Answering Your Frequently Asked Questions
We've collated some of the most frequently asked questions about the Advancing Edge Data Centers forum. If you have any additional questions, please contact the team at construction@hansonwade.com.
Defining Edge
An edge data center is a facility that brings computing and data processing closer to the users, devices and applications generating or consuming data.
Rather than relying entirely on large, centralized hyperscale facilities, edge infrastructure distributes compute across a wider geographic footprint. This can help reduce latency, improve application performance, manage growing volumes of data and support applications that require real-time processing.
Edge data centers can take many different forms, from smaller distributed facilities to larger metropolitan deployments, depending on the workloads they support and the requirements of the location.
The biggest difference is where the infrastructure is located and what it is designed to support.
Traditional hyperscale and colocation facilities typically concentrate large amounts of compute in centralized locations, benefiting from economies of scale. Edge data centers bring compute closer to the point where data is generated or consumed, often in more geographically distributed and space-constrained locations.
This can create very different requirements around site selection, power availability, cooling, connectivity, construction, standardisation and speed of deployment.
However, edge isn't replacing traditional data centers. Instead, it’s creating another layer of infrastructure that works alongside centralized facilities.
Edge facilities are typically located closer to large metropolitan cities than large centralized data center campuses.
Depending on the application, this could mean deployments within or close to major cities, industrial facilities, telecommunications networks, enterprise locations, transportation hubs or other areas where low-latency connectivity and local processing are important.
This geographic distribution is one of the defining characteristics of edge and also one of its biggest infrastructure challenges, as developers and delivery teams may need to work with constrained sites, varying power availability, local planning requirements and different connectivity environments.
Edge and hyperscale are complementary, not competing, models.
Large centralized facilities will continue to provide the scale of compute required for workloads such as AI training, cloud services and large-scale data processing. Edge infrastructure can complement these facilities by handling workloads that benefit from being closer to users, devices or sources of data.
As AI and other real-time applications develop, the data center ecosystem is therefore likely to become more distributed, with workloads being processed across a combination of hyperscale, colocation and edge environments.
The opportunity lies in understanding which workloads belong where and how these different layers of infrastructure need to work together.
Why is Edge Important Now?
The growth of AI is creating demand for compute in more locations and at increasingly high densities.
While large centralized data centers will remain critical for AI training and other compute-intensive workloads, AI inference, where trained models are used to generate real-time outputs, can benefit from processing data closer to the user or device.
Applications such as autonomous systems, industrial automation, computer vision and real-time analytics may require rapid responses that are difficult to achieve when data has to travel to a distant centralized facility.
As AI moves further into real-world applications, this is creating a stronger case for distributed compute and edge infrastructure.
AI is a major driver, but edge demand extends well beyond AI.
Applications including 5G, IoT, industrial automation, autonomous systems, smart cities, healthcare, retail, gaming, content delivery and real-time analytics can all benefit from processing data closer to where it is generated or consumed.
The common factor is the need for low latency, reliable connectivity, local processing or greater control over data.
As more devices and physical environments become connected, the volume of data being generated outside traditional data center environments is also increasing, creating new requirements for where and how that data is processed.
The edge opportunity is developing rapidly, although forecasts vary depending on how the market is defined.
STL Partners forecasts the broader edge computing market to grow from approximately $74 billion in 2025 to $274 billion by 2030, while MarketsandMarkets forecasts the global edge data center market itself to grow from approximately $50.9 billion in 2025 to $109.2 billion by 2030.
While there is still uncertainty around exactly how quickly different edge use cases will scale, the direction is clear: distributed infrastructure is becoming an increasingly important part of the data center ecosystem.
For companies across the data center supply chain, this creates an opportunity to understand the market early and determine where they can participate as deployments scale.
Who Should Attend?
Advancing Edge Data Centers is designed for senior decision-makers and technical leaders across the data center ecosystem who are responsible for, or interested in, the future of distributed infrastructure.
This includes hyperscalers, colocation providers, data center developers, engineers, architects, GCs, contractors, equipment and technology providers, consultants and other delivery partners.
Importantly, you do not need to have already delivered an edge data center project to benefit from attending. The forum is designed to help organizations understand the market opportunity, assess where they fit within the emerging ecosystem and prepare for future demand.
The forum is designed for senior and decision-making professionals involved in data center strategy, development, design, engineering, construction, infrastructure, technology and delivery.
We expect to bring together C-suite leaders, VPs, Directors, Heads, senior engineers and other technical and commercial decision-makers who are evaluating how their organizations should respond to the growth of edge infrastructure.
