Cloud-Out or IoT-In? either way, we meet at the edge

The cloud-out strategy is common in enterprises realizing that a subset of their applications run better at the on-prem edge to ensure applications run continuously despite infrastructure connectivity issues. This strategy addresses an inherent limitation in cloud-first approaches that are exposed to any irregularities or faults in the infrastructure between the edge and the centralized cloud data centers.

The IoT-in strategy is evident in enterprises wanting to move away from the stove-pipe nature of legacy IoT deployments where applications and data are locked into proprietary solutions. This strategy aims to integrate IoT applications and data with cloud services to boost functionality and enable rapid feature rollouts, tackling the challenge of slow innovation in historically embedded systems.

By understanding these strategies and their commonalities, organizations can better navigate the complexities of modern IT environments and achieve their operational goals.

Observations from cloud-out use cases

In IT infrastructure, the cloud-out approach is becoming a common go-to strategy for many organizations. Years of experience with a cloud-first approach has proven that certain types of business critical applications suffer from being exposed to strictly relying on always-on connectivity between the physical edge environment, and the data center where the applications are hosted. This is in many cases unacceptable due to the shifting nature of the infrastructure in the path between the edge and the cloud.

This cloud-out approach ensures that applications continue to run uninterrupted, even when connectivity issues arise by moving critical application components to the on-premise edge. By distributing workloads across multiple environments, including on-premises and cloud, organizations can ensure that their applications remain accessible and functional at all times.

Letting go of cloud-first strategies

Despite the advantages, transitioning to a cloud-out strategy presents several obstacles. Over the past decade, many organizations have adopted a cloud-first approach, prioritizing cloud deployments for their scalability and flexibility. However, this strategy often falls short in delivering the required level of operational excellence. Cloud-first infrastructures can be vulnerable to connectivity issues, leading to potential disruptions in service.

Top three feature wishlist

Here are the top three features to have on the edge platform wishlist if you identify that your company is pursuing a cloud-out strategy.

• The first is support for autonomous applications. Autonomous applications can operate independently, making real-time decisions based on the current environment. This capability is essential for maintaining application performance during connectivity issues, as it reduces dependency on centralized control.
• The second is deep multi-tenancy features. Multi-tenancy allows multiple users or organizations to share the same application instance while keeping their data and configurations isolated. Deep multi-tenancy features enhance resource utilization, improve security, and ensure that applications can efficiently serve multiple clients without interference.
• The third is CI/CD integrations. Continuous Integration and Continuous Deployment (CI/CD) pipelines are critical for automating application updates and ensuring rapid delivery of new features. Integrations with CI/CD tools streamline the deployment process, reduce manual interventions, and enhance the agility of cloud-out applications.

Observations from IoT-in use cases

The IoT-in approach focuses on integrating IoT devices with cloud services to enhance functionality and scalability. This methodology addresses the need for rapid feature rollouts and efficient device management, crucial in the fast-paced IoT ecosystem.

The primary driver for IoT-in is the necessity to deploy new features quickly. The IoT market demands continuous innovation and improvement to stay competitive. Rapid rollout capabilities enable organizations to meet customer expectations and maintain their market position.

The origin: Time to open up embedded systems

Many traditional IoT platforms are built on fully embedded systems, which are inherently slow to innovate. These systems often struggle to meet Service Level Agreements (SLAs) and leverage cloud investments effectively. The rigidity of embedded systems hampers the agility required for frequent updates and rapid feature rollouts.

Top three feature wishlist

Here are the top three features to have on the edge platform wishlist if you identify that your company is pursuing a IoT-in strategy.

1. CI/CD integrations: Similar to cloud-out use cases, CI/CD integrations are vital for automating updates and ensuring swift deployment of new features. This capability is particularly important for IoT devices, where manual updates are impractical.
2. Remote, OTA application and OS updates: Over-the-Air (OTA) updates allow organizations to remotely update the software and operating systems of IoT devices. This feature is essential for maintaining the security and functionality of a distributed network of devices.
3. Comprehensive day-2 operations features: Day-2 operations involve the ongoing management and maintenance of deployed systems. Comprehensive Dday-2 features ensure that IoT devices continue to operate efficiently after deployment, addressing issues such as monitoring, troubleshooting, and performance optimization.

Commonalities

Despite their differences, cloud-out and IoT-in use cases share several commonalities. Both approaches benefit from separating application concerns, allowing different teams to focus on specific aspects without interference. This separation enhances the efficiency and effectiveness of development and operations.

Utilizing existing tools and technologies reduces the learning curve and accelerates implementation. Both strategies emphasize the importance of integrating with established tools to streamline processes.

Rapid innovation is a key goal for both cloud-out and IoT-in use cases. By adopting these strategies, organizations can enhance their agility, quickly respond to market demands, and stay ahead of the competition.

In conclusion, while the cloud-out and IoT-in strategies address different challenges, they converge on the need for robust, autonomous operations, efficient resource management, and rapid innovation.

By taking on the kind structured approach I lay out here, enterprise decision makers can prioritize and proactively avoid well-known challenges and develop resilient, agile and cost-efficient solutions to meet their needs.

About the author

Carl Moberg is the CTO and co-founder of Avassa. Moberg has spent many years solving for automation and orchestration, starting with building customer service platforms for ISPs back when people used dial-up for their online activities. He then moved on to focus on making multi-vendor networks programmable through model-driven architectures.

DISCLAIMER: Guest posts are submitted content. The views expressed in this post are that of the author, and don’t necessarily reflect the views of Edge Industry Review (EdgeIR.com).

Article Topics

Avassa  |  cloud  |  edge computing  |  IoT