Getting the Best of Edge and Hybrid Cloud: Creating IT Synergy

The ever-changing IT landscape — driven by heightened demand from end-users and increased data volumes from 5G, IoT, AI, and beyond — continues to push businesses in an array of directions. To achieve ongoing digital transformation and deliver increased value to users and customers, the traditional data frameworks of the digital industry have been continually evolving to meet new requirements. Today, two defining trends have become prevalent across enterprises: the hybrid cloud and edge computing.

To maximize application performance, minimize latency for on-demand service, maximize data management for IoT and 5G capabilities, and more, many enterprises are shifting into an increasingly disparate IT environment. Driven to the edge for its ability to keep compute and storage closer to data’s origin, edge computing offers benefits across numerous verticals. It allows healthcare institutions to maximize security by keeping patient info close, retail establishments to engage in real-time data analytics to maximize sales, manufacturing to implement innovative capabilities that drive efficiency, and more. As smart city capabilities, 5G applications, and beyond become more prevalent, edge computing market revenue is forecasted to reach nine billion by 2024.

At the same time, many businesses are looking for a cloud-first strategy — featuring the hybrid cloud in particular — to solve the challenges of IT’s changing landscape. By creating bespoke cooperation between a unique group of public and private clouds, enterprises benefit from hybrid cloud solutions that fit their individual needs. Benefits of this solution include next-level agility and scalability that allow for quick changes in computing power and fast adaptation to new demands. It also allows for control, enabling enterprises to tailor their public and private usage to meet individual security and cost-efficiency demands. As a result, the RightScale 2019 State of the Cloud report notes that enterprises with a hybrid strategy grew to 58 percent in 2019 from 51 percent in 2018.

Although these two strategies are often discussed purely as individuals and, as a result, may seem like they only operate exclusively, these two digital transformation solutions can be co-implemented to create new synergies and critical competitive advantages.

Multiple approaches for creating architectures align the hybrid cloud with edge computing. Some businesses may opt to forego a private cloud hybrid element instead of subbing in edge devices that serve as a private IT environment. Others, such as airline companies, may decide that edge computing is a priority and therefore may choose to run applications primarily through edge computing with the public cloud as a support system. Others may choose to combine edge devices with a hybrid architecture that allows the edge device to communicate with the cloud environments where the data resides and processing occurs.

Though there are many approaches for combining the cloud and the edge, creating harmony and managing increasingly complex data that span the cloud and a disparate edge footprint requires inventive problem-solving skills.

Luckily, with a Managed Service Provider like MOD Mission Critical, the process can be kept simple. By outsourcing complex IT processes, enterprises can rest assured that they are kept on track with high-level, in-depth insight and thorough experience to empower success.

With MOD, customers get individualized, boutique attention and bespoke solutions that ensure IT environments can achieve maximum potential. Furthermore, all projects are created and fulfilled to keep businesses agile, robust, and future-proofed. With its added focus on trusted partnership, MOD offers a natural human touch and access to 400 carriers, 200 data centers, 37 managed Points of Presence, countless on-net buildings, and beyond, all at wholesale rates.

By leveraging two complementary tiers of data management, storage, and processing, enterprises can create an agile, fully-capable IT environment that maximizes opportunities from the edge to the core. To get there, however, bringing on a trusted and knowledgeable partner is critical for ensuring that the new IT framework delivers optimized value to all.

To learn more about MOD’s managed services, please visit www.modmc.net.