International Journal of Computer and Applications

A novel paradigm that changes the scene for the modern communication and computation systems is the Edge Computing. It is not a coincidence that terms like Mobile Cloud Computing, Cloudlets, Fog Computing, and Mobile-Edge Computing are gaining popularity both in academia and industry. In this paper, we embrace all these terms under the umbrella concept of “Edge Computing” to name the trend where computational infrastructures hence the services themselves are getting closer to the end user. However, we observe that bringing computational infrastructures to the proximity of the user does not magically solve all technical challenges. Moreover, it creates complexities of its own when not carefully handled. In this paper, these challenges are discussed in depth and categorically analyzed. As a solution direction, we propose that another major trend in networking, namely software-defined networking (SDN), should be taken into account. SDN, which is not proposed specifically for Edge Computing, can in fact serve as an enabler to lower the complexity barriers involved and let the real potential of Edge Computing be achieved. To fully demonstrate our ideas, initially, we put forward a clear collaboration model for the SDN-Edge Computing interaction through practical architectures and show that SDN related mechanisms can feasibly operate within the Edge Computing infrastructures. Then, we provide a detailed survey of the approaches that comprise the Edge Computing domain. A comparative discussion elaborates on where these technologies meet as well as how they differ. Later, we discuss the capabilities of SDN and align them with the technical shortcomings of Edge Computing implementations. We thoroughly investigate the possible modes of operation and interaction between the aforementioned technologies in all directions and technically deduce a set of “Benefit Areas” which is discussed in detail. Lastly, as SDN is an evolving technology, we give the future directions for enhancing the SDN development so that it can take this collaboration to a further level.

How Can Edge Computing Benefit From Software-Defined Networking: A Survey, Use Cases, and Future Directions

Software defined networking (SDN) decouples the control plane from the data plane of forwarding devices. This separation provides several benefits, including the simplification of network management and control. However, due to a variety of reasons, such as budget constraints and fear of downtime, many organizations are reluctant to fully deploy SDN. Partially deploying SDN through the placement of a limited number of SDN devices among legacy (traditional) network devices, forms a so-called hybrid SDN network. While hybrid SDN networks provide many of the benefits of SDN and have a wide range of applications, they also pose several challenges. These challenges have recently been addressed in a growing body of literature on hybrid SDN network structures and protocols. This paper presents a comprehensive up-to-date survey of the research and development in the field of hybrid SDN networks. We have organized the survey into five main categories, namely hybrid SDN network deployment strategies, controllers for hybrid SDN networks, protocols for hybrid SDN network management, traffic engineering mechanisms for hybrid SDN networks, as well as testing, verification, and security mechanisms for hybrid SDN networks. We thoroughly survey the existing hybrid SDN network studies according to this taxonomy and identify gaps and limitations in the existing body of research. Based on the outcomes of the existing research studies as well as the identified gaps and limitations, we derive guidelines for future research on hybrid SDN networks.

Hybrid SDN Networks: A Survey of Existing Approaches

Software-based sequential service chains in Network Function Virtualization (NFV) could introduce significant performance overhead. Current acceleration efforts for NFV mainly target on optimizing each component of the sequential service chain. However, based on the statistics from real world enterprise networks, we observe that 53.8% network function (NF) pairs can work in parallel. In particular, 41.5% NF pairs can be parallelized without causing extra resource overhead. In this paper, we present NFP, a high performance framework, that innovatively enables network function parallelism to improve NFV performance. NFP consists of three logical components. First, NFP provides a policy specification scheme for operators to intuitively describe sequential or parallel NF chaining intents. Second, NFP orchestrator intelligently identifies NF dependency and automatically compiles the policies into high performance service graphs. Third, NFP infrastructure performs light-weight packet copying, distributed parallel packet delivery, and load-balanced merging of packet copies to support NF parallelism. We implement an NFP prototype based on DPDK in Linux containers. Our evaluation results show that NFP achieves significant latency reduction for real world service chains.

https://dl.acm.org/doi/pdf/10.1145/3098822.3098826

NFP: Enabling Network Function Parallelism in NFV

Contrary to using distant and centralized cloud data center resources, employing decentralized resources at the edge of a network for processing data closer to user devices, such as smartphones and tablets, is an upcoming computing paradigm, referred to as fog/edge computing. Fog/edge resources are typically resource-constrained, heterogeneous, and dynamic compared to the cloud, thereby making resource management an important challenge that needs to be addressed. This article reviews publications as early as 1991, with 85% of the publications between 2013 and 2018, to identify and classify the architectures, infrastructure, and underlying algorithms for managing resources in fog/edge computing.

