Did you realize that by the year 2020, over 80 percent of small businesses will use the cloud to manage their workload? Modern business owners understand that in order to stay competitive, they need to embrace the latest technology on the market. This is why there is has been such a noticeable shift to cloud-based computing over the past decade, and a solid Internet of Things platform is a huge part of that shift.
Finding ways to optimize cloud performance is something you should be passionate about as a business owner. With the right tools and application performance management software, you should have no problem keeping yourself and your employees productive. You can find out more about the power of application performance management software by reading what is application performance management? 10 APM features.
For years, business owners and app developers have used a decentralized computing infrastructure referred to as “fog computing”. The main goal of this infrastructure is to make cloud computing more efficient and less strenuous on servers. An Internet of Things platform is a crucial ingredient in this infrastructure.
The following are some of the things you need to know about fog computing and how it can be used.
What Can Fog Computing Do For Your Business?
One of the main things you probably want to know about fog computing is what it can do for your business. In essence, this infrastructure can help to reduce the amount of data your cloud-based programs and applications have to process. Often times, businesses will use fogging as a way to improve security and to follow certain compliance guidelines for their industry.
When using a fog environment, you can ensure that the processing taking place happens in the data hub on a smart device. This processing can even take place in a gateway or on a smart router. You need to also realize that fog computing is made to complement cloud computing and not replace it. If you are in need of speeding up the processing of longer-term analytics or resource-intensive transactions, then fog computing may be a great fit for your company.
Fog Computing and the Internet of Things Platform
Many businesses, tech entrepreneurs and developers use an Internet of Things platform when trying to create programs that both send and receive data. The biggest drawback to using IoT is that cloud computing is not really a viable option. This is why many tech enthusiasts use fog computing as a substitute when using IoT.
With the help of fog computing, an Internet of Things platform is able to operate without wasting bandwidth and other vital resources. Fog computing can also reduce the amount of back and forth communication between various sensors and the cloud. The more back-and-forth communication an IoT application experiences, the slower it will inevitably become.
If the sensors being used in things like gaming applications are not responsive, it can lead to users getting frustrated and uninstalling these apps. With the use of fog computing, you will be able to avoid slow computing times and keep your applications running smoothly. Leading hardware manufacturers like Dell and Intel use fog computing and IoT analytics to optimize the routers and gateways they provide to the general public.
The Difference Between Fog Computing and Edge Computing
Some people use fog computing and edge computing as interchangeable terms. While both of these disciplines involve speeding up cloud computing, there are a number of differences.
With a fog computing environment, the intelligence used is at the local area network level. Any data transmitted from the endpoints to a gateway will have to go through this local network. Once the information enters this gateway, it will be transmitted to various cloud sources for processing.
An edge computing environment uses programmable automation controllers to do this collecting and data transmission. While both of these environments can help to reduce the strain on cloud-based servers, most developers prefer using fog computing due to its simplistic design and easy implementation.
The Pros and Cons of Using Fog Computing
Now that you know more about what fog computing is designed to do, we can move on to the pros and cons of using it. The biggest advantage that comes with using fog computing is that it reduces the amount of data you send through the cloud. A disadvantage of using this type of computing is the need for a local network.
This means you will not be able to enjoy the “anytime, anywhere” benefit that cloud computing provides. However, the amount of bandwidth you can save and the increase in system response times make fog computing a great idea for any small business.
If you are intimidated by implementing new technology, working with IT professionals is a good idea. With their help, you can take full advantage of both cloud and fog computing tools. Allowing IT professionals to set up these new tools will help you avoid costly mistakes that may slow down your network significantly.
Bridgera’s Approach to IoT
There’s no such thing as the “best IoT platform”. Much like a hammer or a screwdriver, an Internet of Things platform is be suited for a specific task or need. Bridgera’s IoT platform, Bridgera IoT, was developed to provide a framework for remote monitoring applications that can be adapted for evolving markets such as industrial equipment, digital health, and personal security. For more information on Bridgera IoT or Bridgera Monitoring, visit our website.
