MobiledgeX CEO: ‘Seamster is meant to help everybody in the world be successful when it comes to edge computing’
Seamster, the global edge computing initiative dedicated to enterprise use case exploration and adoption, launched this week during a virtual event with support from members from across the expanding edge ecosystem. The initiative is focused on fast-tracking global edge computing and 5G deployments and unraveling the prohibitive unknowns about the edge through a collaboration.
The virtual panel, comprised of speakers from Accedian, Dell EMC, MobiledgeX, VMware, Worldwide Technology (WWT) and others, explored critical edge considerations, such as who will benefit from edge computing capabilities, the opportunities that it brings to different verticals, as well as what makes this the right time for edge computing technologies.
According to Joe Wojtal, CTO, Global Service Provider at WWT, a critical element of edge computing is understanding the business outcome a particular customer is trying to achieve. The primary reason behind this is in evident in data that shared by TOPIO Networks showed during the event, which revealed that what drives the need for edge computing varies considerably from vertical to vertical.
“This is just not a technology discussion,” Wojtal said, “it’s understanding how, within that business vertical, to make it work.”
As the panel moderator Senza Fili Founder and President Monica Paolini pointed out, edge computing technologies aren’t new. So why establish a global edge computing initiative now? What has changed?
From VMware’s Gabriele Di Piazza, VP, solutions & marketing, Telco & Edge Cloud BU, there are three main factors that contribute to this being the right time for edge.
First, he stated that it is a result of the new types of applications that are emerging right now in different industries.
“The new demands for these new types of application is starting to happen right now,” he said. “Second aspect is you can only automate when you actually have enough penetration for cloud […] so edge means that you need to operate applications in a specific location. We see the decentralization of these applications […] and this is happening right now.”
And finally, of course, there is the adoption of 5G technologies, which are “just around the corner.”
Wojtal jumped in to add that in general, enterprise customers are going through some “major digital transformation initiatives.”
“So that’s requiring a whole bunch of new computing and application paradigms that are going to drive the consumption of technology,” he said. “Now is the time that is the unique convergence of the digital transformation needs that they have, the technology capabilities, as well as the virtualization that the cloud providers have gone through over the last several years.”
Eric Braun, chief commercial officer for MobiledgeX, provided his perspective as it pertains to the consumer side of things, saying, “The applications, the devices connected to cellular, the desired experiences are emerging […] Everything is sort of catching up on that side.”
Kevin Schatzkamer, VP of service provider solutions at Dell EMC, also commented that about 75% data going forward is generated outside of the data center to support the emerging need to relocate the processing of data and move resources closer to where data is generated.
In his opening remarks, Jason Hoffman, president & CEO at MobiledgeX, expressed the importance of taking an “ecosystem approach” to the development and rollout of edge computing technologies, saying enterprises need help figuring out where they’re going to fit in “in this new world.”
“That is exactly the idea behind Seamster,” he said, “to help everybody in the world be successful when it comes to edge.”
To watch the entire virtual launch, click here.
