TIA Releases New Position Paper on Edge Data Centers

TIA’s Edge Data Center Working Group welcomes a 5G future with the evolution of Edge Data Centers large enough to support the demand for data

Arlington, VA (October 10, 2018) – The Telecommunications Industry Association (TIA), the leading association representing the manufacturers and suppliers of high-tech communications networks, today released a new position paper outlining considerations for development, implementation, and operational features of Edge Data Centers (EDCs).  TIA believes these new data centers will be needed to deliver the increasingly fast and reliable information that current and future technology requires.

“The next wave of innovation is already here. Edge computing is revolutionizing how quickly data can be gathered and leveraged,” said Wes Johnston, CEO of TIA.  “TIA is leading the important evolution of thinking about where data is processed, and how to ensure its consistency, reliability and safety.”

“Building and scaling data centers closer to the edge of the network will be critical to meet the needs of new technology,” said Harry Smeenk, TIA’s Vice President of Program Development. “TIA’s Edge Data Center Working Group has been leading this thinking for over a year.  We are pleased to provide companies with our initial guidelines to unlock the full potential of Edge Data Centers.”

“Analysts forecast that one million new IoT devices will be sold every hour by 2021 and the industry must provide a network that can scale to support these demands,” said James Young, Director of CommScope’s Enterprise Data Center division. “Traditional data centers hidden from cities and located far from end users will need to be augmented with Edge Data Centers located much closer to where information is demanded, literally blocks away.”

The new paper outlines initial technical requirements and considerations for new Edge Data Centers compared to traditional data centers, including planning, design, development, operations and maintenance needs. TIA’s Edge Data Center Working Group is developing reference architectures, guidelines, best practices and industry standards for this critical addition to the communications infrastructure.

Eight new terms defined in the paper will be added to the Linux Foundation’s Open Glossary of Edge Computing, contributing to building a shared lexicon and neutral platform for advancing a common understanding of edge computing.

TIA’s Edge Data Center Working Group brings together carriers, data center owners, equipment and cabling suppliers, consultants, auditing firms, and more to establish best practices and standards for the mass scale operation of edge data centers for hosted computing.

The paper is available to the general public free of charge at https://tiaonline.org/report/tia-position-paper-edge-data-centers/

Contact

Ashley Simmons, 703-907-7704, asimmons@tiaonline.org

About TIA

The Telecommunications Industry Association (TIA) represents manufacturers and suppliers of global communications networks through standards development, policy and advocacy, business opportunities, market intelligence, and events and networking. TIA enhances the business environment for broadband, mobile wireless, information technology, networks, cable, satellite and unified communications. Members' products and services empower communications in every industry and market, including healthcare, education, security, public safety, transportation, government, the military, the environment, and entertainment. Visit tiaonline.org for more details. TIA is accredited by the American National Standards Institute (ANSI), and is a proud sponsor of ANSI’s Standards Boost Business campaign. Visit www.standardsboostbusiness.org for details.