Why choose edge data centers?

Edge data centers are situated closer to the end user, minimising latency, optimising performance, and enhancing user experiences with faster, more reliable data processing.

At nLighten we operate a European network of edge data centers designed to combine today’s top-level performance with tomorrow’s sustainability needs.

What is an edge data center?

Edge data centers are compact facilities located close to the end user. They are designed to support applications and services by reducing latency and IP transit costs. In doing so, this improves the end user experience by processing data and services as close to them as possible.

The demand for edge data center services has increased with the rising demand for more data at higher speeds. Locating at the edge is essential for businesses who want to keep pace with the ongoing rise of the Internet of Things (IoT), Artificial Intelligence (AI), 5G technologies, big data and cloud applications.

nLighten provides the most comprehensive edge infrastructure network throughout Europe, with hubs focused within Europe’s core data center markets.

The key characteristics of edge data centers

These characteristics enable edge data centers to support applications and services that require real-time data processing and low-latency performance.

Local

Placed near the areas they serve, whether in urban or suburban areas, significantly reduces latency and enhances the performance of applications that require real-time processing.

Distributed network

Edge data centers form part of a distributed network of data centers. This decentralised approach helps balance loads, enhances redundancy, and improves overall system resilience.

Modular and scalable

A modular approach enables organisations to deploy additional capacity as needed, quickly and efficiently.

What are the benefits of edge?

Colocating IT infrastructure and services within edge data centers offers a multitude of advantages that contribute to a more robust ROI for organisations.

IMPROVED USER EXPERIENCE (UX)

Edge computing delivers a stronger end UX thanks to reduced latency – a key differentiator for customers when choosing and remaining with a service or platform

INCREASED RELIABILITY

Distributing traffic between edge data centers provides added security whilst ensuring no individual location exceeds its maximum capacity or becomes a single point of failure

SCALABILITY AT SPEED

Edge data centers provide a scalable infrastructure that can quickly adapt to changing demands and fluctuations in user traffic, without compromising performance

COST REDUCTION

Organisations achieve both CAPEX and OPEX reductions with reduced real-estate, lower bandwidth costs, reduced energy consumption, optimised infrastructure and more efficient use of shared resources

DATA SOVEREIGNTY & COMPLIANCE

Sensitive data can be held within specific geographic regions, addressing data privacy concerns, jurisdictional requirements and regulatory compliance

BANDWIDTH OPTIMISATION

By offloading data processing tasks and content delivery to local servers, this reduces the need for data transfer across long distances, therefore lowering bandwidth costs for both providers and users

ENHANCED SECURITY

Security measures, such as firewalls and encryption, can be implemented locally helping to reduce the risk of cyber attacks

EXPERTISE AND SUPPORT

Free up internal resource to focus on core business activities by accessing edge provider on-site engineers and support

Edge data center use cases

At a sector level, ‘Edge caching’ use cases are diverse, delivering a wide range of benefits for organisations and users alike.

Entertainment Services

Improves streaming quality through localised content caching and faster data delivery

Public Cloud Providers

Enables providers to scale their infrastructure at speed whilst delivering greater bandwidth savings

Financial Services

Improves transaction processing security and delivers real-time data analytics

Gaming

Ensures smoother gameplay with no lag or buffering and allows gaming companies to extend their reach to new markets with minimal infrastructure investment

MSPs

Enhances service performance, scalability and geographic reach enabling them to deliver competitive, value-added services to clients more effectively

What to look for in an edge data center provider

When choosing a provider, it is important to compare services against the following criteria:

Location

Reliability

Tier 3 design target
Standby generators
Concurrently maintainable infrastructure
On-site engineers during office hours
High Density positions to support AI applications
Redundant power with independent A and B feeds to each cabinet

Scalability

Security

Connectivity

Cost-Effectiveness

Safety

Accessibility

Support

Sustainability

Find out more about nLighten’s edge data center network

Why choose nLighten’s edge data center platform?

At nLighten, we operate a network of regional and local edge data centers across Europe’s key economic hubs. Our unique value proposition delivers ultra-low latency sustainably, whilst also ensuring European data sovereignty.

CLOSE.

Proximity and
speed.

Our edge is your edge. Minimizing latency and bringing colocation and your data closer to you. Ensuring maximum accessibility & availability for your IT systems and data.

COUPLED.

Innovation in sustainability.

nLighten is committed to continuous improvement in sustainability and implementing innovative solutions. Our vision is for our data centers to be increasingly coupled to the energy sector, seeking to recover heat for the local community and stabilize the grid, using energy increasingly from onsite renewable generation.

CONNECTED.

Ecosystem marketplace.

A whole ecosystem of national and international carriers and service providers deliver low-latency and connectivity to the region, to and between sites, to enterprise customers, to end-users within milliseconds across Europe.

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FAQs

Q. How does edge computing relate to edge data centers, and what are the advantages of combining the two?

A. Edge computing involves processing data closer to its source, while edge data centers provide the infrastructure to support this approach, resulting in reduced latency, improved performance, and enhanced reliability for applications and services

Q. What are the cost implications of deploying and using an edge data center?

A. Businesses typically see cost reductions when using an edge data center approach thanks to localised data processing and storage in addition to improved operational efficiency and customer retention as a result of minimised latency.

Q. How can I ensure scalability and flexibility with an edge data center as my business grows?

A. Providers that offer flexible deployment options and scalable infrastructure solutions are key when considering the growth of your business. nLighten offers the ability to scale and contract dynamically as demand changes.

Q. What is the difference between an edge data center and edge colocation?

A. Edge data center: An edge data center refers to a facility located close to the point of data generation or consumption. These data centers are designed to process and store data locally, reducing latency and improving performance for end-users. Edge data centers can be operated by a single organisation or service provider and may host a variety of applications and workloads.

Edge colocation: Edge colocation, on the other hand, refers to the practice of colocating IT infrastructure and services in edge data centers operated by third-party providers. Instead of building and managing their own edge data centers, organisations can colocate their servers, storage, and networking equipment in these facilities. Edge colocation providers offer space, power, cooling, and connectivity services, allowing organisations to deploy and operate their IT infrastructure closer to end-users without the overhead of building and managing a dedicated data center.

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