While many companies have spent the last several years moving to the cloud, the pace of technological change has been so rapid that most global IT decision-makers now agree that the cloud itself isn’t enough anymore. In fact, nearly three in four global IT leaders say that their current IT infrastructures are not prepared to support the upcoming increases in users, data volumes, and application performance needs.
Fortunately, the capacity to substantially upgrade an existing IT infrastructure already exists, and well-informed IT leaders are turning to edge cloud computing to move application storage/compute closer to the point of interaction to minimize latency and maximize performance. The result: optimal connectivity, proficiency, and compute efficacy that delivers real value to business. Half of the companies launching edge/fog or cloud computing Internet of things initiatives report significant reductions in downtime, according to a 2019 AutomationWorld survey.
When companies adopt robust cloud platforms with automated workflows, executive teams get unprecedented visibility into operations and can easily move apps and adjust computing power, whether that means spinning up cloud computing capacity or conducting mass software installations across the whole enterprise. The upshot of that ability, according to Andrews, is that companies can boost performance, improve efficiency, and move more nimbly than ever before.
In the near future, this kind of technology will become even more ingrained in the way we work and live. An edge cloud platform can help resolve complexity, but it won’t necessarily be visible or physically tangible. Today, for example, an executive might leverage a cloud portal with keystrokes. But in the not-so-distant future, her computer might automatically make real-time decisions using artificial intelligence (A.I.)—telling Lumen’s platform, for instance, that it needs more capacity to move data between servers, or that more compute is required at a specific plant because it knows the company is hosting a conference there. These kinds of A.I.-generated decisions will “work seamlessly,” Andrews says, which will allow the executive to focus on more mission-critical aspects of her job.
Half of the companies launching edge/fog
Source: 2019 AutomationWorld survey
or cloud computing Internet of things
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Embrace the edge cloud
We’re on the cusp of a new technological era—the Fourth Industrial Revolution, or 4IR—which will likely be the fastest and most substantial digital shift in history. And businesses know how important it is to adapt and keep apace. According to the Global Poll: Impact of the 4th Industrial Revolution by Quadrant Strategies, close to 1,200 information technology decision-makers (ITDMs) believe that recent changes to business operations, ushered in by this new wave of technological innovation, will be responsible for long-term shifts in strategy. So as we look toward 2021, it’s crucial to understand how these leading-edge businesses are changing their DNA to thrive in the exciting years to come.
“Companies are facing an explosion of data, connectivity, and information,” says Shaun Andrews, chief marketing officer and executive vice president at Lumen, an enterprise technology platform for next-gen business applications and data. “Those who are thriving have embraced the fact that they’re a software company, whether they’re in finance, manufacturing, or government. They’ve set up a strategy and fast-tracked the skills and the technology needed to analyze the data and do something with it.”
As in most important areas of business and life, change can be difficult. Most people tend to want to stick with what they know. That’s why the biggest challenge faced by organizations that are taking on a digital transformation is the daunting task of removing the old, familiar technology and replacing it with new systems and ways of doing things—“cleaning house,” as Andrews puts it. The truth is that even when new technology is superior, there tends to be some hesitancy to embrace it, simply because it is unfamiliar.
“The hardest part is dealing with what you have on the ground, and the existing revenues and security blankets of the past,” Andrews explains, “and replacing those silos with microapps delivered through agile application platforms that integrate orchestration, security, infrastructure, and distributed hosting from core cloud to edge to on-prem IT.” Organizations should also keep in mind that building this kind of technology in-house is unlikely, that acquisitions of new IT systems and technologies might be necessary, and partnerships will be vital. But once that all-important partner is in place, teams can go faster, implementing A.I., machine learning, advanced robotics, and more connected devices—all of which can improve efficiency, reduce costs, and allow for more rapid innovation.
Embrace the challenge
Digital transformation can be challenging under the best of conditions, but it is especially difficult in fields like construction and manufacturing, where companies have operated in much the same way for decades. However, it is precisely these kinds of businesses that may benefit the most from the efficiencies enabled by these new technologies. Part of the challenge is that the array of technologies that can potentially be used is dizzying. For instance, a manufacturer that wants to modernize might need to implement a web of technologies that includes radio-frequency identification tags, machine vision technology, robots, A.I., and software that syncs up with supply chains and sales and distribution. But it can be done—if you have a plan in place. And the payoff will be substantial.
Given the complexity of the new tech, and people’s natural hesitancy to embrace significant change, leaders should take a measured, structured approach to implementing these new systems. Rather than, for instance, overhauling entire factories and supplier networks with new software and technology systems all at once, it’s prudent to start with one key problem or potential business opportunity, then employ two or three use cases that address it. After a few months, measure and quantify the success that the changes have brought, and then roll out the systems slowly to other operations. That said, it’s also important to get started right away. Those that lag behind in creating and implementing a new technological vision for their company may soon find themselves three to five years behind the competition.
Collaboration within the organization—and with outside partners who specialize in 4IR technology—will be key to ensuring that a lag doesn’t happen. For manufacturers, that means that groups of people who seldom work closely together—those on the factory floor or in the IT department, for instance—must plan and coordinate new technology upgrades and training. And business leaders must chart a sustained vision for the future and facilitate communication between the various groups involved—and be prepared for the long, often complicated road ahead.
Unlock the necessary vision
The good news is that the Fourth Industrial Revolution has only just begun. As it continues to evolve, it will deliver even more A.I.-powered devices, equipped with lightning-fast connectivity, which will create advanced technological scenarios that would have been impossible just a few years ago. Autonomous cars (and even flying vehicles) will become a reality; advanced robots will conduct delicate surgeries; smart clothing will measure vital bodily stats and alert people of potential health problems before they become too serious. Networked homes, offices, factories, and roads will gather data and make instantaneous decisions for us.
Some aspects of the 4IR may seem daunting, but they also make it an incredibly exciting time to be alive—and doing business. “There is no doubt that the world in the future is going to be enabled by technology,” Andrews says, “and if you’re going to survive, you’re going to need to be a digital company.”
Source: 2019 AutomationWorld survey
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In July 2020, Lumen sponsored the “Global Trend Report: How the 4th Industrial Revolution is Changing IT, Business and the World.” It is based on a Quadrant Strategies online quantitative survey with close to 1,200 senior IT decision-makers, including C-suite executives, from large and midsize organizations in the U.S., U.K., Germany, France, Australia, Argentina, Colombia, Brazil, Singapore, and Japan.
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