Taming the Rugged Frontier: Harnessing Data at the Edge

[MattQuirk]

In the current age of AI, more and more organizations are recognizing how valuable their data can be. They see the strategic importance of integrating data analytics and AI capabilities throughout their operations. In a Harvard Business Review survey, more than 87% of respondents reported that their companies increased their investments in data, analytics, and AI during 2022. On top of that, over 90% said these investments are already delivering measurable business value.

Of course, a large and growing portion of enterprises’ new data isn’t coming from corporate data centers or users working in the cloud. It’s being produced by the devices, sensors, users, and applications operating at the far-flung edges of their networks. In fact, Gartner projects that by 2025, more than 50% of enterprise-critical data will be generated and processed outside of the cloud or data centers.

Opportunities abound in gaining intelligence at the edge

Putting troves of edge data to work directly in the places where it’s created—providing real-time insights and driving instant decisions in edge locations—offers some of the highest-value use cases around. Consequently, deploying data analytics and AI capabilities in locations far from HQ and data centers has become a crucial strategic goal.

Advanced, low-latency edge computing such as AI inference is at the forefront of new data-driven opportunities. Putting greater compute performance and AI capabilities in data-producing edge locations allows enterprises to respond to conditions in real time. They also gain efficiency and agility benefits that centralized computing models can’t match.

Diverse edge environments present new types of challenges

Unlike the consistent, controlled environments of data centers and the cloud, every edge location presents a unique set of real-world challenges. This includes factors such as limited access to power and network bandwidth, extreme temperature fluctuations, or the need to physically protect tech assets from dust, moisture, or contaminants in the air. In addition, many remote edge environments often can’t accommodate the space, cooling infrastructure, and resources that enterprise servers typically require.

To overcome these hurdles, companies are turning to OEMs for solutions that are purposefully engineered for the harsh and dynamic conditions of their edge locations. From remote, offshore oil rigs to exacting laboratory conditions, ruggedized compute solutions that leverage innovations such as fanless liquid cooling enable businesses to deploy solutions that reliably collect, analyze, and act on data in any environment.

Iceotope: Building sealed hardware for extreme conditions

For example, Iceotope collaborated with HPE on Ku:l Extreme, a solution designed to bring enterprise-grade computing performance to harsh edge environments. Powered by HPE ProLiant DL380 Gen10 servers, this edge server solution features immersive liquid cooling and a rugged, 100% sealed chassis that completely isolates hardware components from the operating environment. This makes the Ku:l Extreme ideal for putting advanced compute and AI into the most unforgiving edge locations.

Iceotope’s precision immersion cooling technology enables these servers to reliably operate in temperatures ranging from -40°C to 70°C without the need for server fans and air-cooling infrastructure. This innovation helps the Ku:l Extreme reduce the energy requirements for cooling this level of compute by an amazing 90%. And since the system operates in near silence, it’s also well-suited for noise-sensitive locations such as hospitals and labs.

Advantest America: Enabling reliable, advanced AI-assisted chip testing

In another real-world example, Advantest America, a leading provider of testing equipment for the semiconductor industry, collaborated with HPE on its ACS Edge solution. This HPE ProLiant DL360-based edge device makes it easy to put powerful, real-time analytics and machine learning capabilities right where gigabytes of testing data are generated: in chip production testing facilities.

Avantest’s customers rely on resilient, compute-intensive equipment to quality test millions of chips and ensure that every shipped product meets rigorous industry standards. With the ACS Edge, Advantest’s customers can immediately apply data-driven testing insights to optimize testing processes while maximizing production rates and business outcomes. As these companies work with such high volumes, an increase in efficiency of just 10% could mean testing several million additional chips per year!

There is an infinite array of advantages to be gained by putting data into action at the edge. HPE OEM Solutions is dedicated to helping OEMs and their business customers overcome the complexities of the diverse and dynamic edge frontier to unlock new ways to put data, insights, and AI to work. Reach out and let’s discuss how to tap into new possibilities at the edge for you and your customers.