Matt Trifiro on the state of Edge computing
The View from the Edge
We talk with Matt Trifiro, one of the publishers of the State of the Edge report, on the nature of Edge computing and how it is changing IT.
LM: "Edge computing" is a term with many definitions. What does Edge mean to you and why is your definition more relevant than others?
Matt Trifiro: For the first State of the Edge in 2018, we identified a need to present a framework in which the industry could have productive discussions around Edge. One of the big challenges at the time (and, to some extent even today), is the proliferation of definitions for "Edge." If you look closely, most Edge definitions are driven by a vendor or pundit's self interest, using language as an attempt to differentiate their products or points-of-view rather than as a way to bring the industry together. For example, what is the "telco Edge"? Or, what is the "IoT Edge"?
We approached the problem like lexicographers and surveyed the market. We realized, of course, that there are lots of Edges, but we also realized we had an opportunity to create clarity and offer a framework that could be independent of any particular vendor's business. Our framework has three principles:
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