Edge Computing – What Business Leaders Should Know About the Next Era
The future of the web is just around the corner. Integrating data into the real world will transform society & technology. Read our guide for business leaders.
Keyword(s): Business Leaders
In 2020, Forrester predicted that 20% of Fortune 500 companies would not survive 2021. According to Forrester’s Vice President and Research Director, Matt Guarani, the ability to apply technology and adapt to new changes in digitalization is what could make or break the future of a company.
In this digital-first world, business leaders are facing new challenges. What does the future hold for businesses? Read on to find out where companies need to focus and invest to be leaders in this new age.
IT Automation
Automation technology is becoming more of an essential and less of an option as time goes on. There is no better way forward than automation for a company that wants to optimize its processes.
What is Automation?
IT automation is using software and systems to create repeatable processes that need little or no human intervention to run. Automation replaces manual work, especially in areas such as data entry, form filling, and cloud deployments.
Why is Automation Important?
In order to keep up with modern & dynamic IT solutions, companies need to be able to scale faster than they have before. Automation is key to making that happen. According to research, companies that have digitalized their business generate 38% higher revenue growth than companies that have not.
It reduces the need for employees to deal with mundane and repetitive processes. It improves productivity, collaboration, and strategy and it ultimately brings greater job satisfaction to employees across the board.
Among the many benefits of automation are:
Cost-Efficient
Automation software is the best solution for both improving customer service and systematically reducing costs.
Save on Resources
Especially when it comes to form-filling. Digital forms save you paper, printing, filing, and storage costs and space.
Employee Satisfaction
People generally don’t respond well to endless repetition. Automation takes care of the mundane processes which frees employees up to spend their work hours in more productive ways.
Save Time
Automation can take resources from production to the final stage in less than a day, rather than in weeks.
Faster operations
Automated vs manual means faster processes and better output.
Fewer Errors
Automated software eliminates the chance of human error for any process, which saves both time and money.
Cybersecurity
According to Hosting Tribunal, hackers:
*Steal records every 75 seconds
*Create over 300,000 new pieces of malware every day
In fact, cybercrime is now even more profitable than the global illegal drugs trade, by a staggering difference of $200 billion (Source: Cybersecurity Ventures).Using antivirus software and firewalls is simply not effective enough anymore. Information security is crucial for business leaders. To ensure proper security, companies need to outsource their cybersecurity needs.
Compliance and cybersecurity are often closely interlinked. When working on your 2021 plan, you need to take regularity mandates into consideration. Here are some of the most common requirements.
Cybersecurity Maturity Model (CMMC)
In 2020, the Department of Defense introduced a new Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification. This is now the unified standard for cybersecurity implementation across the Defense Industrial Base.
Essentially, this is a verification mechanism. It ensures DIB companies implement the practices and processes that protect Federal Contract Information and Controlled Unclassified Information inside their unclassified networks.
State Data Privacy Regulations
Data privacy rules differ from state to state, but cybersecurity is still a priority across all state legislatures. Approximately 300 bills or resolutions dealing with cybersecurity have been introduced or considered across 38 states this year.
Internet of Things (IoT)
Cybersecurity Improvement Act of 2020Connected devices are more a part of our daily lives than ever, and this growth is not expected to stop. However, hackers are taking advantage of this growth. Sensitive information is at risk and in some cases, lives are being put at risk as well.
The act moves to establish minimum security standards for IoT devices. Right now this only applies to IoT devices that are controlled or owned by the government. However, the hope is that manufacturers will adopt the same standards to limit vulnerability in consumers’ devices.
Endpoint Detection and Response (EDR)
Endpoints are computer hardware devices. EDR technology is used as protection against data theft and hacking attempts. It uses a layered and integrated approach to protect endpoints. It records and analyzes data from endpoint devices to detect potential cyber threats and threat patterns.
The software is stored on the end user’s device and is continuously monitored. Endpoint detection and response can block malicious activity and provide the end-user with a preventative list of actions to take when it finds a threat.
Edge Computing
Edge computing has already been put to use in many areas and industries. Put simply, edge computing captures, processes, and analyzes data close to where it is created. Companies employ edge computing to accelerate their growth and transform their businesses.
Some examples of edge computing include:
*Autonomous vehicles
*Smart grids
*In-hospital monitoring of patients
*Cloud gaming
*Smart homes
*Content delivery
*Remote monitoring vRAN (Virtualized Radio Access Network)
*Traffic management
*Predictive maintenance
Over the last year, the use of technology has risen exponentially. This has generated unprecedented amounts of critical business data. Reliance on data is also on the rise – trillions of minutes are processed on video platforms every month.
This data is crucial and needs to be readily available in order to drive innovation and growth of businesses. However, organizations are now facing never-before-seen data processing challenges.
Businesses are now keen to maximize the use of technologies like edge computing, 5g communications, and artificial intelligence. It’s vital that companies understand the infrastructure of these technologies. Edge computing plays an important role, bringing a competitive advantage in a world of digitalization.
Edge computing can transform inspired ideas into a workable reality. Companies now realize that edge computing is integral to applying the innovations of the future.
The Spatial Web
The World Wide Web has taken us to places we could previously never have imagined. With advances in artificial intelligence, virtual reality, and augmented reality, a new trend has been created called The Spatial Web.
What is The Spatial Web?
Much like the World Wide Web links websites, The Spatial Web aims to link people, assets, and spaces. By combining AI, VR/AR, and IoT, we can create a fusion of our physical world and virtual realities.
The Spatial Web is expected to transform every area of life as we now know it. From work and education to advertising and retail, entertainment, social interaction, and how we raise our children..
According to Rich Green of Rich Green Design, The Spatial Web will be “the most important development in the history of technology and change human evolution”. He also predicted that it was only three years away. This prediction, made in 2019, means that The Spatial Web may be a lot closer than we think.
IT Solutions for Business Leaders
Navigating a future of ever-increasing growth and digitalization is a challenging task for companies. With constantly evolving solutions, tools, innovations, and inventions, more and more businesses are starting to outsource their IT needs.
When it’s time to bring in the experts, there’s no better company to handle your IT needs than Bridgehead IT. Our award-winning company provides business and technology services worldwide. We have been in partnerships with companies like Microsoft, Cisco, HP, and Facebook Workplace.
Our comprehensive range of services includes:
*Infrastructure services*Cybersecurity & compliance
*Endpoint detection and response
*App development
*Project management
*Cloud solutions and much more
We simplify IT, which increases your profitability. We provide secure technology infrastructure for businesses of all sizes around the world
To find out what we can do to transform your business and help increase both your productivity and your profit, visit our website.
The Future of the Web, a Summary
With technology ever advancing and digitalization taking over, business leaders need to employ the solutions of the future to stay ahead of the game. This includes automation, advanced cybersecurity, the use of edge computing, and the many possibilities that The Spatial Web presents us with.
Keeping up with solutions is often a job for the experts, who can handle a company’s requirements with a full range of managed services.
We hope you enjoyed reading about the future of the web for business leaders in this article. For comprehensive service and support from the experts, visit our website and see what we can do for you.
According to Forrester’s Vice President and Research Director, Matt Guarani, the ability to apply technology and adapt to new changes in digitalization is what could make or break the future of a company.
