Nokia launched what it claimed was the industry’s first cloud native, off-the-shelf industrial edge solution targeting enterprises, which the vendor argued would help meet demands of applications across manufacturing, energy and transportation.

The solution, dubbed Nokia MX Industrial Edge, aims to allow enterprises to accelerate their “operational technology digitalisation initiatives and advance towards industry 4.0”, Nokia explained in a statement, addressing a new category of applications.

Specifically, the solution will help enterprises tap into areas that require increased capabilities and performance at the network edge, ensuring tight integration with industrial systems and networking solutions.

It works by combining compute, storage, wired and wireless networking, one click industrial applications and automated management on to a unified, on-premise digital transformation platform.

Nokia added that through adoption of the solution, enterprises would benefit from an on-premise cloud architecture that unifies edge requirements into an “easy-to-use, deploy everywhere, as-a-service package”, powered by the vendor’s Digital Automation Cloud.

Perhaps another major selling point for enterprises could be Nokia’s claim that the solution removes complexity and “economic hurdles” associated with deployment, integration and life cycle management of compute applications and mission critical networking.

Data explosion
Nokia cited Gartner data which states that by 2025, 75 per cent of all industrial data will be processed at the edge, which will be required due to volume and velocity of what is generated through connectivity of equipment, machines and other assets in industrial environments.

Stephan Litjens, head of enterprise solutions at Nokia, added industry 4.0 was transforming asset-intensive industries, resulting in an explosion of data and “taking the right actions” now would be critical to ensuring success digital transformation initiatives.