
The Action At The Edge
Little did the industry know heading into last year, but 2020 ended up being the year of the network edge.
That’s because edge computing brings compute, storage, and data analysis closer to the location where it is needed. And where it was needed was in brand new places, including curbsides, parking lots, and manufacturing floors as a result of the global COVID-19 pandemic that reshaped the networking market as we knew it last year. Those changes, and the resulting demand for edge solutions, isn’t going anywhere in 2021, either. According to research firm IDC, the worldwide edge computing market is forecast to reach approximately $250 billion in 2024 with a compound annual growth rate of 12.5 percent over the next four years.
The channel has already begun embracing the intelligent edge as a new selling opportunity, incumbent IT leaders are scooping up edge networking startups, and new players are joining the hottest new networking space. At the same time. Emerging technology, such as 5G, is expected to act as a catalyst for this market growth.
Here are ten of the biggest edge computing news stories of 2020 and what solution providers should be on the lookout for in 2021 from the evolving and rapidly growing market.