Cutting Edge: Delivering Consistency, Performance, Reliability and Security

The edge computing world is going through a dramatic transformation. According to IDC’s Worldwide Edge Spending Guide, global spending on edge computing reached $228 billion in 2024, marking a 14% increase from 2023, with forecasts predicting continued growth to nearly $378 billion by 2028. This shift represents a fundamental change in how organizations approach computing infrastructure, moving from centralized models to distributed edge environments that demand new levels of consistency, performance, reliability and security.

Introduction to the webcast and its value

SUSE and IDC recently presented a compelling webcast titled “Cutting Edge: How to Deliver Consistency, Performance, Reliability, and Security” that addresses the critical challenges IT leaders face today. The session featured Jennifer Cook from IDC, who provided valuable industry insights and research, alongside Keith Basil from SUSE, who shared real-world experience with SUSE Edge solutions.

The webcast explores examples such as extracting value from data, ensuring consistent, high-performance, reliable, and secure service delivery, and streamlining processes with automation and zero-touch deployment. Attendees gain an understanding of edge challenges, the benefits of distributed computing, and how SUSE Edge offers comprehensive solutions for modern enterprises.

The evolving edge: more than just a supplement

Edge computing has evolved from playing a helpful supporting role to becoming a central driver of digital transformation. Organizations are no longer viewing edge as simply an extension of cloud infrastructure – it’s becoming the foundation for real-time operations, autonomous decision-making and competitive differentiation.

Key drivers fueling this evolution include the need for control over data, real-time performance requirements, reduced latency demands and significant cost reduction opportunities. SUSE Edge is a purpose-built cloud native edge computing platform for managing the full lifecycle of edge devices at scale, addressing these evolving needs with enterprise-grade capabilities.

This transformation connects directly to the need for modernized, cloud-like infrastructure at the edge. Organizations require consistent platforms that span from core to cloud to edge, eliminating the complexity of managing disparate systems across their distributed environments.

Addressing the “scale” challenge at the edge

The shift in edge deployments presents unprecedented scale challenges. Where organizations once managed single-digit clusters, they now face the complexity of managing thousands of distributed locations. Containerized solutions are expected to become indispensable for remote office/branch office (ROBO) deployments as edge computing takes on a more prominent role in the distributed enterprise.

Cloud native approaches, particularly Kubernetes, are being applied to edge environments to manage this scale and complexity effectively. SUSE Edge utilizes K3s – a CNCF sandbox project that delivers a lightweight Kubernetes distribution fit for resource-constrained and remote-location or IoT devices. This enables “set and forget” deployment models that reduce operational overhead while maintaining enterprise-grade reliability.

The concept of treating each edge location as a separate failure domain becomes crucial for resilience. By designing edge infrastructure with this principle, organizations can ensure that issues at one location don’t cascade across their entire distributed network, maintaining business continuity even in challenging circumstances.

Industries primed for edge transformation

Several key industries discussed in the webcast are experiencing significant benefits from edge technologies, demonstrating the broad applicability of modern edge solutions.

Retail organizations are leveraging edge computing for real-time inventory management, personalized customer experiences and automated checkout systems.

Telecommunications companies are deploying edge infrastructure to support 5G networks, improve connectivity and enable new services that require ultra-low latency. The convergence of telecom and cloud native technologies creates opportunities for innovative service delivery models.

Manufacturing enterprises use edge computing for industrial automation, predictive maintenance and quality control systems. Real-time data processing at the manufacturing edge enables immediate responses to equipment issues and optimization of production processes.

These industries share common requirements: the need for real-time decision-making, reliable connectivity in distributed environments and the ability to process sensitive data locally while maintaining security and compliance standards.

Manage at scale with easy to deploy stack

Realizing the benefits of edge computing requires a comprehensive strategy for handling the challenges of highly distributed networks with thousands of edge nodes and devices. Traditional IT management approaches simply don’t scale to meet these demands.

SUSE Edge is a highly validated, lightweight edge platform that combines the best of open source technologies – Linux and Kubernetes – and enables customers to manage edge applications at scale. The platform provides full lifecycle management capabilities that span the operating system, Kubernetes layer and application tiers.

The solution addresses deployment complexity through zero-touch provisioning capabilities. Organizations can deploy and configure edge infrastructure remotely, reducing the need for on-site technical expertise and minimizing deployment costs. This approach enables rapid scaling across multiple geographical locations while maintaining consistency and security standards.

Automation plays a critical role in managing distributed edge environments. SUSE Edge Suite provides a fully integrated solution that offers cost-efficient, centralized management at scale for unsupervised edge locations, reducing operational complexity and enabling IT teams to focus on strategic initiatives rather than routine maintenance tasks.

Secure the edge with enterprise quality

Delivering solutions that provide robust protection, advanced threat detection and comprehensive data encryption ensures that edge devices and nodes are safeguarded against cyber threats. This maintains the integrity and confidentiality of data even in challenging and remote environments.

Edge security faces unique challenges due to the distributed nature of deployments. Each edge location represents a potential attack vector, requiring comprehensive security measures that don’t compromise performance or operational efficiency. Understanding edge computing security requires a multi-layered approach that addresses device-level, network and application security.

SUSE Edge Suite incorporates security seamlessly integrated across the full stack – from applications to Kubernetes to operating systems. This includes secure boot processes, encrypted communication channels and automated security policy enforcement across distributed environments.

The platform provides data center-like security capabilities at the edge, addressing enterprise requirements for compliance and data sovereignty. Organizations can maintain control over sensitive data while benefiting from the performance advantages of local processing.

Bring power of open source to edge

Leveraging flexible, community-driven solutions offers unparalleled innovation and customization capabilities that enhance edge devices and nodes. Open source technologies enable faster deployment, easier integration with existing systems and continuous improvement through collaborative development.

SUSE is creating an open source, cloud native solution for full stack edge infrastructure management with three foundations: a lightweight cloud-native edge stack, which is also Kubernetes-ready. This allows organizations the flexibility to adapt solutions to their specific requirements while avoiding vendor lock-in.

The open source advantage extends beyond cost considerations. It provides access to rapidly evolving technologies, extensive community support and the ability to customize solutions for unique edge use cases. Organizations benefit from continuous innovation while maintaining control over their technology stack.

The reason why businesses are turning to edge computing solutions often relates to the flexibility and adaptability that open source technologies provide. They allow organizations to respond quickly to changing business requirements and emerging technologies.

Your next step forward

The intelligent edge represents a crucial component for future-proofing IT infrastructure and unlocking new business value. Organizations that embrace comprehensive edge strategies position themselves to capitalize on emerging opportunities while maintaining operational excellence.

The transformation to edge computing requires more than technology adoption – it demands a strategic approach that considers scalability, security, management complexity and long-term flexibility. 

Watch our webcast now to learn more about expert insights, real-world examples and how SUSE Edge helps organizations deliver consistency, performance, reliability and security at scale.