Edge computing brings computation and data storage closer to the location where it is needed to improve response times and save bandwidth, according to Vapor IO. In wireless, we say multi-access edge computing or simply, mobile edge computing (MEC).
The question is: Where is that edge?
Our inclination is to think of the edge in physical terms – wireless network edge at a cell tower, wireline network edge at optical network terminals on customer premises, or cloud edge in a data center.
A better notion is to consider the edge, not in physical dimensions, but in terms of latency, in milliseconds, as the time to access computing resources that various applications require. Specifying edge computing in time allows for rational planning and deployment of required infrastructure – servers, power, HVAC, security, and fiber to connect the edge computing resources.
The speed of light is a measure of responsiveness. In space, light travels at 186,000 miles per second or about 300,000 kilometers per second. This translates to 186 miles (300 km) per millisecond (ms).
Light in the form of optical signals speeding through an earthbound fiber optic network with its transmission and switching equipment losses, may only hit 200 km/ms. For discussion purposes, let’s take it down to 100 km/ms.
This means that for applications requiring latency of 5 ms or less, the edge could be located as far as 500 km or 300 miles away. Here the location of the edge is determined by the requisite response time of the application, not distance.
Such approaches are already being developed.
Austin, TX-based Vapor IO, of which Crown Castle (NYSE: CCI) is a major investor, designs software and hardware for micro data centers and edge computing.
The company’s flagship product is its Kinetic Edge platform which Vapor IO says is the first nationwide hardware and software platform for edge colocation and networking services. The company has an agreement with Zayo, a DigitalBridge Group (NYSE: DBRG) portfolio company, to provide dedicated fiber optic network facilities to connect Kinetic Edge sites around the U.S.
Vapor IO’s goal is to deploy Kinetic Edge in 36 U.S. metropolitan markets, including Austin, by the end of 2021. At that point, the company expects to be the largest provider of edge co-location, edge networking and edge exchange services in close proximity to the last mile networks.
In Vapor IO’s case, being “close to” the action is sufficient. Its network of 36 micro data centers is connected by Zayo’s dedicated fiber facilities and will support thousands of wireline and wireless carrier, enterprise and government critical computing applications.
Similarly, Bluebird Network, headquartered in Columbia, MO, operates over 10,000 fiber route-miles with 151 points of presence in the midwestern states of Missouri, Illinois, and Iowa with extensions into Tennessee, Kansas, Oklahoma, and Kentucky. The company claims its network passes more than 74,000 on-net and near-net buildings and towers.
While Bluebird provides connectivity to 16 data centers in the region owned by other operators, the company has two data centers of its own, one in Bettendorf, IA and another underground data center in Springfield, MO.
Bluebird emphasizes that its two data centers are both within 20 ms of any customer connection point in its multistate network.
Why is it important to locate MEC facilities based on time instead of distance? It comes down to performance and capital expenditure. MEC is not needed at every cell site.
For most internet access, we rely on a broadband connection to the cloud, and tolerate delays while screens load. For mission critical applications, such delays are intolerable and, in some cases, could be life threatening.
Highly responsive computing that utilizes augmented and virtual reality and artificial intelligence enables operating efficiencies and cost-control. This is especially important in factories and industrial operations like mines and oil and gas fields, in warehouses and distribution centers, at ports and railway terminals, and in big box retail stores. Edge computing enables localized transactions and workflows in real time, while stored data uploads to the cloud can be scheduled at off peak times.
Demand for high-bandwidth, low latency performance is growing among smart cities for efficient traffic management and autonomous vehicle operation, IoT sensors running in real time or near real time, and cloud gaming.
Certainly, 5G’s high-capacity, ultra-low latency performance, especially at millimeter wave frequencies, spawn possibilities for new high-speed services in a host of vertical markets. All mobile network operators want MEC for delivering high-value services to their biggest customers to drive new revenue streams that augment slow-growth postpaid and prepaid subscription services.
Tower companies see MEC as an opportunity to provide new services to their MNO tenants and in turn add incremental revenue streams to their master lease agreements. American Tower (NYSE: AMT) is installing containerized edge data centers at a select number of tower sites. (See, American Tower Takes It To The Edge)
By John Celentano, Inside Towers Business Editor
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