What Is the Network Edge? | Fortinet

What Is Network Edge?

The network edge refers to the area where a device or local network interfaces with the internet. The edge is close to the devices it is communicating with and is the entry point to the network. The network edge is a crucial security boundary that network administrators must provide solutions for. 

Internet-of-Things (IoT) devices and computer infrastructure benefit from being as close to the data source as possible because this enhances throughput, which in turn facilitates more efficient and effective operation. The cybersecurity threat to devices on the boundary of an interconnected network is growing as cyber criminals devise new ways of exploiting vulnerabilities in networks, applications, and emerging, undersecured devices.

What Is the Difference Between Network Edge and Network Core?

The network edge refers to endpoints. It is the first step between endpoints and the core of the network. These include personal computers (PCs), adapters, modems, and the devices that connect to them. The network core refers to the components that provide services to those at the edge. This includes facilities that are often within data centers like servers and those within the data link layer.

IoT Edge Networks

IoT devices enable data to be gathered and processed at the outer edge of a network because they interface with people, the environment, tasks, and other devices that collect and transmit data to the core. An IoT edge infrastructure involves the network transmitting information, such as a 4G or 5G network, the IoT device, and the modems and routers that carry the signal from the device and toward the network’s core. 

Each IoT device comes with the potential for unique security vulnerabilities, so the rise of IoT devices comes with an increased need for tighter edge security measures.