The edge computing era has forced the evolution of an entire technology stack and spurred the emergence of the edge cloud, distributed data centers, and Content Delivery Networks (CDN) edge servers to fuel real-time computing. Industry-watchers have for long, harped on the benefits of edge deploymentsOpens a new window , and with good reason, especially in sectors such as banking, retail, manufacturing and entertainment. Think faster on-demand video services, optimized autonomous handling systems on factory floors, improved in-store retail experiences and faster digital payments in banks and financial institutions.
As the intelligent edge overturns the centralized cloud computing paradigm, top consulting firm PwC forecasts the global edge data center market will hit $13.5 billion by 2024.[1] Leading market analysis firm ABI Research predicts that distributed computing will be front and center in 2021.[2]
So if distributed edge sites are the new business lifeline for maximizing cost efficiencies and bringing new services to market quickly, the IT physical infrastructureOpens a new window hardware layer should be the foundation upon which technology leaders build a successful edge strategy. Why? Hardware-centric resilience can help control disparate critical infrastructure, spur operational efficiency, extend the life of assets and help businesses weather any form of disruption.
The Next Level of IT and OT Convergence
The traditional way to respond to shifting infrastructure demands is by racking up redundant servers, edge gateways, networked storage or firewalls to achieve uptime — the overarching priority for enterprise edge deployments. But overburdening physical infrastructure solely for the goal of redundancy can drag profitability in the long-term. So, what’s the logical path forward? IT leaders need to make the operations technology (OT) layer — the powerOpens a new window and coolingOpens a new window infrastructure that underpins reliable performance — part of the core technology stack for distributed edge deployments.[3]
Well, the IT and OT convergence is nothing new; it’s a trend born out of Industry 4.0. But, IT leaders are struggling to bring OT into the fold and operationalize the data generated from these devices. Schneider Electric’s Martin Heller, Field Services Senior Program Manager, wroteOpens a new window the OT/IT dynamics need to change. “Now that OT system designs are beginning to mirror their IT technology brethren in terms of built-in intelligence, digitized components and connectivity, long periods of inactivity surrounding OT systems modernization present both downtime risks and cost exposures. In fact, outdated physical infrastructure can sometimes act as an inhibitor to anticipated IT technology refresh benefits,†he noted.[4]
Critical IT Physical Infrastructure Requires Data Center Resiliency
On-premise power failures are one of the top four causes of outages. However, the underlying power and cooling hardware don’t fail overnight. Instead, the degradation occurs over time, as components wear out or parts near end-of-life. Your networked Uninterruptible Power SuppliesOpens a new window (UPSs) maximize IT systems uptime and execute automated failovers of essential equipment such as servers and storage gear in the event of a power failure. But in case a UPS breaks downOpens a new window , business-critical systems are potentially at risk of downtime. Data from Uptime Institute’s 2019 survey reveals that financial fallout from downtime reached $1 million in 2019.[5] The upside is that 60% of surveyed IT professionals believed that significant outages could have been prevented with better management/configuration processes.
Whether you’re operating multiple distributed IT environments across retail, healthcare, manufacturing or financial services, it is imperative to have deeper visibility into your edge facility’s power and cooling devices. Though remote diagnostic and management solutionsOpens a new window for mapping power and cooling usage abound, they come up short when it comes to integrating third-party device data across hybrid IT environments. Additionally, remote monitoring software offerings have basic time-to-failure estimates based on the original manufacturer’s documentation. But in today’s world of cloud services and geographically-dispersed IT systems, IT leaders need more.
Integrated monitoring and visibility into distributed infrastructure can help IT managers better understand their device footprint, optimize IT equipment utilization and make edge deployments more efficient. Access to granular data and timely alerts about degrading equipment allows IT teams to proactively prevent outages before it deprives the facilities of power. If you use a vendor to connect and manage your remote hardware devices across edge environments, you must also consider whether or not they may become a single point of failure (SPOF) for your extended infrastructure.
This is where a comprehensive monitoring service with on-site support can help your enterprise manage critical infrastructure. It provides an ‘at-a-glance’ dashboard on any device, including the real-time status of equipment across dispersed sites.
Building Intelligence at the Edge
The COVID-19 crisis forced organizations to tighten the purse strings and optimize IT operations. One way of doing it is by reducing the total cost of ownership (TCO). In remote work environments, repairing and maintaining a fleet of distributed assets with in-house IT technicians or via third-party service providers can balloon OpEx costs and stress the company’s bottom lines. On top of that, extended asset downtime can bring services to a halt and impact the customer experience (CX).
