TECHNICAL FIELD

The invention relates to application functions that can be split between cloud and ‘edge’ computing systems.

BACKGROUND

A recent development in cloud computing is the use of ‘fog’ or ‘edge’ computing. ‘Fog’ or ‘edge’ computing relies on moving computing and storage functionality out from the cloud and closer to whatever entities or data is to be managed and processed. Such functionality may be applied, for example, to the ‘Internet of Things’. ‘Internet of Things’, IoT, systems often have a wide variety of equipment designs, each of which may have only limited computing power but yet may produce useful data. Such data often originates from widely spaced locations.

Henceforth, the term ‘edge’ computing will be used in this application to cover computing arrangements that are typically referred to either as ‘fog’ or ‘edge’ computing by practitioners. Edge computing is described more fully at: http://www.etsi.org/technologies-clusters/technologies/mobile-edge-computing Fog computing is described more fully at: https://www.openfbgconsortium.org/resources/#definition-of-fog-computing

FIG. 1illustrates known cloud computing systems. InFIG. 1A, an example of a known cloud computing architecture100is shown in schematic form. A backend server110forms part of a cloud computing system112. Backend server110provides a backend processing function, and may for example be an IoT server. Connection120links backend server110to first sensor device140, second sensor device144and third sensor device148. Connection120serves to provide backhaul connectivity, and is generally a direct connection. In various different versions of cloud computing architecture100, the connection120may be provided by one or more communication technologies, such as cellular, WiFi or Ethernet.

InFIG. 1B, an example of a known Edge computing architecture160is shown in schematic form. A backend server110forms part of a cloud computing system112. Connection120links backend server110to an edge processing function130. Connection120serves to provide backhaul connectivity. Edge processing function130provides some of the computing and storage functionality from the cloud computing system112, such as some of the functionality of the backend server110ofFIG. 1A. Edge processing function130connects to first sensor device140via first connection142, to second sensor device144via second connection146, and third sensor device148via third connection150. First sensor device140, second sensor device144and to third sensor device148connect to edge processing function130, where measurements are initially processed and then results sent to the backend function represented by backend server110.

In an illustrative example, the edge processing function130may be located in the Radio Access Network of a cellular communications system. First connection142, second connection146and third connection150are therefore high bandwidth links with very high availability and low latency. Edge processing function130, when located in the Radio Access Network of a cellular communications system, may support many other remote devices than the first sensor device140, second sensor device144and third sensor device148illustrated inFIG. 1B. Although remote from edge processing function130, those devices may be part of, for example, enterprise computing systems located in customers' premises.

The recognized benefits of the migration to edge computing are as follows: (i) Reduced bandwidth in the backhaul link120to the cloud processing functionality in the backend server110, which reduces the volume of data that needs to be sent back to the cloud computing system112; (ii) Reduced latency, because the edge processing function130can produce results quickly, due to the close proximity of edge processing function130to local control functions; (iii) Improved security. The improved security results from less data being sent to the cloud computing system112. In addition, rather than having security endpoints on each low power sensor node such as first sensor device140, as is the case in the architecture100ofFIG. 1A, the security endpoint is at the edge processing function130.

In all of scenarios (i)-(iii) above, the need for backend server110and cloud computing system112remains. In a simple example, based onFIG. 1B, the edge processing function130stores the last hour's worth of data from first sensor device140, second sensor device144and third sensor device148, each of which might publish a temperature reading every minute. Only when any individual temperature reading exceeds a given threshold would all of the last hour's data from all of first sensor device140, second sensor device144and third sensor device148be uploaded to the cloud computing system112and backend server110for processing.

One limitation in edge computing system150ofFIG. 1Bremains the reliability of backhaul link120, even given the autonomous nature of some processing carried out in edge processing function130.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In accordance with a first aspect of the invention, an edge computing system in accordance with claim1is provided. In accordance with a second aspect of the invention, an edge processing function in accordance with claim6is provided. In accordance with a third aspect of the invention, an edge computing system in accordance with claim7is provided. The dependent claims provide further details of embodiments.

