Mobile Edge Computing Network Research Articles

Robust deadline-aware network function parallelization framework under demand uncertainty

The orchestration of Service Function Chains (SFCs) in Mobile Edge Computing (MEC) becomes crucial for ensuring efficient service provision, especially under dynamic and uncertain demand. Meanwhile, the parallelization of Virtual Network Functions (VNFs) within an SFC can further optimize resource usage and reduce the risk of deadline violations. However, most existing works formulate the SFC orchestration problem in MEC with deterministic demands and costly runtime resource reprovisioning to handle dynamic demands. This paper introduces a Robust Deadline-aware network function Parallelization framework under Demand Uncertainty (RDPDU) designed to address the challenges posed by unpredictable fluctuations in user demand and resource availability within MEC networks. RDPDU to consider end-to-end latency for SFC assembly by modeling load-dependent processing latency and load-independent propagation latency. Also, RDPDU formulates the problem assuming uncertain demand by Quadratic Integer Programming (QIP) to be resistant to dynamic service demand fluctuations. By discovering dependencies between VNFs, the RDPDU effectively assembles multiple sub-SFCs instead of the original SFC. Finally, our framework uses Deep Reinforcement Learning (DRL) to assemble sub-SFCs with guaranteed latency and deadline. By integrating DRL into the SFC orchestration problem, the framework adapts to changing network conditions and demand patterns, improving the overall system's flexibility and robustness. Experimental evaluations show that the proposed framework can effectively deal with demand fluctuations, latency, deadline, and scalability and improve performance against recent algorithms.

Hybrid intelligent algorithm aided energy consumption optimization in smart grid systems with edge computing

The rapid proliferation of smart grid systems necessitates efficient management of energy resources, particularly in the context of mobile edge computing (MEC) networks. This paper presents a novel approach to optimize the energy consumption in smart grid systems with the integration of edge computing, employing a hybrid intelligent algorithm (HIA) empowered by particle swarm optimization (PSO). The primary objective is to enhance the sustainability and operational efficiency of smart grid infrastructures by minimizing the energy consumption in the MEC networks. The proposed HIA utilizes PSO to dynamically allocate computational tasks and manage resources among edge devices based on real-time demand fluctuations. This adaptive approach aims to achieve the optimal load balancing and energy efficiency across the smart grid ecosystem. By leveraging the PSO’s ability to iteratively refine solutions and adapt to changing environmental conditions, the algorithm optimizes the energy consumption while maintaining requisite service levels and reliability. Simulation experiments and case studies validate the effectiveness of the proposed PSO-based HIA in reducing the energy consumption without compromising system other performances. The results demonstrate substantial improvements in the energy efficiency, illustrating the feasibility and benefits of employing intelligent algorithms tailored for edge computing environments within smart grid systems. This research contributes to advancing sustainable smart grid technologies by introducing a robust framework for energy optimization through hybrid intelligent algorithms.

Resource allocation in RISs-assisted UAV-enabled MEC network with computation capacity improvement

Unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV)-enabled mobile edge computing (MEC) networks have recently been considered to be a support for ground MEC networks to enhance their computation capability. However, the line-of-sight (LOS) channels between the UAV and Internet of Things (IoT) devices can be interfered by various obstacles, such as trees and buildings, resulting in a considerable reduction in the capacity of MEC networks. To solve this issue, a system that combines multiple reconfigurable intelligence surfaces (RISs) with a UAV-enabled MEC network is proposed in this study. A UAV equipped with edge servers is treated as an aerial computing platform for IoT devices, and multi-RISs are utilized to simultaneously improve the communication quality between enhanced UAV and IoT devices. To maximize the sum computation bits of the system, a problem that jointly optimizes the time slot partition, local computation frequency, transmit power of the devices, UAV receive beamforming vectors, phase shifts of the RISs, and the trajectory of the UAV is formulated. The problem is a typical nonconvex optimization problem; therefore, we propose a recursive algorithm based on the successive convex approximation (SCA) and block coordinate descent (BCD) technology to find an approximate optimal solution. Simulation results demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed algorithm compared with various benchmark schemes.

