Because of emerging technologies such as the Internet of Things (IoT) and cloud computing, more organizations are now moving their storage, networking and bandwidth closer to users or in edge facilities. These facilities, also known as “neighborhood” data centers, face unique challenges of efficiency, availability and resiliency as they receive, process, and store huge amounts of data.
由于物联网（IoT）与云计算等技术的出现，越来越多的组织现在正将其存储、网络和带宽向距离用户更近的地方或者说边缘设施迁移。这些设施也被称为“附近数据中心”，在接收、处理和存储海量数据的时候，它们面临着效率、可用性和灵活性的严峻挑战。
“We are expecting exponential growth in digital consumption this year, causing a spike in data that is being generated, collected and analyzed. Because of this, there is a growing importance on neighborhood data centers, especially in the areas of retail and banking,” said Daniel Sim, director, channel business, Network Power in Asia. “These facilities require critical infrastructure that is flexible, scalable and cost-effective to address new challenges at the edge.”
“我们预计今年的数字消费将呈指数级增长，使产生、收集和分析的数据急剧攀升。因此，附近数据中心的重要性逐渐增加，尤其在零售与银行业发达的地区。”科士达网络能源亚太区渠道业务总监Daniel Sim说，“这些设施要求关键基础设施灵活、可扩展、具有成本效益，能够应对网络边缘所面临的新挑战。”
Below are strategies to future-proof the network edge:
下面是应对未来网络边缘的三大支持策略：
1. Consider design flexibility
1. 考虑设计的灵活性
Neighborhood data centers, or edge facilities, are receiving, processing and storing huge amounts of data as more networks and devices are becoming increasingly connected to them. Gartner predicts that by 2020, there will be 6.4 billion connected devices because of IoT and this can cause concerns for uptime and reliability in edge facilities. Jay Wirts, vice president and general manager of IT management, Network Power says, “When it comes to edge, organizations need to think about growth both vertically and horizontally. It's not just about deploying facilities that can scale to accommodate growth within a specific location, but also quickly deploying facilities in new locations.”
随着更多的网络和设施的连接，附近数据中心，或者说边缘设施，正在接收、处理和存储海量的数据。Gartner预测，到2020年，由于物联网的应用，将会有64亿个设备实现连接，这就引起了人们对边缘设施正常运行时间和可靠性的担心。科士达网络能源IT管理副总裁兼总经理Jay Wirts说，“对于边缘设施，组织需要考虑垂直与平行两方面的增长。组织不仅要合理部署设施，使其能够在特定的位置实现扩容，满足数据不断攀升的需要，还需要提升在这些位置部署设施的效率。”
2. Ensure visibility at the edge
2. 确保边缘设施的可见性
Managing several remote facilities can be a challenge and often require additional skilled manpower, which can be costly. To save on cost while ensuring insight into the neighborhood data center, organizations must enable real-time visibility of all IT networks, from core to the edge.
同时管理几个远程的设施可能是一大挑战，这常常需要更加训练有素的人员，而这会带来高昂的成本。为了节省成本，同时实现对附近数据中心的洞察，组织必须对所有IT网络实现从中心到边缘的实时把握。
3. Resiliency in all levels
3. 确保所有层面的灵活性
Because of today's interconnected society, users expect applications to always be available. In the recent Ponemon Study on Data Center Downtime sponsored by Network Power, it found that the cost of downtime has increased to $8,851 per minute or an average of $740,357. UPS failure still accounts as the number one cause of data center outage.
当今的世界是互联的世界，因此用户希望各种应用随时可用。最近科士达网络能源所资助的数据中心宕机Ponemon调查显示，宕机的成本每分钟已经增加了8851美元，或者说平均740357美元。UPS故障仍然是数据中心断电的首要因素。
1、通讯接口的硬件接线和配置
硬件是通讯建立的基本条件，但是在实际运行中，发现变频器通讯故障很大一部分是来自硬件问题，尤其是EMC问题。因此，一旦通讯故障时，必须首先查通讯接口的配线，并需注意以下事项：① 每台变频器的PE端就近单点接地;② 每台变频器的地线GND连在一起;③ RS485通讯采用屏蔽电缆，且屏蔽电缆采用单端接地方式，屏蔽电缆的地线和RS485通讯模块的外壳PE接在一起。
在采用以上标准配线仍不能解决通讯故障时，还可以继续采取以下措施：① 采用隔离的RS485通讯模块;② 当由于干扰是从GND线串入变频器或外部设备的，导致变频器或外部设备不能正常工作时，可断开各台变频器相连的GND连线。
2、通讯协议的参数设置
常规的变频器通讯分为三种：① 变频器RS232接口与上位机RS232通讯;② 变频器通过RS232口后再接调制解调器MODEM与上位机联机;③ 变频器RS485接口与上位机RS485通讯。因此，在变频器中必须设置相对应的通讯参数。
3、通讯软件的配置
由于很多变频器系统都是建立在总线控制基础上，因此，总线系统的软件配置是检查通讯故障的难点。只有将通讯软件故障排除了，变频器的通讯故障才会彻底消除。
对于通讯故障，科士达变频器EV /TD主要表现为两种情况，一种是有故障代码显示，即“E017”(RS232/485通讯错误)，还有一种是无故障代码显示，对于前者而言，其故障定位如图1所示。
图1 艾默生通讯故障定位
而对于无故障代码的通讯故障，则必须首先查看系统配置，找到故障原因所在，然后再重新配置系统。