Faster mobile networks and IoT applications will demand new Edge infrastructure, but this will complement the cloud, according to Kevin Kettler, CTO at Flex. 

Although the demands of new applications are calling new infrastructure into existence, it won’t replace the existing cloud, he said in an interview at DCD>Zettastructure in London earlier this month.

“Edge doesn’t replace the cloud,” Kettler said. “The cloud will continue to be a huge growth opportunity, but the edge is just a way to supplement compute and storage needs in a more regional fashion.”

The high bandwidth and low latency provided by 5G raises the question of whether all that traffic needs to flow back to a centralized cloud data center, he said. Instead, localized resources, for instance at cell towers, will be needed for tasks such as managing autonomous vehicles, or delivering streaming content.