The 10 Hottest Edge Computing Devices Of 2021 (So Far)

Here’s 10 edge computing devices — from AWS and Eaton to Dell Technologies and Cisco – who are making waves in the growing edge market.

10 Edge Computing Products You Should Know About

The worldwide edge computing market is exploding, expected to grow over 12 percent annually to $250 billion by 2024, according to IT research firm IDC.

The goal of edge computing is to reduce latency and network congestion, while boosting data security by putting storage, networking, software, security and servers where the data resides to be collected and processed locally. By deploying tailormade edge devices where the data is generated, edge computing environments can manage devices over a smaller and more efficient local network where bandwidth is used by local data-generating devices, thus making latency and congestion no longer an issue for businesses.

By 2029, IT research firm Gartner predicts that more than 15 billion Internet of Things (IoT) devices will attach to an enterprise’s infrastructure, many of which will be at the edge. This spike in connected devices at the edge means more opportunities for channel partners and vendors as well as for the leading cloud providers who are deploying more offerings specifically for edge sites.

Edge computing devices, software and platforms enable a zero-touch, distributed computing environment for applications and data processing at or near the edge. CRN breaks down 10 edge computing devices that are making waves in 2021 and driving the ever-expanding edge market.

AWS Greengrass

AWS IoT Greengrass is an edge computing solution that helps customers build, deploy and manage device software at the edge. Customers use the open source edge runtime and cloud service for their IoT applications on millions of devices across verticals and business units.

AWS IoTGreengrass lets customers program their devices to act locally on the data they generate, execute predictions based on machine learning models, filter and aggregate device data, and only transmit necessary information to the cloud. The goal is to enable businesses to quickly and easily build intelligent device software at the edge.

AWS IoT Greengrass enables local processing, messaging, data management, ML inference, and offers pre-built components to accelerate application development. The edge computing solution also provides a secure way to seamlessly connect edge devices to any AWS service as well as to third-party services.

The edge solution provides remote manage and software on edge devices in the field without needing a firmware update, while AWS says Greengrass also helps keep devices up-to-date and makes them smarter over time.

Cisco Catalyst IR8100

Last month, Cisco unveiled a new line of 5G-enabled industrial edge routers and an IoT gateway series for edge computing, extending Cisco’s enterprise network and SD-WAN to the edge. The networking giant’s new IR8100 Heavy Duty Series which is multiaccess router delivering public and private 5G and LTE.

The IR8100 is IP67-rated for dust and water protection built to last for years in the harshest of environments. From its manufacturing process to its physical locking design to its vast software cybersecurity features – including Unified Threat Defense and Cisco TrustSec — the IR8100 looks to bring enterprise grade security to the edge. Customers can leverage the router’s built-in Cisco IOx edge compute to build and run their own applications at the edge.

The IR8100 leverages the programmable, open and standards-based APIs of the Cisco IOS XE operating system. Its fully modular design makes it a future-ready multi-service router for edge computing. Cisco’s new Catalyst router became available in June.

Dell PowerEdge XR11 and XR12

Built to thrive in remote and harsh environments, Dell Technologies’ new XR11 and XR 12 servers are tailor-made for edge computing. The XR11 and XR 12 ruggedized servers include Intel’s new third-generation Xeon Scalable processors inside a hardened chassis and support for multiple accelerators for the growing demands of edge-based workloads.

Dell’s new short-depth edge computing servers are operational in extreme temperatures, dusty environments and are NEBS Level 3 compliant for communications.

The PowerEdge servers have an extensive collection of sensors that automatically track thermal activity, which helps regulate temperature thereby reducing server noise and power consumption. The servers have up to 8 DIMMs, PCI Express 4.0 enabled expansion slots that leverage Dell EMC’s management system OpenManage portfolio. The PowerEdge XR11 is a 1-socket 1U server, while the XR12 is a 1-socket, 2U server.

Dell PowerStore 500

Dell’s blockbuster PowerStore 500 is a container-based, all-flash array addressing a full range of storage needs — from block and vVol data to multi-platform file storage – that can be the foundation of an edge computing environment. PowerStore’s adaptable design is idea for edge-based IoT data analytics and remote office applications where ease of deployment and advanced replication is required.

PowerStore 500 consolidates data efficiently by delivering a host of powerful enterprise-level features, combining the advantages of cutting-edge storage with the flexibility and simplicity of modern software design that can be the foundation. Dell’s PowerStore 500 includes data management and protection tools including PowerStore Manager, cloud-based storage analytics, and data reduction and data encryption capabilities. The storage product scales up to 1.2PBe per appliance to support growing capacity requirements as well as 25Gb Ethernet and optional 32Gb FC with NMVe/FC to provide enterprise SAN connectivity.

When its PowerStoreOS runs on a VM, administrators can access the hypervisor to deploy their own applications directly on the appliance, using the same VMware tools and methods they use with external hosts. This capability, known as AppsON, is ideal for data-intensive workloads in edge locations where infrastructure simplicity and density is needed.

Eaton 5P UPS

Having an uninterrupted power supply (UPS) at an edge location can be critical to edge computing. The Eaton 5P UPS is an enterprise-class backup power solution available as a tower UPS, wall mount UPS, and rackmount UPS – specifically made for edge computing use cases.

Several models are available as a compact UPS, which are 2U in height with shorter depths than a traditional UPS. The 5P UPS offers flexibility in battery types with two models offering lithium-ion batteries. Customers pair the 5P UPS with an Eaton Gigabit Network card — the first in the industry to comply with the UL and IEC cybersecurity standards – as well as the Eaton Intelligent Power Management (IPM) platform for seamless management of connected equipment at the edge.

