Podcast Summary: Embracing Digital Transformation

Episode #302: Edge Computing: A New Frontier in Data Processing
Host: Dr. Darren Pulsipher
Guest: Chris Pasternak, Managing Director, Cloud Engineering at Deloitte
Date: November 4, 2025

Overview

This episode dives deep into the evolving role of edge computing in data processing, especially in public sector contexts like defense, energy, and large-scale enterprise. Dr. Darren Pulsipher and Chris Pasternak dissect why data remains the ultimate driver of digital transformation, the limitations of cloud-only models, and how emergent edge solutions can deliver real-time, mission-critical value. The conversation traverses through the technical, organizational, and cultural shifts needed to embrace edge architectures.

Origins and Context: Setting the Scene

[01:00 – 02:35]

• Chris’s background:
  Chris introduces himself as a Midwest native from Green Bay, Wisconsin, with a career spanning consulting, Oracle technologies, and cloud infrastructure.

• Humorous Packers banter:
  Light-hearted exchange about Green Bay Packers fandom provides a relatable and energetic episode opening.

The Critical Role of Data

[02:48 – 05:38]

• Edge vs. Cloud: Why Not All Processing Can Happen in the Cloud:

  • Real-time requirements and the sheer volume of modern data (especially video, radar, sensor data) make back-and-forth cloud interactions slow or impractical.
  • Not everything should or can be pushed to central clouds, despite vendor messaging.

• Memorable Quote:

  “You want to do AI. I mean, we're an AI world, right? I mean, everybody's talking about AI. You need a lot of data and you need good data. It's the basis for everything.”
  — Chris Pasternak [00:05 and again at 05:38]

Network Myths and the Case for Local Processing

[03:41 – 05:25]

• The Cyclical Nature of Architectures:

  • Chris recalls mainframes, PC revolutions, and now the migration towards distributed edge—highlighting technology’s pendulum swing between centralization and decentralization.
  • Large cloud and network advances (e.g., 5G) haven't eliminated the need for local processing.

• Memorable Moment:
  Dr. Darren jokes about sales boosts from adding Packers content but pivots back:

  “Let’s talk about something I think is more interesting, and that is this whole concept of edge computing.” [02:35]

Edge Benefits in Action: Defense, Oil & Gas, and Beyond

[06:10 – 08:37]

• Defense and Contested Environments:

  • Data-heavy, remote environments (battlefields, oil rigs) need instant processing for safety, operational, and cost reasons.
  • Communications may be disrupted (e.g., during conflict), increasing the importance of autonomous edge logic.

• Memorable Quote:

  “It's real world dollars and it’s potentially danger… That applies beyond just the obvious of defense—it’s real everywhere.”
  — Chris Pasternak [07:31–07:58]

Why the Cloud-Centric Model? Overcoming Complexity at the Edge

[08:37 – 11:42]

• Previous Barriers:

  • Up until recently, edge devices lacked muscle to run advanced algorithms.
  • Complexity in development, deployment, and management made edge a tough proposition versus the “easy button” of public cloud.

• Shift in Tech Capability:

  • AI, vision, and specialized ASIC/NPU hardware have revolutionized what’s possible at the edge.
  • Improvement in small language models, as cited by Chris, enables more potent on-device analytics.

Edge Is Not a Cloud Replacement—It’s a Complement

[10:44 – 11:26]

• Hybrid Reality:
  • Edge processing will not replace central processing; massive tasks still require core data centers or cloud.
  • The challenge is aggregating diverse, distributed edge datasets in meaningful ways.

Architectural Complexity and Management Challenges

[11:26 – 13:39]

• Data Mesh and Fleet Management:

  • “Edge adds complexity to your architectures, right?” — Dr. Darren Pulsipher [11:32]
  • Key hurdles: Data mesh intricacies, decentralized architectures, and the need for centralized oversight of a sprawling device “fleet”.

• Industry Appetite:
  While some resist due to perceived complexity and unproven ROI, Chris affirms:

  “I think there is a thirst for it. I think there are solutions for it.” [13:39]

The Drive to Simpler Edge Management

[13:42 – 17:02]

• Easy Button at the Edge?:
  Dr. Darren compares the arrival of software-defined infrastructure (SDI) in data centers to a potential SDI-layer for edge.

• Centralized Management, Decentralized Execution:
  Chris points to Oracle’s Roving Edge solution powered by Intel, offering cloud-like APIs and centralized management for edge nodes.

