Frost & Sullivan selected Smart Edge's multiaccess edge computing platform as its 2019 North American Technology Innovation Award winner.
The MEC platform optimizes the way in which enterprises offer differentiated services—such as high-priority content and applications—in unique and challenging edge environments. This capability is vital because applications increasingly need to support real time use cases, and this isn’t viable if the heavy lifting must be done in a distant data center. Efficient ways must be found to support apps near where they will be used.
Frost & Sullivan calls Smart Edge’s MEC Controller and MEC Appliance "important tools for offering enterprises real-time insights about their applications at the edge, while minimizing latency issues and controlling network bandwidth." Frost & Sullivan Research Analyst Naga Avinash said it makes computations, storage and networking capabilities available on-premise or across the enterprise. The MEC computing model "decentralizes the network and helps any enterprise or mobile operator place a cloud at the network edge, closer to the customer," said Avinash.
The platform is built on commercial off the shelf (COTS) hardware and, by transferring tasks to the edge, reduces requirements—and associated costs—of energy-intensive centralized data centers. The hardware has a footprint of less than 18 inches, enabling it to fit in a classic rack or act as a standalone unit. The MEC Appliance can host virtualized network functions, enterprise services, accommodate CDN providers or add CDN intelligence to cached and distributed content. The MEC Controller supports applications and networking and simplifies integration with 3GPP CUPS and gateway functionality, according to Frost & Sullivan. Security is provided by Intel QuickAssist.
Smart Edge’s MEC servers can support applications such as retail marketing and operations, IoT, connected vehicles and augmented reality games.