Avoid Six Common Edge Infrastructure Deployment Mistakes

Mark Mahle is CEO of NetActuate.

Technology is moving forward at a pace we’ve never experienced before. From AI and IoT to networking and mobile, rapidly advancing technologies are changing and enriching every aspect of our lives.

Through my company’s work providing custom network and infrastructure services in every major global market, I see exciting new products launching every month. I also see companies, whether they are small startups or giant corporations, making the same global deployment mistakes over and over.

Leaders often think that the hardest part of using edge infrastructure to reach a global audience is setting it up. In reality, the setup is only one small piece of the puzzle. The most challenging part is operating this infrastructure 24 hours a day, seven days a week, 365 days a year. You can’t just deploy it and leave it to run on its own.

I like to use the analogy of a ship navigating unpredictable waters. As a leader of a company, you are the captain of the ship, and technology is the ocean—constantly changing with storms, currents, wind and weather. If you fail to plan ahead, or you leave your post at the helm, you are setting your ship up for disaster. Here are the six most common edge infrastructure deployment mistakes I’ve observed, as well as best practices to help you avoid them in your own company.

1. Lack Of Clear Objectives

Many businesses dive into infrastructure expansion without fully understanding their goals. Leaders often feel pressure to keep up with the competition, but acting without a clear purpose can lead to wasted resources, suboptimal solutions and unmet expectations.

One large, well-funded startup we worked with had big goals of “taking over the world,” but they didn’t tie their deployment to any clear revenue objectives. We advised them against this plan, but they ended up going bankrupt after sinking massive investment in global infrastructure but failing to find a clear product-market fit. Another customer wasted significant resources deploying in Africa and South America, then decommissioning this infrastructure because 90% of their customers were in the U.S. and Europe.

Infrastructure for infrastructure’s sake doesn’t make business sense. You need to connect a deployment to specific business goals, such as improving latency or driving revenue in a certain market.

2. Inadequate Security Planning

When you expand your global infrastructure, you also expand your attack surface. Instead of managing five servers, you could suddenly be responsible for 100 servers, making your company far more vulnerable to cyber threats. Without a robust security strategy, you face serious risks such as data breaches, downtime and reputational damage.

Before you broaden your edge infrastructure, be sure you understand how this move will affect your overall security posture. Make security planning a core element of your deployment strategy from the beginning, not an afterthought.

3. Short-Sighted Scalability

Companies frequently focus on their immediate needs but neglect to consider their future growth plans. Time and time again, customers come to us wanting to scale globally with a product they built with quick technology solutions. Because they hadn’t planned for scalability from the outset, they now have to rebuild their entire tech stack—a costly and time-consuming process.

Some startups intentionally build fast MVPs with the intention of securing funding and then rebuilding, but many companies paint themselves into a corner by overlooking long-term scalability. Be intentional about weighing the trade-offs of launching quickly versus expanding in the future.

4. Poor Data Handling And Integration

IoT devices and other data-intensive products can generate astronomical amounts of data. Without a proper data pipeline design and integration strategy, companies risk creating bottlenecks and data silos.

My company is working with a startup that is launching an AI-based dog training platform that tracks every small movement of the animal with smart devices. Each video camera or smart collar broadcasts billions or trillions of data points, which then have to be stored and used. Managing data on this scale quickly becomes expensive and cumbersome. I recently spoke with the leaders of an AI company that had unwittingly been storing useless data for months, racking up close to $500,000 in expenses. To avoid falling into the same trap, you need to understand your data needs and develop a comprehensive strategy for managing them.

5. Training Gaps

To keep up with the pace of evolving technologies, companies often hire AI experts or consultants to augment their existing teams. The problem is, they usually neglect the cross-training necessary for internal teams to learn how to manage and optimize new systems and infrastructure. This misstep leads to efficiency gaps and higher operational costs.

Instead of viewing AI as a replacement for human workers, look for ways you can leverage AI to make your talented employees even better. Invest in upskilling your team as you adopt new technology, and enable training paths and knowledge transfer programs to keep building internal expertise.

6. Overlooked Compliance Requirements

Multi-geographic deployments face diverse regulatory landscapes—from GDPR in Europe to PIPEDA in Canada. Technology makes it easy to click a button and launch a product around the world, but companies that fail to meet compliance requirements in different regions face legal penalties, operational restrictions and damaged customer trust. Build compliance into your infrastructure strategy from the ground up by carefully tracking the regulations and laws for each region you want to deploy in.

Edge infrastructure is a powerful tool that can enable your business to operate more efficiently, process real-time insights and enhance hyper-personalized customer experiences. It’s more than just a technology investment; it’s a strategic business investment as well. But edge deployments are complex and challenging to manage on your own or through one of the big cloud providers. The DIY route can often result in bigger bills and less alignment with your objectives. Instead, take a close look at your business’ specific edge infrastructure needs, and look for an experienced partner that can create a strategy to match those needs. The right partner will guide you through each hurdle, help you avoid costly mistakes and keep you focused on what you are trying to accomplish.

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