Deep Reinforcement Learning Method for Task Offloading in Mobile Edge Computing Networks Based on Parallel Exploration with Asynchronous Training

Deep Reinforcement Learning Method for Task Offloading in Mobile Edge Computing Networks Based on Parallel Exploration with Asynchronous Training

Attention mechanism enhanced LSTM networks for latency prediction in deterministic MEC networks

In deterministic mobile edge computing (MEC) networks, accurately predicting latency is critical for optimizing resource allocation and enhancing quality of service (QoS). This paper introduces a novel approach leveraging attention mechanism enhanced long short-term memory (LSTM) networks to predict latency in MEC networks. The proposed model integrates attention mechanisms into LSTM networks to capture temporal dependency and emphasize relevant features in the input data, thereby improving the prediction accuracy. T extensive experiments are conducted by using practical MEC network data, demonstrating that the proposed approach significantly outperforms traditional LSTM and other baseline models in terms of prediction accuracy and computational efficiency. Additionally, we analyze the impact of various configurations in the attention mechanism and LSTM on the model performance, providing insights into the optimal settings. The findings of this study contribute to the advancement of latency prediction techniques in deterministic MEC networks, facilitating more efficient and reliable network management.

Maximizing Computation Rate for Sustainable Wireless-Powered MEC Network: An Efficient Dynamic Task Offloading Algorithm with User Assistance

In the Internet of Things (IoT) era, Mobile Edge Computing (MEC) significantly enhances the efficiency of smart devices but is limited by battery life issues. Wireless Power Transfer (WPT) addresses this issue by providing a stable energy supply. However, effectively managing overall energy consumption remains a critical and under-addressed aspect for ensuring the network’s sustainable operation and growth. In this paper, we consider a WPT-MEC network with user cooperation to migrate the double near–far effect for the mobile node (MD) far from the base station. We formulate the problem of maximizing long-term computation rates under a power consumption constraint as a multi-stage stochastic optimization (MSSO) problem. This approach is tailored for a sustainable WPT-MEC network, considering the dynamic and varying MEC network environment, including randomness in task arrivals and fluctuating channels. We introduce a virtual queue to transform the time-average energy constraint into a queue stability problem. Using the Lyapunov optimization technique, we decouple the stochastic optimization problem into a deterministic problem for each time slot, which can be further transformed into a convex problem and solved efficiently. Our proposed algorithm works efficiently online without requiring further system information. Extensive simulation results demonstrate that our proposed algorithm outperforms baseline schemes, achieving approximately 4% enhancement while maintain the queues stability. Rigorous mathematical analysis and experimental results show that our algorithm achieves O(1/V),O(V) trade-off between computation rate and queue stability.

Multi-Agent Deep Reinforcement Learning Based Dynamic Task Offloading in a Device-to-Device Mobile-Edge Computing Network to Minimize Average Task Delay with Deadline Constraints.

Device-to-device (D2D) is a pivotal technology in the next generation of communication, allowing for direct task offloading between mobile devices (MDs) to improve the efficient utilization of idle resources. This paper proposes a novel algorithm for dynamic task offloading between the active MDs and the idle MDs in a D2D-MEC (mobile edge computing) system by deploying multi-agent deep reinforcement learning (DRL) to minimize the long-term average delay of delay-sensitive tasks under deadline constraints. Our core innovation is a dynamic partitioning scheme for idle and active devices in the D2D-MEC system, accounting for stochastic task arrivals and multi-time-slot task execution, which has been insufficiently explored in the existing literature. We adopt a queue-based system to formulate a dynamic task offloading optimization problem. To address the challenges of large action space and the coupling of actions across time slots, we model the problem as a Markov decision process (MDP) and perform multi-agent DRL through multi-agent proximal policy optimization (MAPPO). We employ a centralized training with decentralized execution (CTDE) framework to enable each MD to make offloading decisions solely based on its local system state. Extensive simulations demonstrate the efficiency and fast convergence of our algorithm. In comparison to the existing sub-optimal results deploying single-agent DRL, our algorithm reduces the average task completion delay by 11.0% and the ratio of dropped tasks by 17.0%. Our proposed algorithm is particularly pertinent to sensor networks, where mobile devices equipped with sensors generate a substantial volume of data that requires timely processing to ensure quality of experience (QoE) and meet the service-level agreements (SLAs) of delay-sensitive applications.

