The term “edge” refers to the network edge or the edge of the network. It is a concept used in computer networking and telecommunications to describe the point where an end-user device is connected to the network infrastructure.
What is the network edge?
The network edge is where end-user devices, such as computers, smartphones, and IoT devices, connect to the network. It is the boundary between the end-user devices and the network infrastructure, which includes routers, switches, and servers. The edge can be physical, such as a switch or a router, or virtual, such as a virtual machine or a cloud instance.
Why is it called the edge?
The term “edge” is used to describe this boundary because it represents the edge of the network, the outermost point where end-user devices interact with the network. The devices at the edge are the closest to the end-users and are responsible for interacting with them directly. They receive data from the end-user devices and transmit it to the core network for processing and routing.
Functions of the network edge:
- Access: The edge devices provide access to the network for end-user devices. They enable users to connect to the internet, access resources, and communicate with other devices.
- Aggregation: The edge devices aggregate the traffic from multiple end-user devices and consolidate it into a single stream for transmission to the core network. This helps in efficient routing and reduces the load on the core network.
- Security: The edge devices enforce security policies and protect the network from unauthorized access, threats, and attacks. They act as the first line of defense in network security.
- Quality of Service: The edge devices manage the quality of service for end-user devices by prioritizing traffic, allocating bandwidth, and ensuring a smooth user experience.
Edge computing:
In addition to its network-related meaning, the term “edge” is also used in the context of edge computing. Edge computing refers to the practice of processing data near the edge devices, rather than sending it to a centralized cloud or data center. This reduces latency, improves performance, and enables real-time data processing for applications that require low latency or are bandwidth-intensive.
Edge computing has gained prominence with the proliferation of IoT devices, as they generate massive amounts of data that need to be processed and analyzed in real-time. By bringing the computing power closer to the devices at the network edge, edge computing enables faster response times and more efficient use of network resources.
In conclusion, the term “edge” is called the edge because it represents the boundary between the end-user devices and the network infrastructure. It is where devices connect to the network and interact directly with the end-users. The edge devices play a critical role in providing access, aggregating traffic, ensuring security, and managing the quality of service. Additionally, edge computing leverages the power of the network edge to enable faster and more efficient data processing.