Nearly half of all Federal agency mission-critical operations are taking place at the network edge, but an underprepared workforce, legacy systems, and budget constraints are threatening to impede further progress by government, new survey data from General Dynamics Information Technology (GDIT) finds.
Half of Federal agency respondents featured in a GDIT report shared that real-time decision making has driven them toward edge capabilities – upon which 46 percent of critical operations rely – and which also comes with the added benefit of improved security.
“The edge is no longer an experimental concept but rather a growing part of day-to-day operations across missions,” GDIT said in its report. “Getting it right will change how government works in the field. With the ability to act faster, decide smarter, and operate in disconnected or dynamic environments, the edge represents more than just a technical shift. It’s a chance to transform mission execution itself.”
“Agencies that invest now will be better positioned to meet tomorrow’s challenges with speed, resilience, and impact,” added GDIT.
Yet, respondents said that while that 66 percent of them are embracing artificial intelligence-driven edge computing, and 52 percent want next-generation connectivity, most agencies are finding that budgeting challenges are holding them back.
GDIT noted that the cost of implementing edge technology includes initial investments and ongoing expenses, and explained that survey responses are “underscoring the need for flexible funding strategies that account for not just the deployment of edge systems, but their long-term support and sustainment.”
“While budget concerns topped the list of implementation challenges, cost savings was also cited as a driver for adoption – suggesting that if agencies can overcome the upfront costs, the long-term return may outweigh early financial barriers,” said GDIT.
Other concerns agencies shared included organizational silos and legacy system integration, with 78 percent of respondents saying that network modernization is almost always required to deploy edge systems, “highlighting the need for adaptable, open solutions that connect cloud, enterprise, and edge environments.”
Workforce skills gaps also persist in limiting edge deployment and opportunities, with GDIT noting that edge environments “demands a new set of competencies in areas like cybersecurity, decentralized architecture, and AI-enabled decision making.” At the same time, only 21 percent of respondents said that their workforce is prepared to operate in those environments.
“None of these innovations will succeed without a workforce ready to implement and sustain them,” reads the report. “As edge use grows, developing the right technical skills will be critical to supporting distributed operations and securing mission outcomes,” it says.
Meanwhile, agencies are growing their security capabilities through identity, access, and encryption strategies that GDIT said “can hold up under pressure across any environment.”
Forty-seven percent of agency respondents said they use federated identity and secure sharing, while 46 percent said they implement zero trust security, and 43 percent use advanced encryption techniques.
“Agencies want the speed and autonomy of edge analytics, but every new sensor, gateway, and node widens the threat surface,” said GDIT. “Until they can enforce consistent identity, encryption, and policy controls – regardless of location or connectivity – edge expansion will remain cautious and mission-specific,” the company said.