This episode of Over the Edge features an interview between Matt Trifiro and Leonard Lee, Executive Analyst and Founder of neXt Curve, a global research advisory firm focused on emerging technology research. Leonard discusses how converging technologies are creating new opportunities at the edge and the interesting trends he is observing. This conversation spans across edge versus on-premises, failed digital transformations, edge tech in retail, digital twins and more.
“As these cloud native technologies come closer or start to infiltrate the vast expense that is the edge, it's challenging everyone's assumption because you take the hyperscaler mindset, you try to apply it to the edge, it does not work. The edge is totally a different beast. And we're seeing that realization in the industry start to play out.”
“The interesting stuff happening at the edge for retail is localizing the personalization, being able to close the loop on customer interactions. Now it sounds easy, but it’s not.”
“So if you look at something like edge computing, the reason why it's exciting is because we're looking at a lot of the things that are happening on endpoint devices and how they're becoming more capable intersecting with cloud technologies, and it's creating a whole new realm of possibilities across what we call quote unquote, the edge.”
“When we talk about edge computing and edge, what we're not talking about is the paradigm that has dominated our thinking for the last 15 years, which is you have a client at the edge and it's talking to a, and communicating and relying on, a central hyperscale data center.”
“Modernization is a huge opportunity because if you can't modernize and you don't modernize, you can't really pull through a lot of these aspirational applications and visions that we have for these technologies.”
---------
(02:19) How did Leonard get his start in technology?
(4:13) Leonard’s work as an analyst
(5:22) What is Leonard looking at within edge technology?
(8:54) The difference between edge and on-premises
(15:13) What Leonard tells his clients to pay attention to
(18:42) Cloud native technologies at the edge
(20:47) Digital transformation and modernization at the edge
(23:20) Can companies wait to modernize?
(25:59) Example of a failed digital transformation effort
(29:54) Opportunities with edge in retail
(36:38) How will the digital twin evolve?
(39:35) Looking to the future, what is Leonard excited about?
--------
Over the Edge is brought to you by Dell Technologies to unlock the potential of your infrastructure with edge solutions. From hardware and software to data and operations, across your entire multi-cloud environment, we’re here to help you simplify your edge so you can generate more value. Learn more by visiting DellTechnologies.com/SimplifyYourEdge for more information or click on the link in the show notes.
--------