Optimizing energy efficiency in MEC networks: a deep learning approach with Cybertwin-driven resource allocation

Cybertwin (CT) is an innovative network structure that digitally simulates humans and items in a virtual environment, significantly influencing Cybertwin instances more than regular VMs. Cybertwin-driven networks, combined with Mobile Edge Computing (MEC), provide practical options for transmitting IoT-enabled data. This research introduces a hybrid methodology integrating deep learning with Cybertwin-driven resource allocation to enhance energy-efficient workload offloading and resource management in MEC networks. Offloading work is essential in MEC networks since several applications require significant resources. The Cybertwin-driven approach considers user mobility, virtualization, processing power, load migrations, and resource demand as crucial elements in the decision-making process for offloading. The model optimizes job allocation between on-premises and distant execution using a task-offloading strategy to reduce the operating burden on the MEC network. The model uses a hybrid partitioning approach and a cost function to optimize resource allocation efficiently. This cost function accounts for energy consumption and service delays associated with job assignment, execution, and fulfilment. The model calculates the cost of several segmentation and offloading procedures and chooses the lowest cost to enhance energy efficiency and performance. The approach employs a deep learning architecture called “CNN-LSTM-TL” to accomplish energy-efficient task offloading, utilizing pre-trained transfer learning models. Batch normalization is used to speed up model training and improve its robustness. The model is trained and assessed using an extensive mobile edge computing public dataset. The experimental findings confirm the efficacy of the proposed methodology, indicating a 20% decrease in energy usage compared to conventional methods while achieving comparable or superior performance levels. Simulation studies emphasize the advantages of incorporating Cybertwin-driven insights into resource allocation and workload-offloading techniques. This research enhances energy-efficient and resource-aware MEC networks by incorporating Cybertwin-driven techniques.

Dynamic and efficient resource allocation for 5G end‐to‐end network slicing: A multi‐agent deep reinforcement learning approach

SummaryThe rapid evolution of user equipment (UE) and 5G networks drives significant transformations, bringing technology closer to end‐users. Managing resources in densely crowded areas such as airports, train stations, and bus terminals poses challenges due to diverse user demands. Integrating mobile edge computing (MEC) and network function virtualization (NFV) becomes vital when the service provider's (SP) primary goal is maximizing profitability while maintaining service level agreement (SLA). Considering these challenges, our study addresses an online resource allocation problem in an MEC network where computing resources are limited, and the SP aims to boost profit by securely admitting more UE requests at each time slot. Each UE request arrival rate is unknown, and the requirement is specific resources with minimum cost and delay. The optimization problem objective is achieved by allocating resources to requests at the MEC network in appropriate cloudlets, utilizing abandoned instances, reutilizing idle and soft slice instances to shorten delay and reduce costs, and immediately scaling inappropriate instances, thus minimizing the instantiation of new instances. This paper proposes a deep reinforcement learning (DRL) method for request prediction and resource allocation to mitigate unnecessary resource waste. Simulation results demonstrate that the proposed approach effectively accepts network slice requests to maximize profit by leveraging resource availability, reutilizing instantiated resources, and upholding goodwill and SLA. Through extensive simulations, we show that our proposed DRL‐based approach outperforms other state‐of‐the‐art techniques, namely, MaxSR, DQN, and DDPG, by 76%, 33%, and 23%, respectively.

Dynamic computation scheduling for hybrid energy mobile edge computing networks

The rapid expansion of Mobile Edge Computing (MEC) is driven by the growing demand for resource-intensive applications within the Internet of Things. Computation offloading allows these applications to be executed at the network edge, but it leads to significant electricity expenses for network operators. To mitigate these costs, one promising solution is to power base stations (BSs) with a hybrid energy supply that combines unpredictable harvested energy with stable energy from the smart grid. This paper investigates joint computation scheduling for mobile devices (MDs) and resource allocation in a MEC network incorporating hybrid energy sources. Our objective is to maximize long-term time-averaged service utility by optimizing parameters such as BS battery supply, harvestable energy, CPU frequency, transmission power, task-partition factor, and MD-BS associations. To tackle this complex problem, we exploit the Lyapunov optimization framework to decompose it into deterministic subproblems for each time slot and propose an online network service utility maximization scheduling (NSUMS) algorithm. Experimental results show that our algorithm outperforms benchmark schemes in service utility and energy expenditure, improving the completion ratio by 32%, reducing the failure rate by 80%, and decreasing MD energy consumption by 28%.

