Broadcom Introduces Suite of Updates to Hasten Enterprise Edge AI Readiness

Broadcom Inc., which recently acquired VMware, is introducing developments across its Software-Defined Edge product portfolio to enable enterprises to support Edge AI workloads via new and enhanced connectivity, deployment, and lifecycle management.

These capabilities include:

• Combined Fixed Wireless Access (FWA) and satellite connections support in the VMware VeloCloud Edge 710 appliance as well as the new VMware VeloCloud Edge 720 and 740 appliances.
• VMware VeloCloud SASE, Secured by Symantec enhancements featuring the integration of VeloCloud and Symantec points of presence (PoPs).
• VMware Edge Compute Stack product enhancements.

According to the company, edge computing is expected to play a pivotal role in the deployment of AI applications and Broadcom is evolving its software-defined edge portfolio to help enterprises address the growth of AI and non-AI workloads at the edge.

Edge AI workloads are deployed at geographically dispersed locations to enhance business operations to reduce costs, increase sales, or improve compliance.

Unlike traditional IT workloads which are centralized at the data center, Edge AI workloads such as video inference cameras, industrial control systems, and other OT (Operational Technology) devices and applications are deployed locally and are largely autonomous, they are orchestrated rather than administered, they consume data where it’s being created, and are driven by the lines of business.

Broadcom defines the software-defined edge as distributed digital infrastructure for connecting, securing, and running workloads across several locations, close to endpoints that are producing or consuming data.

 It extends to where the users and devices are – in the office, on the road, in a cell site, at a retail store or on the factory floor. Broadcom addresses the three layers of the software-defined edge: the edge compute stack which hosts the applications and workloads; the intelligent overlay where connectivity and security services run across the WAN; and the underlay network layer, which runs the software for network connectivity across fixed and 5G networks to provide orchestration and network programmability.

“We’re focused on enabling enterprises to adopt Edge AI workloads,” said Sanjay Uppal, vice president and general manager, software-defined edge division, Broadcom. “We’ve announced support for Fixed Wireless Access and satellite connections in VMware VeloCloud Edge to deliver critical, blended connectivity for OT devices as well as AI and non-AI edge workloads. We uniquely offer enterprises a good, better, best approach to connectivity at the edge by allowing them to tweak real-time WAN performance, gain insights from the network, and program the network. This convergence of the underlay network enables enterprises to build networks in minutes to support today’s and tomorrow’s workloads.”

These capabilities simplify deploying and managing Edge AI workloads enabling enterprises to more quickly realize the business benefits of their Edge AI investments. The recent release of VMware Edge Compute Stack 3.6 delivered additional new features to make it even easier to deploy and manage the edge at scale.

For more information about this news, visit www.broadcom.com.