TIA launches series of briefing papers on Edge Data Centers

The Telecommunications Industry Association (TIA), the association representing manufacturers and suppliers of high-tech communications networks, today released a series of new informational briefing papers from its Edge Data Center Working Group. The papers are a first step towards creating an industry-driven framework for future standards development, says the association. Each paper outlines a different focus area for new Edge Data Center implementations.

Per a TIA statement announcing the news, "Unlike traditional data centers that are often housed in large, specialized buildings far from end users, edge data centers will be distributed closer to edge of the network and could be housed in smaller installations. By decentralizing data center locations, it reduces latency to enable the promise 5G applications. In the new Solution Brief Paper Series, TIA’s Edge Data Center Working Group addresses key considerations for deploying edge data centers – including site selection and survivability, to security, thermal management, and operations and maintenance."

Six papers have been published to date and are available for download on the TIA website. They are as follows:

• Types and Locations of Edge Data Centers: Scoping Locations That Work for Your Needs

• Site Selection Considerations for Edge Data Centers

• Survivability on The Edge

• Physical Security Considerations for Edge Data Centers

• Thermal Management of Edge Data Centers

• Operations, Administration, Maintenance and Automation of Edge Data Centers

“Edge data centers will be imperative to achieving the low-latency, real-time communication needed to support emerging 5G technologies like autonomous cars, cellular IoT, and smart cities,” said TIA CEO David Stehlin. “TIA’s Edge Data Center Working Group is at the forefront of the industry, pioneering new global standards for this exciting new technology infrastructure.”

TIA’s Edge Data Center Working Group, led by executives from Schneider Electric Secure Power Division, CommScope, EdgeConneX, Crown Castle, and others, has been leading work to create critical global standards for this emerging market. Through its Edge Data Center Working Group, TIA brings together carriers, data center owners, equipment and cabling suppliers, consultants, auditors, and more to establish new industry standards.

Standards developed will be validated by an industry-defined assessment criterion and a certification process to verify if implementations have met the standards. TIA’s goal is to facilitate extensive industry participation to enable the mass scale deployment and operation of edge data centers.

“Schneider Electric is committed to the development of highly efficient and resource-effective edge data centers, said Roger Tipley, Vice President, Schneider Electric Secure Power Division. “That’s why we are supporting TIA’s Edge Data Center Working Group efforts, where the industry is coming together to enable world class, high-bandwidth, low-latency, secure and sustainable infrastructure for the deployment of 5G edge solutions.”

Download the new papers here.