Our unabating demand for generative AI is fueling the rise of a new type of network model: ‘edge networking’. We are now witnessing the global development of edge data centers positioned closer to the end-user to meet the real-time responsiveness and low latency performance demands of GenAI. To put this into figures: analyst firm, IDC, predicted that spending on edge computing is expected to reach $232 billion in 2024, up 15.4% from 2023.
Edge data centers are small data centers and compute locations that form part of a distributed network of data centers. They are based close to the areas they serve – significantly reducing latency and enhancing the performance of applications that require real-time data processing. This decentralized approach also helps to balance loads, ensures flows of data in the event of an outage and improves the overall resilience of a network.
