Artificial intelligence (AI), machine learning, deep learning, and the Internet of Things (IoT) are just a few embedded applications that benefit greatly from edge computing. But at this time, the demands of these kinds of applications cannot be met by today's data centers. This is where edge micro-data centers (EMDCs) are useful.
It is possible to design systems with a high degree of autonomy and decision-making capability by bringing intelligence closer to the embedded system, or to the edge. By doing this, centralized systems' typical reliance on the cloud is lessened, which has positive effects on energy efficiency, latency reduction, and cost savings.
Some examples of edge computing's early applications include autonomous vehicles, robotic surgery, augmented reality in manufacturing, and drones. Current data centers (hyperscale, big, and co-location) with "cloud services" are unable to meet the needs of these applications, necessitating the requirement for supplementary edge infrastructure, such as EMDCs and "edge services.
The following criteria must be met by this edge infrastructure, hardware, and edge services:.
high processing speed is necessary to process data as locally as possible (i. e. , on the precipice).
high resilience.
high performance.
One EMDC, created through a partnership between the businesses HIRO and Vicor, has the ability to integrate edge computing into numerous smart applications.
Edge computing's significance.
Edge computing decreases response times in mission-critical applications, enabling them to operate in real time by delegating more autonomy and decision-making authority to intermediate levels. Data processing is done as much as possible on the peripheral nodes, improving data security and sensitivity, while the cloud is used as a memory unit for data storage.
Due to its ability to natively support AI rather than relying on AI in the cloud, edge computing technology enables you to significantly expand the range of potential applications and services.
This method is especially well suited for applications like Industry 4.0, smart manufacturing, 5G, IoT, autonomous vehicles, smart cities, smart hospitals, robotics, machine vision, and more.
The EMDC of HIRO.
Dutch-based HIRO-MicroDataCenters BV is an industry leader in the creation of cutting-edge edge infrastructures (hardware and software) that can deliver intelligent Edge-as-a-Service to industrial and other end users. By enhancing the autonomy, performance, and efficiency of peripheral nodes, edge computing lessens reliance on the cloud.
In order to bring computing power as close to sensors and other data sources as possible, edge computing necessitates compact and energy-efficient solutions that can operate even in challenging environments with limited space. Hardware-wise, it's necessary to have effective power systems with a high power density and a small form factor.
It is essential to implement the enabling edge infrastructure as a distributed mesh of EMDCs and edge servers, even in the most remote locations, difficult environmental conditions, and constrained spaces, as human contact with edge devices and sensors occurs everywhere. This places computer resources as close as possible to the data producers and users, leading to extremely compact form factors with previously unheard-of high power densities, creating new technical challenges for energy efficiency, electrical signal integrity, and high dependability.
According to Fred Buining, the company's founder and CTO, "our hardware designs and technological decisions aim for excellence in three areas: thermal management, small form factor modularity, and power conversion.
The edge computing systems created by HIRO, specifically the company's EMDC, are scalable and portable and can function even in cramped spaces or outside. The EMDC, depicted in Figure 1, can be set up with a unique combination of any kind and quantity of CPUs, GPUs, FPGAs, and NVMe (Non-Volatile Memory Express) media in small packages, enabling the EMDC to deliver.
High bandwidth and configuration flexibility are made possible by the dual-switching fabric (PCIe and Ethernet) found in the EDMC hardware. Large clusters of FPGAs, GPUs, and NVMes connected to a single CPU can also be built thanks to the switching fabric. These platforms have minimal maintenance requirements and no active cooling systems because they are entirely made of solid-state components.
The EMDC can be passive by using a fan-supported dry-cooler or a dry-cooler that is entirely passive, as shown in Figure 1. When compared to competing products, the solution suggested by HIRO reduces power absorption by 40%.
"We are developing shoebox-sized, wall-mountable small edge data centers with a maximum power of 5 kW. The density there is incredible and is unheard of, according to Buining.
the Power Module of .Vicor.
HIRO decided to use 48 VDC as the power source for the EMDC rather than the more conventional 12 VDC in order to increase efficiency. This relatively higher voltage, which is widely used in the industrial and telecommunications sectors, has the benefit of lowering I2R losses throughout the power supply network (PDN).
Vicor's high-density, high-efficiency power modules were used by HIRO to provide energy-efficient and high-density power conversion in order to meet this requirement. As seen in Figure 2, HIRO decided to perform the initial 48 VDC to 12 VDC conversion using Vicor's DCM modules.
The conversion of chips like FPGAs from 48 VDC to less than 1 VDC at the point-of-load will come next, as support for them will be available. The EMDCs from HIRO can also be installed in a wind farm or solar farm that uses renewable energy.
Vicor's modules offer a dependable and effective high-power density alternative to other solutions based on discrete components or standard power supplies, which are bulkier and more difficult to design.
Hiro intends to build a containerized solution based on six racks with a capacity of about 200 kW each by taking advantage of the power modules' scalability from Vicor.
Many organizations are moving their legacy applications to cloud-service environments and containerized applications, frequently in distant data centers, according to Buining. "HIRO began collaborating with early adopters of edge technology who are looking for an edge-service environment to be on-premise.
HIRO has made a specific commitment to developing an edge infrastructure distributed among academic hospitals in Europe. Hospitals must maintain their own data, but in order to train AI models that can aid in the detection and treatment of complex conditions like cancer, tumors, and cardiovascular diseases, they need access to vast data sets outside of their own.
Building a distributed, federated, and extremely secure infrastructure across hospitals, according to Buining, "allows medical experts and researchers to effectively collaborate across diverse and distributed data sets and make significant progress on cardiovascular diseases, cancer, genetic diseases (Alzheimer's, ALS, Parkinson's), kidney disease, and etcetera.
HIRO is developing the accessible infrastructure that will allow medical professionals to train their models using data from other hospitals without moving or disclosing the data outside of the hospital.
According to Buining, "Edge data centers are also supported by the European Commission, who sees them as a kind of European independence from the big hyperscalers.". The need for the cloud is eliminated if we can capture the data at the edge. ".
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