Performance on massive MIMO enabled mobile edge computing networks: Parallel computing modeling

With the development of communication and computation technologies, mobile edge computing (MEC) has become an emerging technology being deployed in 5G/B5G mobile networks to improve the mobile user experience. In this paper, we study the asymptotic performance of parallel computing in MEC networks with massive multi-input and multi-output (MIMO) in the millimeter wave band. First, a massive MIMO enabled MEC network with a parallel-limited computing model is constructed, and the task completed probability is defined as a new network performance metric. In the proposed model, we derive the task offloading and computing probabilities via the probability generation functional of the Poisson point process, from which, the task completed probability is obtained. Then we propose a computing resource allocation optimization algorithm to maximize the task completed probability within a given delay constraint. The numerical simulation results prove the accuracy of the obtained theoretical results and verify the performance of the proposed algorithm.

Collaborative computation offloading and wireless charging scheduling in multi-UAV-assisted MEC networks: A TD3-based approach

Computation offloading, resource allocation, and endurance issues in unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV)-aided mobile edge computing (MEC) networks have always been a research focus. UAV-aided MEC allows mobile users’ (MUs’) tasks to be offloaded to drones for processing in special scenarios, such as natural disasters or military attacks. However, as the number and size of offloaded tasks continuously increase, it is difficult for a single UAV to meet all computational demands, result in the decline of QoS. In order to address this issue, this paper presents a collaborative computation offloading scheme where multiple UAVs can cooperate to handle massive tasks. Firstly, considering that battery-limited UAVs cannot complete all tasks and sustain flight without recharging, we incorporate charging stations (CS) into multi-UAV-assisted MEC networks. Subsequently, we design a price-based incentive mechanism to encourage the adjacent UAVs with unused computation resources to cooperate with busy UAVs, so as to maximize the total revenue obtained from UAVs’ collaborative computation. Then, we formulate the joint optimization problem of computation offloading, resource allocation and charging scheduling as a Markov Decision Process (MDP), and propose a Twin Delayed Deep Deterministic policy gradient (TD3) algorithm to find optimal strategies. Finally, extensive simulations demonstrate that the proposed TD3 algorithm outperforms other benchmark methods, achieving the maximum overall system utility under different scenarios.

Secured Computation Offloading in Multi-Access Mobile Edge Computing Networks through Deep Reinforcement Learning

Mobile edge computing (MEC) has emerged as a pivotal technology to address the computational demands of resource-constrained mobile devices by offloading tasks to nearby edge servers. However, ensuring the security and efficiency of computation offloading in multiaccess MEC networks remains a critical challenge. This paper proposes a novel approach that leverages deep reinforcement learning (DRL) for secure computation offloading in multi-access MEC networks. The proposed framework utilizes DRL agents to dynamically make offloading decisions based on the current network conditions, resource availability, and security requirements. The agents learn optimal offloading policies through interactions with the environment, aiming to maximize task completion efficiency while minimizing security risks. To enhance security, the framework integrates encryption techniques and access control mechanisms to protect sensitive data during offloading. The proposed approach undergoes comprehensive simulations to assess its performance in terms of security, efficiency, and scalability. The results demonstrate that the DRL-based approach effectively balances the tradeoffs between security and efficiency, achieving robust and adaptive computation offloading in multi-access MEC networks. This study contributes to advancing the state-of-the-art in secure and efficient mobile edge computing systems, fostering the development of intelligent and resilient MEC solutions for future mobile networks.

