'RF Code for Edge' Watches Edge Data Centers' Backs

Austin-based RF Code is looking for work monitoring edge data center facilities.

As more compute moves to the edge, there's going to be more small data centers located at or in close proximity to cell towers, in office buildings and hospitals, or in any other location where low latency provides an advantage. Many of these edge data centers are already up and running, but industry insiders say this is a migration that has only just begun. In a few years, small data centers located close to the internet's end points will be the rule, it's predicted.

This new breed of data center will largely run on autopilot, locked tight and with lights out 24/7. They'll also be largely unstaffed, except when equipment needs to be installed or when there's trouble. With no staff on-prem, reliable monitoring equipment will need to be in place to alert edge operators of problems like equipment failure or physical breaches of the facilities.

This will be no easy task, especially since most operators will have multiple edge facilities that will need watching.

“The deployment and ongoing maintenance of all edge IT assets must be centrally controlled and automated, so organizations can manage fleets of tens, hundreds, or even thousands of IT assets in locations around the country or the globe," is how Richard Villars, IDC's VP of data center and cloud, put it in a statement.

RF Code would like a piece of that action and has released a new platform, RF Code for Edge, which it says offers a complete monitoring solution for edge data center facilities. The company brings to the table years of experience -- it's been offering asset tracking and protection solutions to traditional centralized data centers since 1997. 

"RF Code for Edge provides real-time insight and control over operational risks, costs, and compliance, with advanced security features – including live video which monitors security breaches and also has the ability to record events to prevent issues from reoccurring," the company said in a statement.

In addition to monitoring for physical breaches, RF Code says it's edge-tailored system provides temperature and humidity monitoring, real-time automated asset tracking and protection, sensors to detect an interruption in AC power supply, power consumption and trend monitoring of PDU units, and advanced reporting. The system also offers rack-level accuracy and reporting for compliance with regulations and service-level agreements.

"Edge Manager is a vital tool for owners and operators of edge facilities," RF Code's CEO, Dale Quayle, said in a statement. "If you’ve got data on the edge, as more and more organizations do in this rapidly growing market, you need the peace of mind a comprehensive edge management strategy, and a tool like Edge Manager, can bring to these highly distributed and difficult to monitor facilities."