The late 20th century saw the rise of the Internet, and the ability to connect isolated island of data storage and computing power. The early 21st century saw the rise of the cloud, and the ability to move or shift distributed data storage and computing to a centralized, shared, and elastic fabric. Today, driven by technology development and the massive deployment of smart Internet of Things (IoT) sensors, we are witnessing the rise of Edge Computing, and the ability to distribute computing power and analytical tools back out to the edge of the network where the data is created and where real-time insights are needed.
To gain a better sense of the drivers, barriers, and adoption rates for Edge Computing technology, we conducted an in-depth survey, commissioned by HPE and Intel, of over 500 executive and technology professionals. The survey was designed to identify the factors influencing and shaping the use of Edge Computing within the enterprise today.
This report discusses:
- How Edge Computing is being introduced into operational business units and the role of IT in driving and managing Edge Computing devices.
- The applications and drivers that are fueling the rise of Edge Computing, as well as how those drivers are expected to change over the coming years.
- The barriers faced when enterprises embark on an Edge Computing implementation.
- The role of Edge Computing as both a business asset and an enabler of change initiatives such as Digital Transformation and Industry 4.0 projects.
- The current and projected adoption rates of Edge Computing, and the budget and management issues lurking in the background.Â
Snapshots from our research survey:
- 55 percent of enterprises are still in the evaluation, planning, or initial deployment stages of Edge Computing.
- 69 percent of enterprises cite security as a top decision factor and driver of Edge Computing adoption.
- Over two-thirds of enterprises experience Edge Computing being initiated by operational business teams, yet an equal number expect corporate or centralized IT teams to management these systems.
- Over half of all enterprises cite Edge Computing as extremely important to support Digital Transformation, IoT, and Industry 4.0 initiatives.
- The complexity and implementation challenges of Edge Computing are leading to enterprises rely heavily on consultants and systems integrators as the source of Edge Computing systems.
To learn more about how and why Edge Computing is rapidly evolving into a hidden, yet strategic, asset, download Edge Computing: From the Edge to the Core to the Edge.
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Author Information
Fred is an experienced analyst and advisor, bringing over 30 years of knowledge and expertise in the digital and technology markets.
Prior to joining The Futurum Group, Fred worked with Samadhi Partners, launching the Digital Trust practice at HfS Research, Current Analysis, Decisys, and the Aurelian Group. He has also worked at both Gartner, E&Y, Newbridge Networks’ Advanced Technology Group (now Alcatel) and DTECH LABS (now part of Cubic Corporation).
Fred studied engineering and music at Syracuse University. A frequent author and speaker, Fred has served as a guest lecturer at the George Mason University School of Business (Porter: Information Systems and Operations Management), keynoted the Colombian Associación Nacional De Empressarios Sourcing Summit, served as an executive committee member of the Intellifest International Conference on Reasoning (AI) Technologies, and has spoken at #SxSW on trust in the digital economy.
His analysis and commentary have appeared through venues such as Cheddar TV, Adotas, CNN, Social Media Today, Seeking Alpha, Talk Markets, and Network World (IDG).