An adaptive simulated annealing-based computational offloading scheme in UAV-assisted MEC networks

Mobile edge computing (MEC) is an advanced technology that enables fifth-generation (5G) applications. It uses a mechanism to offload computation from mobile devices (MDs) to edge servers at the access point (AP) to improve the quality of computation. By leveraging the strengths of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), we can install edge servers on UAVs to support task offloading. However, this is constrained by the limited computational resources of UAVs and high energy consumption. Due to the complexity of such architecture, the joint optimization of energy consumption and delay by applying classical optimization algorithms cannot work well either. So far, there is no research work that addresses the problem of computation offloading in UAV-based MEC networks considering the UAV-AP-MD architecture that is well applicable in 5G scenarios; this motivates us to propose this work. We first formulate this problem as an optimization problem and then develop an adaptive simulated annealing-based method for joint optimization of energy consumption and delay. We design a mechanism to dynamically increase the cooling rate as a function of decreasing temperature to achieve better convergence, and implement a task queue for MDs and servers. Finally, we perform numerical simulations and find that the proposed method reduces the energy consumption (17%) and delay (50%) of MDs and UAV while it has the best task dropped rate (50%) and fairness (4.2%) compared to other known methods.

Learning-driven service caching in MEC networks with bursty data traffic and uncertain delays

Mobile edge computing (MEC) provides extremely low-latency services for mobile users, by attaching computing resources to 5G base stations in an MEC network. Network service providers can cache their services from remote data centers to base stations to serve mobile users within their proximity, thereby reducing service latencies. However, mobile users of network services usually have bursty requests that require immediate processing in the MEC network. The data traffic of such requests is bursty, since mobile users have various hidden features including locations, group tags, and mobility patterns. Furthermore, such bursty data traffic causes uncertain congestion at base stations and thus leads to uncertain processing delays. Considering the limited resources of base stations, network services may not be able to be placed into base stations permanently to handle the bursty data traffic. As such, network services need to be dynamically cached in the MEC network to fully address the bursty data traffic and uncertain processing delays.In this paper, we investigate the problem of dynamic service caching and task offloading in an MEC network, by adopting the online learning technique to harness the challenges brought by bursty data traffic and uncertain processing delays. We first propose an online learning algorithm for the problem with uncertain processing delays, by utilizing the multi-armed bandits technique, and analyze the regret bound of the proposed algorithm. We then propose another online learning algorithm for the problem with bursty data traffic and uncertain processing delays, which adaptively learns the bursty data traffic of requests, based on small samples of mobile users’ hidden features. We also propose a novel architecture of Generative Adversarial Network (GAN) to accurately predict user demands using small samples of mobile users’ hidden features. Based on the proposed GAN model, we then devise an efficient heuristic for the problem with the uncertainties of both bursty data traffic and uncertain delays. We finally evaluate the performance of the proposed algorithms by simulations, using a real data trace. Experimental results show that the performance of the proposed algorithms outperforms existing ones by up to 44% in terms of average delay.

UAVs-assisted QoS guarantee scheme of IoT applications for reliable mobile edge computing

Unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) assisted mobile edge computing (MEC) is an emerging network architecture that has been considered as a promising transformative service paradigm. It enhances the coverage of intelligent mobile communication network and promotes the rapid development of a wide range of internet of things (IoT) applications. However, the ever-increasing data transmission demands given rise by these IoT applications based on MEC have posed significant challenges to the service of quality (QoS) guarantee of UAVs-assisted MEC (UAVs-MEC) network. To address the issue, we propose a novel UAVs-MEC QoS guarantee scheme that can enhances the reliability of IoT applications in UAVs-MEC network. Specifically, a dynamic QoS-aware based service level agreement (SLA) compliance verification model for MEC service is proposed in the scheme. It can monitor and detect the consistency of dynamic QoS of IoT applications through UAVs to ensure the continuous SLA compliance of service provided by MEC. Additionally, an objective weight assignment method and an adaptive update method are presented to improve the accuracy and scalability of the scheme. Finally, the simulation experiments conducted using a real-world dataset show that the proposed scheme can efficiently and effectively verify the SLA compliance of MEC service for guaranteeing QoS of IoT applications in UAVs-MEC context while outperforms other existing SLA violation detection methods.

