Here at Zayo, we think about networking as an ecosystem where the edge, the core, and the Cloud play equally important roles in providing the foundation for digital innovation.
The core serves as the central network hub, facilitating fast, reliable data transfer to the edge. The Cloud is the non-physical location where data is consumed, interpreted, analyzed, and stored.
The edge is where the physical network meets the digital world. It’s where users consume demanding data and applications. The edge minimizes latency by enabling data processing closer to its source, enhancing user experiences and improving network efficiency.
There are several reasons why the most innovative companies are already taking advantage of the edge:
- Employees no longer work from centralized locations, solely from company-issued devices.
- Customers demand personalized products and services, offered through a variety of channels, available 24/7.
- Enterprises continue to use technologies like machine learning and artificial intelligence (AI) to innovate faster and unlock new operational efficiencies.
As enterprises, users, and applications become more distributed and demanding, computing and networking must keep up. This drives greater demand for edge networking and computing.
But what is edge networking? What is the meaning of edge in networks, and how can companies leverage a sound one to improve the digital experience? In this guide, we’ll break down exactly what edge networking is. Next, we’ll explain the differences between the network core vs. network edge and how together they enable better user experiences. Finally, we’ll provide examples of companies using edge networking to provide stellar experiences.
What is an Edge Network?
Edge networks are composed of edge devices that connect to the broader Internet, bringing computing resources closer to end-users. This reduces processing delays and improves performance, enhancing user experience.
Edge computing devices include smartphones, laptops, IoT devices, edge routers, and local servers near end-users or data sources.
Bringing processing closer to the end user lowers latency, enabling real-time actions and applications. Processing data locally also improves bandwidth efficiency, reliability, and scalability. Emerging technologies like artificial intelligence and machine learning, for example, compute at the edge.
In essence, edge networks represent a shift towards a more distributed and agile approach to networking. This approach promises faster, more reliable services.
Network Core vs. Network Edge
As mentioned at the beginning of this blog, the core and the edge are critical pieces of the same networking puzzle. The edge and core work together to enable better digital experiences.
The network edge decentralizes computing resources, bringing them closer to the end-user to reduce latency and enhance performance. The network core complements the network edge by serving as the opposite.
The network core is the central command center. The core is the network infrastructure that routes data between different network locations like the enterprise and the Cloud. This ensures seamless end-to-end connectivity.
These network infrastructure components are not standalone entities, but rather critical pieces of the overall networking puzzle, together ensuring optimal performance and seamless connectivity. Together, the network core and network edge collaborate to:
- Move Data: The network core efficiently routes data packets between different endpoints. The network edge infrastructure brings data processing closer to end-users for a better experience.
- Manage Network Traffic: The core manages high-volume data transmissions between distant locations. The network edge optimizes traffic by processing data locally and prioritizing critical tasks.
- Deliver Network Resiliency: The network core establishes a robust, reliable, and scalable backbone for data transmission across vast distances. The edge enhances user experiences by minimizing delays and providing fast resource access.
- Enhance the User Experience: The edge and core collaborate to enable fast response times, seamless interactions, and efficient data delivery, fostering customer satisfaction.
- Increase Performance: Both contribute capabilities that optimize network performance, meeting the diverse needs of various users and applications.
- Scale: Both networking components allow organizations to scale their infrastructure and adapt to a constantly changing technology landscape.
Enterprises can experience numerous benefits working with a provider like Zayo that offers both core and edge services. The largest independent fiber network provider in North America, Zayo also sells managed edge services including:
- Software-Defined Wide-Area Network (SD-WAN): SD-WAN is a network overlay technology that simplifies WAN management, connects users, data centers, and clouds, and optimizes network performance. Zayo is a market leader in large-scale SD-WAN deployments. We offer Cloud Integrated SD-WAN which brings all of your locations into Zayo’s backbone, integrates legacy network solutions, and boosts network performance across all locations.
- Secure Access Service Edge (SASE): SASE combines security and networking elements in one solution. Combining SD-WAN capabilities (the “A” part of SASE) with network security functions like ZTNA (the “SSE” part), SASE enables an exceptional end-user experience. Zayo collaborates with a host of Secure Service Edge (SSE) and SD-WAN vendors – including Netskope, Gartner’s top SSE provider – to piece together custom SASE solutions that work for your organization.
