Artificial Intelligence, Digital Modernization, 5G 4 MIN Read
October 8th, 2021
OUR CAPABILITIES
As every home office has become “the edge” – where workers need to be productive from wherever they are on multiple devices – having an edge mindset as IT leaders is more important than ever. While all edge capabilities rely on the same foundational components, the identification of specific technologies and solutions must be tied to user needs to be successful edge initiatives that empower the workplace of the future.
In the simplest terms, “edge computing” means to perform computations and to store data close to its source. Think about self-driving cars: the vehicle can make decisions (computations) based on real-time data it is gathering (and storing) about road conditions, the movement of other vehicles or unexpected objects that cross its path (right at the source).
In edge computing environments, like in self-driving cars, data is being generated, acted upon, and stored all in the same place. It’s happening outside of massive enterprise architectures or data centers. The same is true for many of the intelligent devices that comprise smart cities, the connected devices in our homes or even autonomous devices used on the battlefield.
Edge computing works when there is the appropriate level of connectivity and security integrated through a zero-trust architecture; when hardware and devices are managed properly; when the right applications and services are available; and when there is a stable supply chain of the required software and component parts.
In spring 2020, it became imperative that government agencies and contractors in particular enabled “work from anywhere” capabilities. National security, funding for federal programs, and the continuity of government operations depended on it.
At the same time, and for many years prior, rapid advancements in technologies like 5G and artificial intelligence were changing how – and how efficiently – we work. They were also changing where we do our work, and they continue to do so. These technologies and others like them are giving agencies the ability to deliver on their missions in completely new ways.
GDIT takes an intentional and thoughtful approach to providing edge capabilities in support of the new workplace reality. It starts with documenting a user’s needs and use cases, and centers on five foundational components. They are: