While distributed computing has been a common practice for decades, the edge has emerged as a different way to deliver IT services nearer to the user, thanks to key enablers like highly distributed intelligent compute, the modularization of the computing environment, and smart IoT devices.
Conversations with IT leaders reveal that what the edge is and how it’s used in any particular company is influenced by the industry and heavily dependent on a company’s IT business services. To get an objective and accurate understanding of how large corporations manage their edge computing environments, RF Code commissioned GLG Reporting and Analytics to conduct a study of North American IT executives responsible for delivering business services via the edge. An overwhelming majority — 92% of respondents — defined edge computing as highly or somewhat important to their business. Their responses provided insight into how the pacesetters are using edge deployments and identified the unique challenges faced by those who are still figuring out how to best leverage edge technologies for their businesses.