  “The thing that’s hard about the edge is centralization of control in a decentralized world… Fleet management.” — Chris Pasternak [13:11–13:23]

• Memorable Quote:

  “Easy for me to have central management over the edge… That is the beginning of that easy.”
  — Dr. Darren Pulsipher [17:30–17:37]

Application Agility and Reducing DevOps Friction

[18:10 – 19:46]

• Faster Development Cycles:
  • The ability to build, test, and deploy cloud-native solutions seamlessly to edge devices offers agility and flexibility.
  • No longer must DevOps teams custom-tailor every solution for every edge device.

Data Strategy: Understanding, Prioritizing, and Managing Data

[20:44 – 25:17]

• The Key: Understand Your Data First:

  • Know what data is collect, where it’s generated, which use cases matter, and which data truly needs centralization.

  “I think the starting point… is you got to have a handle on your data.”
  — Chris Pasternak [23:49]

• Edge Can Enable Smart Data Flows:

  • With operational intelligence at the edge, only relevant/processed data flows to the cloud or to other nodes.
  • This is essential for mission-critical scenarios—don’t “flood the pipes” with low-value information.

Real-World Edge Scenarios: Military, Retail, SETI@home

[21:21 – 28:50]

• Device Lifecycle Automation:

  • Example: Military use-case where edge devices are updated automatically when connectivity resumes, reducing manual labor and downtime.
  • Edge potential stretches far beyond government—think logistics (FedEx, USPS), retail, agriculture.

• Throwback to SETI@home:

  • Dr. Darren describes SETI@home as a “massive edge cluster” that distributed computation worldwide, an early model for mesh/distributed architectures.

The Cycle of Centralization and Lessons Learned

[28:54 – 30:08]

• Will Edge Repeat Cloud’s Mistakes?

  • Chris warns of VM sprawl analogs at the edge—without oversight, organizations risk lost control and excessive cost.
  • Tools like FinOps and improved management layers are essential for sustainability and efficiency.

• Memorable Quote:

  “What was old is new.”
  — Dr. Darren Pulsipher [28:51]

Actionable Takeaways & Closing Thoughts

[15:07 – 16:37, 29:35 – 30:08]

• Pitch edge solutions on business value:

  • Identify pain points or opportunities where edge delivers tangible ROI (e.g., predictive maintenance that prevents costly failure).

• Reduce edge adoption friction via easy-to-deploy solutions:

  • Leverage platforms that enable seamless workload movement from cloud to edge.

• Plan for robust data architectures and edge management:

  • Start with deep understanding of data flows, application needs, and management tools to avoid complexity and cost spirals.

• Final note:
  Dr. Darren celebrates discussions that bridge technology, business, and culture to move digital transformation forward in both public and private sectors.

Notable Quotes with Timestamps

• On the foundation of AI and Edge:

  “You want to do AI… You need a lot of data and you need good data. It's the basis for everything.”
  — Chris Pasternak [00:05], [05:38]

• On the cycles of IT architecture:

  “Remember how mainframe centralized everything and we all had dummy terminals? And then we all got PCs… Here we are back at the edge.”
  — Chris Pasternak [03:54]

• On edge management:

  “The thing that’s hard about the edge is centralization of control in a decentralized world.”
  — Chris Pasternak [13:11]

• On business value and adoption:

  “It goes back to the business, driving… what is it going to change, what does it really drive in the end? Total cost of ownership, improved revenue streams…”
  — Chris Pasternak [15:23]

• On repeating past mistakes:

  “Edge could easily become that thing too. I need one here. I need one here.” — Chris Pasternak [29:26]

Key Segments (Timestamps)

• [02:48] Edge Computing vs. Cloud – Why Edge Matters
• [05:38] The AI Data Foundation
• [07:31] Edge in Defense and Energy
• [11:32] Data Mesh and New Architectures
• [13:11] Edge Management Headaches and Trends
• [17:02] Oracle Roving Edge Example
• [19:12] DevOps and Application Deployment Innovations
• [22:27] Data Mesh & Data Management at the Edge
• [27:48] SETI@home as a Precedent for Edge Architectures
• [28:54] Learning from “VM Sprawl” in the Cloud

Summary

This episode argues persuasively for a pragmatic, value-driven approach to edge computing. The journey is not about replacing the cloud, but augmenting it—delivering processing where critically needed without drowning in complexity. The blend of technical depth, real stories, and market insight makes this a primer for CIOs, architects, and change leaders facing the next wave of digital transformation.