As a leading HPE reseller and Cloud provider, Centerprise International is always eager to share insights that can help businesses thrive in today’s ever-evolving digital transformation landscape. One such area of focus that has been gaining momentum is edge computing. But what does it mean for your organisation? How can you effectively harness the benefits of edge computing to enhance your digital transformation journey? This blog will explore the steps you need to take to optimise your edge infrastructure, strengthen security, and support your IT team.
Embracing a top-down, business-driven networking model
Traditional network access choices, such as legacy, static, and router-centric WANs, have become cumbersome and complex in the edge-to-cloud era. Instead, organisations should adopt a top-down, business-first networking model, where the network adapts to the business’s requirements rather than the business conforming to the network’s limitations.
This new networking model ensures that application performance, security, and routing are dictated by top-down business policies rather than bottom-up technology constraints. For instance, the business-driven Aruba EdgeConnect Enterprise SD-WAN platform enables organisations to build a unified WAN edge that continuously adapts to changing business needs and network conditions. As a result, the user experience is significantly improved, aligning with your organisation’s priorities.
If you are connecting to CiCloud, Centerprise’s own Cloud service, further enhancements can be made including dedicated MPLS connectivity for guaranteed latency and availability or utilising dedicated Public Sector networks like PSBA. Even if connecting via the public internet, the connectivity provided by a collection of Tier 1 and Tier 2 providers coupled with CiCloud’s advanced SDWAN routing ensures great performance.
Implementing an intelligent edge
The shift towards cloud-based services, such as video, voice, and IoT, generates vast amounts of data that strain network resources at the edge. To cope with these demands, organisations must deploy next-generation wireless access points (APs) to increase capacity and dramatically provide a more seamless user experience.
HPE offers high-performance wireless solutions that connect people and things from edge to cloud with ultra-low latency and intelligent optimisation. Aruba’s wireless APs, for example, improve network capacity by optimising indoor and outdoor wireless coverage, converging IoT infrastructure, and providing secure Wi-Fi access.
Simplify connecting from edge to cloud
Disparate networking operating systems, oversubscribed hardware, and complex software licensing create connectivity challenges at the edge. High traffic volumes and mission-critical network access put growing pressure on IT teams to diagnose and resolve issues instantly – or even predict issues before they impact operations.
To overcome these networking challenges, your network must connect new devices and users quickly and safely, scale to handle the massive data generated at the network edge and provide always-on performance that satisfies users and accelerates business growth. You must reduce complexity with AI-powered automation and built-in security to achieve this.
For instance, the Aruba CX switching portfolio allows you to easily connect from edge to cloud, removing the complexities of deploying and managing modern networks. HPE’s Aruba Central further integrates your network’s wireless, wired, and WAN elements, offering a single point of visibility and control for simplified IT operations.
Prioritising data and device protection at the edge
As the number of connected devices and data volume at the edge increases, ensuring data security and compliance becomes crucial. Organisations must implement advanced security measures, such as encryption, intrusion prevention, and real-time monitoring, to protect data at every stage of its journey.
Automated tools should track and manage security policies, detect and respond to threats promptly, and incorporate multi-factor authentication and secure access control to safeguard data and devices from unauthorised access.
Fostering a skilled workforce for effective edge management
Your IT team must have the knowledge and tools to manage and maintain your edge infrastructure effectively. Investing in training programmes can help your team understand and adopt new technologies and best practices for edge computing. Encourage collaboration and knowledge sharing among team members to ensure a well-rounded understanding of the edge environment.
Providing continuous support to your IT team is also essential, enabling them to stay updated with the latest advancements in edge computing and adapt to emerging trends.
Implementing analytics and real-time monitoring tools
Regularly monitoring your edge infrastructure’s performance is vital to ensure optimal efficiency and reliability. Utilise analytics and real-time monitoring tools to track key performance indicators and identify potential bottlenecks or issues in your edge environment.
Implement proactive measures, such as capacity planning, load balancing, and resource optimisation, to enhance overall performance and prevent service disruptions. Employ AI-powered insights to optimise your edge network operations and make data-driven decisions for continuous improvement.
In conclusion, as an HPE reseller, Centerprise is committed to helping organisations like yours harness the benefits of edge computing and enhance their digital transformation journey. By following these steps, you can:
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- Enable complete data access with a top-down, business-driven networking model.
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- Modernise networks for better results by implementing an intelligent edge, converging IoT infrastructure, and providing secure Wi-Fi access.
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- Simplify connecting from edge to cloud by deploying and managing modern networks with AI-powered automation and built-in security.
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- Strengthen security and compliance by prioritising data and device protection at the edge.
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- Train and support your IT team to foster a skilled workforce for edge management.
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- Monitor and optimise performance using analytics and real-time monitoring tools.
By implementing these strategies, your organisation will be well-equipped to navigate the challenges of edge computing and fully capitalise on the opportunities it presents for growth and innovation.
If you would like to discuss any of these recommendations in more detail and explore how Centerprise can assist you with any of them, contact us today: