The Big Debate: Edge Computing vs Cloud Computing

Published On: 2nd June 2023//7.9 min read//Tags: , , //

There’s much debate about edge computing vs. cloud computing. Headlines such as “Is Edge Computing the Future of Cloud?” and “Edge vs Cloud: Replace or Coexist?” send confused readers off on endless Google searches, for answers to these trigger questions.

In this blog we’ll be delving into the key differences between these two very common deployment models, which is best for particular scenarios, and answering the burning question that the industry has been asking since the end of the last decade; will edge computing really replace cloud computing? Read on for a full analysis…

What is Cloud Computing?

Cloud computing describes the on-demand availability and delivery of servers, storage, analytics, databases, software, networking, and other computing services via the internet. It doesn’t rely on the active management of the user, and is instead managed by a cloud services provider (CSP). Typically, this method of computing runs on a subscription basis or by usage and relies heavily on the sharing of resources across several datacenters to achieve coherence.

Currently, there are three main sectors of cloud computing which consist of the public cloud, private cloud, and hybrid cloud.

The public cloud

By far the most popular cloud computing deployment model, the public cloud is highly scalable and elastic since it offers the greatest amount of choice, computing resources, and solutions not only for organizations of all sizes and across verticals, but the general public as well.

Public Cloud

 

The private cloud

Located either on-premise or managed by a third-party vendor, a private cloud solution is one that is designed for and exclusively used by a single organization. Unlike the public cloud, the private cloud doesn’t share any resources with other organizations, but instead, isolates them and sends them over a secure private network. Not only does this model allow its users to perform compliance-sensitive IT workloads with greater levels of control and visibility, but it also maintains the tight security and performance standards that were only previously seen within on-premises datacenters. Because of this, the private cloud tends to be the most expensive cloud computing model.

Private Cloud

 

The hybrid cloud

Incorporating the best of both public and private cloud, hybrid cloud computing offers higher levels of flexibility, giving users the opportunity to share and connect resources from both their private and public clouds according to their individual policies around their security, efficiency, and performance. This can help reduce their overall CapEx spend as only sensitive data would need to be stored on the more expensive private cloud.

Hybrid Cloud

 

What are the advantages of cloud computing?

Cloud computing provides users with a number of distinct benefits over traditional computing models. The first is the empowerment of users like data scientists and developers, who can easily access useful support infrastructure and software stored within their cloud solution. Others in an organization benefit too, with significantly reduced wait times for access to enterprise apps that are available for use in minutes rather than weeks or months.

Cloud computing also provides a level of scalability that is unmatched compared to physical hardware. Users can increase or decrease their storage capacity as their business needs change, and even take advantage of their cloud provider’s global network to distribute applications closer to their customers worldwide.

Lastly, cloud computing can be incredibly effective in reducing the costs associated with purchasing, installing, configuring, and managing onsite hardware. Moving data and applications to the cloud can eliminate a significant amount of this hardware, with any subsequent costs included in the cloud service’s subscription fees.

When should I use cloud computing over edge computing?

Cloud computing models tend to be best suited to organizations with low data volumes, data that isn’t business-critical, or data that isn’t needed right away. The length of time data needs to be stored is another crucial determining factor as short-term storage on the cloud could significantly lower CapEx as there’s no IT equipment to pay for, only the cloud provider’s subscription fees.

A final deciding factor for cloud vs edge computing is how much latency and bandwidth your organization’s data can handle. If the data being collected is able to tolerate low bandwidth and higher levels of latency, the benefits of a cloud computing solution are likely to heavily outweigh those for deploying edge computing architecture.

What is Edge Computing?

Edge computing is a decentralized, distributed physical IT environment where the user’s data including that from their applications, storage, and computers are all processed onsite, where the data is created, rather than sent back to an offsite datacenter or the cloud. This model typically depends on at least two servers running simultaneously to ensure data is always available and protected from loss or corruption. For a more detailed explanation of edge computing, check out our edge computing beginners’ guide.

What are the advantages of edge computing over cloud computing?

As with cloud computing, the advantages of edge over cloud depend heavily on the individual use case.

One key advantage of this computing model is its ability to process data without access to the internet. Edge devices rely on a local network for I/O and information processing, and their architecture does not require significant network infrastructure making it a superior choice for organizations needing to process and store data in remote, poorly connected locations.

As edge computing solutions remove the need to send high volumes of data to far-off datacenters or the cloud, they can deliver noticeable savings, particularly over long periods – the OpEx associated with storing this information in the cloud can oftentimes be significantly greater than the setup, configuration, power, cooling, spare parts, and upgrade costs associated with deploying and maintaining an edge solution.

Device and application performance can also see massive improvements thanks to data being stored locally. Not only can unnecessary delays, unplanned downtime, data loss, and data corruption be eliminated using edge computing, but critical information can also be kept easily accessible and highly available 24/7 by leveraging a two (or more) server solution per site.

For a more in-depth analysis of typical edge environments and the industries leveraging this technology, check out our edge computing use cases blog.

Cloud Computing vs Edge Computing – Which is Best?

Contrary to popular belief, when it comes to cloud vs edge computing, there is no competition. These two popular computing models serve very different industry needs, making it impossible for one to directly replace the other.

Cloud computing often boasts lower costs and convenience than edge computing solutions, as there’s no need for expensive IT hardware and the subscription costs for short-term storage are a fraction of what is required for an edge computing solution. The need for personnel to maintain IT infrastructure can also be slightly less than the edge, or eliminated entirely in solutions where the cloud provider offers that service as part of their monthly subscription. Wait times for additional storage tend to be far less than edge computing solutions too, as users can scale up quickly and easily at the click of a button.

On the other hand, where larger volumes of data are concerned, organizations may see the scales begin to shift in favor of other computing models, especially where more bandwidth to transfer that data to the cloud is needed. Additionally, edge computing tends to offer the greatest value when data needs to be stored for longer periods of time (thanks to the monthly costs associated with storing big data), in harsh environmental conditions, where bandwidth is low, or applications and devices aren’t able to tolerate any latency (like in the case of devices powering smart cities).

Is edge computing part of the cloud?

In short, no. Though edge sites can use the cloud once data collection and processing are complete, not every edge site relies on cloud storage. In fact, many companies use physical or virtual SANs exclusively for their data storage needs. In contrast, others use a mix of edge and cloud computing to process their data closer to where it is created, opting to send it to the cloud for storage or backup after these steps have been taken care of.

What is the forecast for IT computing solutions?

Though both models of computing are here to stay for the foreseeable future, it’s likely that we could see the cloud shifting to meet the edge. The emergence of micro datacenters at the edge could be a catalyst for this, expanding the cloud further than the large datacenters we currently associate with cloud storage and merging it with the technologies associated with the growth of edge computing.

In short, the future of storage will likely be less about edge vs cloud and more about connecting and harnessing the two, like what we’re now seeing with the International Space Station’s data.

How can StorMagic help?

For organizations debating the relative merits of cloud and edge computing, unsure of the way forward, consider a consultation with a StorMagic representative. Through an informal conversation, they will help to understand your requirements, determine the best fit, and if appropriate, advise on how StorMagic can assist with our highly available hyperconverged storage, SvSAN.

Contact us to book some time with your local representative, or alternatively, read more on how StorMagic SvSAN helps organizations overcome edge computing challenges on the SvSAN product page.

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