As organizations become more distributed and rely on real-time data, their IT needs are shifting. Traditional IT systems often fall short – they can be expensive, slow, and hard to scale. That’s prompting many businesses to rethink how they manage computing resources across edge environments.
Cloud platforms are often praised for improving speed and adaptability, but they don’t always work well for every business. Smaller companies may struggle with the cost, security risks, or lack of in-house expertise. For larger organizations with remote offices, keeping systems connected, secure and in sync with legacy tools can be a serious challenge.
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This makes it worth reexamining the limits of cloud-based infrastructure, the rising demand for edge computing, and how hyperconverged infrastructure (HCI) can offer a practical, high-performance solution.
Balancing Cloud Use with On-Site Needs
Despite cloud technology’s progress, managing data at edge locations remains difficult. Some have gone all-in on cloud services, skipping local IT setups entirely. But this shift has brought its own set of problems: expensive contracts, unreliable service, and performance issues that can disrupt critical operations at edge sites.
Often, teams must decide whether to take responsibility for managing equipment and software onsite. While this can improve uptime, it’s rarely cost-effective or easy. Edge locations often lack the space, power, or cooling for traditional hardware. Hiring skilled IT staff to support remote sites can also be prohibitively expensive.
Edge locations still require access to central tools and storage, which means staying connected to cloud or datacenters. This creates another layer of complexity – teams must decide what data to store locally, what should be sent to the cloud, and what needs to be backed up or discarded.
It’s no surprise that many IT leaders are frustrated by the lack of flexible, right-sized alternatives. What’s needed are solutions that can adapt to the specific demands of edge and distributed environments.
The Growing Pressure on Edge Technology
Industries like retail, manufacturing, energy and healthcare have long struggled with edge computing. These sectors depend on fast, accurate data to make decisions and keep things running smoothly, but inconsistent cloud performance and latency slow them down.
Now, with the rise of AI tools and connected devices, from hospital monitors to factory sensors, these challenges are becoming more urgent. These tools generate large volumes of data that need to be processed quickly, often right where they’re created. Sending everything to the cloud and waiting for a response just isn’t fast enough anymore.
To keep up, many organizations are starting to run AI tools locally at edge sites. This helps them act on data immediately, without waiting on a distant server. But it also means they need reliable, affordable systems that can handle this kind of work outside of traditional data centers.
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Spending in this area is rising fast. According to IDC, global investment in edge computing is expected to hit $232 billion in 2024, a 15% jump from 2023, and could reach nearly $350 billion by 2027.
Avoiding the Pitfalls of Overprovisioning
Deploying a full-stack HCI system at the edge can help streamline operations by reducing the need for large, traditional infrastructure. HCI brings together computing, storage and networking into a single, unified system. Unlike traditional setups that rely on separate hardware and software for each function, HCI uses virtualization to cut down on the number of physical servers required, without compromising performance.
These systems can run applications and store data securely at the edge, while staying connected to cloud or central datacenters when needed. Their modular design makes them easier to install and manage, especially compared to the over-engineered solutions of the past.
Modern HCI stands out because it’s built from the ground up for small, distributed sites. It works well in places with limited space or IT staff and helps edge locations stay connected and compatible with enterprise systems, even across different tech stacks.
Simplifying Edge Deployments with HCI
HCI offers a practical way to support edge computing without the bulk and complexity of traditional setups. Many HCI systems can deliver high availability with just two servers instead of the usual three or more, cutting costs while still maintaining uptime. Failover typically happens in under 30 seconds, helping to keep operations running smoothly and data protected. With fewer servers required, these systems also take up less space and use less power, cooling and maintenance, making them a good fit for locations with limited resources.
Another key benefit is ease of use. HCI vendors have focused on making these systems simple to install and manage remotely. Most setups can be handled by general IT staff and are up and running in under an hour, which means less disruption and faster rollouts for new sites or services.
As edge deployments increase, HCI makes it easy to scale without needing major changes. Administrators can manage all locations from a single dashboard, and the system automatically adjusts how it uses computing and storage resources, avoiding the waste that comes with overprovisioning.
Today’s HCI solutions are built with edge environments in mind. They’re designed to work well with existing cloud and datacenter systems, while giving remote sites the performance and reliability they need to operate independently when necessary.
