Buyer’s Guide to Edge Computing Platforms
What Is Edge Computing?
Edge computing is a distributed computing model that processes data closer to where it’s created, typically in remote or field locations, rather than sending all of the data back to a centralized data center or the cloud. By positioning computing resources at the “edge” of the network, organizations can analyze and act upon the data locally, thereby reducing latency and bandwidth usage while simultaneously improving response times and operational reliability. For more information and to learn the difference between edge computing and cloud computing, see https://zededa.com/glossary/edge-computing/
How Do You Know You Need an Edge Computing Platform?
“Edge computing requires platforms that enable edge-native workloads, provide zero-touch management and integrate between the cloud and the edge. I&O leaders should choose edge computing platforms that are extensible for new and evolving workloads — including edge AI.”
GARTNER
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Common Organizational Signals
Organizations typically begin to recognize the need for an edge computing platform once they begin operations in more physically distributed environments and start facing challenges with their current infrastructure and operations. If your business is experiencing any of these signs, it may be time to start exploring edge computing solutions:
- High latency or unreliable connectivity affecting critical operations.
- Legacy IT/OT systems are struggling to keep pace with data growth.
- Increasing security concerns due to a geographically distributed infrastructure.
- Distributed processing, data gravity moving closer to the edge.
- Local data processing requirements, local AI/real-time decision making requirements.
Example Use Cases Across Industries
Several industries have emerged as early adopters of edge computing, driven by the organizational signals mentioned above. These sectors face unique challenges that traditional centralized computing struggles to address, from latency-sensitive operations and bandwidth constraints, to the need for local data processing and improved security across distributed locations.
Here’s how leading sectors are benefiting from edge solutions:
Key Features of an Edge Computing Platform
Baseline Requirements
When evaluating edge computing platforms, certain capabilities are essential for success, these baseline requirements represent the fundamental elements that any enterprise-grade edge solution must deliver. These core capabilities form the foundation of a successful edge deployment and without them, organizations risk security vulnerabilities, integration challenges, and scaling limitations that can undermine the entire edge strategy. A strong edge platform must excel in these foundational areas while offering advanced features that address your specific industry needs:
- Security and Compliance: A robust edge computing platform must provide end-to-end encryption both at rest and in flight with a hardware root of trust. It should implement zero-trust architecture principles and adhere to relevant industry standards, with strong role-based access control (RBAC) to protect distributed assets.
- Integration: Your edge platform should offer seamless interoperability with existing IT and OT systems. This integration capability ensures that edge deployments enhance rather than complicate your technology ecosystem.
- Visibility and Control: A centralized management console for monitoring and troubleshooting edge deployments is crucial. This single-pane-of-glass approach helps maintain oversight of distributed resources and quickly resolve issues when they arise.
- Open Platform: To avoid vendor lock-in, prioritize platforms that are compatible across ecosystems and support diverse partners. An open platform approach ensures long-term flexibility and access to best-of-breed solutions as your needs evolve.
- Scalable Architecture: Your edge solution should grow with your business, scaling from a few devices to thousands across regions without performance bottlenecks. This ensures your edge investment remains valuable as your strategy matures.
- Lifecycle Management: Look for platforms that offer remote automated software deployment, updates, and policy enforcement across distributed edge nodes. This automation reduces management overhead and ensures consistency across your edge environment.
Advanced Capabilities and Future Proofing
Beyond the essential baseline requirements listed earlier, leading edge computing platforms should offer advanced capabilities that unlock transformative business value and future-proof your investment. These sophisticated features elevate edge solutions from basic infrastructure to strategic enablers of innovation and competitive advantage. Selecting a platform with these forward-looking capabilities ensures your edge deployment remains relevant and adaptable as technology evolves, protecting your investment against obsolescence. While not every deployment will require all advanced capabilities immediately, having these options available allows your edge strategy to scale and expand without needing to replace your underlying platform:
- AI/ML Readiness: As artificial intelligence becomes increasingly important, your edge platform should support AI model deployment, training, and updating at the edge to enable advanced analytics, and real-time processing. This capability turns data into actionable insights where and when you need them.
- Managed Kubernetes: A robust edge platform should provide simplified deployment and management of Kubernetes clusters at the edge. This enables containerized application orchestration with enterprise-grade reliability, even in resource-constrained or remote environments.
- High Availability: A robust edge platform should ensure continuous operation of critical applications through automatic failover mechanisms and redundant configurations. These features detect and respond to potential failures before they impact operations, maintaining service availability during hardware failures, network disruptions, or maintenance activities. Look for configurable resilience options that balance availability requirements with resource constraints across different edge deployment scenarios.
- Air Gapped and Intermittent Connectivity Support: Leading edge platforms function effectively in environments with limited or no internet connectivity. This capability is essential for remote sites, transportation and shipping systems, and secure facilities. The platform should maintain local operations during disconnected periods with intelligent synchronization when connectivity returns, while providing secure methods for updates and policy changes that preserve security in fully air-gapped environments.
Evaluating and Comparing Edge Solutions
When considering an edge computing solution, organizations face a fundamental choice between architecting and designing their own customer solution or purchasing from an established edge computing platform vendor. Each approach has distinct advantages and challenges.
Build vs. Buy Considerations
Pros | Cons | |
In-House (DIY) | Greater control and customization potential, deeper integration with in-house systems. | High resource demands, slow time to market, need for in-house resources and expertise, large upfront costs, potential skill gaps. |
Vendor-Supported | Faster deployment, reduced risk, well-tested solution, ongoing vendor support, industry expertise. | Potential for vendor lock-in, less control of product features, reliance on vendor roadmap. |
Selecting a Vendor
When evaluating potential edge computing platform vendors, consider their security posture and track record in securing distributed environments. The platform’s scalability and flexibility are also crucial, it should accommodate varied workloads including modern containers, legacy operating systems, virtual machines, and Kubernetes deployments.
