge computing spaces need to be efficient, scalable, and highly responsive. This will allow managers to reduce costs without introducing additional risk in their small spaces, either through the technologies they use and how they deploy them.
Vertiv integrated solutions offer continuous availability, remote access and visibility, and lifecycle support, simplifying IT deployments in edge locations. SmartCabinet, SmartRow and SmartAisle are compact but powerful solutions, combining power, cooling, and monitoring in one containment.
“To learn more on how the survey was conducted, download the full report, The Edge in Asia. Visit our website for more information on our edge solutions, case studies, and the edge playbook.”
About Vertiv
Vertiv designs, builds and services critical infrastructure that enables vital applications for data centers, communication networks and commercial and industrial facilities. Formerly Emerson Network Power, Vertiv supports today’s growing mobile and cloud computing markets with a portfolio of power, thermal and infrastructure management solutions including the ASCO, Chloride, Liebert, NetSure and Trellis brands. Sales in fiscal 2016 were $4.4 billion. For more information, visit VertivCo.com.
