2019 Tech Trends: Edge Computing

In 2018, we saw the rise of “Internet of Things” (aka: IoT), which is basically the connectivity of all our devices to each other via the cloud and network systems. The other growing phenomena is “Artificial Intelligence” or AI. IoT and AI are working together to shape our future and make everything we touch smarter – even our homes and vehicles!

So what should we expect in 2019?

Even if you aren’t in an industry where you need the latest and greatest technology right away, it’s important for business owners to be aware of growing trends in technology, because at some point, we all have to adapt to what’s popular. In this blog series, we’ll cover some new tech trends to watch in 2019.

You’re probably familiar with “the cloud.” Today the cloud hosts an enormous amount of data on a global scale. As the physical distance between the user and the cloud increases, transmission times increase. If the user has a slower or older device, that can slow down processing speeds even more. This is where “edge computing” comes in to save the day, and it’s our hot tech trend to watch in 2019.

Instead of relying solely on the cloud, edge computing allows some apps and data to be processed on smaller “edge of the cloud” servers, closer in proximity to the user. Carriers and service providers are taking pressure off their centralized data centers in the cloud through these edge servers. By moving smaller, localized data centers to the edge of the cloud, closer to consumers, it speeds up data processing and response times. Information, such as local traffic, doesn’t have to be processed outside of its region, making distribution faster and more efficient to local users.