complexities. IT chiefs have a point. In the absence of effective tools, hybrid architectures are already proving difficult to optimise as they expand in response to specific demands or new opportunities. IT departments frequently lose sight of where their workloads are and costs spiral out of control because of complicated charging structures. In the Thales 2021 Data Threat Report, for example, only 24 per cent of organisations responding said they had complete knowledge of where their data was stored. It is no accident, therefore, that edge providers have tackled these problems head-on. Edge infrastructure companies now provide next-generation cloud management tools that encompass all environments, so that from a single pane of glass, IT departments can see every workload they have, including all their edge instances. They can actively manage everything to ensure cost and performance optimisation. All workloads are where they should be and IT staff can easily integrate new workloads and types of application. Security is another consideration that arises when distributed computing environments such as edge data centres are under consideration. Again, a technology has emerged to deal with these challenges in the shape of SD-WAN. This optimises network traffic flows but also monitors it for anything unwelcome, also automating many important tasks such as device configuration and patching. New security SASE security policies and techniques, allied to zero-trust technologies also vastly reduce the chances of significant cyber-crime. The edge is the future The development of edge infrastructure platforms means every organisation can adopt edge computing without the CEO fearing they are stepping off into the unknown. Performance will take off, and spiralling cloud costs come to an end. The business will future-proof itself, rapidly acquiring a new agility and flexibility, more control of its IT environments and access to some the most far-reaching advances in technology. The result will be greater efficiency, incredible innovation and expanding profitability. VISION & STRATEGY
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