Ahead of the Edge Computing Expo in London on November 30 and December 1, Edge Computing News caught up with Ann Keefe of Kingston Technology to discuss innovations in edge, customer use cases and demands, and convergence of technologies such as 5G in enabling the edge stack.
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Can you introduce yourself, your role at Kingston Technology and give a short overview of what Kingston does?
My name is Ann Keefe and I am Regional Director for UK & Ireland at Kingston Technology. I have been at Kingston for 27 years and in my current role since 2000.
Kingston Technology is a global technology company that specialises in manufacturing memory and storage solutions such as memory modules, solid-state drives (SSDs), USB drives, and SD cards, catering to both consumer and enterprise markets. Our products are key components in PCs, servers, data centres, and various electronic devices enhancing performance and data storage capabilities and are renowned for their high quality and reliability.
What is Kingston doing with regard to the edge computing space and where does the company see and position itself, given its longstanding experience across servers, data centre, and others?
We are actively expanding our presence in the edge computing space by enabling edge computing solutions with memory and storage solutions while leveraging our extensive experience in the server, data centre and other technology sectors.
Our focus is on developing reliable, high-performance memory and storage products to address the growing demand for edge computing solutions in various industries including IoT, AI, and telecommunications. Kingston is considered a trusted partner for businesses seeking components for edge computing solutions thanks to our long-standing expertise in the technology sector. We are committed to delivering reliable components that enhance data processing capabilities, reduce latency, and improve overall system performance.
How is data centre technology evolving to meet the challenges of edge use cases?
Edge data centres play a decisive role in today’s IT infrastructure, solving an essential connectivity problem: they have made it possible to bring the user closer to the processing network, thus enabling fast browsing, ensuring low latency and effectively responding to the challenge of centralising data – one of the critical issues inherent in the digital evolution.
The fact that all data has always, historically, been in a ‘central data centre’ has brought with it two consequences: firstly, it requires a considerable amount of bandwidth; secondly, latency, i.e. the time it takes for data to reach the user cannot be low enough to handle certain applications efficiently. All this contrasts with the second challenge of digitisation, namely the exponential increase in the volume of data generated and exchanged.
What are customers saying that they need in terms of evolving their IT estates and how can edge help enable that?
As the demand for real-time data processing and low-latency applications continues to increase, edge computing has started to be considered as an innovative technology capable of meeting these challenges. It brings computing and data storage closer to the source of data generation thus enabling faster decision-making, reduced network congestion and enhanced security. At Kingston Technology we support edge computing by offering our customers a diverse portfolio of memory and storage solutions designed for edge environments, helping businesses address industry-specific challenges.
Businesses today must have the right tools to meet the diverse needs of edge applications in order to handle large amounts of data with ease. For example, one of Kingston Technology’s main contributions to edge computing lies in high-performance solid-state drives (SSDs). These SSDs offer exceptional speed, reliability and endurance, enabling seamless processing and storage of data at the edge. The use of such solutions optimises data transfer speed, improves overall system responsiveness, and ensures continuous operation in demanding edge environments. What does the future hold? To meet these challenges, data centre technology must continue to evolve: we must look for optimised storage capacity, implement faster servers, and ensure widespread use of hardware encryption and increasingly effective compression.
Kingston put together an eBook outlining how the emergence of 5G and edge computing will drive further data centre growth. What are the key emerging technologies which need to dovetail and converge in order to create the best use cases for edge and why (5G, AI etc.)?
In our eBook, we highlight the important role of emerging technologies in shaping the future of edge computing and data centre growth. The convergence of 5G and AI is a key driver, as these technologies empower real-time data processing, enabling applications like autonomous vehicles and remote healthcare. Kingston’s memory and SSD solutions play a pivotal role by providing the fast and reliable storage and memory required for seamless data handling and processing at the edge. By staying at the forefront of these advancements, Kingston positions itself to enable and support the most demanding use cases for edge computing, helping businesses harness the full potential of 5G and AI in a rapidly evolving digital landscape.
What are the primary challenges with regard to the rollout of edge solutions right now and how can they be remedied?
The rollout of edge solutions faces several challenges, primarily in terms of data storage, processing speed, and reliability. Kingston’s memory and SSD products address these challenges by providing high-performance storage solutions for edge devices. Memory and SSDs help alleviate data bottlenecks, reducing latency and ensuring quick, reliable data access. This ensures that edge devices can handle the demands of real-time applications efficiently. By offering memory and SSD options, Kingston plays a vital role in remedying the primary challenges associated with edge solution rollout.
What is Kingston Technology going to be doing at Edge Computing Expo? What do you expect the key topics of conversation to be and what do you want attendees to learn at the event?
At the Edge Computing Expo, Kingston Technology is set to showcase our DDR5 RDIMM and enterprise SSDs in partnership with ASUS and QNAP within their edge computing solutions. The key topics of conversation are likely to revolve around the role of memory and SSD technology in enabling high-performance edge solutions, the integration of 5G and AI in edge deployments, and the importance of data security and reliability at the edge. We aim to educate attendees on how our products and expertise can enhance the capabilities of edge devices, reduce latency, and ensure seamless data processing. We also hope to highlight that we are more than a part, we are a partner – and how Kingston can be a trusted partner in this exciting edge computing journey through our value-add services and support such as Ask an Expert.
As we approach 2024, what can we expect in the coming year both from Kingston as well as trends and innovations in the wider edge computing and data centre realms?
In 2024, we will continue to ensure the delivery of reliable, high-performance memory and storage solutions to our partners with the aim to maintain our reputation as trusted advisors and the go to choice for their business needs. In the wider landscape, we can expect edge computing to further proliferate across industries, driven by the convergence of 5G, AI, and IoT technologies. The adoption of edge solutions is likely to accelerate, facilitating real-time data processing, autonomous systems, and enhancing user experiences. Kingston’s role will be pivotal in providing the memory and storage solutions necessary to support these trends, making us a key player in the evolving edge computing and data centre realms.
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