In the ever-evolving digital landscape, cloud computing and edge computing have emerged as transformative technologies that are revolutionizing industries worldwide. The Asia-Pacific (APAC) region, known for its rapid technological advancements and digital adoption, is at the forefront of leveraging the potential of these important technologies.
In the Asia-Pacific region, 38% of IT professionals have immediate plans to establish several edge sites, while 28% have already done so. Because they are more varied than standard IT systems, edge computing environments need a particular set of ecosystems to support the hybrid architecture.
These early distributed edge systems have evolved into potent yet portable mini-data centers. They are no longer only seen in office buildings; they can also be found in shopping malls, factories, warehouses and medical facilities.
The requirement for vital computing in remote places, increased levels of physical protection and space savings in buildings that are already filled to the brim with equipment, people or business supplies are all addressed by these new computing solutions.
Benefits of Cloud Computing
Public cloud use is increasing more quickly in the Asia-Pacific (APAC) region than in North America and Europe, according to a 2019 study by the Boston Consulting Group. Australia, India, Indonesia, Japan, Singapore and South Korea were the six economies in the APAC region covered by the study.
These economies have benefited from the use of cloud computing technology in a number of ways, including increased productivity, a shorter time to market, greater security and compliance, the flexibility to introduce new goods and services, improved consumer engagement and experience, and lower prices.
For instance, Singapore established GovTech in October 2016 to manage the public sector's digital transformation. The Prime Minister's Office's GovTech division supports all line ministries and statutory boards. It is in charge of carrying out the Smart Nation agenda.
The Singapore Government Tech Stack, a collection of tools and services on a secure cloud platform, is one of GovTech's efforts. Other government agencies can use the programs and services that government developers create and publish. These built services can communicate with other government services using APEX, a centralized application programming interface used by the entire government.
Through economies of scale, cloud computing delivers tremendous cost benefits. Users just pay for the computing resources they use, as opposed to making significant investments in data centers and servers without knowing how they will be used in the future. As a result, they are able to convert their capital expenses to variable operational expenses.
For instance, by employing cloud computing rather than creating its own data center, Singapore's Land Transport Authority was able to reduce web hosting expenses by 60%. Similar to this, the Bureau of Customs in the Philippines projected that upgrading their outdated internal data center would cost ₱200 million (US$3.6 million), but by utilizing cloud computing infrastructure, they could get the same processing capability for less than one-tenth of the price.
Benefits of Edge Computing
Enhancing the user experience for internal personnel and customers that choose digital tools for business transactions is the primary goal of adopting edge systems. The three main justifications for deploying edge systems in the Asia-Pacific area are bandwidth (29%), cost performance (28%) and latency (17%). These factors have substantial commercial benefits, such as the requirement to reevaluate the IT support architecture when bringing IT systems to the edge. This implies that computers and storage are currently found on or near a factory floor, a jet engine, or a hospital bed. Latency is no longer acceptable, and real-time decisions must be taken at the edge.
Additionally, a growing number of linked smart devices and bandwidth-intensive content are changing how people use the Internet. Edge computing brings applications that require a lot of latency and bandwidth closer to the consumer or data source.
Moreover, stakeholders can immediately increase CAPEX efficiency by deploying edge implementations. For instance, from both a utility and emergency generator power perspective, older buildings frequently have enough power capacity to support edge mini-data centers. In other words, micro-data centers are less capital-intensive than traditional data centers because they may utilize the sunk costs associated with building construction, cooling and power. As an asset ages, a lean design also reduces OPEX.
Additionally, because local data is handled locally, edge systems are frequently scalable over the long term, leading to lower bandwidth costs.
To reduce the danger of cyber security breaches, it is advised that only authorized individuals have physical access to the IT system. The “always on” mentality of data centers is increasingly being transferred to edge environments, allowing for less physical infrastructure and higher risk aversion thanks to analytics and predictive maintenance.
Additionally, modern software tools offer a strong foundation for greater availability. By dispersing computing power rather than relying on a single site, edge systems also assist in enhancing resilience by lowering the likelihood that any one system will be adversely affected.
