
Date published
04 Feb 2025
Author
Iceotope
Key highlights:
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Capturing data at the extreme or rugged edge in hostile environments and sending it back to the cloud can be painfully slow and expensive. Data needs to be captured and analyzed on-site.
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Processing data at the extreme edge reduces the amount of traffic on networks, delivers onsite analytics and enables faster decision-making.
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KUL EXTREME is a fully integrated, standardized solution for the extreme edge. It offers greater sustainability, energy efficiency and serviceability.
Extreme edge computing – or rugged edge computing – enables organizations to extend and expand the possibilities of advanced data analytics to remote corners of the planet (and even beyond). Here we’ll look at the role of rugged edge computing, and when to use edge computing, and how data center solutions can cope with the most demanding of workloads.
Understanding the rugged edge
From AI to high-performance computing (HPC), the demand for processing vast amounts of data at the edge is growing fast. Edge computing is all around us - smartphones, for example, are edge devices, and there are 4.3 billion of them in use worldwide.
As AI and machine learning evolve, more organizations are choosing to process data where it’s generated. This approach offers several key benefits:
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Reducing latency issues associated with sending data back to the core for processing
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Delivering onsite analytics for faster decision-making
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Enhancing security by reducing the amount of sensitive data sent over networks
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Increasing response times
When to use edge computing
But some organizations are taking it even further and operating at the rugged edge. This includes:
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The oil and gas industry analyzing oil rig data onsite to make decisions in real-time
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Underwater image processing to track minute organisms in the ocean
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On-board data processing in NASA satellites in space
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Processing data at a military outpost in the desert or jungle
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Telecommunication companies maintaining and processing data at remote cell phone towers in rugged and harsh environments, ensuring reliable connectivity in remote or extreme conditions.
In these situations, capturing data at the extreme edge then sending it back to the cloud can be painfully slow or expensive. Data needs to be captured and analyzed on-site, for real-time decision making.
Extreme edge data center solutions – how to implement edge computing
Processing data at the extreme edge reduces the amount of traffic on networks, delivers onsite analytics and enables faster decision-making. But the technology has to be able to withstand harsh conditions too.
There’s the shock and vibration that equipment needs to withstand when transported. And there are often intense temperatures, wind, water and dust to deal with in situ. Protection from this is essential to ensure a unit won’t be damaged once in place.
Zero-touch computing for extreme edge locations
At Iceotope, our highly ruggedized micro data center solution – KUL EXTREME – distributes enterprise-grade compute to hostile, harsh and extreme edge locations.
First, it provides zero-touch operation with advanced Out of Band Management which means the entire system can be controlled remotely.
Secondly, it offers up to 3.5kW of heat rejection, making it ultra-efficient in even the most hostile of environments. The design of the chassis and cooling systems negate the need for fans which can be problematic in extreme and remote locations.
Specifically, it uses Precision Liquid Cooling to target components directly to capture the generated heat. This reduces the energy used, but also boosts the performance of high-density workloads.
Liquid cooling targets the hottest components directly, capturing all the generated heat. This approach not only reduces data center energy usage, but also boosts the performance of high-density workloads like AI and HPC applications.
The modular design of KUL EXTREME also means it’s highly configurable to enable rapid scalability across all types of deployments including a ruggedized solution for the far edge. Each unit can be dropped into place at any location. It brings data-center class compute to the extreme far edge, whilst offering a sustainable and energy-efficient solution at the same time.
Developed with rugged edge requirements in mind and to handle the most demanding of workloads in the most extreme environments, KUL EXTREME is a fully integrated, standardized solution for the extreme edge. It offers greater sustainability, energy efficiency and serviceability to drive innovation forward in remote locations across the globe.