Cross-Site Edge Framework for Location-Awareness Distributed Edge-Computing Applications

Abstract

In an edge computing application, cloud-side process and edge-side process run individually. This distributed process of an application fulfilling one common goal results in low readability of codes and additional maintenance cost. To address this issue, we propose a new edge-computing application framework, called ``cross-site edge framework'' (CEF). The key approach of CEF is a messaging middleware layer on which function calls are converted into messages that are exchanged between regions behind the application code. Developers can implement all processes in all environments into a single file or project as if the application runs in one environment. Using this approach, developers can add an annotation that specifies the location where the function is performed to a function in the application. This approach reduces the number of operation tasks required for developing edge-computing applications by a half compared to the number required by an edge-computing service of cloud vendor.