Extra tags: Data CentreEdge
Over the next four years, significant industry investment in edge computing will modify the data centre ecosystem's profile, boosting the edge component of total compute from 21% to 27% in 2026. A new global study of data centre industry specialists conducted by Vertiv, a global provider of essential digital infrastructure and continuity solutions, revealed the enormity of the industry's ongoing move to the edge as one of the key findings.
A third of those polled (34%) are planning or executing major edge installations. A quarter of the companies have already launched purpose-built edge sites, while 41% are still using legacy edge sites. All of the activity at the edge is eye-catching, but poll respondents expect a 150% growth in core sites and more cloud activity. According to the poll, by 2026, the share of IT resources deployed in the public cloud will increase from 19% to 25%. Across today's networks, the demand for computer resources is soaring.
“The next five years will reshape the data centre landscape, shifting more and more computing to the edge while buttressing the enterprise facilities at the core of modern hybrid networks,” said Martin Olsen, global vice president for edge strategy and transformation for Vertiv. “This survey makes clear the urgent demand for computing closer to the end user. The future of computing is about speed and latency, and the only way to meet the need is to build out the edge of the network.”
“In Asia, a good percentage of those surveyed were either already deploying several edge locations or are planning to deploy a significant number of edge locations in the near future. This tracks with what we are consistently seeing in our business, as more customers shift select deployments to the edge, to reduce latency and improve bandwidth and overall services,” said Anand Sanghi, president, ASI (Australia/New Zealand, Southeast Asia, India, Japan and South Korea), Vertiv. “But concerns still remain. Survey respondents in the region ranked security and latency at the edge as their top concerns and we are working with our customers to ensure that these are addressed.”
The survey results arrive on the heels of the release late last year of Edge Archetypes 2.0: Deployment-Ready Edge Infrastructure Models. That report furthered Vertiv’s research into the edge of the network and identified four edge infrastructure models that enable a more intelligent, semi-standardised approach to edge infrastructure deployment. The survey results are consistent with the premise of Edge Archetypes 2.0 – that massive growth at the edge necessitates a more standardised approach to edge architecture.
The survey also indicated how the modern edge site's profile is evolving. 29% of sites have five to twenty racks, and 13% have more than twenty racks. More racks equals more power, as evidenced by the study findings: 28% of respondents claim their locations require between 21 and 200 kW of electricity, with 14% requiring more than 200 kW. Single racks stowed away in primitive IT closets are no longer an option.
Other significant findings from the survey included:
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Sustainability is playing a major role in new and planned edge deployments. More than three-quarters of sites (77%) are using or planning to use energy-efficient UPS systems. In addition, 40% are planning to use renewable energy; 31% water-efficient cooling; 29% dynamic grid support technologies; and 19% refrigerants with a low global warming potential (GWP).
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While security and availability were top priorities of participants deploying edge sites, the survey exposed some current design and operating practices that could reduce edge computing site’s ability to achieve these objectives as the number of sites expands.
Vertiv surveyed 156 industry professionals with insight into their company’s edge computing plans. Complete survey results are available in the report, What’s Your Edge?
Survey Highlights Infrastructure Transformation Occurring at the Edge of Network. Visit Vertiv.com for Edge Archetypes 2.0 Deployment-Ready Edge Infrastructure Models and a tool to identify the appropriate edge infrastructure model for your site.
