Blog | nearby computing

Is Your Hardware Limiting Your Software Choices?

Are you struggling to find software solutions that fit within your hardware constraints? Many retailers and quick-service restaurant (QSR) operators face this issue due to vendors prioritizing a hardware-centric approach, which emphasizes selling new devices, servers, or POS hardware. While this benefits hardware vendors, it often fails to address the actual needs and budgets of retailers.

Retailers adopting edge computing strategies to meet evolving customer demands often encounter these challenges:

R Significant Upfront Investment

R Lack of Flexibility

R Compatibility Issues

These drawbacks can directly impact the return on investment (ROI) for which edge computing was initially adopted.

Why Shift Away from Hardware-Centric Edge Solutions?

Transitioning from a hardware-centric approach is essential to deploying effective edge computing solutions. A more flexible strategy enables diverse software integration, ensuring seamless orchestration and monitoring across edge infrastructures.

Existing Investment in Edge Infrastructure

Are Hardware Upgrades Hindering Your ROI?

Retailers and QSR operators often invest heavily in IT and edge infrastructure, expecting to maximize its lifecycle value. However, vendors that push for replacing entire fleets or significant portions of equipment often create impractical scenarios. For instance, retailers following a three-to-five-year replacement cycle find these demands financially unsustainable.

Retailers should prioritize solutions that integrate within their current infrastructure. A hybrid model combining new and existing hardware offers a sustainable, financially viable solution that extends the lifecycle and value of IT investments. 

Addressing Flexibility and Compatibility Challenges

Are Inflexible Systems Holding You Back?

Costly and incompatible hardware systems limit growth and innovation. To future-proof IT and edge infrastructures, retailers must collaborate with vendors that offer solutions compatible with multiple hardware platforms and operating systems. This approach allows businesses to integrate new systems at their own pace, avoiding disruption and siloed environments.

Vendor lock-in is another common challenge in the retail and QSR industries. As edge computing deployments often involve managing hundreds or thousands of remote devices, retailers require a unified platform for monitoring and orchestration.

Nearby Computing’s Solution: NearbyOne

NearbyOne offers a comprehensive orchestration platform designed to overcome vendor lock-in. Its advanced observability features enable continuous monitoring from core to edge, providing real-time insights into network performance. By optimizing resources and minimizing downtime, it significantly improves the customer experience.

What’s the Solution? Flexible Edge Computing

The retail and QSR industries are competitive, cost-sensitive, and constantly evolving to meet customer demands. Edge computing plays a vital role in addressing these challenges, but it requires a flexible and strategic approach to succeed.

Two Strategies to Avoid Hardware-Centric Pitfalls:

R Choose solutions agnostic to both hardware and software.

R Lead with a software-defined strategy to determine hardware needs.

NearbyOne’s software-driven solution empowers retailers to implement a scalable and cost-effective framework. This approach integrates seamlessly with existing infrastructures, efficiently manages diverse workloads, and supports long-term growth. It prioritizes strategic value over short-term hardware upgrades.