SFL-TUM: Energy efficient SFRL method for large scale AI model's task offloading in UAV-assisted MEC networks

The convergence of mobile edge computing (MEC) network with unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) presents an auspicious opportunity to revolutionize wireless communication and facilitate high-speed internet access in remote regions for mobile devices (MDs) as well as large scale artificial intelligence (AI) models. However, the substantial amount of data produced by the UAVs-assisted MEC network necessitates the integration of efficient distributed learning techniques in AI models. In recent times, distributed learning algorithms, including federated reinforcement learning (FRL) and split learning (SL), have been explored for the purpose of learning machine learning (ML) models that are distributed by sharing model parameters, as opposed to large raw data-sets as seen in traditional centralized learning algorithms. To implement the hybrid method, the model is first trained locally on each UAV-assisted MEC network using SL. Subsequently, the model parameters that have been encrypted are sent to a central server for federated averaging. Finally, after the model has been updated, it is distributed to each UAV-assisted MEC network for local fine-tuning. Our simulations indicate that the proposed split and federated reinforcement learning (SFRL) framework yields comparable high-test accuracy performance while consuming less energy compared to extant distributed learning algorithms. Furthermore, the SFRL algorithm efficiently realizes energy-efficient selection between the SL and FRL methods under different distributions. Numerical results shows that the proposed scheme improves the accuracy by 29.31% and reduced the energy consumption by around 67.34% and time delay by about 7.37%. as compared to the existing baseline schemes.

Resource management for computational offload in MEC networks with energy harvesting and relay assistance

In mobile edge computing (MEC) networks, the integrated application of energy harvesting (EH) and relay cooperation is a promising technology, which ensures the real-time performance of the system and computing power supply. Relay and EH cooperation also expand communication range and extend the battery life of energy-constrained devices. However, in wireless powered and relay-assisted MEC networks, it is challenging to jointly dispatch energy, and computing resources to coordinate heterogeneous performance requirements. To fill this gap, this paper examines the fundamental compromise between utility energy efficiency (UEE) and stable queue length in wireless powered and relay-assisted MEC network systems, and the amount of data transferred for each unit of energy is called UEE. The data queue and energy queue models are introduced and the constraints of stability of two queues in long term are included in the formulated problem. To tackle the fractional and nonconvex optimization problems, the Dinkelsbach method is utilized. Since optimization problems change from time to time and the long-term averaging queue stability is considered, the Lyapunov optimization theory is introduced to convert the non-convex problems into the solvable one. An online resource offloading allocation algorithm is proposed to determine the solution. In addition, the algorithm implements the control parameter V to achieve the compromise between UEE and stable queue length, while the impact of various parameters are also revealed on system performance.

Deep Reinforcement Learning-based Mining Task Offloading Scheme for Intelligent Connected Vehicles in UAV-aided MEC

The convergence of unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV)-aided mobile edge computing (MEC) networks and blockchain transforms the existing mobile networking paradigm. However, in the temporary hotspot scenario for intelligent connected vehicles (ICVs) in UAV-aided MEC networks, deploying blockchain-based services and applications in vehicles is generally impossible due to its high computational resource and storage requirements. One possible solution is to offload part of all the computational tasks to MEC servers wherever possible. Unfortunately, due to the limited availability and high mobility of the vehicles, there is still lacking simple solutions that can support low-latency and higher reliability networking services for ICVs. In this article, we study the task offloading problem of minimizing the total system latency and the optimal task offloading scheme, subject to constraints on the hover position coordinates of the UAV, the fixed bonuses, flexible transaction fees, transaction rates, mining difficulty, costs and battery energy consumption of the UAV. The problem is confirmed to be a challenging linear integer planning problem, we formulate the problem as a constrained Markov decision process. Deep Reinforcement Learning (DRL) has excellently solved sequential decision-making problems in dynamic ICVs environment, therefore, we propose a novel distributed DRL-based P-D3QN approach by using Prioritized Experience Replay strategy and the dueling double deep Q-network (D3QN) algorithm to solve the optimal task offloading policy effectively. Finally, experiment results show that compared with the benchmark scheme, the P-D3QN algorithm can bring about 26.24% latency improvement and increase about 42.26% offloading utility.

Energy Efficient Transmission Strategy for Mobile Edge Computing Network in UAV-Based Patrol Inspection System

Energy Efficient Transmission Strategy for Mobile Edge Computing Network in UAV-Based Patrol Inspection System