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Resource Management in Fog/Edge Computing: A Survey on Architectures, Infrastructure, and Algorithms

Cloud computing is a quite new concept for which the resources are virtualized, dynamically extended and provided as a service on the Internet. In this paper, we present a comparative study between some of the IaaS (Infrastructure as a Service) commonly used to select the best suited one for deployment and research development in the field of cloud computing. The aim is to provide the computer industry with the opportunity to build a hosting architecture, massively scalable which is completely open source, while overcoming the constraints and the use of proprietary technologies. Then, we present the solution OpenStack retained by the comparative study. We discuss in detail its functional and architectural system. We finish by a discussion of the motivation of our choice of the IaaS solution. General Terms:

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OpenStack: Toward an Open-source Solution for Cloud Computing

Nowadays, almost all organizations are using Information technology (IT) tools to manage their business. Information systems (IS) organizations involved in these areas are as diverse as system management, advertising, online sales and also maintenance and communication. IS becomes increasingly complex making it difficult to follow the complex growing demands of IT resources requirements. Cloud Computing has emerged as a model, where all the essential components of a computer system such as software applications, platforms for software development or physical infrastructure are considered as services and are delivered according to a mode of using the application based on the needs of the users. Hence the need to implement this concept to rationalize the use of IS resources. In this paper we present the current state of information systems organizations. We show the limitations and issues related to the use of these conventional architectures. Then we introduce the concept of Cloud Computing and discuss the different motivations for this technology. We present a decision process aimed at supporting Information system migration to the Cloud, and then we propose a synthesis for the choice of Cloud structures according to type of organization. We show the use of Cloud for the management of organizations focusing on the benefits and the various problems associated with its use. And we propose an experimental validation showing the feasibility of migrating to the Cloud. We finish by giving a general summary and a proposal of future works.

Cloud computing migration and IT resources rationalization

The Cloud Computing is a new concept in which dynamically scalable resources, virtualized and provided to users as a service over the Internet. It is primarily intended to meet the needs of users and allow them access to virtually unlimited resources. In fact, many researchers are motivated to develop solutions to improve performance and give users more tools to control the use of cloud computing. The cloud services offered is very diverse in terms of hardware and software, providing a wide range of configurations, and great flexibility., In this paper we propose a Management platform for Cloud Computing (Man4CC platform), aimed to act as an intermediate between users and Cloud environment. The main purpose of the Man4CC platform is to support cloud environment and offering additional components that enhance the functionality. The Man4CC platform is open source solution, scalable, interoperable and extensible. Also dealing with a management platform specification approach by capturing the user specifications and translate them into rules that will help to generate the cloud settings.

Management platform for Cloud Computing

In recent years a new concept of IT organization emerged, the Cloud Computing. With This new concept, the resources are dynamically scalable, virtualized and provided to users as a service on the Internet. It is primarily intended to meet the demands of users and allow them access to virtually unlimited resources. This model motivates many academic institutions and non-academics as well to develop open-source solutions to improve performance. Among these techniques, dynamic reconfiguration of cloud resources has to take an interest. In this paper an approach for optimization resources is presented, based on dynamic reconfiguration techniques. In fact, a Dynamic Reconfigurable Component (DRC) is proposed to be added to the cloud system, that optimize the use of cloud resources and enable dynamic resource allocation. Then, the implementation of this DRC component is provided.

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Dynamic Reconfigurable Component for Cloud Computing Resources

Cloud Computing has emerged as a model, where all the essential components of a computer system such as software applications, platforms for software development or physical infrastructure are considered as services. Nowadays, the Cloud services offered is very diverse in terms of hardware and software, providing a wide range of configurations, and great flexibility. In this paper we propose a Cloud Integration and Management Platform (CIMP), aimed to act as an intermediate between users and Cloud solutions and offers additional components that enhance their functionalities. In addition, we propose an experimental validation showing the feasibility of our approach.

Omar Sefraoui

Papers

OpenStack: Toward an Open-source Solution for Cloud Computing

Cloud computing migration and IT resources rationalization

Management platform for Cloud Computing

Dynamic Reconfigurable Component for Cloud Computing Resources

CIMP: Cloud Integration and Management Platform