By bringing edge and core network solutions under one provider, enterprises ensure greater network cohesion, simplified management, cost-effectiveness, improved performance and security, and a greater quality of service.
Benefits of Edge Networking
Organizations taking advantage of edge networking technologies can experience the following:
- Higher performance. By bringing data closer to the end-user, edge networking speeds up data transmission to devices, minimizing frustrating delays.
- Real-time insights. Edge networking eliminates lag during critical moments, enabling instant network connections for real-time action.
- More reliable networks. Reduce the chance of network disruption with edge networking, creating more dependable digital experiences.
- Support for emerging technologies. Enterprises leveraging edge networking can confidently use technologies like IoT and augmented reality. These technologies depend on real-time data transfers and low-latency connectivity to succeed.
- Smoother user experiences. Ultimately, all of the above benefits stream into user experience. Bringing computing closer to the user means seamless, responsive digital experiences.
Edge Networking Examples
Are you still networking the “old” way – funneling all traffic over hard-wired connections to your centralized data center and then to the end location? Take a look at a few companies that have mastered the edge, improving the staff and customer experience. Following these examples, we’ll discuss how edge networking completes the digital transformation for your employees and customers.
Starbucks Gets the Edge:
Starbucks has mastered the edge. They know that their customers need quick service, hate waiting in line, and may or may not hang out at their stores. As a result, they’ve developed a smartphone app that acts as the business interface for their customers.
Using the app, customers order, identify their order, indicate when they’d like it, and pay for it online. While other coffee shop customers wait in line, Starbucks customers can simply stroll into a store, grab their order, and stroll out.
1-800-FLOWERS Gets the Edge:
Imagine the condition (and expense) of a floral delivery that originated thousands of miles away from a centralized warehouse. 1-800-FLOWERS has digitally transformed the experience of gift-giving for their customers.
Their particular distribution lies with local florists and other retailers, such as bakeries and party stores around the world. Over the phone, using 1-800-FLOWERS.com, or on an app, customers order an arrangement, include a digitized greeting, and pay for their order – usually to be delivered same-day. Since the floral arrangement originates very close to the end customer, it’s fast, fresh, and less expensive.
Amazon Really Gets the Edge:
Amazon sells everything. They cannot stock every possible item a consumer might be interested in buying, closer to that consumer. To make this possible, they have become masters of big data.
Amazon tracks your activity on its site or app and predicts what else you may be interested in. From there, it compares those items to others in your city, knows if you’re a frequent reviewer, consults its own and third-party inventory, and stocks accordingly. This way, they can stock items you and your neighbors are most likely to purchase closer, reducing the cost and speed of the delivery.
Amazon also predicts. Using your search history, they make recommendations for items you may also be interested in buying. Amazon stores these items close to you and delivers them quickly when someone places an order.
Amazon has combined it all: a massive distribution network of third-party sellers, personalized marketing using big data, predictive analytics, and edge warehousing, to redefine digital retailing.
Good Networking Requires a Sound Edge Solution
Edge networking offerings have certainly caught up to the buzz. However, no two offerings are exactly the same. It’s important to look for a flexible network provider that’s willing to formulate an edge solution that can fit your business’s unique needs.
There are a few elements you should consider when choosing an edge networking solution:
- Network Intelligence through Network Observability: Seek a network provider that enables full visibility and control of your network across multiple platforms, domains, technologies, and silos, from edge to core to cloud. Zayo’s zInsights portal gives our managed edge customers a comprehensive view of their network and leverages built-in automation and AIOps to reduce operational workload and improve incident outcomes.
- Network Management and Monitoring: Look for an edge networking provider that’s as dedicated to your network as you are and flexible enough to offer the level of network management your organization needs. Zayo’s expert team can fully manage, co-manage, or allow your organization to manage your edge solution – whatever works best for your unique business needs. Plus, our network operations center (NOC) offers always-on support for your network.
- Network Solutions from Edge-to-Core-to-Cloud: Zayo has the capabilities and solution suite to build your organization a total solution that connects every layer. We work with best-in-class edge vendors and leverage our wholly-owned fiber network, the largest in North America, to bring our customers market-leading network solutions.