Dell, VMware and AT&T debut 5G-powered edge computing offering

Dell Technologies Inc. has partnered with VMware Inc. and AT&T Inc. to develop a new edge computing offering for enterprises.

The offering, which is known as the AT&T MEC with Dell APEX, debuted today. It’s a platform for so-called MEC, or multi-access edge computing. Such platforms are designed to help companies process information that’s generated outside their data centers at the edge of the corporate network.

A MEC includes servers and storage hardware that can be deployed at locations such as factories. Instead of sending diagnostics data from factory equipment to a remote cloud environment for analysis, a manufacturer can send it to the onsite MEC. The result is a significant reduction in latency.

The technology also has other benefits. By reducing the need to send data over the network to cloud data centers, a MEC can help lower bandwidth costs. It also mitigates the impact of internet outages in the process. 

The new AT&T MEC with Dell APEX is powered by edge computing equipment from Dell’s hardware portfolio. Additionally, it includes the company’s APEX Console service. The service provides a dashboard through which administrators can monitor their organization’s edge computing hardware, plan upgrades and order new equipment when needed.

The AT&T MEC with Dell APEX also includes 5G connectivity provided by AT&T. Using the carrier’s 5G network, devices at an edge location can wirelessly exchange data with one another. Industrial robots at a factory, for example, could stream error logs to a troubleshooting application running on an on-site Dell server.

Companies can maintain their AT&T MEC with Dell APEX deployments internally or have the infrastructure managed on their behalf. Professional services will be provided by Dell and AT&T.

“The AT&T MEC with Dell APEX solution delivers application-ready edge infrastructure on-premises, as needed,” Douglas Lieberman, Dell’s senior director of global solutions co-creation services, wrote in a blog post. “With the click of a button, enterprises can order more Dell edge processing to be delivered and implemented in weeks, not months.”

A&T MEC with Dell APEX is the latest in a series of recent additions to the company’s edge computing portfolio. In February, Dell debuted three servers designed specifically to run at the edge of the network. The company earlier introduced a ruggedized, shoebox-sized server called the PowerEdge XR4000 that can be deployed at locations such as factories and retail stores.

Dell is developing a new software platform to help customers manage their edge infrastructure. The development initiative is known as Project Frontier. According to Dell, the upcoming platform will ease common maintenance tasks such as deploying new edge computing hardware. 

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