Organisations' demands of their IT infrastructure continue to evolve at an unprecedented rate, with the drive for growth and innovation needing to be balanced against the need to maintain cost control, visibility, and - crucially, cyber security. Numerous solutions have emerged in response to these challenges, but one of the most pivotal questions organisations must answer is whether to host their critical data and applications on-site, or in the Cloud.
Let's explore the respective advantages and disadvantages of both approaches, and then consider whether the increasing sophistication of modern workloads demand a new approach...
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The way organisations design, deploy, manage, and scale their IT infrastructure has changed in ways that would have been inconceivable just ten years ago.
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As organisations generate, manage, and store more data than ever before, it's not hard to see why the ongoing march of Cloud transformation shows no signs of slowing down. But for all the Cloud's advantages in terms of flexibility, scalability, and cost control, it is not suitable for every application.
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The retail playbook has been fundamentally rewritten. Customer journeys are omnichannel by default, IoT sensors are now omnipresent in both warehouses and shop floors, and AI is moving from pilot to P&L at an unprecedented pace. And the results are already proving transformative:
- Time-to-open: New stores and pop-ups are networked, secured, and POS-ready in days, not weeks.
- CX becomes predictive: Personalised offers and staffing respond to real-time signals, not yesterday's batch.
- Shrink is minimised: Vision-based loss prevention, plus better on-shelf availability.
- Cost-to-serve falls: Energy, logistics, and labour are optimised by rich streams of real-time date.
- Audits are boring (in a good way!): PCI and security postures are continuously and consistently maintained across estates and partners.
But in the race to access all these potential benefits, the winners aren't the ones with the flashiest demos – they're the ones with a rock-solid digital foundation that lets AI and IoT platforms scale safely, securely, and intelligently, store by store.
So, from Exponential-e's vantage point across cloud, connectivity, cyber, and communications, and our ongoing conversations with top retailers across the UK, here's what "AI/IoT-ready" actually means for the sector, and how we can begin laying those all-important foundations…
A network built for real-time, store-level intelligence
IoT and AI thrive on low latency and high availability, particularly when Point of Sale (PoS), inventory, and computer-vision workloads are increasingly interconnected. That means the underling WAN stops being a cost line and becomes a growth platform. Frictionless shopping experiences, incorporating queue-free checkout, real-time offers, and dynamic pricing, depend on fast, reliable data flows at the edge.
Software-defined networking, built on a private VPLS core, makes this practical at scale, offering centralised control, application-aware routing, seamless use of diverse access (i.e. ethernet, 4G/5G), and integrated security. Beyond the immediate operational advantages of avoiding hairpinning over the public internet and low, predictable latency, such networks offer the scalability and agility needed for pop-ups, seasonal peaks, and new store openings, where day-one uptime and policy consistency are required.
This should be complemented with enterprise IoT/M2M SIMs that deliver multi-carrier access and centralised control for store sensors, handhelds, lockers, smart signage, and similar devices.
Cloud and edge compute as a single, unified platform
AI-assisted retail is a hybrid sport: heavy training and data engineering in the Cloud, instant inference and control at the edge. To this end, retailers pursuing "always-on", augmented stores are converging 5G, IoT, and AI with edge compute to deliver truly personalised experiences in the moment, not hours later. This next-gen local processing, with edge computing implemented in every store, delivers a seamless PoS for customers, while simultaneously optimising staff's efficiency and reducing backhaul costs.
In the longer term, centralised data platforms and AI services can crunch multi-store telemetry for demand forecasting, replenishment, and customer analytics, offering a rich stream of actionable insights that enable reduced energy usage, automated restocking tasks, and smoother labour scheduling - immediate, powerful operational wins.
These capabilities can be developed into a standardised model and then be deployed, managed, and scaled consistently across new sites as retailers expand their operations. It's no surprise that multiple European retailers are already doing exactly this to not only protect their immediate margin and availability, but also accelerate their future growth plans.
Embracing the 'secure by design' model
Retail IT estates increasingly span POS, e-commerce, click-and-collect, and IoT devices. However, more devices and more data mean an increased attack surface, particularly when it comes to customers' payment data. As a result, robust security must be embedded in the design of all systems, platform, and processes, not bolted on later. Forward-thinking retailers are already rolling out this 'secure by design' approach, building customer trust through multi-layered, PCI-DSS-ready security ecosystems that allow for continuous monitoring and intelligently automated policy enforcement.
Secure Access Service Edge (SASE) has a key role to play here, converging network and security in the Cloud and offering numerous pathways to establishing identity-centric access, micro-segmentation of IoT devices, and uniform policies across stores and partners. Even with thousands of distributed end points, all this can be accessed through a single pane of glass - a "single source of truth" for all networks, devices, and workloads.
Taking the next step of your AI/IoT journey
AI and IoT in retail aren't separate projects; they must be treated as fundamental parts of a single, software-defined platform that reaches every shelf, sensor, and checkout. Build the network and edge right, wrap it with zero-trust security, and connect it to a governed data and AI backbone, then scale and optimise what works.
If you'd like this distilled into a tailored blueprint for your own estate (i.e. current stores, formats, and use-case priorities), we can map the stack, identify quick wins, and sequence the roadmap to outcomes, with everything overlaid by a single SLA, as a fully integrated service. Get in touch to discuss your own AI and IoT goals and let's make sure you're building on the right digital foundation!
