Edge/Fog Computing Networks

Abstract

AbstractAs a main driver of 5G, the future mobile network is going to create a hyper‐connected Internet of Everything (IoE) world which requires the network to be scalable, versatile, and energy smart. The convergence of communication and computing is a promising solution of IoE while the introduction of fog/edge computing makes this possible in the future mobile networks. This article provides a comprehensive survey of the fog/edge‐computing‐enabled mobile network. Specifically, the motivation of introducing fog/edge computing, the standardization of fog/edge computing in 5G, and the mobile communication network architecture with fog/edge computing are reviewed. The challenges such as the scalability and extreme heterogeneity of resource management in IoE, and the advantages of using fog/edge‐based architecture, are also discussed. Under the fog/edge‐computing‐driven mobile communication network architecture, a distributed resource allocation mechanism based on economics is presented. The economics models and analysis study the underlying, and possibly conflicting objectives and incentives of various stakeholders, with pricing solutions providing a way for the optimization of objectives like social welfare, profit, or fairness. As such, it can be a potential powerful tool in solving the aforementioned challenges. While pricing for resource allocation has a vast existing literature, the analysis and schemes cannot be implemented directly due to the unique characteristics of 5G cloud‐fog/edge networks, hence providing a vast scope for potential research. In light of this, we finally outline some unique characteristics to consider when applying economics to aid resource allocation in 5G cloud‐fog/edge networks.