A SDN-based network layer for edge computing

Abstract

Driven by big data analytical capabilities and ever-expanding Internet-of-Things (IoT) devices and applications, the new computing paradigm, Edge Computing significantly improves network performance by collecting and processing data locally or in a nearby edge data center. It offers a far less expensive route to scalability, allowing service providers to expand their computing capability as needed. Meanwhile, emerging network technologies, such as Software Defined Networking (SDN) and programmale data plane, can facilitate cost-efficient networking and direct network management. Such advancements stimulate recent efforts to adopt these technologies by Edge Computing to further improve efficiency and reduce latency. However, albeit a lot of efforts have been spent on the edge computing, little has been developed from the SDN perspective. In particular, a generic framework that integrates programmable network control is still missing. In this poster, we discuss the relevant challenges and propose an initial design of such a framework.