Whatever a company manufactures, it is of utmost importance to streamline the operational process, thus delivering that solution in a timely manner to clients. Achieving this means going to the “edge”.
“The edge is the location beyond the traditional datacenter where the things generating the data reside. This could be a factory, an oil well, a vehicle or a distribution center. The edge is where the things are and where the data is created.”*
The edge of what’s possible in operational efficiency, the edge of analysis, the edge of communication within your network. Moving towards the edge has numerous subjective definitions, but is based on the concept of existing in-between your physical and digital resources to automate efficient processes. The edge will vary based on your industry and needs, but what stays constant is where it functions. Typically it can be thought to operate outside of your production facility, but in reality, it should operate within. Devices operating on the edge can give you complex analytics from your business to support decisions in the physical world, closing the communication loop. In a strictly cloud-based system, this information latency can hinder the progression – or sometimes diagnosis – of information vital to your business. Collecting this valuable data is one thing, but actually analyzing it is where the most worthwhile discoveries are made.
Where is the edge of new data for your business? How can you monitor information at the edge to trigger better responses from your automation processes? CSE ICON can help. By working closely with leading edge device vendors like Logic Supply and ADLINK, your assets will be protected while your business thrives.