Ease of deployment is another key factor, with the best vendors offering simplified zero-touch rollouts, demos, and proof-of-concept trials to validate solutions in your environment. Look for proven success through customer stories, use cases, industry group participation, and favorable analyst reports.
The vendor’s interoperability with a large ecosystem of partners, solutions, and hardware vendors ensures you maintain flexibility. Similarly, support for industry and security compliance standards helps avoid regulatory issues. Finally, prioritize vendors who offer hands-on demos and POCs, allowing you to measure real-world performance before making a commitment.
Vendor Checklist
- Security Posture: Proven track record in securing distributed environments.
- Scalability and Flexibility: Accommodates varied workloads (Modern containers, legacy OS, VMs, K8s) and future growth.
- Ease of Deployment: Zero-touch deployment, updating, and maintenance.
- Ease of Evaluation: Available documentation, demos, and proof-of-concept trials.
- Proven Success: Customer stories, use cases, industry groups, analyst reports, etc.
- Interoperability: Large ecosystem of partners, solutions, and hardware vendors.
- Compliance: Industry and security standards support.
- Demos and POCs: Ability to take part in hands-on trials and measure real world performance.
Cross-Functional Involvement – Who influences/makes decisions
Successful edge computing implementations require coordination across multiple organizational departments, each bringing unique perspectives and requirements to the table. The cross-functional nature of edge deployments means that decisions rarely fall to a single team or individual. Instead, building consensus among key stakeholders from both technical and business units is essential for aligning edge initiatives with broader organizational goals. Understanding these diverse viewpoints and addressing their specific concerns can significantly accelerate adoption and maximize the value of your edge computing investment.
Each of the following organizational roles contribute unique perspectives and apply different criteria when evaluating edge solutions:
- Architects: Evaluate technical feasibility, integration with existing systems and overall company architecture.
- IT and Infrastructure Teams: Focus on reliability, uptime, and integration with existing systems.
- Procurement Teams: Analyze costs, contracts, and return on investment metrics.
- Business Stakeholders: Ensure strategic alignment with overall digital transformation goals to improve outcomes like revenue growth, cost reduction, or improved customer experience.
How to Set Your Organization Up for Success
Implementing edge computing is not an all-or-nothing proposition. The most successful organizations adopt a measured, incremental approach that allows them to validate technology choices, demonstrate business value, and build internal expertise before committing to widespread deployment. This strategic, phased methodology minimizes risk while creating opportunities for continuous learning and optimization. By starting with focused use cases and gradually expanding scope, companies can develop institutional knowledge, refine their edge strategy, and achieve sustainable adoption across the enterprise.
Phased Approach
- Start small with a pilot/POC and scale gradually to mitigate risk and validate technical fit. This is especially important for industries with complex OT/IT integrations.
- Put together a cross functional team whose mission is to build a company-wide edge strategy. Involve executive management, architects, and business stakeholders early to align on goals and reduce organizational friction.
- Many successful organizations develop an internal “Center of Excellence” for edge initiatives, creating a knowledge hub that accelerates adoption and ensures consistency across deployments.
Aligning Teams and Budgets
| Edge computing often bridges the traditionally separate domains of operational technology (OT) and information technology (IT). Involve both teams from the outset to ensure solutions meet technical and operational requirements. |
| Identifying internal champions within key departments helps drive adoption and overcome resistance to change. |
| Identifying external trusted experts from vendors, analysts, and industry organizations helps to validate and reinforce that internal decisions are correct. |
Best Practices
Make sure to establish clear metrics for success before beginning your edge journey. Depending on organizational needs and industry, these may include things like: improving uptime, creating cost savings, improving security posture, decreasing time to market, or refuting labor costs. Define and track the metrics that make sense for your organization. Also, stay up to date on evolving industry regulations and standards to ensure ongoing compliance.
Ongoing Support and Skills
The rapidly evolving nature of edge technologies often surfaces skills gaps within organizations. Seek continuous training opportunities and consider leveraging external expertise when needed. Many successful organizations balance in-house capability building with strategic vendor partnerships to maintain momentum.
Why Choose ZEDEDA?
ZEDEDA offers a comprehensive edge computing platform designed to address the diverse challenges of distributed edge deployments while providing enterprise-grade security, scalability, and simplicity.
Centralized Control and Visibility
ZEDEDA allows you to manage distributed edge devices through a single, intuitive interface. This centralized approach enables secure, zero-touch software deployment, updates, and full lifecycle management across your entire edge infrastructure, regardless of scale or geographic distribution.
Security First
Our zero-trust architecture protects against growing threat vectors with device-level security, full encryption (both at rest and in motion), comprehensive role-based access control, and industry compliance features. Security isn’t just a feature of ZEDEDA, it is foundational to our entire platform.
Scalability and Flexibility
Whether you’re deploying to a handful of locations or thousands of distributed nodes, ZEDEDA scales without sacrificing performance or manageability. Our platform grows with your business, providing consistent cloud-like experiences from initial pilots to global deployments.
Open, Vendor-Neutral Platform
ZEDEDA eliminates vendor lock-in concerns by leveraging open-source standards and supporting integration with best-of-breed solutions. This vendor-neutral approach ensures you maintain control over your edge strategy while benefiting from our platform’s enterprise capabilities.
Real-World Impact
Organizations using ZEDEDA experience shortened time to innovation, improved operational agility, reduced costs, and the freedom to adapt as business needs evolve. Our platform powers some of the largest edge projects in the world across major industries, delivering measurable results in diverse environments.
Next Steps:
- Schedule a demo to see ZEDEDA’s edge platform in action, or request a proof of concept tailored to your unique industry challenges.
