How edge computing will benefit from 5G technology

With the development of 5G technology, more and more countries and regions have begun to introduce and apply it, and more and more people are paying attention to the changes that 5G will bring to the technological world.

Many of the benefits offered by 5G and edge computing could be overshadowed if companies using them do not take precautions to maintain edge computing cybersecurity.

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5G will help edge computing develop

Analysts believe that the arrival of 5G will lead to a new era of edge computing. 5G networks are 10 times faster than 4G networks. This improvement provides remote sensors with the possibility of instantly updating connected devices. The increase in real-time processing will require new devices with enhanced capabilities.

This will also increase the demand for edge computing, as this method processes data at the edge of the network instead of first transmitting it to a distant data center. A report by Allied Market Research shows that the global edge computing market will grow at a compound annual growth rate of 32.8% from 2018 to 2025. The report points out that the emerging 5G network is an important factor that provides growth opportunities for major players in the industry.

Edge networks will become more specialized and complex

As 5G networks get closer to real-world applications, what will happen is that 5G networks will become more complex than they are now. Many organizations are investing heavily to achieve this goal, thereby increasing the importance of edge networks in the global future. It is said that edge networks depend heavily on the capabilities of the devices, and the characteristics of these networks need to match their gadgets.

Self-driving cars require extremely fast edge networks, primarily because the nature of a car's movement can change within a second. Processing data at the edge of a 5G network can save costs on deploying power and infrastructure. However, the location of edge computing devices depends on the application.

Business leaders must keep in mind that there are still many details to be worked out about 5G networks and edge computing. So it’s too early to say for sure that edge computing networks will become more complex, but there is evidence that this will happen soon and for specific devices.

Also, because edge computing networks depend on the devices that use them, there will be some differences in whether network operators own them, buy or lease them through a service model, or rely on cloud computing providers to help.

Iain Gillott, president and founder of research firm iGR, participated in a panel discussion at the 2019 Consumer Electronics Show (CES). He said that network ownership will change depending on the application and where the edge network is located. These insights mean that the way people define edge computing networks in the near future may be different.

Edge computing networks will help improve 5G performance for every user

Beamforming technology allows a signal to position itself in the direction of the device receiving the signal. This advantage provides a stronger, faster signal. In 2018, Deutsche Telekom established an edge computing lab to study the impact of user-tracking beamforming antennas on 5G networks.

In this case, software electronically directs 5G signals toward the user's phone to improve efficiency and signal quality. The accompanying edge computing platform is a fully virtualized end-to-end solution that supports the first use of this 5G beamforming technology in a real-time environment. More broadly, the German telecom company's facility hopes to encourage application developers to investigate the benefits of 5G by centering on specific use cases.

Many people don’t think about what’s happening in the background to provide them with a stable and consistent connection. This is a great example of edge computing networks processing data for users without them realizing it, and it’s needed to improve device performance.

Edge computing networks will help new 5G technologies develop safely

5G networks will undoubtedly pave the way for the introduction of new technologies — including those that haven’t even been conceived yet. John Maddison is an executive at Fortinet. In a March 2019 interview, Maddison noted that many of the new 5G technologies will be for the Internet of Things, as these devices require low latency to work properly.

He mentioned how security will be deployed differently, and edge computing networks will play a fundamental role in this. Maddison clarified that 5G requires more intelligence in terms of security as the potential attack surface expands and security risks rise. He said, "We need to deploy security differently. Whether it is deployed in cars, applications, or IoT devices, we need to pay attention to the security of edge computing. And edge computing needs to be more efficient than centralized data centers, so you will see edge computing devices with customized chips to provide security, you will see security deployed as virtualized systems in the core network, and you will see connectivity at the global Internet gateway. Compared with the current model, which assumes that everything goes through a security gateway, you will see a more distributed security model."

Edge network devices must be subject to stricter security monitoring

One thing cybersecurity experts often mention about edge computing networks is that they can lead to security issues due to the increased number of devices collecting data on the network. For example, an edge device deployed in a remote location may not have staff regularly checking it for security vulnerabilities or keeping its software updated.

As mentioned above, edge computing networks will play an important role in 5G security. However, if the organizations using them do not take extra precautions to maintain edge computing network security, the many benefits they provide may be obscured. Many equipment manufacturers are already considering and integrating better network security into their devices. Doing so can help 5G networks and edge devices benefit each other without security threats.

An exciting change

This overview shows that edge computing networks are critical to helping 5G networks reach their full potential and meet people's expectations.

Going forward, organizations that use edge computing networks for their 5G technology must minimize any risks, such as those related to security.