All of these issues are best addressed by a comprehensive infrastructure monitoring and dispatch software suite such as Schneider Electric’s Monitoring & Dispatch ServicesOpens a new window . It enables a single interface for monitoring usage, spotting alerts, and preventing large-scale outages before an asset fails or performance drops and ensures quick remediation by dispatching IT technicians with the right parts – the next business day.
Schneider’s vendor-agnostic remote monitoring platform is powered by its EcoStruxure IT data lakeOpens a new window — it can proactively monitor distributed IT infrastructure without sifting through a heap of false positives. The interoperable technology allows organizations to connect devices from multiple vendors, helping organizations realize significant gains in device uptime, reliability, security and energy efficiency. Schneider Electric also released an API for its EcoStruxure IT ExpertOpens a new window cloud software that enables customers and IT vendors to integrate power and infrastructure monitoring into their management systems.
Take Edge Beyond Remote Monitoring With Dispatch & On-Site Support
As organizations lean more on edge servers for powering mission-critical cloud applications, the importance of the physical layer — power protection, cooling and battery backup — for driving disruption-free business as usual can’t be overstated. To deliver near-continuous reliability and uptime 24×7 across dozens of edge sites, IT should switch from a reactive, break-fix model to a preventive approach. Instead of installing and managing multiple monitoring points across edge sites and hiring IT technicians with the necessary skill set, Schneider’s service offering can help organizations that lack dedicated on-site support get faster device remediation and meet the needs for highly virtualized infrastructures. Timely dispatches the next business day allows IT to take preventive action before the equipment breaks down. Perhaps most important, there is a minimal negative impact, if at all, on customer experience and satisfaction.
Here are three ways Schneider Electric’s end-to-end monitoring and dispatch solution helps optimize edge maintenance:
1. Uncover cost savings with dispatch services: As IT leaders look to trim costs, streamlining the dispatch services can be at the core of business success. According to a Schneider Electric whitepaperOpens a new window , a single dispatch cost can reach $1000.[6] In high density edge architectures with a distributed fleet of 100 UPSs, break-fix maintenance and repairs can be a staggering OpEx burden and lead to productivity losses. Scalable technologies like a remote monitoring platform with efficient dispatch services can reduce asset idle time.
Partnering with an external service provider who meets your strategic needs and delivers industry enhancements can boost IT resiliency and result in cost savings up to 59% under a typical SLAOpens a new window .
2. Access qualified IT technicians: IT technicians usually require specific training and specialized skills to repair equipment. This may include certifications from hardware manufacturers as well as recent training. As physical infrastructure grows, organizations become more dependent upon devices that are powered and cooled by equipment from third-party manufacturers.
Rather than hiring, training and retraining your remote staff, consider a service that provides trained technicians that know your equipment. This knowledge base should be integrated with the monitoring software to efficiently schedule and dispatch the correct technicians.
3. Implement Role-Based Access Control: Technicians responding to outages or equipment breakdowns require physical access to sites, buildings, and hardware. In this context, it is crucial to implement role-based access control (RBAC). This means that access is not dependent upon specific people; rather, it’s associated with their role, i.e., technician.
In a high threat landscape, IT leaders should streamline physical security and mitigate edge security problems due to changing support personnel. A single service provider that can handle multiple technologies and provide trained technical staff is key to minimizing unexpected downtime and security hazards.
Conclusion
For IT leaders challenged with managing dispersed IT edge environments, the shift to a one-stop monitoring and dispatch solution is well-timed in a hybrid work environment. Given the renewed focus on edge resiliency, a comprehensive approach that incorporates diverse hardware solutions and is managed centrally through plug-and-play software can simplify remote management.
Sources
1 Edge Data Centers: How to Participate in the Coming BoomOpens a new window , PwC
2 2021 Will Be a Significant Year for Distributed IntelligenceOpens a new window , ABI Research
3 Classification of Data Center Operations Technology (OT) Management ToolsOpens a new window , NIST
4 Failure to Modernize Data Center Physical Infrastructure Increases Cost and Downtime RiskOpens a new window , Schneider Electric
5 How to Avoid Outages: Try Harder!Opens a new window – Uptime Institute Blog
6 A Quantitative Comparison of UPS Monitoring and Servicing Approaches Across Edge EnvironmentsOpens a new window , Schneider Electric