How do you design secure and scalable edge applications?

Edge computing is a paradigm that brings computation and data storage closer to the devices and users that need them, reducing latency, bandwidth, and cost. However, it also poses some challenges and opportunities for software developers who want to design secure and scalable edge applications. In this article, you'll explore some of the key aspects of edge computing and how to address them with best practices and tools.

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1 What is edge computing?

Edge computing is a distributed architecture that decentralizes the processing and storage of data from the cloud or the core network to the edge of the network, where the data is generated or consumed by devices, sensors, or users. Edge computing can improve the performance, reliability, and security of applications that require low latency, high bandwidth, or real-time processing, such as IoT, AR/VR, gaming, or streaming. Edge computing can also enable new use cases and business models that leverage the data and insights from the edge devices.

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Dmitri Fedorov

Software Architect | BSc in Engineering, Computer Software
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Edge computing is optimization of cloud computing by processing of data close to this data source. There is nothing more to it.

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2 Why is edge computing challenging?

Edge computing presents a number of challenges for software developers who need to design and deploy applications that run on heterogeneous, dynamic, and resource-constrained edge devices and platforms. Security is a major concern, as edge devices and networks are more exposed to cyberattacks, physical tampering, and data breaches than centralized systems. Developers must ensure that data and code are encrypted, authenticated, and protected from unauthorized access or modification. Additionally, applications must be able to handle variable and unpredictable workloads, traffic, and data volumes, as well as scale up and down, balance the load, and recover from faults. Compatibility is also an issue, as edge devices and platforms have different capabilities, standards, and protocols, which can affect the interoperability and performance of applications. Finally, applications must be able to be deployed, configured, and maintained efficiently and securely, despite network latency, bandwidth, and availability.

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Dmitri Fedorov

Software Architect | BSc in Engineering, Computer Software
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The biggest challenge is a limitations of hardware resources available at the edge. Everything else (scalability, compatibility etc.) is not different from cloud computing.

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3 How to design secure and scalable edge applications?

Software developers need to adopt best practices and tools to design secure and scalable edge applications. Edge-native frameworks and platforms, such as AWS IoT Greengrass, Azure IoT Edge, and EdgeX Foundry, can simplify and accelerate the development, deployment, and management of edge applications. Microservices and containers, like Docker, Kubernetes, and Istio, enable the modularization, isolation, and portability of applications. Edge-cloud collaboration, which leverages the complementary strengths of edge and cloud computing, allows developers to distribute the computation and storage of data and logic between the edge and the cloud. Examples of edge-cloud collaboration tools are AWS Lambda, Azure Functions, and Google Cloud Functions. (This section has been updated by LinkedIn editors based on member feedback.)

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Alan Griffiths

Staff Software Engineer
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Another platform for developing Edge and IoT applications is Ubuntu Core: a secure embedded Linux with reliable, atomic updates for both the system and applications.

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Dmitri Fedorov

Software Architect | BSc in Engineering, Computer Software
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Google Cloud IoT Core has nothing to do with edge applications and is being killed by Google. "Edge-cloud collaboration" IDK what that it. You listed cloud FaaS services there, yes, they can be used to implement edge applications, but they are not unique in this way and needs to be aware of the edge platform, so this is implementation details.

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4 What are the benefits and opportunities of edge computing?

Edge computing can offer many benefits and opportunities for software developers and businesses, such as improved user experience with reduced latency, jitter, and bandwidth consumption, as well as enhanced data privacy and security. It can also increase operational efficiency and cost savings, while unlocking new sources of data and insights from the edge devices and users. This can enable new use cases and business models, such as edge analytics, edge AI, edge monetization, and edge as a service, resulting in more immersive and engaging experiences, such as AR/VR, gaming, and streaming.

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How do you design secure and scalable edge applications?

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1 What is edge computing?

2 Why is edge computing challenging?

3 How to design secure and scalable edge applications?

4 What are the benefits and opportunities of edge computing?

Software Development

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How do you design secure and scalable edge applications?

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1 What is edge computing?

2 Why is edge computing challenging?

3 How to design secure and scalable edge applications?

4 What are the benefits and opportunities of edge computing?

Software Development

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