On Trend: Tailored Technology for Customization at the Edge

A perfectly tailored suit is an investment. It’s worth it to pay for the perfect fit, high-quality material appropriate for the occasion, and a color that makes your eyes pop.

So why, when it comes to mission-critical technology solutions, are government agencies expected to buy off-the-rack?

As federal agencies expand nascent AI capabilities, deploy IoT technologies, and collect infinitely more data, missions require a customized, nuanced approach to transform edge capabilities.

To combat the data deluge resulting from AI and IoT advances, the Federal Data Strategy’s first-year action plan was released in late December. It urges the launch of a federal CDO Council, establishment of a Federal Data Policy Committee, and identification of priority data assets for open data – all by the end of January 2020. These are just the first steps to prepare for what’s already underway; government’s mass migration to the edge and the resulting proliferation of data. In just five years, Gartner projects 75 percent of all enterprise-generated data will be processed outside of a traditional data center or cloud.

As we work to manage, analyze, and secure data collected at the edge, we need to evaluate the solutions with the same standards we apply in our data center or cloud. To enable insights at the edge, federal teams need the same (or better) function: high compute, speed, power, storage, security, but now in a durable, portable form. This may require equipment to tolerate a higher level of vibration, withstand extreme thermal ranges, fit precise dimensions, or incorporate specialized security requirements.

Partnering with Dell Technologies OEM | Embedded & Edge Solutions enables Federal SIs and agencies to integrate trusted Tier 1 infrastructure into solutions built for their specific mission requirements, or for those of their end users. For instance, working with our team, you might re-brand Dell Technologies hardware as part of your solution, leveraging specialized OEM-ready designs like our XR2 Rugged Server and Extended Life (XL) option. We also offer turnkey solutions designed by our customers and delivered through Dell Technologies, which allows us to further serve what we know are your very specific use cases.

As an example, our customer Tracewell Systems worked with Dell Technologies OEM | Embedded & Edge Solutions to customize the Dell EMC PowerEdge FX architecture, creating a family of products that meets the needs of their federal customer’s server sled field dimensions. Because Tracewell’s T-FX2 solution is still interoperable with standard Dell EMC server sleds, the end customer can now plug and play powerful Dell EMC compute and storage products from the field to the data center, cutting processing time from 14 to two days.

Feds at the edge need the right solution, and need that solution delivered quickly and securely. Agencies and federal systems integrators need a trusted partner that can help them compress time-to-market while ensuring regulatory compliance and providing a secure supply chain. While conducting a search for an OEM partner, agencies and systems integrators should consider vendors that will embrace challenges and engage in a deep, collaborative relationship. Moreover, dig beyond the design of the technology and ask:

• Does the vendor have the buying power to guarantee production consistency, so the product can continue to be delivered as designed? If necessary, consider looking for a partner that will guarantee a long-life solution.
• Are there lifecycle support services from problem identification, to customized design, to build and integration, to delivery, to experience?
• Can the potential partner supply program management to handle all regulation and compliance complications?
• Does the vendor have a broad portfolio for easy integration of solutions from edge to core to cloud?
• Does the vender have a deep focus on security – from the chip level through to delivery and support?

These critical aspects will help you design those faster, smaller, smarter solutions, and get them in the field more quickly.

With 900+ dedicated team members, the Dell Technologies OEM | Embedded & Edge Solutions group has embraced challenges for 20 years, creating more than 10,000 unique project designs. For more information about how our capabilities can provide you with the tactical advantage, click here.

About the Author:

Ron Pugh serves as VP & GM, Americas, for Dell Technologies OEM |Embedded & Edge Solutions division. To learn more, visit DellTechnologies.com/OEM.