Edge computing is a distributed architecture that processes and stores data near its source—on devices, gateways, or local micro–data centers—instead of relying solely on a central cloud. If you’re asking "what is Edge Computing," it’s the approach that brings compute closer to events to reduce latency, backhaul costs, and exposure when networks are constrained.
We often see IT leaders deploy edge for real-time operations (manufacturing, retail, media, telco, IoT) where milliseconds matter, connectivity can be intermittent, or data residency rules apply. The goal isn’t to replace cloud, but to put the right workload in the right place—at the edge for immediacy, in the cloud for scale.
Key advantages include:
- Real-time performance: Low latency for time-critical apps.
- Resilience: Local processing when WAN links fail.
- Cost control: Less data shipped to the cloud.
- Governance: Keep sensitive data on-site when required.
Our take? Edge complements cloud—design for a continuum, not a tug-of-war.
Want the full breakdown? Explore our Edge Computing Guide. For day-two operations, see Remote Monitoring and Management for Edge Computing. To navigate security and architecture trade-offs, read CDN vs Edge Computing: Why Ransomware Strikes the Delivery Edge First and Edge Compute Needs Edge Defense: Why Edge Computing Security Is A Critical Mission. For lessons learned in the field, check From Data Center to Edge: Lessons on Edge Computing vs. Cloud Computing After a Critical Failure, then dive deeper with our whitepaper Is Edge Computing Changing the Digital Ecosystem?.
