World Wide Web

Utility computing

Cloud computing security

Computer security

Operating system

The Internet

Telecommunications

Computer science

Cloud computing

Edge device

Distributed computing

Computer network

Enhanced Data Rates for GSM Evolution

Leverage (statistics)

Mobile edge computing

Artificial intelligence

Edge computing

Software deployment

IEEE Internet of Things Journal

The amount of data generated by sensors, actuators, and other devices in the Internet of Things (IoT) has substantially increased in the last few years. IoT data are currently processed in the cloud, mostly through computing resources located in distant data centers. As a consequence, network bandwidth and communication latency become serious bottlenecks. This paper advocates edge computing for emerging IoT applications that leverage sensor streams to augment interactive applications. First, we classify and survey current edge computing architectures and platforms, then describe key IoT application scenarios that benefit from edge computing. Second, we carry out an experimental evaluation of edge computing and its enabling technologies in a selected use case represented by mobile gaming. To this end, we consider a resource-intensive 3-D application as a paradigmatic example and evaluate the response delay in different deployment scenarios. Our experimental results show that edge computing is necessary to meet the latency requirements of applications involving virtual and augmented reality. We conclude by discussing what can be achieved with current edge computing platforms and how emerging technologies will impact on the deployment of future IoT applications.

Edge Computing for the Internet of Things: A Case Study