MEC/Cloud Orchestrator to Facilitate Private/Local Beyond 5G with MEC and Proof-of-Concept Implementation

Abstract

The emergence of 5G-IoT opens up unprecedented connectivity possibilities for new service use cases and players. Multi-access edge computing (MEC) is a crucial technology and enabler for Beyond 5G, supporting next-generation communications with service guarantees (e.g., ultra-low latency, high security) from an end-to-end (E2E) perspective. On the other hand, one notable advance is the platform that supports virtualization from RAN to applications. Deploying Radio Access Networks (RAN) and MEC, including third-party applications on virtualization platforms, and renting other equipment from legacy telecom operators will make it easier for new telecom operators, called Private/Local Telecom Operators, to join the ecosystem. Our preliminary studies have discussed the ecosystem for private and local telecom operators regarding business potential and revenue and provided numerical results. What remains is how Private/Local Telecom Operators can manage and deploy their MEC applications. In this paper, we designed the architecture for fully virtualized MEC 5G cellular networks with local use cases (e.g., stadiums, campuses). We propose an MEC/Cloud Orchestrator implementation for intelligent deployment selection. In addition, we provide implementation schemes in several cases held by either existing cloud owners or private and local operators. In order to verify the proposal’s feasibility, we designed the system level in E2E and constructed a Beyond 5G testbed at the Ōokayama Campus of the Tokyo Institute of Technology. Through proof-of-concept in the outdoor field, the proposed system’s feasibility is verified by E2E performance evaluation. The verification results prove that the proposed approach can reduce latency and provide a more stable throughput than conventional cloud services.

NFV/SDN as an Enabler for Dynamic Placement Method of mmWave Embedded UAV Access Base Stations

“…Furthermore, the significance of using NFV technology to run applications on MEC connected by network control was shown from the perspective of the operator holding the MEC [24]. In addition, the NFV/SDN controller was designed from an E2E viewpoint for MEC, considering both the application and the network [25]. PoC (Proof-of-Concept) of [25] validated the effectiveness of the MEC in the outdoor field.…”

“…In addition, the NFV/SDN controller was designed from an E2E viewpoint for MEC, considering both the application and the network [25]. PoC (Proof-of-Concept) of [25] validated the effectiveness of the MEC in the outdoor field.…”

Emerging Technologies in Edge Computing and Networking

“…The global evolution of the Internet is experiencing a notable and inevitable change towards a convergent scenario known as the Internet of Things (IoT), where a large number of devices with heterogeneous characteristics and requirements have to be interconnected to serve different verticals, such as smart cities, intelligent transportation systems, smart grids, (ITS) or e-health [1][2][3][4][5][6]. In order to satisfy the strict requirements related to end-toend latency and the scalability of new services, as well as the processing of the massive volume of data that they generate, it is necessary to design and deploy a decentralized service platform architecture based on MEC (multi-access edge computing) and/or fog computing, with the aim of reducing the distance between the source of data and the processing resources.…”