The forum is also relevant for senior professionals tasked with exploring new markets, developing capabilities or identifying future project opportunities for their organizations.
Edge infrastructure is ultimately being driven by the changing requirements of the applications and businesses using compute.
For end users, attending provides an opportunity to understand how AI, IoT, automation, connectivity and other emerging applications could influence their future infrastructure requirements and where edge could provide advantages around latency, performance, resilience and data processing.
The forum also provides visibility into how the infrastructure supporting these workloads is evolving, helping end users plan for future requirements and engage more effectively with infrastructure and delivery partners.
Edge facilities can introduce a different set of design challenges compared with traditional hyperscale developments.
Engineers and architects will need to consider space constraints, right-sized infrastructure, high-density AI workloads, power availability, cooling, connectivity, modularisation, standardisation and deployment speed, often across a more distributed portfolio of sites.
The forum provides an opportunity to understand these requirements, learn from organizations already exploring edge deployments and identify how engineering and design approaches may need to evolve.
The growth of edge could create a new pipeline of data center construction projects, but delivering distributed infrastructure may require different approaches to traditional hyperscale construction.
Contractors can use the forum to explore how modularisation, prefabrication, standardisation and repeatable delivery models could accelerate deployment, while also understanding the challenges of working across smaller, geographically distributed and potentially space-constrained sites.
For organizations looking to expand their data center project pipeline, the forum provides an opportunity to understand where the next generation of construction opportunities could emerge and how to prepare for them.
Why Attend?
You don't need to already have an edge project in your portfolio to start preparing for the opportunity.
The forum will provide insight into where demand is coming from, what edge facilities will require, how projects are likely to be delivered and where different companies can add value across the ecosystem.
For organizations already active in traditional data centers, this means understanding how existing capabilities can translate into the edge market. For companies new to data centers or edge, it provides a starting point for understanding where opportunities exist and what capabilities will be required to compete.
You will leave with a clearer understanding of where the edge data center market is heading and what it means for your organization.
Key takeaways will include insights into:
- The applications and workloads driving edge demand
- How AI is changing requirements for distributed infrastructure
- How edge differs from traditional hyperscale development
- Emerging design, power, cooling and construction requirements
- New deployment and delivery models
- The challenges currently limiting edge deployment
- Where future project and commercial opportunities could emerge
Most importantly, attendees will gain the knowledge and industry connections needed to start developing a strategy for the edge opportunity.
The forum brings together the organizations that will shape and deliver the next generation of distributed infrastructure, including hyperscalers, colocation providers, developers, engineers, architects, GCs, contractors, technology providers, consultants and other delivery partners.
This creates an opportunity to connect not only with companies already active in edge, but also with organizations evaluating their role in the market and looking for partners to help bring future deployments online.
Because the opportunity is developing now.
Edge is still an emerging market, meaning there is an opportunity for organizations to understand the landscape, develop relationships and build the capabilities needed to participate before the market becomes fully established.
Waiting until edge deployments are already widespread could mean entering a market where competitors, partnerships and delivery models are already established.
Attending now gives your organization the opportunity to understand the market early, learn from those already exploring the opportunity and determine where you can position yourself as demand for distributed infrastructure grows.
Sponsorship
Sponsoring a LEAP HR event is the perfect way to increase brand awareness, visibility, and have meaningful conversations with decision-makers. Each sponsorship package is bespoke and tailored to the needs and commercial objectives of each individual business.
For more information on what your package could include, email sponsor@hansonwade.com where our dedicated Partnership Director can provide a consultation to better understand your needs, goals, and build a package that truly works for your business.
Every sponsorship package is bespoke; however, standard inventory includes but is not limited to
- Presenting slots on the agenda
- Access to the delegate list ahead of the conference to plan meetings
- Exhibition booths and slots
- Hosting opportunities to cultivate conversion and gain firsthand insight (breakfasts, lunches, dinners, and drinks receptions)
- Onsite and online branding
- Strategic seat drops
- Additional passes for clients and members of the team
- Panel hosting
For more information on what your package could include, email sponsor@hansonwade.com where our dedicated Partnership Director can provide a consultation to better understand your needs, goals, and build a package that truly works for your business.
Contact
Visit the contact us page to learn more about the team and get in touch with the appropriate members to answer your query.
Explore the Agenda
Gain practical insights into where edge is being deployed, the business models gaining traction and the infrastructure strategies enabling scale.
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Benchmark your strategy, exchange lessons learned and build relationships with the organizations defining in the next wave of distributed infrastructure.