Modern Applications Require a Modern Definition of the Edge

Decentralization, cloud-native applications, hybrid cloud, containerization, and composable infrastructure are all critical to meeting the needs of modern applications. A new white paper from DartPoints outlines five new realities at the edge.

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According to a new white paper from DartPoints, the data center industry’s definition of “the edge” is evolving thanks to the demands of modern applications. DartPoints explains that connectivity timing at the edge is one area driving change.

Gaming applications and applications that use AI and machine learning are demanding significantly more real-time data than has historically be handled at the edge. “In these applications, data isn’t just being consumed at the end of its route,” the paper says. “It’s being brought back to the core data center, processed, and then pushed back to either a sensor or end application to make a modification—and the expectation for this relay is that it happens in real time.”

DartPoints also explains how edge applications are shifting reliability requirements. They say, “the next generation of edge applications require extremely low recovery point objectives and recovery time objectives— often so low that they are near impossible to meet in many regions and will continue to become more demanding.”

“For network business continuity and disaster recovery, acceptable downtime will soon be almost zero.” – DartPoints, “From Cloud-Native Applications to Composable Infrastructure: 5 New Realities at the Edge“

This redefinition of “the edge” is leading to five new realities, according to DartPoints. First, they explain that decentralization will become a key characteristic of the new edge. “Next-generation technology will eventually necessitate the bandwidth and transfer times afforded by a decentralized network setup,” according to the author.

The second new reality discussed in the paper explores how cloud-native applications will be a big piece of the puzzle when it comes to preparing for the modern edge.

Hybrid clouds, containerization, and composable infrastructure are other realities that will be seen with the new edge, according to DartPoints. Regarding composable infrastructure, the paper notes that it “gives an organization the capacity to carry compute, storage, and networking in pools of resources in either a public or private cloud.”

DartPoints also explores some of the challenges organization have when creating the right software development and moving it in the cloud, including identifying gaps in infrastructure.

Download the full report to lean more about the five new realities at the edge.