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Ripunjay Bararia, CTO & Co-Founder, SugarBox Networks runs a hyper-local Cloud networks platform. Here Ripunjay talks about his work.
How is hyperlocal Cloud fragment technology evolving in 2022-23?
Ripunjay - Today, numerous enterprises use Cloud services as standard operating procedure, owing to their versatility. Cloud technology enables users or businesses to access specific data and services, without the dependence on physical infrastructure. It helps organisations/business/ users to store endless amounts of data. Further advancing the technology, Edge Cloud is an ecosystem made up of edge-located computing and storage resources that are connected by a scalable, application-aware network, which adapts quickly and securely to changing needs.
Edge Cloud technology solutions are becoming commonplace for people to access information and data. The edge cloud technology will be crucial in minimising the physical distance between the end user and the availability of content, while providing a consistent low-latency experience. To do this, the central network infrastructure, compute and storage infrastructure, and security infrastructure will be transferred from a centralised system to a decentralised Edge Cloud ecosystem.
HyperLocal Edge Cloud is the base layer of the ecosystem, which lessens the dependence on the linked infrastructure (User to Cloud over Internet) and offers content in response to some specific data points, by processing locally utilising HyperLocal Edge Cloud technology. For instance, application of Hyperlocal Cloud services in food delivery, supermarket and hypermarket grocery delivery, logistics services will continue to grow in scale, where markets will see deeper integrations and applications of multiple technologies going forward.
What are the challenges in extending hyperlocal Cloud fragment technology to rural areas and non-metro towns, especially to MSMEs?
Ripunjay - The challenges for deploying advance digital technologies like hyperlocal Cloud fragment technology varies starkly for the urban and rural geographies. Most often than usual, the rural and remote areas suffer from lack of infrastructure and awareness, about such newer technologies. In addition, residents of rural and non-metro geographies often struggle with affordable and reliable access to digital connectivity (despite a telecom network ecosystem), eventually contributing to the digital divide. This lack of access to digital information and services diminishes the availability of opportunities for better socioeconomic development, for many. This is largely a case of affordability and economics, more than simply the lack of infrastructure.
When it comes to MSMEs, one of the major challenges for them to adopt hyperlocal Cloud technology is the lack of understanding and knowledge of digital tools amongst employees. And one of the key concerns being security of huge amounts of data that is being transferred to the cloud.
Despite these challenges, one needs to understand and communicate about the relevance of the hyperlocal cloud technology solutions. The strength of this ecosystem will enable access to native digital applications without relying on an active internet connection, thus ensuring availability of first-hand information and other e-services like ed-tech, e-commerce, entertainment, health care, etc. with low or zero data cost, for the eventual consumer. With growing markets and competition, this tech solution will assist to build MSMEs and SMEs to provide users with better and more efficient services and enhance return of investments.
What are your strategies to resolve these challenges?
Ripunjay - Let’s deep dive into some use-cases such as rural and 5G.
The change we are bringing about for the rural geographies
Recent reports have highlighted that more a than a third of the world’s population are still digitally unconnected, especially impacting the rural geographies. The real question then resides on how the ‘last-mile’ connectivity will be addressed to bridge the existing digital divide. Lack of digital Infrastructure, minimal awareness about digital services and available content, unavailability of services in local languages or commercially unfeasible (for providers), are often cited as common reasons for the existing digital divide. Thus, the need to bridge this gap.
Utilising the existing ecosystem (and infrastructure) to connect citizens across the underserved as well as unserved geographies, to enable reliable access to digital solutions such as healthcare, financial services, basic agritech and education, will ensure inclusive growth and development. SugarBox Networks is presently deploying this Hyperlocal Edge Cloud Technology solution across locations such as gram-panchayats, CSCs, government schools, so that staying ‘digitally connected’ for villages becomes an equitable necessity. This technology innovation is presently available across 300+ gram panchayats in Uttarakhand, Uttar Pradesh, Haryana and Maharashtra. The patented solution pioneered by SugarBox Networks is offering villagers access to digital content under categories such as education, D2C e-commerce, OTT as well as services such as e-wallets, with a potential to increase the outreach to any industry or business, in the near future.
The ability to augment 5G services to the last mile
The 5G technology-powered edge cloud environment will revolutionise how businesses conduct their operations and how consumers access digital information and services. It will significantly improve remote working experiences and will enable organizations to operate without an office and with or limited delays. It will help organisations be more responsive and meet real-time demands, with faster data transfers, real-time data streaming and analytics. With our patented technology solution, we are improving latency of connection from 300ms to ~10ms, by deploying miniature cloud setups and caching algorithms. SugarBox has the potential to deploy CDNs across all edge data centres of a Telco, within 12-18 months. Thus, enabling users to access data cached on the Edge, at the same time enabling edge processing of immediate decision making at the edge level itself. This Cloud Fragment technology can provide improved connection density for 5G (i.e., support for 100,000 vs. 2,000 active devices in a square km).
Who are your partners and how do you plan to extend your partners ecosystem?
Ripunjay - SugarBox Networks has been working to make access to digital connectivity anytime, anywhere, a reality. This solution reduces dependency on connected infrastructure, facilitating reliable and scalable data delivery, be it a remote village, a crowded suburban train or metro or even when in the skies! In other words, SugarBox is creating a sustainable environment for consumers to discover, transact, download, or access native digital app content, even if they are in an unconnected geography.
For this SugarBox is building an ecosystem of network and app partners. Presently, SugarBox is available at 300+ gram-panchayats in Maharashtra, Haryana, Uttarakhand, Uttar Pradesh; powers in-transit connectivity at L&T Metro Rail Hyderabad (LTMRHL), Chennai Metro Railway Limited (CRML) and Central Railways (Mumbai Suburban). The SugarBox ecosystem is offering access to digital content under categories such as education, D2C e-commerce, OTT as well as services such as e-wallets. We are building a platform where staying ‘digitally connected’ is a sustainable and equitable necessity.