Eaton’s IPM allows businesses to predict power component failure via cloud-based analytics with Eaton’s PredictPulse remote monitoring. Eaton’s platform enables the monitoring and management of multiple network power devices and integrates seamlessly with solutions like VMware’s vCenter.

HPE Edgeline EL8000

HPE Edgeline EL8000 is a capable, rugged converged system used by the U.S. armed forces on the digital battlefield. As the flagship offering in the HPE Converged Edge System portfolio, the EL8000 is purpose-built for the extreme conditions found at the edge.

Leveraging built-in AI and machine learning (ML) capabilities enables EL8000 to deliver immediate insights from data generated at the extreme edge of the network including signals intelligence (SIGINT), video analytics such as facial recognition, as well as data analytics for data reduction and visualization.

The compact and rugged HPE Edgeline EL8000 is a GPU-enabled, four-node, 28-core server system with the power to deliver unprecedented levels of compute, storage, and networking performance at the edge with 20TB of storage, 1.5 TB RAM and 10 GB switches. The EL8000 is powered by the same Intel Xeon Scalable processors as mainstream data centers to enable the EL8000 to support the most demanding applications like AI and ML. Security incudes HPE Silicon Root of Trust, while its managed by HPE’s server software Integrated Lights Out.

Lenovo ThinkEdge SE30 And ThinkEdge SE50

Lenovo’s brand-new ThinkEdge SE30 and ThinkEdge SE50 edge devices are small, rugged and powerful enough to meet the needs of enterprise data processing, security and scalability specifically targeting edge workloads.

The new ThinkEdge SE50 is designed for versatile applications that require higher analytics and data processing at the edge. The embedded edge compute device includes an Intel Core i5 or i7 vPro processor for industrial computing and up to 32GB of memory. Customers can deploy the ThinkEdge SE50 to aggregate and analyze real-time data from distributed IoT devices. The smart edge device can filter and forward IoT data across the WAN to the cloud or data center.

The new Lenovo ThinkEdge SE30 includes Intel Core i5 vPro processors for industrial computing to improve power, accelerates AI workloads, with extended temperature support, long-life reliability, as well as enhanced security and manageability features. Embedded applications for the ThinkEdge SE30 include kiosks and ATMs for smart retail, automated production lines in manufacturing, and medical device monitoring in healthcare, to name a few.

ThinkEdge gives Lenovo customers have the option to enhance their edge AI strategy with edge silicon and optimized software leveraging the OpenVINO toolkit.

Microsoft Azure Pro R

A top-notch product inside Microsoft’s Azure Stack Edge portfolio is the rugged Pro R edge computing device that’s delivered as hardware as-a-service. The cloud-managed device acts as a network storage gateway with a built-in Nvidia Tensor Core T4 GPU that enables accelerated AI-inferencing.

The 1U edge device is contained in a portable transit case that allows analysis, processing and filtering of data supporting VM and containerized workloads. With its local cache capability and bandwidth throttling to limit usage during critical or peak periods, the Azure Stack Edge Pro R optimizes a client’s data transfers.

Microsoft has various use cases where the solution can used for rapid machine learning inferencing at the edge and preprocessing data before sending it to Azure. For example, customers can run ML models to get quick results that can be acted on before the data is sent to the cloud. Whether customers are connected to Azure or are operating in a disconnected, air-gapped environment, the Azure Stack Edge Pro R provides continuous compute and storage resources at the edge.

Palo Alto Networks Prisma SD-WAN

One important key to enabling edge computing is emerging cybersecurity secure access service edge (SASE) solutions. Palo Alto Networks’ top-notch SASE and WAN edge solution Prisma SD-WAN enables application-defined SD-WAN policies and delivers a secure, cloud-delivered edge computing solution.

Prisma SD-WAN is a cloud-delivered service that implements app-defined, autonomous SD-WAN to help customers secure and connect edge sites, data centers and large campus sites without increasing cost and complexity. Palo Alto Networks’ AppFabric connects sites securely with application awareness and gives organizations the freedom to use any WAN and any cloud to boost edge computing

Prisma SD-WAN simplifies management and automates operation using machine learning at the edge. Customers can integrate additional security as well to get visibility and control to provide the best performance and consistent availability of the network. Prisma SD-WAN came via Palo Alto Networks’ 2020 acquisition of CloudGenix for $420 million.

Schneider Electric’s APC Smart-UPS Ultra

In June, Schneider Electric launched its APC Smart-UPS Ultra, calling it the industry’s first 3kW 1U single phase UPS system. The new UPS was specifically designed to deliver more power, flexibility, and intelligent monitoring in the smallest footprint to enable IT teams to address many of the challenges with deploying IT infrastructure in distributed edge computing environments and at the edge.

APC Smart-UPS Ultra was made to deliver more power in less space to free up room for edge applications by being 2.4 times more power dense and half the wight and size of other comparable market offerings. Flexible mounting options including rack, tower, wall or ceiling enable it to be placed out of the way to allow for more space. APC Smart-UPS Ultra’s lithium-ion battery lasts up to three times longer than a traditional valve regulated lead acid powered UPS and helps to eliminate costly battery replacement, service fees and visits at edge locations.

APC Smart-UPS Ultra can leverage APC’s EcoStruxure offering which provides cloud-based monitoring, delivers data-driven recommendations to optimize performance, and enables wherever-you-go visibility across multiple UPS devices.