Introduction
The Internet of Things (IoT) is a huge topic, with many different facets to it. Depending on who you ask, the IoT might be a single thing or a collection of many things. I’ll be the first to admit there’s still plenty we don’t know about this emerging technology and how it will transform our lives in the coming years. One topic that has been frustrating me lately is how often we hear people using “IoT” as shorthand for “edge computing.” The two concepts are not synonymous — edge computing refers specifically to data processing at the edge of a network (e.g., on devices), while IoT generally refers to any device that connects to the internet (including smartphones).
Just the Facts
Edge computing is a subset of cloud computing. It refers to the processing of data in close proximity to its source, rather than sending it all the way back to a central location like a cloud server or data center. This allows for faster response times and lower latency, which are key components for many applications including video streaming and self-driving cars (both of which rely heavily on artificial intelligence).
Edge computing uses edge devices like sensors and gateways that can communicate with each other over local networks or via Wi-Fi connections so that they don’t need to send information up into space before it gets sent back down again–and this helps businesses save money on bandwidth costs while increasing their responsiveness at the same time!
Why Edge Computing is Important
Edge computing is important because it allows us to process data closer to where it is generated, which reduces latency and increases efficiency. This also makes it easier for users to build applications that are location aware, which improves their experience with your product.
It’s no surprise then that many companies are looking into edge computing as a way of improving their products’ performance and user experience–but there is still confusion around the term itself, especially when applied to edge devices and cloud services.
What Does ‘Edge’ Mean?
Edge computing is a subset of the Internet of Things (IoT). It’s also a subset of cloud computing, mobile computing, distributed computing, and even cloud-native application development.
In other words: it’s everything!
The IoT is Not a Single Thing
The IoT is not a single thing. It’s a collection of many different things, all of which can be categorized into three main groups:
- Technologies (e.g., wireless networking)
- Applications (e.g., smart cities)
- Industries (e.g., manufacturing).
Edge Computing and Edge Data Processing Are Different Things.
The term “edge computing” is often used interchangeably with “edge data processing,” but they are not the same thing. For example, if you’re building out a new data center or extending your cloud infrastructure to the edge, that’s edge computing. But if you’re only doing analytics at the edge and sending all of your raw data back to a centralized location for further processing? That’s not edge computing; it’s just plain old centralization!
Edge Data Processing is about making decisions based on real-time information from sensors and devices connected via IoT/IIoT networks (including 5G). It involves collecting this data in real-time so as not to lose valuable insights into user behavior patterns or business process efficiency improvements that could lead directly toward increased revenue generation opportunities for enterprises across various verticals such as retailing & healthcare industries among others.”
We need to stop using the term Iot in relation to edge computing.
We need to stop using the term Iot in relation to edge computing.
IoT is a buzzword that is overused and has nothing to do with edge computing. Edge computing is about data processing, not about the IoT (Internet of Things).
Conclusion
So, we need to stop using the term Iot in relation to edge computing. You might think this is not a big deal, but it is. The IoT is not a single thing and there are many different ways of implementing it. Edge Computing and Edge Data Processing are two different things that can both be used together or separately depending on your needs.