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Selecting the right storage architecture is essential for organisations that are leveraging Artificial Intelligence (AI), Machine Learning (ML), Big Data and IoT analytics. For example, AI applications that involve scientific and medical research create and interact with numerous large files, and therefore need a storage system that can scale to a petabyte level, with zero restrictions. Similarly, ML applications and Big Data projects require a scalable, cost-effective storage solution to accommodate the high volumes of data that will be produced. This raises the question of which storage solution enterprises should use to underpin their overall analytics strategies.
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Saving money with SD-WAN (part one)
Software Defined WAN, or SD-WAN for short, is the new big thing in business networking. Everybody's talking about SD-WAN, and about what it can do for businesses. Well, there's no doubt that SD-WAN can do a lot for your business; in fact, we'll be talking about exactly that in part 2 of this 3 part blog series. But before we do that, we need to talk about what SD-WAN can't do. Right now there's a popular misconception among businesses concerning SD-WAN - a misconception fed and sustained by headlines and marketing hype - that could lead them to take damaging shortcuts in incorporating SD-WAN into their business.
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When it comes to building brand loyalty, customers increasingly expect the retailers they shop from - whether that's online, in person, or via click-and-collect - to demonstrate tangible efforts to operate in an ethical, sustainable, and environmentally friendly manner in everything they do.
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For a number of years now, the evolution of the Retail sector has typically been positioned as brick-and-mortar shops - including many longstanding fixtures of UK highstreets - fighting a losing battle against online retailers, such as the seemingly monolithic Amazon. However, the reality of the situation is not quite so clear cut…
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The past decade has been a challenging one for the Retail sector, to say the least. Much has already been written about the impact of online shopping and streaming services on the high street, and the rise of COVID-19 and recent supply chain disruptions have only compounded the challenges facing even the most established brick-and-mortar retailers.
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In light of numerous dramatic shifts in the geopolitical landscape in recent months, this blog has reiterated the need for organisations across all sectors to strengthen and - if necessary - reconsider their cyber security postures, in order to prepare for the anticipated attacks by global bad actors. The legal sector is no exception, particularly as these attacks are anticipated to specifically target the most high-value data.
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The way in which we consume content has changed forever. Physical media and prescheduled TV and radio have rapidly given way to the convenience, accessibility, and range offered by streaming services. Independent content creators share the digital stage with the most well-established industry leaders, and numerous organisations have embraced the mantra that 'content is king', utilising online video as a key tool for building engagement with their prospects and customers.
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The Retail sector is more diverse, dynamic, and rapidly changing than any other time in its history. This not only encompasses the way customers make their purchases – with online shopping, click-and-collect, and in-person shopping all converging to offer true, end-to-end experiences – but also the way retailers open and operate new sites. Whether this means trendy pop-up shops, kiosks at other brands' locations, or booths at events, retailers from up-and-coming start-ups to global leaders are no longer relying on fixed high-street locations to welcome their customers and put their wares on display, instead making sure they are present wherever their ideal customers are, and fully prepared to offer a world-class experience that builds brand recognition and loyalty.
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Achieving successful digital transformation across the Architecture, Engineering and Construction Sector.
New technologies are transforming every aspect of how projects are brought from conception to completion across the AEC sector. As a result, numerous leaders across the sector are accelerating their digital transformation plans, embracing the Cloud, AI, big data, and IoT in order to both overcome their immediate challenges and bring their long-term business goals closer.
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The past few years have been challenging for the global Manufacturing sector, with both Brexit and COVID-19 creating a wide range of operational disruptions whose impact is still being felt. Indeed, as recently as January 2023, we saw UK manufacturing shrinking for the sixth consecutive month1.
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Like many fixtures of our lives, Britain's pubs were heavily impacted by COVID-19, with their familiar patrons unable to come in for a post-work drink, or meet with friends at the weekend. But while it was undoubtedly a difficult period for the industry as a whole, this great British institution did as it has always done, and adapted to suit its patrons' evolving requirements.
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Manufacturing workflows are evolving at an unprecedented rate, and the trend shows no signs of slowing down. The increasing effectiveness and affordability of 'smart' technologies and the Internet of Things means IT and OT are increasingly interconnected, with increasing volumes of data flowing between sites and devices on an ongoing basis.
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The Finance sector has always been one of the most dynamic, rapidly evolving industries, and this shows no signs of changing any time soon. But while shifts in the landscape may well open new opportunities, they will also come with new challenges, and it is the organisations who are ready and able to face these head-on who will continue to thrive in the years ahead.
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Although digital transformation amongst Legal firms has typically been comparatively slow compared to other sectors, the journey has picked up speed over the course of the last decade.
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Like many longstanding institutions, Britain's world-renowned pubs are undergoing their own digital transformation journey, utilising leading-edge technologies to offer truly personalised experiences to patrons of all ages and backgrounds - from longstanding regulars visiting for their usual pint, to families looking for a meal, and young professionals working on the go. It's an exciting time for the sector as a whole, but at the same time, the drive for modernisation must not come at the expense of patrons' safety and enjoyment.
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Secure Access Service Edge (SASE) is rapidly establishing itself as the solution of choice for the next generation of enterprise networks, where optimal control, visibility, and scalability are essential. In the first quarter of 2024 alone, the SASE market experienced a 23% surge, as more and more organisations began taking advantage of its capabilities.
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