Check out this podcast from Data Center Knowledge, where they interview Cole Crawford of Vapor IO. The titular quote is attributed to game developer John Carmack and it describes in gloriously blunt terms why edge computing is the future. Which, in the tech world, means “the 15 seconds ago, and counting.”

Pending the invention of FTL drives, network engineers have to work within the laws of nature. Even in warp-speed fantasy worlds, Scottie canna defy the laws of physics. We canna shorten the amount of time it takes to transport data, so we turn to the other part of the equation for speed: distance.

It’s amazing how much the entertainment industry drives network innovation. Streaming high quality video and uninterrupted gaming might not seem like humanity’s greatest, most pressing needs. Then again, we’ve all felt differently when we’re booted off the server near the end of a boss fight. VR and high definition video aren’t the future, they’re the now. Creators and consumers have spoken, and their demand for quality viewing experiences translate to demand for edge infrastructure.

Once built, the infrastructure doesn’t care what type of data it transports, as long as the network can handle the loads. That’s when other network-reliant industries realize they can push the limits of data processing — and in 2017, that’s every industry from medicine to farming.

So, thank you, game developer, for saying what we in the industry have realized by now: Latency issues caused by over-reliance on centralized, mega data centers suck. Thankfully, when nature gives us lemons, we make lemonade. In this case, we make prefabricated, largely automated, customizable data center modules perfect for edge applications.

LDP Associates provides turnkey solutions for EDGE applications and MDCs. Contact us to start your project, or visit one of our showrooms to view our products in action.