Why edge networking could be the next frontier in GenAI

Edge networking is emerging as the next frontier in GenAI, reports Paul Gampe, Chief Technology Officer, Console Connect.

The rapid growth of generative AI (GenAI) technology is crucial for businesses aiming to harness its potential.

However, deploying this transformative technology can strain business networks due to its reliance on cloud and substantial compute capacity.

This strain can negatively impact bandwidth, connectivity and overall business performance.  

To address this issue, forward thinking companies are turning to another innovative technology: The network edge.

By relocating their GenAI models to the edge of networks, businesses can alleviate the compute capacity demands on servers and process data close to the source in near real time.

This approach maintains low latency, high performance and robust security. But what exactly is the edge and how can it unlock the true potential of GenAI? 

Edge architecture 

In general terms, the edge of a network is the boundary between your business network and the public internet. It’s the zone where traffic from the internet enters your private network and vice versa.

This zone is of critical importance because it defines your network security boundary and is the first line of defence against threats from the public internet.

This includes firewalls, routers, switches, sensors and other access points that exist at the boundary of networks. 

Your network edge exists wherever there is an edge device or ‘thing’ that facilitates traffic crossing from one network to another.

These edge devices can include mobile phones, laptops, data centres, company offices, home routers and all manner of emerging applications that will become more commonplace as more users make up the rise of ‘the Internet of Things’. 

Of course, the sheer volume of data produced by these devices can hinder a company’s network infrastructure, which can only process so much data without problems arising with bandwidth and lag time.

That’s where edge networking comes in.

This is a data management system that supplies digital resources to your users by merging edge devices with your business network to process and interpret data close to the source without the need for huge data centres. 

Consequently, moving to the edge has become a key investment for businesses deploying gen GenAI tools because they can now process data where it happens.

This not only helps to accelerate business decisions but also gathers valuable information at the point of origin to improve product offerings and customer experiences.

By deploying GenAI directly at the edge, businesses can reduce data transfers over external networks, minimising the threat of data breaches while maximising bandwidth usage – and ultimately improving customer outcomes. 

Advantages and disadvantages 

A well configured edge network can improve the performance of cloud-hosted applications.

By placing edge devices closer to the users of these applications, the distance data must travel is reduced, which means lower latency.

By placing security controls closer to this cloud-hosted data, it reduces the risk of your private network being compromised.

Furthermore, a well configured edge network can overcome congestion problems that might occur by rerouting traffic to the correct destinations and ensuring that your network is not overloaded. 

Then there’s the cost savings. By deploying devices on the edge and offloading the processing and storage requirements to the edge, businesses can reduce the costs they would typically incur to purchase from cloud providers.

That said, not all edge networks are created equal and a poorly configured edge can turn all these benefits into disadvantages.  

First and foremost are the security risks. Businesses need to make sure their edge is secure and can respond to incidents emerging from different devices or locations.

Secondly, without the correct knowledge and training, your IT team may be overwhelmed by having to manage a multitude of devices, locations and applications.

A third challenge is upfront costs.

Implementing edge networking into your business can be expensive as it requires the purchase and deployment of suitable devices and systems that achieve desired aims without sacrificing security. 

Edge automation made easy  

Like GenAI, the technology behind edge networking is evolving.

A recent advancement is the automated edge, intelligence embedded into edge devices which takes care of networking tasks like configuration, responsiveness, provisioning and monitoring all by itself.

As daily operations change, it will automatically optimise network performance by intelligently steering traffic through different pathways to reduce lag time and interruptions while providing greater reliability and security. 

Best of all, the automated edge can work with your GenAI models to improve connectivity and real time decision making from different devices, locations and applications.

This not only accelerates the analysis of your data close to the source, but speeds up customer interactions and provides further opportunities for growth and innovation.

If your business relies on low latency, then your IT team will no longer have to constantly manage blockages in your network and figure out the best solution.  

The complexity of the automated edge has led many companies to seek out partnerships with network as a service (NaaS) providers to give them a fast and competitive advantage.

NaaS provides companies with an end to end solution in the operational management and performance of their networks on a subscription basis.

The brilliance of this business model lies in its simplicity.  

With a NaaS provider, you can construct your personalised network effortlessly, tailored to specifications, scalable to accommodate requirements.

It ensures security with vigilant monitoring and pre-emptive measures against threats.

A reputable provider will have integrated, automated edge capabilities in its platform, facilitating interaction with many edge devices and applications. 

In terms of network management, your business gains visibility of its infrastructure through a user-friendly dashboard, empowering you to optimise performance and agility.

Expert engineers will handle network maintenance concerns around the clock.

For businesses aiming to truly leverage the potential of GenAI technology, embracing the edge is essential. By laying the groundwork today, they can capitalise on future advancements.