In the realm of IT infrastructure, the tides are constantly shifting. The recent white paper from Structure Research, titled “The Cloud Infrastructure Ecosystem,” offers a keen look into the transformative impact of hyperscale public clouds like AWS, Azure, and Google on the infrastructure services market. However, this trend isn’t evolving in isolation. There’s a parallel narrative taking place in the world of edge computing that, when viewed alongside the findings of the white paper, offers a comprehensive outlook on the future of IT infrastructure.

Cloud Infrastructure and the IT Market

The Structure Research white paper comprehensively charts the rise of the public cloud and its influence on service providers. It highlights how service providers are being pressured to adopt an asset-light model, building their services on top of these vast public clouds. There has been a shift from the early stages of managed services towards a later emphasis on specialization.

The white paper also uncovers the distinct characteristics of these service providers, noting their preference for open-source technology, the restructured use of third-party solutions, and a tendency to develop in-house technologies. These insights can help vendors shape their strategies to serve this evolving market effectively.

The Emergence of Edge Computing

Meanwhile, edge computing has emerged as a compelling narrative in the IT world. This technology paradigm pushes computation and data storage closer to the location where it’s needed, improving response times and saving bandwidth. It’s a reaction to the ever-increasing amounts of data produced by IoT devices, and the need for faster processing and analysis of this data.

The Intersection of Cloud and Edge

So, where do these two trends intersect? The public cloud’s dominance, as outlined in the Structure Research white paper, provides the backbone upon which edge computing can thrive. The shift towards an asset-light model allows for more resources to be devoted to the development and deployment of edge computing solutions.

At the same time, the white paper’s noted trend of service providers developing in-house technologies may be driven in part by the rise of edge computing. The unique demands of edge – including the need for low latency, robust security, and localized data processing – may necessitate bespoke solutions that wouldn’t be required in a traditional cloud context.

Furthermore, the white paper’s emphasis on the importance of vendors enabling profit generation through value-added services or better margins dovetails nicely with the opportunities provided by edge computing. Edge solutions often provide added value due to their ability to deliver faster data processing and decision-making capabilities, and this could serve as a new area of focus for service providers looking to differentiate themselves in a crowded market.

In conclusion, the rise of the public cloud and the emergence of edge computing are two intertwined narratives shaping the future of the IT infrastructure market. The insights provided by Structure Research’s white paper, viewed in conjunction with the trends in edge computing, offer a comprehensive guide for vendors, investors, and service providers looking to navigate this dynamic landscape.

This comprehensive blueprint for vendors, investors, and service providers can be found on the infra/STRUCTURE event website. Structure Research invites experts and executives from around the globe to its two-day exclusive infraSTRUCTURE summit to discuss these ideas in depth on October 4-5, 2023.

For more information on infra/STRUCTURE Summit, visit https://www.infrastructuresummit.io/.

For more information on Structure Research, visit www.structureresearch.io